(AUC) FORD REVEALS THE E TRANSIT CUSTOM

The new mid-sized Ford E-Transit Custom is the electric successor to the UK's best-selling vehicle, bringing a bold new look and a range of up to 236 miles.

Revealed today ahead of production getting under way at the Ford Otosan plant in Turkey in the second half of 2023, the new E-Transit Custom is the second of five all-electric commercial vehicles Ford will launch in Europe by 2024, following hot on the heels of the full-sized Ford E-Transit.

The E-Transit Custom is also the first new model revealed since Ford hived off its commercial vehicle operations into the dedicated Ford Pro division.

It will be built alongside an electric version of the next-generation Volkswagen Transporter, as part of an agreement between the two firms that sees Volkswagen commercial vehicles use Ford underpinnings and gives Ford access to VW's MEB platform for passenger EVs.

Unlike its larger E-Transit sibling, the new arrival takes a distinctly different design approach to the existing, combustion-powered Ford Transit Custom, which last year outsold the UK's best-selling car, the Vauxhall Corsa, by a comfortable margin of around 25%.

Ford highlights the "rebalanced proportions" of the EV, which give "a confident stance" that will "set a distinctive new design benchmark in the one-tonne segment".

The overall treatment is familiar, but a completely new front-end look brings the E-Transit Custom into line with the latest Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus and Ford Tourneo Connect. A prominent hexagonal 'grille' panel is flanked by slim, angular LED lights and topped by a wraparound daytime-running light, while the charging point has been integrated on the front right-hand side.

Ford has yet to reveal the interior or give full technical specifications but says the battery will be capable of DC fast-charging and the powertrain will allow for "full towing capability". It says the van has been designed to "help businesses across the region to effortlessly make the change to electrified vehicles". Autocar - link - Felix Page - link - more like this (electric vans) - link

(POL) NEW EU LEGISLATION BACKS CLAIMANTS

The European Commission has proposed introducing a right for citizens to claim compensation for health damage caused by breaches of industrial plants’ pollution permits | Denis Charlet/AFP via Getty Images

When Farida T. sued the French state arguing that her bronchitis and her daughter’s asthma attacks were caused by air pollution, she ran into a major hurdle.

The long-term resident of a department northeast of Paris could not prove a direct link between local air pollution levels and the illnesses, leading a local court to rule against her in 2019, citing insufficient evidence.

That burden of proof has made lawsuits like Farida T.'s — only identified by an initial under French legal rules — almost impossible to win in the EU; most people don't even bother to file them.

But that could soon change — at least for a subset of cases linked to pollution from industrial installations that lawyers and NGOs say could pave the way to broader efforts to hold polluters accountable.

In its revised rules on industrial emissions presented in April, the European Commission proposed introducing a right for citizens to claim compensation for health damage caused by breaches of industrial plants’ pollution permits. The revised EU rules would apply to over 50,000 of the largest industrial installations across the bloc, from steelworks to meat-processing plants.

The proposal reverses the burden of proof: Plant operators and relevant authorities will have to prove that their pollution breach is not at the root of the claimant’s health issues.

That’s “really, really crucial,” said Bellinda Bartolucci, a senior lawyer at legal charity ClientEarth.

“If you’re suffering from cancer or any other health damage, you actually only need to demonstrate sufficiently that the breach [of a permit] could have caused this damage. It is then up to the operator to prove that the breach had nothing to do with the harm,” she said.

The proposal — which still needs to survive negotiations between EU institutions — represents a historic step toward standardizing legal redress for the impact of pollution, according to lawyers and campaigners.

It is “completely new” and “can change quite a lot,” said Christian Schaible, policy manager on industrial production at the European Environmental Bureau, an NGO.

The reversal is likely to freak out the industry, which “will find it as difficult to disprove as claimants have traditionally found it to prove,” said Maria Lee, a law professor at University College London. Politico - link - the brilliant Antonia Zimmermann - link - more like this (EU) - link - more like this (lifecycle responsibility) - link - more like this (France) - link - more like this (EU) - link

(REU) BRAZIL DOUBLES DEFORESTATION

An aerial view shows logs that were illegally cut from the Amazon rainforest in Anapu, Para state, Brazil, September 2, 2019. Picture taken with a drone September 2, 2019. REUTERS/Nacho Doce

SAO PAULO, May 6 (Reuters) - Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon surged to record levels for the month of April, nearly doubling the area of forest removed in that month last year -- the previous April record -- preliminary government data showed on Friday, alarming environmental campaigners.

