Sat.Dec 09, 2017 - Fri.Dec 15, 2017

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Porsche reports ~60% of new Panamera models delivered in Europe are with plug-in hybrid drive; ramping up for Mission E

Green Car Congress

Porsche reports that around 60% of all new Panamera models that have been delivered in Europe were equipped with a hybrid drive. The new Panamera plug-in hybrid models were launched on the European market in June 2017. The Panamera plug-in hybrids (Panamera 4 E-Hybrid and Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Executive) have a purely electric range of up to 50 kilometers (31 miles). ( Earlier post.

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Wal-Mart, Anheuser-Busch, DHL to test Tesla Semi: 1,200-plus reservations?

Green Car Reports

An Instagram post by an "outdoor living design and construction firm serving the Chicago Southland" seems to confirm a total of 1,230 reservations for Tesla's new all-electric truck. Elemental Landscapes of Illinois posted a screenshot of its reservation for three Tesla Semi trucks, showing a reservation number EO000001230. If the reservation.

Chicago 161
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moovel Group and SSB launching new mobility service in Stuttgart

Green Car Congress

Daimler’s moovel Group and the Stuttgarter Strassenbahnen AG (SSB) are launching a new mobility service in Stuttgart. Named “Flex Pilot”, the service allows customers to book flexibly and on demand. The new on-demand service will be tested on selected days from 14 December 2017. The service will then start with the SSB as operating company under the name “SSB Flex” in the first half of 2018.

Portland 236
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Regulatory & Legal Alerts – Dec. 2017

Green Car Congress

Peopletrail actively tracks the regulatory and legal environment that surrounds employment and criminal background screening. This helps you remain compliant with the FCRA, EEOC, and other regulatory standards or agencies. The following includes recaps of the most significant updates impacting the screening industry in recent weeks. State. California.

Legal 231
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How serious is Norway about climate change? So much that its streetlights self-dim

emissions global warming Norway climate change carbon dioxide youtube lighting

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California Air Resources Board approves $663M funding plan for clean cars, trucks, buses

Green Car Congress

The California Air Resources Board approved a $663-million low-carbon transportation plan to increase the use of clean cars, heavy-duty trucks, buses and freight equipment. The funding will help the state cut climate-changing gases while promoting technologies that reduce harmful diesel emissions, particularly in disadvantaged and low-income communities.

Clean 225
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Toyota and Panasonic to start feasibility study on forming joint automotive prismatic battery business; studying solid-state batteries also

Green Car Congress

Toyota Motor Corporation and Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic) have agreed to begin studying the feasibility of creating a joint business focused specifically on high-capacity prismatic batteries for automotive applications. Panasonic is notably already a parter with Tesla and its Gigafactory, making cylindrical cells. This agreement is intended to address growing demand and expectations for electrified vehicles.

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More Trending

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China Lake team devises new class of bio-based high-cetane renewable diesel fuels: dioxolanes

Green Car Congress

Researchers at the Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake have synthesized a new class of renewable diesel fuels from a methyl ketone and diols including 2,3-butanediol, 1,2-propanediol, and ethylene glycol. These fuels exhibit comparable net heats of combustion (NHOCs) to conventional biodiesel, while maintaining derived cetane numbers between 82-91.

Diesel 207
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ARPA-E issues $100M OPEN funding opportunity announcement to support early-stage energy R&D

Green Car Congress

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $100 million in funding for new projects as part of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s (ARPA‑E) latest OPEN funding opportunity. ( DE-FOA-0001858 ) ARPA-E issued previous OPEN solicitations in 2009, 2012, and 2015. Open solicitations enable ARPA-E to support transformational projects outside the scope of existing ARPA-E focused programs.

Energy 207
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German BMVI providing funding for conversion of ships to LNG fuel

Green Car Congress

Effective immediately, applications for the conversion and conversion of seagoing ships to liquefied natural gas (LNG) as marine fuel can be submitted to the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI). The aim of the BMVI funding program is to promote the use of LNG in German maritime shipping. The funding is provided by the Mobility and Fuel Strategy (FMD), which will provide around €278 million (US$331 million) for all means of transport by 2020.

