September 2007

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House Hearing Focuses on "Coal-to-Liquids" Fuels

On September 5, the House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment held a hearing to examine potential policy and technological measures needed if the United States is to pursue “coal-to-liquids” (CTL) as an element of the nation’s energy strategy.

The witness panel included: Dr. Robert L. Freerks, Director of Product Development, Rentech Corp.; John Ward, Vice President, Marketing and Governmental Affairs Headwaters, Inc.; Dr. James T. Bartis, Senior Policy Researcher RAND Corp.; David G. Hawkins, Director, Climate Center at Natural Resources Defense Council; Dr. Richard D. Boardman, Head, Secure Energy Initiative, Idaho National Laboratory; and Dr. Joseph Romm, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress and Director/Founder, Center for Energy and Climate Solutions.

Testimony from the panel focused on carbon dioxide emissions and financial viability.  Issues regarding infrastructure and water usage were also discussed.  The witnesses agreed on two main points: that conventional CTL processes carry a very heavy carbon dioxide burden and that the industry will require federal support if it is to develop. 

House Members supporting CTL pointed to processes to ameliorate the carbon burden—carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and using a coal-biomass mixture—that could reduce lifecycle emissions somewhat below that of conventional petroleum diesel.

Subcommittee Chairman Nick Lampson (D-TX) asked what additional research, as well as development and demonstration programs, should be employed by the Department of Energy and other agencies to accomplish CTL production.  “I recognize there may be economic and strategic benefits of advancing coal-to-liquid technologies from both the regional and global perspectives. We need to have a comprehensive strategy to build an energy future that is sustainable,” said Lampson.

CTL opponents raised concerns about reliance on CCS and argued that slightly better CO2 emissions, if any at all, compared with petroleum fuels doesn’t address the issue of reducing carbon emissions from transportation; and highlighted better uses of coal—such as the production of electricity for plug-in hybrid vehicles via an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) process with CCS.

In his testimony, David Hawkins of the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) stressed that energy security and global warming must be addressed together, and that even with CCS bringing the production element of the lifecycle more into alignment with conventional petroleum refining, the parity of the resulting fuel with petroleum fuel still produces an unsustainable greenhouse gas burden given the need for larger reductions.

The unavoidable fact is that liquid fuel made from coal contains essentially the same amount of carbon as is in gasoline or diesel made from petroleum. Given these results, it is not surprising that a recent Battelle study found that a significant coal-to-liquids industry is not compatible with stabilizing atmospheric CO2 concentrations below twice the pre-industrial value. --David Hawkins, NRDC

Dr. Joseph Romm of the Center for American Progress said that there is no role for CTL in transportation, based on a number of factors, including water usage and CO2 emissions, even with sequestration.  “[I]f coal has a future, it is with plug-in hybrids running on zero-carbon coal electricity…accelerating the transition to such zero-carbon power is where Congress should be focusing its time and resources.”  

To review the full testimony of the witnesses, please visit the Science and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment’s website: http://democrats.science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=1947

 Federal Court Ruling Opposes Automakers  

On September 12, U.S. District Court (Vermont) Chief Judge William K. Sessions III ruled against the auto industry’s attempt to block California and other states from adopting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for new light-duty vehicles.

Judge Sessions ruled that automakers had failed to prove that the state standards embodied in California’s AB 1493 were preempted by federal authority; that GHG standards were “sufficiently draconian” that they effectively usurp the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) prerogative to set fuel economy standards; or that the standards were unattainable.

The California standards would cut combined greenhouse gas emissions (CO2, CH4, N2O and HFCs) from new light-duty vehicles starting in 2009.  The limits call for approximately a 22 percent reduction in GHG emissions from new vehicles by 2012 and approximately a 30 percent reduction by 2016.

AB 1493 maintains the two categories of light-duty vehicles used in California’s Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) II regulations: PC/LDT1 for passenger cars, and small trucks and SUVs; and LDT2/MDV for large trucks and SUVs.  Utility trucks are explicitly exempt from the GHG requirement.

The Bill allows credit trading between the two categories and between manufacturers.  It also offers an optional compliance mechanism for alternatively-fueled vehicles, and imposes less stringent requirements for small and intermediate volume manufacturers.

Earlier this year in Massachusetts v. EPA, the Supreme Court held that carbon dioxide was a pollutant that falls under the regulatory purview of the Clean Air Act, and that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the authority to regulate it.  The EPA had argued that the emissions could not be regulated under the Clean Air Act, and that it had no authority to do so.