In the first 29 days of April, deforestation in the region totaled 1,012.5 sq km (390 sq miles), according to data from national space research agency Inpe. The agency, which has compiled the monthly DETER-B data series since 2015/2016, will report data for the final day of April next week.

April is the third monthly record this year, after new highs were also observed in January and February.

Destruction of the Brazilian Amazon in the first four months of the year also hit a record for the period of 1,954 sq km (754 sq miles), an increase of 69% compared to the same period of 2021 – clearing an area more than double the size of New York City.

Deforestation in the Amazon has soared since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019 and weakened environmental protection. Bolsonaro argues that more farming and mining in the Amazon will reduce poverty in the region.

"The cause of this record has a first and last name: Jair Messias Bolsonaro," said Marcio Astrini, head of Brazilian advocacy group Climate Observatory, in a statement.

Bolsonaro's office directed questions to the ministries of environment and justice. The ministries said in a joint statement the government was making major efforts to fight environmental crimes and that police and environmental authorities were cooperating on an operation to combat deforestation in five Amazon states.

Even with deforestation already on the rise, Climate Observatory said its analysts were astounded by such a high reading in April, which is part of the rainy season when the muddy forest is harder for loggers to access.

Preservation of the Amazon is vital to stopping catastrophic climate change because of the vast amount of climate-warming carbon dioxide it absorbs.

Ane Alencar, science director of the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM), said she had expected deforestation to keep rising ahead of the October presidential election, like it has in Brazil's past three election years, as officials wary of angering voters generally do less to enforce the law. Still, she called the surge in deforestation last month "absurd."

"It seems that the clearing of forests has become institutionalized in the country as something common, with record after record," Alencar said. Reuters - link - Jake Spring - link - more like this (Amazon) - link - more like this (Tipping Points) - link

(IAN) OPERATION TOM 001

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(VOI) SAN FRANCISCO SEA CHANGE

Sea Change ferry is seen docked at Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham, Washington, U.S., April 7, 2022. The 75-passenger ferry, propelled entirely by hydrogen fuel cells, was built by All American Marine and conceived of by Switch Maritime. (REUTERS/Matt Mills McKnight)

A new hydrogen-powered passenger boat is preparing to launch in San Francisco, California.

Builders of the 75-passenger boat, or ferry, say it produces no carbon emissions. The ferry, named Sea Change, is set to begin carrying passengers across San Francisco Bay to several stops in the city in June.

The ferry is completely powered by hydrogen fuel cells. In this kind of power system, the fuel cells convert hydrogen gas into electricity.

Sea Change was built at the All American Marine shipyard in Bellingham, in Washington state. It has been undergoing tests with the U.S. Coast Guard in nearby Puget Sound. The project was financed by Switch Maritime, which owns the Sea Change. The company’s chief executive, Pace Ralli, told Reuters the ferry is the first such vessel in the world to be completely powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

Ralli said he got the idea for the ferry while trying to come up with new ways to use less carbon in the maritime industry. He learned of a state-supported project in California that was developing hydrogen fuel cells as a method for “decarbonizing” ships. “So we joined up with them and funded their project in 2019," Ralli said. The leader of the All American Marine’s project is Jeff Sokolik. He said the hydrogen fuel cells power two propellers that move the ferry at a top speed of about 37 kilometers an hour.

He told Reuters he thinks the fuel cell power systems could one day become a new "standard” for many kinds of ships. He said, “They're clean, they're efficient and they make sense economically…” Supporters of hydrogen fuel cells say the technology is cleaner than other carbon-cutting methods because the process only releases water and heat. But the high cost and large fuel cell systems have so far limited use of the technology.

