Transportation News

ARENA providing $950k in funding for renewable hydrogen production project in Queensland

Aug 26, 2019: The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is providing $950,000 in funding for gas company BOC for a renewable hydrogen production and refueling project in Queensland. The $3.1-million pilot project will involve the installation of a 220 kW electrolyzer and a 100 kW solar array at BOC’s Bulwer Island gas facility...

Study finds that steel slag heaps could absorb significant amounts of CO2

Aug 25, 2019: Researchers in the UK report that, with a bit of management, a largely untended slag heap could absorb significant amounts of CO2, partially offsetting the emissions from steel production. Their open-access paper is published in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology. Pullin et al. Steel slag is a by-product...

U Delaware team demonstrates efficient direct ammonia fuel cell for vehicles

Aug 25, 2019: Researchers at the University of Delaware have demonstrated a direct ammonia fuel cell (DAFC) prototype with a peak power density of 135 mW cm−2. The DAFC employs an ammonia-tolerant precious-metal-free cathode catalyst and a high-temperature-stable hydroxide exchange membrane. Their paper is publishedin the journal Joule. The researchers started by analyzing...

Polish study links pollution and winter with rise in heart attack treatment

Aug 24, 2019: Heavily polluted areas have a higher rate of angioplasty procedures to treat blocked arteries than areas with clean air, according to research to be presented at ESC Congress 2019 together with the World Congress of Cardiology. Procedures are even more common in winter, the most polluted time of year. Epidemiological...

California ARB announces grant solicitation for Clean Mobility in Schools Pilot Project

Aug 24, 2019: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced a competitive grant solicitation for one or more grantees to implement the Clean Mobility in Schools Pilot Project for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-19. This solicitation includes an option for new Grant Agreements for fiscal years FY 2019-20 and FY 2020-21, if additional funds...

This off-grid tiny cabin in the Australian wilderness is just what you need for a late summer getaway

Aug 23, 2019: If you've been stuck at your desk all summer, now is the perfect time for a little break, and this beautiful tiny cabin in Australia is just the place to get away from it all.

Giraffes win CITES protection

Aug 23, 2019: Delegates at the World Wildlife Conference in Geneva voted to list giraffes on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

$87M wildlife bridge in California will be a haven for mountain lions

Aug 23, 2019: Mountain lions in Southern California will have a safer place to roam by 2023 thanks to an $87 million bridge being designed northwest of Los Angeles and spread out above the busy 101 Highway.

Tesla solar panels now available to rent

Aug 23, 2019: If you’ve been looking to cut your electric bill down by installing solar panels but didn’t want to shell out the often-big price tag Tesla may have the answer – rent them. Tesla describes its solar panels as “low profile design with integrated front skirts and no visible mounting hardware,” according to its website. It’s hoping to offer homeowners a better option with renting the streamlined panels while boosting slow sales. Related: Solar panels essentially draw their...

MVRDV breaks ground on Pixel, a mixed-use development that embraces indoor-outdoor living

Aug 23, 2019: Designed to encourage community building and enjoyment of the outdoors, Pixel will comprise seven mid-rise towers of varying heights grouped around a central plaza.

This home made of broken bricks features a series of rolling green roofs

Aug 23, 2019: The house is both resilient against the severe climate and open to take advantage of the vast natural landscape that surrounds the building.

Kopernikus Project P2X integrated container-scale test facility produces first fuels from air-captured CO2 and green power

Aug 23, 2019: Partners of the P2X Kopernikus project on the premises of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany have demonstrated the production of fuel from air-captured CO2 using—for the first time—a container-based test facility integrating all four chemical process steps needed to implement a continuous process. World’s first integrated Power-to-Liquid (PtL)...

Robert Allan and MTU partner to develop first LNG-fueled shallow-draft pushboat design

Aug 23, 2019: Robert Allan Ltd. and MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH have developed the first LNG-fueled shallow-draft pushboat design: the RApide 2800-G pushboat. This challenging project is a preliminary design which utilized the proven shallow draft RApide 2800-Z2 pushboat that currently operates on the Amazon River system. The vessel design was modified to suit...

Volkswagen Group begins expanding EV charging points at its German sites; 4,000 by 2025

Aug 23, 2019: The Volkswagen brand is systematically driving its electric offensive and will be installing some 4,000 charging points at its German sites by 2025. The Volkswagen Group is investing some €250 million in expanding the charging infrastructure at its European sites. When combined with the activities at dealerships, this means the...