A similar suit is still awaiting resolution in U.S. District Court in California.  The EPA has yet to rule on granting California—and by extension, the other states adopting California standards—the waiver to proceed with implementing the GHG rules.

To review the ruling of the United States District Court of Vermont’s, please visit:  http://www.vtd.uscourts.gov/Cases/05cv302.html

California ARB Debates Tripling Action Measures for GHG Reduction

The staff of the California Air Resources Board (ARB) has proposed tripling its early measures to help meet the state’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 25 percent by 2020 as required by the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32).  ARB staff also proposed an additional set of measures that go above and beyond the narrow requirements of the law.

The new proposals are expected to reduce greenhouse gases from the trucking industry, the cement and semiconductor industries, ports and consumer products.  Combined with the early action measures adopted by the Board in June—a low carbon fuel standard, restrictions in “do-it-yourself” air conditioner repairs and methane gas capture from landfills—ARB now has measures in the works to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 16 million metric tons.

The recently proposed discrete early action measures—regulations that will be adopted and are enforceable by the Board beginning in January 2010—are projected to reduce an additional 2.8 million metric tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions.  These actions, combined with other measures proposed by the larger Climate Action Team, could reduce additional greenhouse gas emissions by more than 36 million metric tons by 2020, roughly 21 percent of the total needed to meet AB 32’s goal of reducing such emissions to 1990 levels.

The Board will vote on additional proposed measures in Sacramento in late October.  In the meantime, ARB staff is planning a workshop on the new proposed early action measures to discuss specifics and solicit additional input from key stakeholders.

AB 32, signed by Governor Schwarzenegger in September 2006, requires the ARB to implement a statewide greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategy.  In addition, the Governor directed the members of the Climate Action Team to work alongside the ARB to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their respective jurisdictions.


Google's 10M RFP Aims to Accelerate Electric Vehicle Commercialization  

Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, Inc., recently issued a $10 million request for proposals (RFP) from for-profit companies to enable widespread commercialization of electric vehicles, PHEVs, and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) solutions. 

In June, Google.org launched its RechargeIT initiative to hasten the adoption of PHEVs.  As part of the initiative, Google.org awarded $1 million in grant money and announced plans for the upcoming RFP.

The RFP is global in scope, and the company is encouraging responses from companies anywhere in the world, with planned investments ranging from $500,000 to $2,000,000 in selected projects.

Examples of companies or individuals who may be particularly qualified include:

  • An early stage technology venture coming out of a university or lab looking to develop and commercialize a product (a new type of battery, for example).
  • An innovative services business that can play a key role in the widespread adoption of PHEVs, EVs and/or V2G solutions.
  • A company focused on one of these markets which can use additional investment capital to scale up adoption of its products.
  • A company active in the automotive or power space that could modify an existing product that addresses a key need in one of these markets.

The severity of global warming requires solutions from NGOs, governments, individuals and (very importantly) the private sector. We have already made $1 million in grants to a group of outstanding non-profit organizations, and want to expand our impact by spurring innovation in the private sector. While $10 million is a fraction of the total investment needed to transform our transportation sector, we hope this RFP will help catalyze a broader response. We need the automakers to bring these cars to market, but plug-in vehicles also need an entire ecosystem of companies to flourish. – Google.org

Proposals should be submitted to www.google.org/recharge/rfpform no later than October 22, 2007.

Quantum-Fisker Partnership to Introduce New Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle

Fisker Automotive, Inc., a new joint venture company formed by Quantum Technologies and Fisker Coachbuild, will introduce a new premium plug-in hybrid automobile at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January.

Aiming to produce 15,000 vehicles annually with pricing to start under $100,000, design and technology development are already underway for the first production car, according to the company.     

All models will feature plug-in hybrid technology—called “Quantum Drive”—developed by Quantum Technologies exclusively for Fisker Automotive.  The planned Quantum Drive chassis layout will support a range of plug-in models planned by the company.

Henrik Fisker, CEO of Fisker Automotive, Inc., who has garnered attention for his involvement with the design of a range of high-end automobiles for BMW and Aston Martin, believes the chassis development for these new PHEVs will allow for the delivery of several vehicle models that are eco-chic and yet greatly reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Quantum is a supplier of clean propulsion technologies, fuel and energy storage technologies and services including propulsion systems for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles, compressed natural gas vehicles, liquid petroleum vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and plug-ins based on advanced electronic control systems and lithium-ion batteries developed by Quantum’s strategic alliance partner Advanced Lithium Power Ltd.