"We're focused on the shipping industry because that's where we have expertise, but I don't think any industry can really wait at this point," Ralli said. He added that he thinks the Sea Change project can lead to more hydrogen fuel cell vessels, including larger ferries, cruise ships and tankers. Voice of America - link - Bryan Lynn - link - more like this (H2) - link - more like this (shipping) - link - more like this (California) - link

(IAN) 8:46 AND 26 SECONDS

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(AEV) THE MANTA ANN

Helicopters carry most of the burden when it comes to medical air transportation, but things are starting to change. 

Small drones are already being used for delivering urgent medical supplies over short distances, but eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing) capable of interregional flights have the potential to revolutionize medical transportation.

Manta Aircraft might not be as famous as other eVTOL developers, but its versatile Ann platform has shown enough potential to be selected by a private air transport company to provide medical transportation services. Avionord has agreed to purchase 15 units of Manta’s hybrid-electric model while also becoming an investor for the Italian company.

The main feature that drew Avionord’s attention was Ann’s extensive range. Equipped with a turbo generator and batteries, this aircraft is able to conduct flights of up to 1,000 km (620 miles) without requiring ant ground-based recharging infrastructure because it’s able to recharge its batteries en-route. This means that it could fly between cities in order to deliver organs for transplants or equipment for the re-perfusion of organs. And it would do so fast, thanks to a speed of up to 300 kph (186 mph).

Another major benefit is that it combines eVTOL and STOL (short take-off and landing) capabilities. This means that its infrastructure requirements are minimal. It can take off and land vertically using existing helipads, but it can also do that from very short runways, which would enable it to carry a higher payload. Additionally, it's much less noisy than a helicopter, with lower operating costs.

The future ANN hybrid VTOLs that will be operated by Avionord will therefore be capable of providing essential medical transportation services within an entire region, landing from one hospital helipad to another, faster and quieter than helicopters.

Manta Aircraft is gearing up for the certification of its first model, the two-seater Ann2, next year, while the hybrid-electric VTOLs with a medical configuration are set to be delivered by 2026. Autoevolution - link - Otilia Dragan - link - more like this (eVTOL) - link - more like this (Italy) - link

(TCR) THE FUTURE IS IN BLACK MASS

Metals and fossil fuels behemoth Glencore is pumping $200 million into battery recycler Li-Cycle as part of a larger, symbiotic supply deal inked by the two firms.

Under the new agreement, the Swiss materials giant will ship burnt-out batteries and scraps to Li-Cycle, which will recover the high-demand metals so they can be reused in electric vehicle batteries and other applications.

Li-Cycle uses a spoke-and-hub approach for recovering the materials. At their spoke facilities, they shred spent batteries and use a water-based system to begin to break down the batteries. Known as hydrometallurgical processing, the technique uses less energy than pyrometallurgical processing, the other major method that basically melts batteries down. While the hydrometallurgical approach can recover more minerals, too, one downside is that it produces more wastewater that must be treated.

From its spoke facilities, Li-Cycle ships a substance known as black mass to its hub facilities for further processing. There, it separates the black mass into a variety of materials, including those that can be used to make new lithium-ion batteries.

Glencore will be providing Li-Cycle with black mass for processing as well as manufacturing scrap. Securing a supply of scrap could be advantageous for the startup since it is easier to recycle than whole batteries.

After news of the convertible financing deal broke, Li-Cycle’s stock shot up nearly 9% to a high of $7.89 per share during regular trading hours. The six-year-old recycling firm debuted on the New York Stock Exchange last August via a $1.55 billion SPAC merger. On top of the $200 million from Glencore, the battery recycler recently secured an additional $50 million from LG and $100 million from the infamous fossil-fuel booster Koch Industries.

Glencore said in an investor update late last year that it intends to boost its recycling operations around the world, a shift for the company that is known more for mining virgin ore than diverting waste from landfills. The mining giant says the move should help bring down the carbon intensity of its materials. Glencore has said that it is targeting net-zero emissions by 2050. TechCrunch - link - Tim De Chant - link - Harri Weber - link - more like this (lithium) - link - more like this (batteries) - link

(ENV) CROMARTY FIRTH H2 PROJECT

The masterplan for the North of Scotland hydrogen programme

ScottishPower and Storegga, the firm behind the Acorn carbon capture project, have announced a green hydrogen partnership to “transform” industry in the Highlands.

