Transportation News

SUNY New Paltz Engineering Innovation Hub achieves LEED Gold

Aug 14, 2020: In New York’s Hudson Valley region, the public liberal arts college SUNY New Paltz has earned a LEED Gold certification award for its newly completed Engineering Innovation Hub building.

Rare large blue butterflies reintroduced in Gloucestershire

Aug 14, 2020: Rare large blue butterflies just experienced their most substantial reintroduction into the wild. About 750 of the globally endangered butterflies successfully hatched from larvae and flapped around Rodborough Common in Gloucestershire this summer.

Earth Overshoot Day comes 3 weeks later this year

Aug 14, 2020: Earth Overshoot Day will fall on August 22.

Wild in Africa jewelry supports wildlife conservation charities

Aug 14, 2020: While healing from an injury in Nairobi, Shannon Wild found comfort in making beaded bracelets. She turned this passion into a new business.

Mightly kids clothing is GOTS- and Fair Trade-certified

Aug 14, 2020: Mightly's new clothing are made with organic, fair-trade cotton.

Michigan, Cavnue to create corridor for connected and autonomous vehicles between Ann Arbor and Detroit

Aug 14, 2020: Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced an initiative to develop a first-of-its-kind corridor for connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV) designed to improve transportation for communities in Southeast Michigan. A key goal of the project will be to design the corridor with a focus on closing long-standing gaps in access to transit...

PPG partnering with LBNL on energy-efficient coatings for automotive; HPC4EI

Aug 14, 2020: PPG is partnering with the US Department of Energy (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in a research initiative aimed at developing energy-efficient coatings systems for the automotive industry. The PPG project—“Modeling Coating Flow and Dynamics during Drying”—was selected to receive funding through the DOE High Performance Computing for Energy...

Neste supplying sustainable aviation fuel to three major US airlines for flights from SFO

Aug 14, 2020: Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced from waste and residue raw materials, is supplying Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and JetBlue Airways with sustainable aviation fuel for flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The low-carbon and high-quality fuel will contribute to each...

Coltura: Supreme Court precedent means states can require all new vehicles sold be electric

Aug 14, 2020: Recent US Supreme Court precedent has opened the door for states to enact laws requiring all new cars sold in the state to be electric as of a certain date, according to a paper by the nonprofit Coltura published in the University of Michigan Journal of Environmental and Administrative Law....

Simple process transforms PET plastic into a nanomaterial for supercapacitors

Aug 14, 2020: UC Riverside (UCR) engineers have developed a way to recycle PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic waste, such as soda or water bottles, into a nanomaterial useful for energy storage. An open-access paper on the work is published in the journal Energy Storage. The researchers first dissolved pieces of PET plastic bottles...

NYK Line, JMU and ClassNK partner to commercialize ammonia-fueled ammonia gas carrier

Aug 14, 2020: NYK Line, Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU), and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) signed a joint R&D agreement for the commercialization of an ammonia-fueled ammonia gas carrier (AFAGC) that would use ammonia as the main fuel, in addition to an ammonia floating storage and regasification barge (A-FSRB). Ammonia-fueled Ammonia Gas Carrier...

DOE to award $20M to advance perovskite solar photovoltaic technologies

Aug 14, 2020: The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced $20 million in funding to advance perovskite solar photovoltaic technologies. (DE-FOA-0002357) Perovskites are a family of materials with a specific crystal structure, named after the mineral with that structure. When used to create solar cells, they have shown potential for high performance and...

PriestmanGoode designs sustainable, plastic-free takeout containers

Aug 13, 2020: PriestmanGoode has designed a durable, endlessly reusable takeaway container for restaurants and homes alike.

North Carolina denies permit for extension of Mountain Valley Pipeline

Aug 13, 2020: A key water permit for the Mountain Valley Pipeline extension has been denied.

Migratory birds triumph over Trump administration

Aug 13, 2020: A federal judge strikes down the Trump administration's move to rewrite the Migratory Treaty Bird Act.

Stefano Boeri proposes SUPERVERDE urban greening modules

Aug 13, 2020: These green modules could increase biodiversity, decrease the urban heat island effect and demineralize soils.

Chipotle debuts surprising new venture: sustainable clothing

Aug 13, 2020: Stop thinking of Chipotle as just another restaurant and start thinking of it as a great new clothing line. The well-known Mexican chain has launched Chipotle Goods, a line of sustainable clothing made with responsibly-sourced materials.

Phillips 66 to convert San Francisco Refinery into world’s largest renewable fuels plant; 800M+ gallons per year

Aug 13, 2020: Phillips 66, a diversified energy manufacturing and logistics company, plans to reconfigure its San Francisco Refinery in Rodeo, California, to produce renewable fuels. The plant would no longer produce fuels from crude oil, but instead would make fuels from used cooking oil, fats, greases and soybean oils. The Phillips 66...

Xcel Energy wants 1.5M EVs in its service areas by 2030; 30x increase from today

Aug 13, 2020: Utility holding company Xcel Energy wants 1.5 million electric vehicles in its service areas by 2030. If realized, EVs would make up 20% of all vehicles on the road in those areas—more than 30 times the number today. Xcel services customers in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North and South...