For more information about Fisker Automotive, Inc., please visit: http://www.fiskerautomotive.com/

Volvo Introduces Flex-Fuel Plug-In Hybrid at Frankfurt Motor Show  

Volvo Cars Inc. introduced the Volvo ReCharge Concept, a plug-in series hybrid with a grid-rechargeable 12kWh lithium-polymer battery pack and individual electric wheel motors, at the recent Frankfort Motor Show.

Modeled after the current Volvo C30, the ReCharge supports a 62 mile battery-powered range before the four-cylinder 1.6 liter flex-fuel engine engages, powering the car and recharging the battery.  When driving beyond the 62 mile battery range, fuel consumption may vary from 0 to 1.4 gallons per 43 miles-per-gallon (at full liquid fuel consumption), depending on the distance driven using the engine.  For a 90-100 mile trip beginning with a full charge, the vehicle will require less than 0.74 gallons of fuel, giving the car an effective fuel economy of approximately 124 mpg.

The central electrical components in the Volvo Recharge Concept demonstrator—the engine-powered generator and wheel motors—were developed together with British electromagnetic specialists PML Flightlink, known for its electric motors and drive systems.

With an individual electric motor at each wheel, weight distribution as well as mechanical efficiency and traction are maximized.  The friction in mechanical gears is eliminated.  Since the vehicle does not have the transmission found in conventional cars, there is no need for a gear lever.  Power to each wheel is controlled individually.

To help maximize environmental benefits, the Volvo ReCharge Concept has high-efficiency tires developed by Michelin that are specially designed to accommodate the wheelmotors.

The energy that is generated during braking is transmitted to the battery pack.  When the system is ultimately developed, traditional wheelbrakes will be completely replaced by electrical brakes with minimal energy wasted through friction.

A full recharge of the battery pack takes 3 hours.  A one-hour quick charge should provide enough charge for a 31 mile trip, according to the company.   

Magnus Johnson, Senior Vice President of Research and Development for Volvo Cars Inc., says the ReCharge Concept, when used as intended, should have approximately 66 percent lower carbon dioxide emissions compared with the premier hybrid models available on the market today.

Toyota Weighs Its Position on Plug-Ins, Sizes Up Competition from GM

Toyota Motor Corp. is positioning its emerging approach to plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs)—based on augmenting the battery pack of a conventional hybrid and altering the operating strategy—as an approach superior to that of the series-hybrid architecture of General Motor’s E-Flex systems, as represented by the different versions of the Chevy Volt.

The rationale, outlined by Toyota Executive Vice President Kazuo Okamoto in a presentation about the company’s technology strategies to investors in Tokyo in early September, is that once current parameters such as driving range, required battery size, and charge time are factored in, the augmentation of the existing parallel-hybrid platform makes the most sense.

The prototype Toyota PHEV is based on a Prius with a 2.6kWh NiMH battery pack supporting an all-electric range of 8 miles.  The gasoline (flex-fuel) version of the Chevy Volt, targeted for production in 2010, promises a 16kWh Li-ion battery pack that supports a 40-mile all-electric range.

Okamoto’s presentation, Challenges for Sustainable Mobility, outlined a number of Toyota’s technology efforts including advanced gasoline and diesel engine work and alternative fuels (biofuels, hydrogen and electricity).

Toyota will conduct public road tests in Japan using eight of the Plug-in HV models to verify electric-motor-only cruising ranges and optimal battery capacity.  The company will provide the government data in the process so it can formulate testing methods for emissions and fuel efficiency and also promote the benefits of electric-based transport.

In addition, Toyota is also providing prototypes of their PHEV to the Advanced Power and Energy Program at the University of California at Irvine and the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, as part of its on-going sustainable mobility development program with the two UC campuses.

A copy of Toyota’s Challenges for Sustainable Mobility presentation is available online at:
http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/ir/presentation/2007/pdf/070831presen_2.pdf

CO2 Emissions from New Vehicles Down in Both U.S. and Europe

According to a new study by Environmental Defense, the average CO2 emissions rate from new vehicles sold in the United States fell 3 percent from 2004 to 2005.  However, emissions remain up a net 1.5 percent from 1990 levels.  The report examines the auto industry’s overall carbon burden, reflecting the efficiency of vehicles and the carbon intensity of the fuel they run on, as well as new vehicle sales.