They have agreed to develop, build and operate a series of green hydrogen production plants across Scotland, with the first to be focused in the Cromarty Firth region, north of Inverness.

The first plant is expected to be operational in 2024, producing up to 20 tonnes of hydrogen a day, providing a green fuel for heating processes in whisky distilleries.

With potential to ramp up to 300 megawatts (MW) in a series of modular expansion phases, there are also potential applications for local manufacturing, food production and industrial heating.

The Cromarty Hydrogen Project follows a feasibility study between ScottishPower and Storegga in collaboration with distillers Diageo, Glenmorangie and Whyte & Mackay, all of which have operations in the Cromarty region, to take Scotland’s national drink greener.

ScottishPower and Storegga said similar discussions on green hydrogen are underway with other customers and industries.

The pair pointed to benefits of “home-made” green hydrogen for security of energy supply, as well as accelerating potential for cleaner industrial heating processes.

Green hydrogen could also potentially provide heavy transport across the country with clean fuel, such as refuse trucks, buses and HGVs. Energy Voice - link - Allister Thomas - link - more like this (H2) - link - more like this (Scotland) - link

(IEV) VOLVO ANNOUNCES ELECTRIC TRUCK LINEUP

Volvo Trucks has just announced the sales start for its three-strong lineup of electric trucks, the FH, FM and FMX. Tractor models will enter production first, but rigid versions will join them towards the end of 2022, giving the truck manufacturer the widest range of heavy duty electric vehicles in Europe.

The FH Electric and FM Electric are seen by Volvo Trucks as versatile electric haulers for local (i.e. short) transport duties. The FMX Electric is more capable off-road, so it can be used in a wider range of applications, although it is primarily aimed at the construction industry.

Orders for its electric trucks began rolling in months before the official start of sales, according to the manufacturer. Volvo Trucks says it has had over 1,100 inquiries from 20 countries, including letters of intent to buy.

According to Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks,

This is a milestone for Volvo Trucks. There is a lot of interest from customers to place orders for these fantastic trucks. Until now we have mainly offered customers and partners to sign letters of intent to buy, but now we start to sign firm orders, which is a major step forward for electrification.

These are not the first electric Volvo trucks, though. First were the 16-ton FL Electric and 27-ton FE Electric introduced in 2019 as vehicles for local distribution, garbage collection, as well as possible urban transport applications. With battery packs ranging between 100 and 300 kWh, the lighter FL can do a claimed 186 miles (300 km) on one charge, while the heavier FE only musters 124 miles (200 km) WLTP.

Next, in December 2020, came the VNR Electric model built in the US for the North American market, available in many configurations, initially with a 264 kWh battery pack. Volvo Trucks subsequently gave it bigger batteries (375 and 565 kWh), that in the 4x2 increased the claimed range from 150 to 230 miles.

In total, with the three new additions, Volvo Trucks has a total of six electric trucks (albeit all just electric versions of diesel trucks for now), but it wants half of the trucks it makes to be electric by 2030. Insideevs - link - Andrei Nedelea - link - more like this (electric trucks) - link

(H2V) LIQUID H2 SHIPPING GOES LARGE

In a bid to support the growing hydrogen industry, C-Job Naval Architects has designed a new type of liquid hydrogen tanker that could enable the transportation of the clean fuel.

Unveiled today (May 3), the tanker co-designed with LH2 Europe, to help develop the supply chain for liquid hydrogen and promote the use of sustainable practices across the globe.

The tanker is powered by hydrogen fuel cells and is also equipped with three liquid hydrogen storage tanks with a total capacity of 37,500m3, enough to refuel 400,000 medium-sized hydrogen cars or 20,000 heavy trucks.

As part of this project, LH2 Europe aims harness renewable electricity in Scotland to produce green hydrogen and market it at a competitive price with diesel fuel.

With this, the liquid hydrogen tanker will transport the clean energy carrier to terminals in Germany helping to capitalise on the growing market in the country.