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Cummins Westport receives 2018 emissions certifications for L9N and B6.7N low NOx natural gas engines

Green Car Congress

Cummins Westport Inc. has received certifications from both the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Air Resources Board (ARB) in California for its 2018 L9N and B6.7N natural gas engines. Both engines meet California ARB optional Low NO x standards, as well as 2017 EPA greenhouse gas emission (GHG) requirements, making them some of the cleanest engines available today for truck and bus customers.

2018 186
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Faurecia and Accenture partner on products and services for connected and autonomous vehicles

Brief

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California ARB approves 2017 Climate Change Scoping Plan; requires doubling the rate of GHG cuts

Green Car Congress

The California Air Resources Board unanimously approved the 2017 Climate Change Scoping Plan , which sets the state on an aggressive course to reduce greenhouse gas emissions an additional 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 under SB 32. This will require California to double the rate at which it has been cutting GHGs. ( Earlier post.). Eleven years ago, the landmark Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) set the goal of reducing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.

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ORNL team proposes new electrode design to mitigate risk of battery failure in accidents; inspired by safety glass

Green Car Congress

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are proposing a new design concept for lithium-ion batteries that introduces slits in the electrodes—a feature which may mitigate the risk of battery failure during automobile accidents. The concept, presented in a paper in the journal Joule , could allow manufacturers to scale down the housing materials that commonly protect batteries in electric cars from mechanical damage, improving the overall energy density and cost.

Li-ion 170
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Academy Bus orders 6 New Flyer electric buses for Columbia University

Green Car Congress

Academy Express, LLC has awarded New Flyer a contract for six Xcelsior CHARGE battery-electric, forty-foot heavy-duty transit buses complete with three charging stations. The buses will be deployed in 2018 on Columbia University’s Intercampus Shuttle network, operating between locations in Manhattan, New Jersey, and Rockland County serving over 30,000 students per year, with over 20,000 students using the Intercampus Shuttle network per month.

Universal 170
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GE Aviation testing 100% Gevo Alcohol-to-Jet fuel

Green Car Congress

GE Aviation has begun jet engine combustor component testing with 100% Gevo renewable alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ). The testing is being performed as part of the Federal Aviation Authority’s (FAA) Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise Program (CLEEN). CLEEN is the FAA’s principal environmental effort to accelerate the development of new aircraft, engine technologies, and to advance sustainable alternative jet fuels, in conjunction with aviation industry leaders such as GE Aviation.

Fuel 170
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ExxonMobil announces 6th oil discovery offshore Guyana with Ranger-1; Guyana may move from non-producer to regional powerhouse

Oil

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Renewable-methanol fueled Geely cars in fleet testing in Iceland; 70% reduction in WTW CO2 compared to gasoline

Green Car Congress

For the last 18 months, a fleet of 6 methanol-fueled versions of the Geely Emgrand 7 cars have been in Iceland. Geely is a shareholder ($45.5-million investment in 2015) in Carbon Recycling International ( CRI ), an Icelandic company which produces renewable methanol using recycled CO 2 emissions sourced from a local thermal power plant and hydrogen made by splitting water with electrolysis (Power-to-Methanol). ( Earlier post.).

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Researchers in Japan propose a more efficient method to reduce radioactive waste; fast reactor system shortens the lifetime of LLFPs

Green Car Congress

A team of scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) working in collaboration with Tohoku University, Tokyo City University and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency has proposed a novel, more efficient method to reduce radioactive waste. Their approach involves converting radioactive material into short-lived nuclides by absorbing surplus neutrons in the core peripheral portion of a small fast reactor faster than they are generated in the core.