The study, Automakers’ Corporate Carbon Burdens, Update for 1990-2005 concluded that GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler each saw a net decline in their fleet-average CO2 emissions, while Toyota and BMW, in spite of rising light truck sales, cut their average per-vehicle CO2 emission rate.  Nissan had the largest increase in its average CO2 emissions rate due to the combined effect of its rising truck fraction of sales and its declining truck fuel economy.

The six largest automakers in the U.S. market—GM, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Toyota, Honda and Nissan—had a 90 percent market share and accounted for 90 percent of the new fleet carbon burden in 2005.  With the exception of Toyota, the average fuel economy for the Big Six automakers decreased from 1990 to 2005.

Summary findings of the study include:

  • General Motors. GM’s new fleet average CO2 emissions rate was 3 percent higher in 2005 than it was in 1990, while market share dropped 10 points.  GM’s new car fuel economy steadily increased from 2000 through 2005, reaching a value 6.4 percent higher in 2005 than it was in 1990, as a result of a general increase in the fuel economy of some high-volume models.

However, rising light truck share and flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) credits more than offset the recent increases in the fuel economy of many GM models.  Carbon burden fell 6.5 percent, but remained the largest overall.

  • Ford. Ford’s market share dropped 7 points from 1990 to 2005, leading to a 5.8 percent drop in carbon burdens.  Heavy use of FFV credits caused a 4.3 percent increase in fleet average CO2 emissions rate, accounting for most of Ford’s total 4.7 percent increase in emissions rate.

Ford’s car division saw its fuel economy increase 1.2 mpg from 2004 to 2005, due to market shifts to more efficient vehicles.  Ford’s 2005 new fleet average CO2 emissions rate was down 5 percent from its 2004 peak as a result of lower sales of the most fuel-consuming models.

  • DaimlerChrysler.  As a result of higher truck share and net lower fuel economy, the company’s CO2 emissions rate was up 4.8 percent from 1990 levels, the worst among all automakers.  Market share increased 3 points.  The company’s truck share increased by 22 points to reach 72 percent market share in 2005, the highest among all automakers.

Truck fleet fuel economy rose 7 percent from its lowest levels in 1999, but as of 2005 remained down a net 0.4 percent from its 1990 level.

  • Toyota. Toyota’s CO2 emissions rate decreased 3 percent while its market share rose 7 points from 1990 to 2005.  Its carbon burden growth—the highest among the Big Six—was due entirely to increased sales.

Despite a 17 point increase in the truck share of its sales, Toyota’s average new fleet CO2 emissions rate dropped as its CAFE levels improved 13.6 percent for cars and 5 percent for trucks.  Of the 13.6 percent improvement in Toyota’s average new car fuel economy, 5.4 percent came from steady fuel economy improvements and strong sales of the Corolla, and 4.2 percent came from the introduction and growing sales of the Prius.

  • Honda. A rapidly growing truck fraction pushed Honda’s CO2 emissions rate up 4.4 percent while its market share gained 1.6 points from 1990 to 2005.  Nevertheless, the company remained the fuel economy leader with a combined car and light truck average of 29 mpg.  The company’s average new car CO2 emissions rate dropped by 7.6 percent, corresponding to an 8.2 percent fuel economy gain over 1990.

Since entering the light truck market in 1997, Honda’s truck share grew at an average 4.5 points per year, reaching 40 percent of its total sales in 2005.

  • Nissan. Growing truck reliance and declining truck fuel economy pushed Nissan’s CO2 emissions rate up 9.2 percent, the most among the Big Six, while the company gained 2 points of market share from 1990 to 2005.

The truck fraction of Nissan’s sales grew from 27 percent to 42 percent while its light truck fuel economy dropped 17 percent between 1990 and 2005. The car-to-truck shift alone accounted for 3.5 percent of the 9.2 percent overall growth in Nissan’s CO2 emissions rate from 1990 to 2005.

Nissan was the first overseas automaker to use FFV credits, which inflated its combined CAFE by 0.5 mpg as of 2005 and pushed its CO2 emissions rate 1.8 percent higher than if the company had achieved the same fuel economy levels without the credits.

In related news, the average reduction in CO2 emissions from new cars sold in 24 countries throughout Europe (the EU25 minus Malta) in 2006 was 0.6 percent compared to the prior year, dropping from an average of 160g/km, according to an analysis by the organization Transport and Environment (T&E).

While the average weight of cars sold in those countries rose 1.3 percent, T&E figures conclude that new cars sold in Europe in 2006 by members of the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA) emitted 160g of CO2 per kilometer on average, down less than half a gram from the previous year.  ACEA, which accounted for 81 percent of sales in Europe in 2006, committed in 1998 to reach 140g/km by 2008 but will now almost certainly miss that target.

