In most lithium-ion batteries, the cathode contains cobalt. But cobalt is a scarce metal, found mostly in politically unstable countries, its extraction is hazardous for miners and generates toxic waste. And as demand for batteries globally keeps rising, so too will the cost of cobalt. Anne Trafton at MIT describes the development of an alternative cathode made of organic materials. Its structure is similar to graphite. It can conduct electricity … [Read more...]
Roadmap to reduce EU car fleet emissions 86% by 2040
T&E has just published its car decarbonisation roadmap. It shows that the EUâs car CO2 standards, including the phase-out of combustion car sales in 2035, is the single most important emission reduction measure. But if the EU is to hit its newly proposed 2040 climate target - a 90% COâ reduction across the European economy by 2040 - it will need to deal with a significant amount of ICE (internal combustion engine) cars already on the road. … [Read more...]
Whatâs holding up EV adoption? European carmakers are focussing on more profitable SUVs, not affordable cars
European car manufacturers are focussing on more profitable SUV and premium EVs, and this is slowing down the adoption of EVs overall, according to an analysis by T&E. It also means consumers are paying far more than they should be for mass-market compact EVs. To make the point, T&E reveals that the average price of a battery electric car sold in Europe has increased by 39% (+âŹ18,000) since 2015 while in China it has fallen by 53%. If car … [Read more...]
Batteries are still getting exponentially cheaper, more efficient: ready to displace half of global fossil fuel demand by 2045?
A new report by RMI says batteries are on the path to replace 175 EJ of fossil fuel demand in the power sector, 86 EJ of fossil fuels from road transport and can put at risk another 23 EJ from shipping and aviation. That equates to a phaseout of half of global fossil fuel demand in the next two decades. Daan Walter, Sam Butler-Sloss and Kingsmill Bond at RMI summarise the findings in six graphs with explanations. Battery sales are growing … [Read more...]
Will EU decarbonisation policies shift the Fertiliser industry into making Ammonia for energy (but outside the EU)?
The EUâs fertiliser industry must face up to the regionâs ambitious decarbonisation rules, making its carbon-intensive processes much more costly. But a door of opportunity is also being opened: the industry already produces ammonia which is increasingly being seen as an alternative clean fuel, explains Hyung-Ja de Zeeuw at Rabobank. The problem for EU nations is that it will be cheaper for the industry to relocate and make that ammonia somewhere … [Read more...]
Biogas from dairy farms: what incentives can make it commercially viable?
Anaerobic digesters are used to turn cow manure into useable methane fuel. But the raw cost of that gas is ten times the market price. On the plus side, emissions are being avoided. So how do you create the incentives that are fair and make it commercially viable? In California, dairy biogas has risen from almost non-existence five years ago to delivering half of all natural gas used for transportation in the state. Aaron Smith at the Energy … [Read more...]
EUâs fossil fuel CO2 emissions drop to levels last seen in the 1960s
The EUâs CO2 emissions from fossil fuels (including power generation, industry and transport) dropped 8% in 2023 year-on-year, reaching levels last seen in the early 1960s, reveals an analysis by CREA. More than half of that decline came from an impressive 25% year-on-year reduction in CO2 emissions from power generation. The cleaner electricity mix is thanks to the continuous rise of wind and solar as well as a rebound in hydropower and nuclear. … [Read more...]
EU ETS or national climate targets? We need both
The choice between using the EU ETS or national climate targets to decarbonise is a false dilemma. We need both, explains Chiara Corradi at T&E writing for the Florence School of Regulation. There are plenty of examples where a carbon market and national targets have delivered good results together, as in Germany, Finland, Denmark and Portugal. And, looking ahead over the next few decades, the right policies should be able to cope with ETS … [Read more...]
France is subsidising made-in-EU EVs with low carbon footprints. Europe must follow
Last year, France announced new green eligibility rules for awarding subsidies to EVs. Starting this year, an incentive of âŹ5,000-âŹ7,000 will only be awarded to electric cars with a production carbon footprint below 14.75 tonnes of CO2. Itâs a first in environmental policymaking which the EU should be delivering across the region, says Lucien Mathieu at T&E. And not just for environmental reasons. It will promote EVs made in Europe where … [Read more...]
The E-bike revolution is already underway (in developing countries): 280m micro-vehicles on the road and rising
While weâre all still waiting for the tipping point for EVs, it might have already happened for e-bikes â just not in rich countries. Car-owning nations will always struggle to switch to micro-mobility. But in China and other developing nations, owning a moped or bicycle is very common, so the switch is much easier, explain Muhammad Rizwan Azhar and Waqas Uzair at Edith Cowan University. Itâs why, globally by 2022, there were over 280m electric … [Read more...]
How practical is an E-bike compared to a Car: time, cost, energy
As e-bikes proliferate in cities around the world, there is a growing need to measure how practical an e-bike is compared to a car, and why. Julia Thomas at NREL describes research there that evaluates usefulness using the Mobility Energy Productivity (MEP) metric. The MEP quantifies the ability of an area's transportation infrastructure â given any specific travel mode â to connect individuals to goods, services, employment opportunities, and … [Read more...]
China is still playing the long game with its ânew threeâ: solar cells, lithium batteries, EVs
Chinaâs ânew threeâ â or xin san yang â are solar cells, lithium-ion batteries, and EVs. The term harks back to the concept of its âold threeâ that were once the pillars of its exports: clothing, home appliances and furniture. Chinaâs success is seen in the numbers: it accounts globally for 80%+ of solar cell exports, 50%+ of lithium-ion batteries and 20%+ of EVs. You Xiaoying, writing for China Dialogue, interviews experts and quotes reports … [Read more...]
EU Energy Outlook to 2060: power prices and revenues predicted for wind, solar, gas, hydrogen + more
Huangluolun Zhou, Elena Dahlem and Alex Schmitt at Energy Brainpool present their updated âEU Energy Outlook 2060â, modelling how the European energy system will undergo major changes in the coming decades while continuing to guarantee a secure supply and meet its climate targets. What do these developments mean for power prices, revenue potential and risks for solar PV and wind? The two main scenarios are âCentralâ and âGoHydrogenâ for the EU 27 … [Read more...]
Making Fuel Cells cheap enough for mainstream use: can Cobalt nanoparticles replace Platinum as catalysts?
Fuel cells could be a game-changer in decarbonisation. They efficiently convert chemical energy into electricity with only water and heat as byproducts. One of the most promising types is the PEMFC (polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell) because of its applications in transportation, as well as stationary power sources. But it canât go mainstream until the costs come down, specifically the platinum catalysts. Platinum is scarce and expensive. … [Read more...]
Cost vs Resilience: Europeâs sourcing strategy will shape the regional Hydrogen economy
The upcoming EU Hydrogen Bank pilot auction and trilogue discussions are focussing minds on the future of hydrogen. Jonas Lotze and Massimo Moser at TransnetBW and Janina Erb, Roman Flatau, Felix Greven and Max Labmayr at d-fine present the results of their modelling of two hydrogen sourcing scenarios: "Global Market" (GM) where the import of hydrogen into Europe is unrestricted, and "Energy Resilient Europe" (ERE) where almost all hydrogen is … [Read more...]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 23
- Next Page »