Study: no one knows which city has the highest concentration of PM2.5

Aug 23, 2019: Exposure to ambient PM2.5 is the leading global environmental risk factor for mortality and disease burden, with associated annual global welfare costs of trillions of dollars, However, no one knows what city has the highest level of the pollution. In an open-access paper recently published in Atmospheric Environment: X, an...

EVgo, Electrify America in interoperability agreement to increase EV public charging accessibility across the US

Aug 23, 2019: Electrify America and EVgo announced an interoperability agreement that increases access to electric vehicle (EV) charging stations throughout the US. The roaming partnership allows drivers to charge their EVs on both EVgo and Electrify America public chargers without additional fees. Drivers will be able to access public chargers on either...

Study finds road conditions in US states worsening in important categories

Aug 23, 2019: Reason Foundation’s Annual Highway Report finds that, after decades of incremental progress in several key categories, US highway conditions are deteriorating, especially in a group of problem-plagued states struggling to repair deficient bridges, maintain Interstate pavement and reduce urban traffic congestion. In looking at the nation’s highway system as a...

Zaha Hadid Architects undulating riverside promenade doubles as a flood barrier in Hamburg

Aug 22, 2019: Zaha Hadid Architects has raised both the cultural cachet and the storm surge barriers in the German city of Hamburg with their recently completed upgrade to the Elbe River promenade and flood barrier at Niederhafen. Designed with an undulating shape that mimics the ebb and flow of tides, the revamped promenade reconnects the river to the surrounding urban fabric and boosts the popular riverside walkway appeal with a modern redesign large enough to accommodate a wide variety of groups, from pedestrians...

Wildfires are decimating the Amazon rainforest at unprecedented rates

Aug 22, 2019: Amazon wildfires have reached an all-time high in Brazil following a significant increase in deforestation.

Spiders are becoming aggressive thanks to climate change

Aug 22, 2019: Hurricanes Katrina, Andrew and Harvey … Just the names can instill fear, anxiety and stress in humans. But what about spiders can powerful hurricanes or other extreme weather patterns associated with climate change alter their behavior patterns? Yes, in time it is possible, so says Alan Alexander Little at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who lead a team of researchers in Canada and the United States to explore 211 colonies of the Anelosimus studiosus spider reside. Related:...

This Eco Villa in Utrecht produces all of its own energy through solar power

Aug 22, 2019: Dutch architectural practice Studio Public has carved out a slice of eco-friendly bliss in Houten, a nearly car-free suburb in Utrecht.

Vertical forest buildings designed by Stefano Boeri set to center new Cairo Administrative district

Aug 22, 2019: In a world of high population growth, it’s increasingly difficult to find adequate housing, and green space is diminishing throughout most urban areas. But when Cairo began developing a new administrative capital area architects and designers jumped into the planning with vertical forest block buildings. Italian architect Stefano Boeri collaborated with Egyptian designer Shimaa Shalash as a local partner, as well as landscape agronomist Laura Gatti to create three, seven-story buildings including...

Increased relative contribution of medium and heavy trucks to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions

Aug 22, 2019: by Michael Sivak. In this analysis, I examined recent changes in the contribution of transportation to total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States relative to the other sources of emissions (industry, commercial, residential, and agriculture). Also of interest were the changes in the relative contributions of various transportation modes,...

Major international study links short-term exposure to PM pollution to risk of premature death

Aug 22, 2019: A major new international study shows independent associations between short-term exposure to PM10 and PM2.5 and daily all-cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality in more than 600 cities across the globe. These data reinforce the evidence of a link between mortality and PM concentration established in regional and local studies, according...

Altalto waste-to-jet fuel plant advances in UK; BA, Shell, Velocys

Aug 22, 2019: Altalto Immingham Limited, a subsidiary of renewable fuels company Velocys and a collaboration with British Airways and Shell, has submitted a planning application to develop its site in Immingham, North East Lincolnshire, close to the Humber Estuary. Velocys is leading the development of the project and has assembled all the...

Volvo extends S60 range with plug-in hybrid powertrain and new trim levels

Aug 22, 2019: Volvo has extended its S60 range—the third generation of the premium mid-size sedan—to incorporate further powertrain choices and equipment grades, including an allwheeldrive gasoline-electric hybrid and a trim level that focuses on luxury and craftsmanship. The existing T5 turbocharged 250 hp gasoline unit has been joined by an all-wheel-drive T8...