Waste 170
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Nissan to launch car-sharing service in Japan with new LEAF, Note e-POWER

Green Car Congress

As part of Nissan Intelligent Mobility, Nissan will introduce a car-sharing service in Japan enabling users to experience the company’s advanced technologies in vehicle electrification and intelligence. The service, named e-share mobi , will begin 15 Jan 2018, and will initially feature the new, all-electric Nissan LEAF and the Nissan Note e-POWER. The service will initially be offered at about 30 stations in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Osaka, Hyogo, Kyoto, Shiga, Nara, Wakayama and other prefect

Japan 170
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FEV, Lightspeed Technologies to demo fiber optic-based optical and electronic architecture for automotive applications

Green Car Congress

FEV North America, Inc. (FEV) and Lightspeed Technologies have jointly created an automotive O/E (Optical and Electronic) system architecture technology that transmits photons over plastic optical fiber in lieu of E/E (Electricity and Electronics) technologies that typically conduct electrons over copper. This will significantly reduce weight, the number of vehicle parts, and assembly costs, while improving system efficiencies.

Las Vegas 150
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UF/IFAS researchers develop new sorghum cultivars that could produce up 10.5 kL ethanol per hectare

Green Car Congress

Researchers from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have found that three UF/IFAS-developed sorghum varieties could produce up to 10,500 liters of ethanol per hectare (about 1,100 gallons US per acre). Sorghum is the fifth-largest cereal crop in the world and the third-largest in the United States, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

Juice 150
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Petrobras and ExxonMobil form strategic alliance

Green Car Congress

Petrobras and ExxonMobil signed a memorandum of understanding regarding a strategic alliance jointly to identify and evaluate potential business opportunities. Petrobras and ExxonMobil will evaluate areas of mutual interest that can bring together their world-class experience across all sectors of the oil and gas production value chain, including opportunities for cooperation in exploration, production, gas and chemicals both inside and outside Brazil.

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PNNL leads team to accelerate development of affordable carbon fiber composites

Green Car Congress

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, along with experts from industry and academia, have developed predictive engineering tools for designing new, economical, and lightweight automotive composites. This approach should speed the development of more economical carbon fiber materials. Fiber orientation prediction in 3D complex part using the Autodesk software (Left) that was imported into the 3D ABAQUS model (Right) for stiffness performance prediction u

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Workhorse Group applies for $250M loan from DOE Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) Loan Program

Green Car Congress

Workhorse Group Inc., the developer of a plug-in electric pickup truck ( earlier post ), has applied for a $250-million loan from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing ( ATVM ) Loan Program. The company also announced that DOE has deemed its application to be substantially complete for purposes of DOE beginning its preliminary evaluation of the technical, financial, legal and other aspects of the application.

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ExxonMobil completes LNG acquisition in Mozambique Area 4

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ExxonMobil announced the completion of a transaction by ExxonMobil Development Africa B.V. to acquire a 25% indirect interest in Mozambique’s gas-rich Area 4 block from Eni and assume responsibility for midstream operations. ExxonMobil will lead the construction and operation of all future natural gas liquefaction and related facilities, while Eni will continue to lead the Coral floating LNG project and all upstream operations.

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Cal Energy Commission awards ~$3M to EV ride-sharing projects in disadvantaged communities; fuel cell and BEV

Green Car Congress

The California Energy Commission awarded nearly $3 million to car-sharing programs using electric vehicles in disadvantaged communities. The goal of the grants is to demonstrate the use of zero-emission vehicles in mobility services, such as car sharing and ride hailing, and provide an increased awareness of clean vehicle technologies. Stratosfuel, Inc. will demonstrate a fuel cell car-sharing platform using the hydrogen-refueling network in Riverside and Ontario.

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Renovo and Samsung Electronics partnering on highly automated vehicle technology

Green Car Congress

Renovo , a technology company that builds automated mobility operating systems, announced its collaboration with Samsung Electronics on the development of highly-automated vehicle technology. The collaboration, which has been underway since the beginning of the year, will enable the Samsung Strategy & Innovation Center (SSIC) Smart Machines Group to use Renovo’s AWare operating system in its first fleet of test vehicles in California.