T&E analyzed sales and CO2 information in a European Commission database that forms the basis of the official EU monitoring mechanism on cars and CO2 output.  The European Commission has so far not made public the CO2 figures for the years 2005 or 2006.  T&E was granted access to the database following a request under the EU “access to documents” law.

The car industry is actively lobbying to make the coming European CO2 standards dependent on the weight of vehicles, using schemes similar to those of China or Japan.  T&E is calling on the EU to stick to a single fleet-wide average standard of 120g/km by 2012.

Alternatively, T&E believes the car footprint, the area between the four wheels, could be used as a temporary measure to define what CO2 standard individual car models would have to apply.  This same “footprint” attribute is used in new U.S. CAFE fuel efficiency standards for light trucks.

The European Parliament’s environment committee is slated to vote on new car CO2 regulations this month in advance of a formal legal proposal from the European Commission in December.

To see copies of both the Automakers’ Corporate Carbon Burdens and the Transport and Environment’s reports, please visit:

http://www.environmentaldefense.org/documents/6868_CarbonBurdens2007.pdf

and

http://www.transportenvironment.org/docs/Publications/2007/2007-09_progress_voluntary_commitment_2006.pdf

Prospects for Biofuels and Supportive Policies Criticized in OECD Report

A recent study prepared by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Roundtable on Sustainable Development, concludes that the potential of current biofuel technologies—ethanol and biodiesel—to deliver a major contribution to the energy demands of the transportation sector without compromising food prices and environmental quality is very limited.

The report--Biofuels: Is the Cure Worse Than the Disease—suggests that although second-generation technologies are promising, they may never be viable; that the economic outlook for biofuels is “fragile”; and that government policies are “inefficient”, not “cost-effective” and are setting ambitious market shares without an in-depth understanding of a sustainable production level and from where these biofuels could be supplied.

The study also notes that global production of biofuels amounted to roughly 1 percent of total road transport fuel consumption in 2005.  Technically, up to 11 percent of total demand for liquid fuels (from conventional ethanol and biodiesel) has been judged possible by 2050, with another 12 percent potentially coming from second-generation biofuel technologies.  Citing concerns about food prices and environmental degradation caused by first generation technologies, the report suggests that the potential of conventional technologies might be closer to current production levels.  Furthermore, the study says unfavorable economic issues surrounding biofuels suggests that the market share of nearly a quarter is unlikely to be achieved by 2050.  Given the projected growth in demand for conventional transportation fuels, overall petroleum fuel consumption is likely to remain at current levels, moderating growth in demand for biofuels.

The report suggests the following policy directions:

  • The strategic importance of and objectives for first generation biofuels need to be refocused and refined. International organizations such as the IEA, OECD, FAO and World Bank need to continue to adopt a soundly-based, common understanding of the limits of both traditional and second-generation biofuels in their analysis of energy futures.
  • Priority should be given to research into second-generation biofuels— not only technologies, but also the assumptions regarding the cost and long-term availability of their feedstocks. Domestic policy efforts should be redirected from (subsidy) instruments aimed at the deployment of biofuels in general back to the R&D and demonstration phase of advanced biofuel technologies.
  • Further research is needed to verify the environmental benefits for each biofuel production pathway, feedstock and location.
  • National governments should cease to create new mandates for biofuels and investigate ways to phase them out, preferably by replacing them with technology-neutral policies such as a carbon tax. Such policies will more effectively stimulate regulatory and market incentives for efficient technologies.
  • Policy efforts to develop certification of biofuels must be unified. Only a global and coherent approach stands a chance of making a positive difference.
  • Certification of biofuels—and the design criteria to use them in combination with GHG emissions reduction regulations and preferential tax treatments—should be urgently placed on the WTO agenda. A special committee on trade and environment has been created to channel these discussions and could possibly be used to this end.
  • The WTO should also be used to step up efforts to lower trade barriers to biofuels imports, allowing developing countries that have ecological and climate systems more suited to biomass production to use their comparative advantage.
  • More work needs to be done to assess the relative importance of biofuels in developing countries as an export commodity and as a means to provide excess to modern, more efficient and less polluting energy sources. It may be that in many developing country circumstances it would be more productive to channel efforts to developing other forms of bioenergy than liquid fuels. More help should be provided to developing countries in identifying opportunities to use biofuels to enhance economic progress.