VW expanding EV engineering capability in US; high-voltage lab in Chattanooga

Aug 13, 2020: Volkswagen has begun expanding its Chattanooga factory to build a North American center for electric vehicles—not only for assembly, but for engineering the EVs of the future. To power those efforts, Volkswagen’s Engineering and Planning Center in Chattanooga will soon feature a high-voltage laboratory designed to develop and test electric...

Daimler Trucks’ FUSO introduces eCanter SensorCollect concept refuse truck

Aug 13, 2020: Daimler Trucks’ Japan-based subsidiary FUSO recently introduced the eCanter SensorCollect concept truck with a demonstration run at its Kawasaki headquarters. The FUSO eCanter SensorCollect is a concept garbage collection truck based on the all-electric eCanter. The vehicle proposes an application of the emissions-free light-duty truck to make essential garbage collection...

New DuckerFrontier survey finds aluminum remains fastest growing automotive material, emerging as a preferred metal for EVs

Aug 13, 2020: A new survey conducted by DuckerFrontier finds that aluminum, already the fastest growing automotive material, is expected to grow to content levels of 514 pounds per vehicle (PPV) by 2026, up 12% from 2020 levels. Aluminum applications are classified into 2 categories (platform and component) and 13 groups. Platform Parts...

Anheuser-Busch transitioning 30% of dedicated fleet to renewable natural gas

Aug 13, 2020: Anheuser-Busch is transitioning more than 180 trucks—representing approximately 30% of its dedicated fleet—to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG). In 2014 and 2015, Anheuser-Busch converted 160 diesel-fueled trucks in Houston and St. Louis to fleets powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) engines. As the next step to achieve its 2025 sustainability goal...

New catalytic process turns renewable and waste carbon into cleaner, high-performance diesel biofuel blendstock

Aug 13, 2020: A new single-phase catalyst that enables the conversion of renewable and waste carbon into sustainable diesel fuels has been developed through a collaboration between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and two US Department of Energy (DOE) consortia, Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy (ChemCatBio) and the Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines...

DOE launches ARIES integrated energy systems research platform at NREL

Aug 13, 2020: US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette announced the launch of the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) platform at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The ARIES research platform will allow NREL researchers and the scientific community to address the fundamental challenges of integrated...

DOE solicits feedback on hydrogen and fuel cells R&D activities and strategy

Aug 13, 2020: The US Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a request for information (RFI) (DE-FOA-0002379) to collect feedback from industry, academia, and the research community on DOE’s hydrogen and fuel cells research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) activities and strategies, including the H2@Scale initiative. Input collected through this RFI will help inform...

How Everland is changing the eco-retreat scene

Aug 12, 2020: It's time to escape to Everland for family- and eco-friendly fun.

Indigenous Amazon communities use tech to protect the forest

Aug 12, 2020: Indigenous communities in Brazil leverage technology to protect the Amazon and its resources. For a long time, Indigenous communities have protected the forest from illegal loggers and poachers.

Cod are disappearing due to global warming

Aug 12, 2020: Cod lovers might have to change their preferences soon. According to new research published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, global warming may cause a decline in cod populations. Cod thrive in cool water, and global warming pushes the species to the brink of extinction.

Meet eBussy, the new modular, electric truck-to-van

Aug 12, 2020: The eBussy doesn't look like your typical electric vehicle. This innovative creation offers more than you might expect!

The Lookout House celebrates site's volcanic history

Aug 12, 2020: When Faulkner Architects was asked to design a house on a spectacular site in Truckee, California, the Placer County-based design practice allowed the beautiful landscape to dictate the design. The contemporary home, aptly named Lookout House for its views, emphasizes indoor/outdoor living with its full-height glazing and natural material palette.

Toshiba’s Visconti 4 image recognition processor selected by leading Chinese manufacturer for ADAS

Aug 12, 2020: Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation announced that Zhejiang Asia-Pacific Mechanical & Electronic Co. Ltd. (APG), one of China’s leading manufacturers of vehicle braking systems, will deploy the Visconti 4 image-recognition processor in its next-generation advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). This marks the first time that a Visconti family processor...

ExxonMobil to buy 2.5M barrels of renewable diesel per year for 5 years from Global Clean Energy

Aug 12, 2020: ExxonMobil has signed an agreement with Global Clean Energy Holdings to purchase 2.5 million barrels of renewable diesel per year for five years from a converted California refinery starting in 2022. As background, globally, in 2019, ExxonMobil sold some 1.9 million barrels per day of heating oils, kerosene and diesel...

FMCW LIDAR by Scantinel: Game changer for autonomous driving

Aug 12, 2020: by Dr. Michael Richter, Managing Director, Scantinel Photonics LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is considered to be the key technology for self-propelled vehicles. Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) LIDAR—a cumbersome abbreviation for a disruptive technology—will facilitate the breakthrough in autonomous driving and, according to experts, will completely force the currently...