Study identifies main culprit behind lithium metal battery failure; counters conventional wisdom

Aug 22, 2019: A research team led by the University of California San Diego, with colleagues from San Diego State University, US Army Research Laboratory, and General Motors Research and Development Center, has discovered the root cause of why lithium metal batteries fail: bits of lithium metal deposits break off from the surface...

TeraWatt Technology solid-state battery prototype tests showing 432 kWh/kg

Aug 22, 2019: TeraWatt Technology announced that its 4.5Ah prototype solid-state battery design achieved a record-breaking energy density of 432Wh/kg (1122Wh/L) in validation tests conducted by third parties, including TOYO System based in Japan. Branded as TERA3.0, this 4.5Ah next-generation design will be available for select early adopters in 2021 and full release...

Blue World Technologies takes 15% stake in Danish Power Systems; methanol fuel cell vehicles

Aug 22, 2019: Blue World Technologies has acquired 15% of Danish Power Systems, a developer and manufacturer of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for high-temperature PEM fuel cells. Blue World Technologies will use the Danish Power Systems technology in their methanol fuel cell systems. The complete Blue World system includes the fuel cell stack,...

Porsche invests in Israeli start-up TriEye; SWIR technology for automated driving

Aug 22, 2019: Porsche has acquired a minority stake in the Israeli start-up, TriEye. The newly established company has developed a sensor technology for short-wave infrared (SWIR). It enhances safety in vehicles fitted with assistance systems or autonomous driving functions by improving the ability to see in weather conditions where visibility is poor,...

Ochis Coffee releases a new line of sunglasses made from organic coffee grounds

Aug 21, 2019: It’s time for 2019 fashion updates with a brand new line of sunglasses made from organic coffee grounds.

Washington's wolf population is down to 122 after a pack is shot by state hunters

Aug 21, 2019: Washington’s wolf population has dropped to 122 after a pack of four were killed by state hunters on August 16 near a ranch in rural Ferry County.

Are bioplastics better for the environment or a waste of time?

Aug 21, 2019: There has been massive pushback against the use of plastics over the past few years, including single-use plastic bans in cities all over the world. In response, industrial innovators have responded with a new product – bioplastics – that seems like the perfect solution. It looks and feels like plastic, but its made from plants, so it’s good for the environment. Right? Turns out, the answer is much more complicated, and most likely its just a case of greenwashing. What are bioplastics? Traditional...

Wisconsin plans to go carbon-free by 2050

Aug 21, 2019: If all goes according to plan, Wisconsin residents will be using 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2050.

Study suggests long-term exposure to NO2 and CO pollution increase risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Aug 21, 2019: Long-term exposure to pollutants from vehicle exhaust is linked to a heightened risk of the common eye condition age-related macular degeneration, or AMD for short, suggests research published online in the Journal of Investigative Medicine. Exposure to the highest levels of air pollutants was associated with an almost doubling in...

Mercedes-Benz Vans introduces the series version of the EQV electric van prior to display at IAA in September

Aug 21, 2019: Mercedes-Benz Vans presented the Concept EQV as a study at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2019. Now the series version of the Mercedes-Benz EQV (combined power consumption: 27.0 kWh/100 km, provisional figure) is making its debut. The Mercedes-Benz EQV will be displayed to the public for the first time...

Waterloo team uses on-board data to identify speed as the best predictor of car crashes

Aug 21, 2019: Speeding is the riskiest kind of aggressive driving, according to an analysis of data from on-board devices in vehicles. Researchers at the University of Waterloo examined data from 28 million trips for possible links between four bad driving behaviors—speeding, hard braking, hard acceleration and hard cornering—and the likelihood of crashes....

Transient Plasma Systems successfully completes multi-cylinder engine testing with nanosecond pulsed plasma ignition technology

Aug 21, 2019: Transient Plasma Systems Inc. (TPS), which develops nanosecond pulsed plasma ignition systems to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has achieved a new milestone in its internal combustion engine testing with its first multi-cylinder demonstration of the company’s nanosecond pulsed plasma ignition technology in a mass-manufactured, on-road natural-gas...