The OECD’s Roundtable on Sustainable Development report is online at:
http://www.foeeurope.org/publications/2007/OECD_Biofuels_Cure_Worse_Than_Disease_Sept07.pdf

Public Transportation Use Substantially Reduces GHGs, According to Study

A new study released by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Public Transportation’s Contribution to U.S. Greenhouse Gas Reduction, concludes that when compared to other household actions that limit CO2 emissions, utilizing public transportation can be more than ten times greater in reducing this harmful greenhouse gas. 

The study, prepared for APTA by the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and introduced at an EESI briefing in the House of Representatives, stresses that it takes one solo automobile commuter of a household to switch their daily driving to using public transportation to reduce that individual’s daily carbon emissions by 20 pounds (more than 4,800 pounds per year) and their household’s carbon footprint by 10 percent.

The research points out that due to increases in vehicle miles traveled, the problem of pollution from vehicle emissions is accelerating.  Greenhouse gas emissions from mobile sources have grown 27 percent from 1990 to 2004.  Autos and light duty trucks represent about 61 percent of the total mobile source of greenhouse gas emissions.  The report says single occupancy drivers switching their work commute to public transportation is one of the more effective ways to reduce the nation’s vehicle miles traveled while reducing harmful carbon dioxide output.

APTA is calling on Congress to incorporate public transportation into a national climate strategy that includes providing additional funding levels for more public transportation investment; providing tax credits to major employers who spend resources to support mass transit ridership programs; and tax credits to developers for mixed development residential, commercial and transportation sites that encourage greater use of public transportation.  

A copy of this report is available on APTA’s website: http://www.apta.com/research/info/online/climate_change.cfm

Cleantech Forum™ XIV
October 24-26, 2007
Toronto, Canada

The Forum will highlight rapidly maturing market dynamics and opportunities including:

  • Transition from venture to “innovation” financing from labs to large caps
  • Globalization of the cleantech markets, community
  • Enhanced policy-maker interest and action
  • Accelerated demand and market adoption of cleantech solutions
  • Development of new supply chain dynamics

Cleantech Forum™ XIV will focus on how these emerging drivers are creating clear investment opportunities, as well as analysis of emerging trends:

  • Climate Change - Technologies for Mitigation and Adaptation
  • IT/Internet - Driving Infrastructure Efficiencies

For more information, please visit:
http://cleantechnetwork.com/index.cfm?pageSRC=TorontoForum or phone 810-224-4310.

Rail-Volution 2007- Building Livable Communities with Transit
October 31- November 3, 2007
Miami, Florida

Rail-Volution is a conference for passionate practitioners - people from all perspectives who believe strongly in the role of land use and transit as equal partners in the quest for greater livability and greater communities. You should attend the conference if you:

  • Want to see your community adopt an innovative approach to transit and other alternative forms of transportation.
  • Work in the private sector and want to have meaningful interactions with potential new clients.
  • Work in the public sector and want to learn best practices along with colleagues from around the U.S. and beyond.
  • Want to have a stronger voice in how your community plans for future growth.

For more information, please visit http://www.railvolution.com/default.asp or phone 503-823-7737.

Submit Your Clean Transportation Story!

EESI’s Transportation Program is eager to learn about your clean vehicle fleet/efforts. If you are in the process of procurement, or if you already operate heavy or light-duty vehicles that produce fewer emissions and consume less fuel than conventional diesel or gasoline powered vehicles, let us know if we haven’t heard – and told -- your story!  We’ll post this information on our website and include it in future editions of Clean Motion!

Send this information to Matt Johnston at mjohnston@eesi.org or call 202-662-1893. More information can be mailed to 122 C St., NW, Suite 630, Washington, DC 20001.

Clean Motion is a free monthly periodical providing an overview of current program and policy activities related to the deployment of low-polluting, energy-efficient transportation in the United States. Topics include technology developments, clean vehicle deployment, energy consumption, the environment, government policy, and public health. If there are issues we are missing and you think we should cover, please let us know.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute is a non-profit organization established in 1984 by a bipartisan, bicameral group of members of Congress to provide timely information on energy and environmental policy issues to policymakers and stakeholders and develop innovative policy solutions that set us on a cleaner, more secure and sustainable energy path .  EESI's  valuable  work in energy, climate change, agriculture, transportation and smart growth is made possible through financial support from people like you. 

Your tax deductible contribution will help EESI develop innovative policy solutions for a cleaner, safer, healthier world. For more information, go to our website or contact Matt Johnston at mjohnston@eesi.org or call 202-662-1893.