Green Transportation

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The string of horrific tornadoes generated by unrelenting thunderstorms over hundreds of miles in the southeast and midwest of the US has likely left over a hundred dead, and has wiped out portions of small towns. As with any extreme weather event, it is natural to ask whether it is […]

Climate Crisis

Can Nissan make a better Electric Car than Tesla and Save the World?

The Conversation

Tom Stacey | Nissan recently announced a new £13 billion investment to help transition its business to being focused around electric vehicles (EVs). The investment is centred around its Sunderland plant in the north east of England, which already makes the popular Nissan Leaf, and a plan to build 23 new electric models by 2030. […]

Climate Crisis

Top 6 Ways to Rescue Our Planet

The Conversation

By Phoebe Barnard and William Moomaw | – For some time, the Earth’s natural resources have been depleted faster than they can be replaced. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has set a 2030 deadline to reduce heat-trapping emissions by half to avoid climate change that is both irreversible and destructive. With colleagues, we coauthored […]

Climate Crisis

Will Germany’s New Climate Super Minister Robert Habeck Super Charge the Clean Energy Transition?

Clean Energy Wire

By Sören Amelang | – ( Clean Energy Wire) – As Germany’s first climate “super minister”, Green politician Robert Habeck will play a key role in fulfilling the future government’s promise to get the country on a path compatible with the 1.5°C global warming limit. The widely popular party co-leader must oversee the translation of […]

Climate Crisis

Electric cars aren’t enough to hit climate targets: we need to develop better public transport too

The Conversation

By Vera O’Riordan | – Transport is responsible for 24% of energy-related carbon emissions worldwide. Half of those emissions are from carrying goods and services, and the other half are from carrying people from A to B – also known as “passenger transport”. Passenger transport has a huge impact on our surroundings, and it’s one […]

Climate Crisis

Germany to Get Green Party Ministry of Economy, Energy and Climate in boost for President Biden

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Germany’s environmentalist Green Party, led by two popular politicians, nearly doubled its seats in parliament to become a swing party for the formation of a new government coalition. Their prospects were boosted when the center-left Social Democrats narrowly beat the conservative Christian Democrats in number of seats in the September […]

Climate Crisis

Startling Transformation: California has 1 mn. EVs on road, as they become state’s No. 1 Export

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – On, Monday, Juliet Eilperin, the environment editor at the Washington Post hosted a live event that included the Energy Commissioner of California, David Hochschild. Hochschild pointed out that electric cars are now California’s number one export. The state exports $156 billion of goods abroad annually, and is second only to […]

Batteries

Soon Electric Cars will Power millions of Homes — Here’s how to make it Happen

The Conversation

By Tom Stacey and Ying Xie | – Electric cars could help to power millions of households in the coming years, simply by harnessing their battery power. The electricity in the vehicle’s battery could be plugged back into the grid, instead of being stored. The technique was pioneered in Japan and our research will help […]

Climate Crisis

Goodies for Greens in Biden’s $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Act

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was passed by the Senate some time ago and then passed by the House of Representatives on the evening of Friday, November 6, has some great news in it for greening the economy. It is admittedly a mixed bag, but let’s consider […]