Author: Emissions

Last updated on September 21st, 2023

Bio-diesel has been around ages. Several car manufacturers have allowed the use of bio-diesel-blended fuel in their products. Bio-diesel is a fuel produced from organic sources like vegetable oil and animal fat. Its production is relatively simple and it’s compatible with most diesel engines.

Exactly how beneficial is this alternative? There are a few catches. Most importantly, bio-diesel is only environmentally beneficial when produced in limited quantities. Bio-diesel produced by focused cultivation of crops results in the loss of forest land. This counteracts the pollution-reducing properties of bio-diesel, as trees are the primary converters of CO₂.

Bio-diesel by itself doesn’t release a lower amount of greenhouse gases as compared to fossil fuels. Its beauty is in the production. Producing bio-diesel (mostly from plant stocks) takes up atmospheric CO2, which is then released back into the atmosphere by burning. This means no net change in the overall atmospheric content of CO₂, as opposed to fossil fuel burning, which adds to the overall atmospheric CO₂ levels. Bio-diesel is, however, a cleaner fuel. It has a much lower proportion of particulate emissions and sulfurous by-products. Some varieties of bio-diesel have been found to reduce the overall release of GHG’s by 57-86%.

It also has more efficient performance characteristics. Bio-diesel has a certain number between 48 and 60 as opposed to that of petrol, diesel, which is generally around 40. The cetane number is a measure of efficiency and, in extension, emissions of the fuel. Moving on to other geopolitical benefits, bio-diesel, being indigenously produced, is an economic boon. It is cheap and can be easily produced. Greater use reduces the nation’s burden on foreign fuel, reducing the trade deficit. As it is a domestic product, the production also provides a lot of job opportunities.

So what are the problems with bio-diesel? Not many, actually

The major problem pertaining to bio-diesel production is the CO₂ emission at the production stage. A lot of bio-diesel comes from plants like soy, sugar cane and palm oil. These require huge plantations to grow. Growing and managing such plantations requires a lot of energy in itself. Growing crops specifically for bio-diesel production requires a careful balance of the amount of energy being invested and the yields. Also, this takes up a sizable portion of a nation’s arable land, placing a strain on its food cultivation. Sometimes, this results in a conversion of even more forest land into agricultural land. Deforestation reduces the earth’s CO₂ recycling capacity.

Another problem is the prevalence of diesel engines in the market. Vehicles running solely on bio-diesel are a bad idea for a variety of reasons (presently, at least). Therefore, bio-diesel has been restricted to use as an additive. Most engines require re-calibration to function properly with such mixed fuel. However, the last few years have seen an increasing number of car manufacturers making vehicles with engines that accept certain specific mixes of bio-diesel. The growth potential for bio-diesel is infinite. If managed properly, the day may not be far off when all cars run on domestically-produced, clean and high-performance bio-diesel. This, however, requires a fair amount of caution and planning as such an idea is just as likely to backfire.

Last updated on March 21st, 2018

Recent reports suggest that the EU will soon be adopting tougher standards on vehicle emissions. They will also update their testing rules. The aim is to get results which will be closer to realistic driving conditions. The new standards will come into play in 2016. First of all, however, they will need to be improved by Frans Timmermans. He holds the position of vice president of the European Commission.

The current standards are the New European Drive Cycle protocol or NEDC. This has been criticized as unrealistic and optimistic. It seems that this is having a large effect. The testing process of the Environmental Protection Agency in the US uses their own protocol. They report fuel economy numbers on European cars as much lower than the NEDC does.

Car manufacturers are not pleased with the suggested changes. They are already able to game the system in a way that is beneficial to them. There have been reports that some manufacturers are trying to stop the changes altogether. It is believed that this is one of the reasons why it will take so long to go into force. In the public eye, they claim that they need more time to change their processes. When the standards come into force, cars will need to have lower emissions overall. Whether they find a new way to play the system or not will likely not change that.

Currently, it is thought that a number of tricks are employed to play the figures. For example, windows and doors can be taped up to lower the amount of air resistance. Fake roads which are far too smooth compared to the real thing are used. High air temperatures, which are unlikely in real situations can also be employed. Some cars even have a low emission mode, which is triggered when the front wheels only are spinning. This is because the back wheels are normally stationary when the tests are being conducted.

Research suggests that the real emissions figures are on average seven times higher than the standard. Some models may even be running at twenty-two times that. Only one car out of sixteen looked at by the Council on Clean Transportation met the limit. This is 80 mg/km of nitrogen oxide emissions. This is obviously not great for our battle against pollution.