There are also potential plans to expand this network to various other international countries, the companies said.

Dr. Peter Wells, CEO of LH2 Europe, said, “Hydrogen will be essential to the future of energy. It is up to us how quickly we can make that happen. LH2 Europe aims to have a full liquid hydrogen supply chain ready by 2027.

“We plan to initially deliver 100 tons per day (t/d) of green hydrogen and ramp up production to 300 t/d within three years, depending on demand.

“This tanker design is a key step in providing the infrastructure to make that clean energy future a reality. Current vessels in operation are not able to deliver hydrogen at the scale we expect will be required to meet the needs of the market.” H2VIEW - link - George Heynes - link - more like this (H2 fuel) - link - more like this (H2 shipping) - link - more like this (Scotland) - link

(DES) CALIFORNIA'S 100% RENEWABLE RECORD

Renewable electricity provided just shy of 100% of California's electricity demand on Saturday, a record-breaker, officials said, much of it from large amounts of solar power now produced along Interstate 10, an hour east of the Coachella Valley.

Environmentalists over the weekend celebrated as an official online supply tracker surged to 101%, but a power official said late Monday that they had doublechecked the data, and adjusted it slightly due to battery charging and reserves and other resource needs.

While partygoers celebrated in the blazing sunshine at the Stagecoach music festival (30/04/2022), energy demand state-wide hit 18,672 megawatts at 2:45 p.m., "and at 2:50, we reached 99.87% of load served by all renewables, which broke the previous record of 97.58%," said Anna Gonzales, spokeswoman for California Independent System Operator, or CAISO, a non-profit that oversees the state's bulk electric power system and transmission lines.

Two thirds of the 18,000 megawatts needed was provided by solar power loaded into the energy grid — or 12,391 megawatts. The rest came from wind, geothermal and other renewable sources.

Environmentalists who've pushed for years for all of California's power to come from renewables were jubilant on Saturday as they watched the tracker edge closer to 100% and past.

"California busts past 100% on this historic day for clean energy!" tweeted Dan Jacobson, senior advisor to Environment California, who ran the campaign for SB 100, California's 2018 law requiring the state to use 100% clean energy by 2045.

"Once it hit 100% we were very excited," said Laura Deehan, executive director for Environment California. She said the organization and others have worked for 20 years to push the Golden State to complete renewable power via a series of ever tougher mandates. "California solar plants play a really big role."

The group also pushed for one million solar rooftops statewide, which has already been achieved, adding what some say is a more environmentally friendly form of solar power than the solar farms, which eat up large swaths of the Mojave desert and fragile landscapes. Desert Sun - link - Janet Wilson - link - more like this (USA) - link - more like this (pv) - link - more like this (California) - link

(IEN) TRANSPARENT SOLAR PANELS

Transparent solar panels could replace windows in the future.

They have the potential to shift cities from major energy users to energy providers in an instant and could usher in a new era of clean energy revolution while safeguarding farmland and natural habitats.

And, as the world strives toward a low-carbon future to curb the worst effects of climate change, solar energy should unquestionably be one of our strongest allies. But how viable are transparent solar technologies? Could we really generate electricity from windows in offices, homes, car’s sunroof, or even smartphones? 

Transparent solar is a cutting-edge technology that gathers and uses light energy through windows or any glass surface, regardless of the angle. It has the potential to be a game-changer in terms of broadening the scope of solar.

In terms of engineering, researchers have created several means of transparent solar technology. Most generally though, the majority of them function more as a transparent solar concentrator, which means they are made to absorb specific UV and infrared light wavelengths that aren't visible to the naked eye and transform them into energy capable of powering electronics.

This technology is also called photovoltaic glass, and it's manufactured to provide a ranging level of transparency. Back in 2014, researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) developed the first entirely transparent solar concentrator, which could convert almost any glass sheet or window into a PV cell.

And by 2020, scientists in the United States and Europe have achieved 100 percent transparency for solar glass, bringing us one step closer to the goal of a sustainable future that does not rely on the grid of the fossil fuel industry.