Vehicles 150
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Global Bioenergies starts scale-up of its second process: renewable acetone and isopropanol

Green Car Congress

Global Bioenergies has started the scale-up phase of a process converting renewable resources into acetone and isopropanol. The markets for both these 3-carbon compounds are well established and worth billions of dollars. In a further process, these two compounds can be converted to propylene, a key petrochemical building block with a market valued in excess of US$100 billion.

Renewable 150
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Neste to double production of drop-in renewable fuels and chemicals in Singapore to approx. 2Mt per year

Green Car Congress

Neste has begun design of a new production line in its Singapore refinery for the production of renewable diesel, renewable aviation fuel and raw materials for various biochemical uses. The company is aiming to make a final investment decision by the end of 2018. If the project proceeds as planned, production at the new production line, which will add one million tons of capacity, will begin by 2022.

Singapore 150
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SwRI opens ECTO-Lab for quick, cost-effective qualification of catalysts, emission control products

Green Car Congress

Southwest Research Institute recently opened a new fully automated, multi-fuel burner facility designed to rapidly and cost-effectively age and evaluate exhaust catalyst equipment for a wide range of engines. The Exhaust Component Transient Operation Laboratory ( ECTO-Lab ) uses SwRI-developed modular technology that is also available for purchase and installation at client facilities.

Emissions 150
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KBA issues recall on VW Touareg 3.0L Euro 6 diesel over defeat devices

Green Car Congress

The German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) has issued a mandatory recall of VW Touareg 3.0L Euro 6 diesels after discovering what the agency said were two inadmissible defeat devices were detected. Of these, 25,800 vehicles are licensed in Germany and 57,600 worldwide. The KBA said that in the NEDC, the affected vehicles (1) initiate a pollution-reducing warm-up strategy which is mostly not activated in real traffic and (2) limit the use of AdBlue under certain inadmissible conditions.

Diesel 150
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NREL-led research could lead to improved enzyme performance to break down biomass for renewable fuels

Green Car Congress

A team led by researchers from the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have gained new insights into how glycosylation—the natural attachment of sugars to proteins—affects a key cellulase enzyme. This work could be used to improve enzyme performance to better break down biomass and convert waste plant matter to renewable fuels and products.

Renewable 150
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Researchers discover pathway to optimize performance of lithium-rich cathodes; potential boon for EVs

Green Car Congress

Lithium-rich layered oxide cathodes are of significant interest because their specific capacities often exceed 200 mAh g -1 at high operating voltages over 3.5V, in contrast to the performance of their conventional layered counterparts with capacities of ~145-165 mAh g -1. The higher energy density could theoretically power an EV 30-50% further between charges.

Li-ion 150
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11 Japanese auto, infrastructure and financial companies establishing new company to develop hydrogen stations

Green Car Congress

As a result of discussions that began in May 2017, eleven companies in Japan have signed an agreement to form a new company in the spring of 2018 aimed at the full-fledged development of hydrogen recharging stations (HRS) for fuel cell vehicles (FCV). The initial partners include Toyota Motor Corporation; Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.; Honda Motor Co., Ltd.; JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation; Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.; Iwatani Corporation; Tokyo Gas Co.

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SunLine orders five New Flyer fuel cell buses

Green Car Congress

SunLine Transit Agency in California has awarded New Flyer of America—the US subsidiary of New Flyer Industries—with a contract for five Xcelsior fuel cell-electric forty-foot, heavy-duty transit buses. The new order, which was supported by the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Low Carbon Transportation and Air Quality Improvement Program, and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Low or No-Emission (Low-No) fund ( earlier post ), supports fleet expansion aligned to SunLine’

Fuel 150
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DOE: California has 15K+ EV charging units, 10% of which are fast chargers

Green Car Congress

California has by far the most EV charging units of any state with more than 15,000 charging units (plugs)—10% of which are fast chargers, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE). About one-third of states have more than a thousand charging units; those states average 11% fast chargers. Only seven states have fewer than 100 charging units, and two states have no fast charging units, but have level II chargers.