Ibeo and ams solid-state LiDAR technology used by Great Wall Motor to enable future autonomous driving vehicles

Aug 12, 2020: ams, a leading worldwide supplier of high performance sensor solutions, and Ibeo Automotive Systems GmbH, the German specialist and a global technology supplier for automotive LiDAR sensor technology and the associated software, confirmed that ams Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) technology is a core component of Ibeo’s newly-developed solid-state...

FEV testing suggests Lucid Air will have an EPA range of 517 miles on a single charge

Aug 12, 2020: Lucid Motors announced independent range verification of 517 miles on a single charge for its forthcoming Lucid Air all-electric sedan. This new benchmark range was secured with FEV North America, Inc. in Auburn Hills, Michigan, applying the EPA's Multicycle Test Procedure (SAE J1634 Oct 2012 Standard) with the standard adjustment...

New top model PHEV in the BMW 5 Series

Aug 12, 2020: With almost 50,000 units, BMW 5 Series plug-in hybrid models were the most successful electrified models in the BMW Group’s portfolio worldwide in 2019. With an increase from two to five models featuring innovative plug-in hybrid drive by November 2020, the new BMW 5 Series offers the largest range of...

Germany awards G+L innotec funding for development of fuel cell technology using media gap motor: Project REZEBT

Aug 12, 2020: G+L innotec is an R&D service provider and concentrates on the development of the Media Gap Motor (MGM). The MGM is a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) with the special feature of a hermetically sealed system in which the stator inner diameter is oversized in relation to the rotor or...

Testbeds repurposes architectural mockups into community assets in NYC

Aug 11, 2020: The project will reuse luxury real estate mockup structures as garden buildings, sheds, classrooms and more.

ZHA creates modular, low-carbon housing platform for Roatn Prspera

Aug 11, 2020: Clients can virtually plan their modular, low-carbon and even net-zero homes.

This energy-efficient home in Spain has a rainwater-fed infinity pool

Aug 11, 2020: Find Casa Palerm on the beautiful Balearic island of Mallorca, located in the Spanish Mediterranean.

Apple Hotel gains a green-roofed wellness center in South Tyrol

Aug 11, 2020: Apfelhotel is a nature-focused retreat tucked away in northern Italy.

MVRDV plans to sustainably repurpose the Dutch Expo 2000 Pavilion

Aug 11, 2020: The resident will transform the Dutch Pavilion into a co-working space.

Nikola receive order for 2,500 battery-electric waste trucks from Republic Services; fully integrated chassis and body from Nikola

Aug 11, 2020: Nikola Corporation announced a minimum order of 2,500 electric refuse trucks from Republic Services, expandable up to 5,000. This order is to begin full production deliveries in 2023 with on-road testing likely to begin in early 2022. The refuse trucks are anticipated to carry up to an industry-leading 720 kWh...

CARB to consider low NOx heavy-duty omnibus regulation on 27 August

Aug 11, 2020: The California Air Resources Board will consider the proposed Heavy-Duty Low NOx Omnibus Regulation on 27 August 2020. The proposed regulation is intended to ensure reductions in smog-forming NOx and protect communities most impacted by air pollution. On-road heavy-duty vehicles are an essential part of the state’s economy. These vehicles...

EPRI and GTI launch Low-Carbon Resources Initiative (LCRI) to accelerate low-carbon energy technologies

Aug 11, 2020: The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Gas Technology Institute (GTI) are embarking on a five-year initiative to accelerate the development and demonstration of low-carbon energy technologies. With increasingly ambitious decarbonization goals from private companies and governments alike, existing technology is not enough to achieve those targets. The Low-Carbon Resources...

$27 million available for zero-emission trucks in California

Aug 11, 2020: On 18 August 2020, $27 million in funding will be available in California to replace higher polluting trucks with zero-emission vehicles. The funding is part of the Volkswagen (VW) Environmental Mitigation Trust program, which is intended to fund projects that will fully mitigate the excess nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions caused...

Michigan EGLE awards $1.7 million for 36 EV fast charger stations

Aug 11, 2020: Drivers of electric vehicles will have more locations to recharge their vehicle’s batteries as they travel across Michigan through $1.7 million ($1,683,297.84) in grants announced by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) for direct current fast chargers (DCFC) along well-traveled routes. The EGLE Charge Up Michigan...

Baker Institute expert says regional advantages will define future energy transitions

Aug 11, 2020: Different countries will respond in different ways to the challenges of economic growth and environmental sustainability based upon their regional advantages, according to a new paper by an expert in the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The COVID-19 pandemic has added pressure to...

Hermeus wins Air Force investment after demonstrating Mach 5 engine; focused on Presidential and Executive Airlift fleet

Aug 11, 2020: Hermeus Corporation, an aerospace start-up developing Mach 5 commercial aircraft, has won a $1.5-million SBIR Phase II award with the US Air Force and the Presidential and Executive Airlift Directorate to work toward hypersonic travel for the Department of Defense. This award comes under an Other Transaction For Prototype Agreement...