See-through solar panels are incredibly important as, in modern society, glass is practically everywhere. Ranging from the screen of your phone to skyscrapers, it's estimated that there are 5 to 7 billion square meters of glass surfaces in the United States. Imagine the sheer amounts of electricity that could be generated if we could tap into that power.

With that in mind, it should also be noted that conventional solar panels necessitate a wide setup area as well as a significant initial cost. Because of these constraints, it is difficult to implement them in metropolitan locations. Transparent solar panels, on the other hand, can be implemented in these areas, paving the way for net-zero energy buildings and help cities meet climate goals and targets. Interesting Engineering - link - Derya Ozdemir - link - more like this (pv) - link - more like this (glass) - link

(TBS) QUANTUMSCAPE SOLID STATE

QuantumScape has announced impressive performance figures for what may be the first commercially viable lithium metal solid state battery. They claim that they can increase the autonomy of an electric car by up to 80%, and it that it can charge from 0 to 80% in just 15 minutes.

By using a solid electrolyte instead of the typical liquid solution, solid-state batteries can store considerably more energy by weight and volume than lithium-ion batteries; but yet, making a battery that is reliable and has a useful life appropriate to any driver's needs - high charge and discharge rates, long service life, and without any temperature or safety concerns - has proven difficult up to now.

QuantumScape says it has solved the problem with a new design that uses lithium-metal anodes that are not formed during manufacturing, but formed around the current collector when the battery is charged. The energy density is reportedly excellent. In volumetric terms, the new battery can store 1 kWh/l, about four times what the current Tesla Model 3 battery stores. By weight, it offers between 380-500 Wh/kg, as compared to 260 Wh/kg in packages currently used by Tesla.

The QuantumScape battery charges at blazing speeds, allowing a 0-80% charge in 15 minutes. It can retain more than 80% of its capacity after 800 cycles, which would represent about 240,000 miles (386,000 km) traveled in an electric car.

Dr. Stanley Whittingham, co-inventor of the lithium-ion battery and winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, stated in that regard that "… the hardest part of making a working solid state battery is the need to simultaneously meet the requirements of high energy density, fast charging, long life cycle, and wide operating temperature range. 

These data show that QuantumScape cells meet all of these requirements, something that has never been achieved before. If QuantumScape can bring this technology to large-scale production, it has the potential to transform the industry." The brighter side - link - Nicolas Caballero - link - more like this (solid state) - link - more like this (electric cars) - link

(TDR) NIKOLA BEGINS SERIAL PRODUCTION

Arizona-based electric truck manufacturer Nikola says it has begun serial production of its battery-electric Tre semi-trailer trucks.

Though not the first Nikola Tre semi-trucks to be produced at the company’s manufacturing facility in Coolidge, Arizona, it marks the beginning of serial production.

“We began production of the Tre BEV on March 21 here in Coolidge and today we’re celebrating this milestone and the initial shipments of trucks to our customers,” said Mark Russell, Nikola’s CEO.

“In 2022, we’re moving forward with every aspect of our business. Next year, fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV) are planned to be added to the manufacturing mix. We are focused on delivering vehicles and generating revenue.”

Nikola delivered the first of its Tre BEV trucks to one of Southern California’s leading trucking companies late last year, Total Transportation Services (TTS), who began trialling two battery and two fuel cell trucks.

The trial, if deemed successful by TTS, could lead to the purchase of up to 30 battery and 70FCEVs in 2023.

Meanwhile, in January, Nikola began pilot operations of its FCEV Tre with brewing giant Anheuser-Busch.

The Nikola Tre BEV is designed for deliveries of up to 560-kilometres thanks to a 753kWh battery pack delivering 645-horsepower and a charge time from 10% to 80% at 240kW of 2 hours, the truck can reach a top speed of 120km/h.

Meanwhile, the Nikola Tre FCEV, which is due in 2023, boasts a range of up to 800-kilometres and a refuelling time of 20 minutes.

Start of Tre serial production for Nikola marks a significant step for the company which has suffered through a number of setbacks but has remained consistent in the delivery of its promised long-range zero-emission trucks. The Driven - link - Joshua S Hill - link - more like this (electric trucks) - link - more like this (USA) - link