Bendix
Date: 2020-11-13
Ohio-headquartered Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC reports it has revamped its climate action plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2021 and cutting its carbon emissions in half by 2030 as part of its renewed commitment to adopt the aggressive climate strategy recently launched by its parent company, the Munich, Germany-based Knorr-Bremse AG.

During the company's 2009-2019 ECCO2 initiative Bendix exceeded the combined goals to reduce energy consumption by 30 pct from its 2009 baseline, by achieving a 42 pct reduction over the past 10 years. Bendix also saved more than 27 million kilowatt-hours of energy and an estimated $2 million over that time frame, through projects focused on more efficient use of lighting, HVAC and compressed air.

Bendix is set to cut its greenhouse gas emissions from the 2018 baseline in half by 2030 through: continued energy efficiency projects; on-site generation of renewable energy; and the obtaining of green energy combined with carbon offsets. (Source: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, PR,Morning Journal, 12 Nov., 2020) Contact: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, www.bendix.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissiuons,  Carbon Footprint,  

EPA
Date: 2020-05-11
In the nation's capitol, the EPA reports its first-ever proposed rule on aircraft greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review.

The proposed rule builds on the EPA's 2016 finding that aviation emissions endanger public health and welfare. Unfortunately, the new rules proposal comes at a time when the airlines are struggling because of the COVID-19 crisis and can ill afford potentially expensive new obligations.

Internationally, the UN International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has set its own GHG emissions reductions calling for an emissions freeze to be met through more energy efficient aircraft, increased use of biofuels and other "low-carbon" fuels, improved airline operations or the purchase of approved offsets.

The U.S., an ICAO member, has agreed to impose the freeze in 2021. The freeze, which becomes mandatory in 2027, is calculated on the average of 2019 and 2020, so the baseline is plummeting thanks to COVID-19. The industry now prefers that the baseline be based on 2019 alone, which is much more in line with their initial expectations.

Environmental groups claim ICAO provisions as too weak and oppose the baseline adjustments requested by the airlines and call for "technology forcing" EPA measures that go beyond ICAO. (Source: Competitive Enterprise Institute, 8 May, 2020)Contact: ICAO, Secretary General Fang Liu, www.icao.in

More Low-Carbon Energy News ICAO,  Aviation Emissions,  Carbon Emissiuons,  Climate Change,  

Los Angeles
Date: 2019-04-29
In its first municipal report specific to climate change and carbon emissions, the City of Los Angeles is reporting that by the end of 2017, the city had reduced its operational emissions by 40 pct relative to its 2008 baseline. The report, which analyzed 2017 compared with the baseline year 2008, found that the emission reductions puts the city eight years ahead of the Sustainable City Plan 2025 target of 35 pct reduction from 2008 levels.

In response to the progress, the city has established new targets to reduce its emissions by 55 pct from 2008 levels by 2025 and to be carbon-neutral by 2045.

The report was a collaborative effort between LA Sanitation and other city departments. (Source: LA City News Service, 28 April, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissiuons ,  

Duke University
Date: 2018-12-14
In Durham, North Carolina, Duke University reports it has acquired the rights to 10,000 acres of peatland in Hyde County for what may be the nation's largest "carbon farming" project that could propel the university to carbon neutrality by 2024.

Carbon farming uses land management and conservation to increase the amount of carbon that agriculture pulls out of the air and locks into the soil and vegetation. Existing carbon farming programs in California, the Midwest and other countries have shown that a 2.5 acre plot of pasture or rangeland can store about one metric tpy of carbon. The NC peatlands, once re-wetted, have much greater potential -- perhaps 15 to 20 times more -- meaning the land could yield hundreds of thousands of metric tpy of carbon.

The Duke project will launch with a 300 acre pilot which could be expanded depending on its results. To date, the university has invested approximately $300,000 on the project which could sell carbon credits to companies. (Source: Duke University, Triangle Business Journal, Dec., 2018) Contact: Duke University, Curtis Richardson, Dir., Wetland Center, ww.researchgate.net/profile/Curtis_Richardson

More Low-Carbon Energy News Peatland,  Peat,  Duke University,  CCS,  Carbon Emissiuons,  CO2,  Climate Change,