More than 100 Blue Bird electric school buses have been ordered so far; Cummins electric drive

Aug 21, 2019: More than 100 electric school buses, powered by a Cummins fully electric drivetrain, have been ordered to date from Blue Bird Corporation, a school bus manufacturer highly focused on alternative fuel technologies. Blue Bird electric buses are already operating in California, North Dakota and Washington. Additional buses on order will...

Rolls-Royce supports power-to-x initiative in Brandenburg; synthetic fuels and chemicals from renewable power

Aug 21, 2019: Power Systems business unit signs letter of intent for the construction of a demonstration plant for the production of synthetic fuels Schell: “We will be electrifying the entire system, including the fuel” Important step towards sector coupling and decarbonising propulsion systems and power generation Rolls-Royce intends to support research into...

A rustic wood cabin from the '70s is remodeled into a charming getaway

Aug 20, 2019: The original ChAlet Cabin was built onto a patch of land in Donovaly, Slovenia in the 1970s. Since its original construction, the wood cabin had fallen into almost disrepair. The shutters were misshapen and splintered, the bottom had been damaged by the elements and the paint was faded and peeling. Rather than completely tearing down the structure, the decision was made to focus on the property’s sustainable features and improve upon them to create an updated rustic cabin that continues to embody...

Backlash: EPA halts use of deadly 'cyanide bomb' traps

Aug 20, 2019: Almost as quickly as the Environmental Protection Agency announced its temporary interim re-authorization of M44s or “cyanide bomb” traps it has now permanently banned them due to backlash. The decision has made environmentalists and others opposed to the deadly traps happy. Related: “I’m thrilled that the EPA just reversed its wrongheaded decision to reauthorize deadly cyanide traps,” Collette Adkins, carnivore conservation director at the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity,...

Save the environment by pooping less, says Bolsonaro

Aug 20, 2019: Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro recently suggested that people could save the environment if they moved their bowels less frequently.

Curvaceous bicycle bridge brings new life to Copenhagens harbor

Aug 20, 2019: Copenhagen has once again cemented its title as the best bicycle city in the world with the completion of the Lille Langebro cycle and pedestrian bridge.

Jumbo and Goodfuels partner to test drop-in Bio-Fuel Oil on offshore decommissioning project

Aug 20, 2019: Leading global heavy lift shipping and offshore transportation and installation contractor Jumbo, and commercial, sustainable marine biofuel company GoodFuels, are partnering to test Goodfuels’ marine Bio-Fuel Oil on an offshore decommissioning project. Bio-Fuel Oil has already undergone three years of intensive testing with marine engine manufacturers. The second-generation drop-in Bio-Fuel...

Researchers develop large-scale, economical method to extract hydrogen from oil sands and oil fields

Aug 20, 2019: Canadian researchers have developed a large-scale economical method to extract hydrogen from oil sands (natural bitumen) and oil fields. This can be used to power hydrogen-powered vehicles, which are already marketed in some countries, as well as to generate electricity. The process can extract hydrogen from existing oil sands reservoirs,...

UL issues world’s first certification for repurposed EV batteries to Nissan/Sumitomo JV

Aug 20, 2019: UL announced that 4R Energy Corporation, a joint venture of Nissan Motors and Sumitomo Corporation focusing on the effective reuse of EV batteries for energy storage systems, is the first organization worldwide to be certified to UL 1974, the Standard for Evaluation for Repurposing Batteries. Outlining how to sort and...

Empa team develops electrohydraulically actuated cam-less valve train; up to 20% fuel savings at low load

Aug 20, 2019: Researchers at Empa have developed an electrohydraulically actuated cam-less valve train that enables completely free adjustment of stroke and timing, while at the same time being robust and cost-effective. The new technology saves up to 20% fuel in typical passenger car low load operating conditions. The FlexWork valve train was...

API: total US petroleum demand topped 20.8 mb/d in July, highest since 2005; on-road fuel demand down

Aug 20, 2019: Total US petroleum demand averaged 20.8 million barrels per day (mb/d) in July 2019, which represented a 0.9% year-over-year increase and the highest demand for the month since 2005, according to the latest Monthly Statistical Report released by the American Petroleum Institute (API). This was a decrease of 0.9% from...

A playful home built of recycled materials takes in sunrise views in Ecuador

Aug 19, 2019: Built largely from recycled materials, the home that architect Daniel Moreno Flores recently completed for an artistically inclined client in Ecuador oozes playfulness and creativity as well as a reduced environmental footprint.