There is some hope that the push towards greener cars and vehicles will help in this area. If the vehicles on the roads are electric or hybrid, the standards will not be abused as much. In the meantime, there are still plenty of old cars on the roads. Until these more harmful models are retired, pollution will continue to be a big issue. We can expect to hear more about the plans to tackle this by September. Then we will understand the changes to the regulations as well. This gives more than enough time for manufacturers to state their arguments. When the final legalization goes through, however, they will be forced to comply.

Last updated on March 21st, 2018

General Motors has announced the recall of 67,000 of its Cadillac ATS sedans, a range of compact sports models in the company’s luxury segment. The news follows the last week’s recalls by Land Rover and Mercedes Benz, bringing the problem of road safety to the luxury car sector once again. Just like with other car makers, this recall affects models that were manufactured between 2013 and 2015 – the newest Cadillacs available on the market.

General Motors cites faulty sunroof controls as the reason for the recall. If a non-recessed switch controlling the sunroof retraction is touched, it could cause the roof to close unexpectedly. The problem here is the amount of force required to activate the switch – it is much less than allowed by federal safety rules.

General Motors discovered the problem last month while testing the Cadillac 2016 model. It has already started repairs on the non-released cars and sent the repair guidelines to its dealerships. The fix for the Cadillacs will involve replacing the switch plates in the affected cars. As far as General Motors can tell, the problem concerns cars only sold in the United States and Canada, not overseas.

The wave of recalls in recent weeks and months serves as a good reminder that any car can be prone to defects, luxury or budget or otherwise. Car companies generally do a good job of identifying, recalling and repairing affected vehicles. Not only their reputation is on the line, but the law is firmly on the side of the consumer in these matters. However, the U.S. law lacks an important clause that protects a more vulnerable car buyer – the used car buyer.

There are estimated 238 millions of cars driving along the American roads, and a whopping 47 million of them may have unaddressed recall defects. If the number seems shocking, consider that 25 percent of car owners who receive a recall notice never bother to get the car to a dealership to get it fixed. Whether they continue driving it or decide to sell it, the car drives on without the necessary repairs, potentially becoming a safety threat. Even if the defect does not affect drivability, it gets passed along to the next owner and could accumulate more problems down the line.

The main issue with used cars having recall defects is that dealerships selling them are under no obligation to fix them. Not only that, but dealerships also do not have to disclose recall notices to potential buyers. This failure to disclose may lead to accidents and fatalities if the recall on a given car model concerns safety. However, dealerships rarely withhold information from potential buyers on purpose: they may simply lack the means to check for recalls on cars that they put on their lots. A federal database that allows dealerships to verify the recall status of their cars went live in August 2014. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is now pushing for legislation that would also oblige used-car dealers to make fixes to recalled cars before selling them.

Last updated on March 21st, 2018

The Scottish Government announced plans to tackle public sector vehicle emissions recently. The Minister for Transport and Islands, Derek Mackay, outlined plans to invest £2.5 million. The initiative will be known as “Switched on Fleets”. The overall aim of the program is to increase the number of electric vehicles being driven in Scotland.

More than 200 electric vehicles have already been introduced to Scottish Local Councils. The goal of the government is even more ambitious than that, however. They want to ensure that there is no petrol or diesel-fueled vehicles in their service by 2050. With just 35 years to complete this plan, the investment is timely. Starting early will be the key to achieving success.

Transport Minister Derek Mackay, said: “I am delighted to be launching this new initiative, which is providing expert analysis highlighting where electric vehicles can be most effectively introduced into fleets. We are also backing this analysis with £2.5 million of funding to enable councils and their partners to act by buying or leasing electric cars and vans.
“We are committed to freeing our towns, cities, and communities from the damaging effects of petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles and Switched On Fleets takes us further down the road to achieving this. More electric vehicles on the roads is an important step in increasing awareness among drivers that there are viable alternatives to petrol and diesel cars.”The manifesto for change from fossil-fuelled vehicles has already seen more than £17 million of investment since 2013. Some of this money has gone towards installing public charge points across Scotland. More than six hundred of these now exist. Two hundred more have been placed in non-public locations. These include workplaces, private residences, and council buildings. Scotland is now leading the rest of the UK in the electric car take up. Four out of five councils in Scotland have switched to electric cars.Colin Ferguson, CEO of Switched On Fleets partner, Route Monkey, said: “Our evidence-based analysis for Switched-On Fleets enables Councils to make informed choices for electric vehicle deployment so that these vehicles deliver cost savings as well as environmental benefits. Working closely with the Energy Saving Trust, we can help Scotland’s public sector fleets remain at the forefront of electric vehicle adoption.”

Scottish residents can currently accept a grant of £5,000 towards the purchase of an electric car. £8,000 is available for those who wish to purchase a van. No road tax applies to electric vehicles either. Scottish buyers can also get a home charge point for free. Fuel is much cheaper, normally around 13p less per mile. This is helping electric vehicles to become more affordable. Most have a range of up to one hundred miles before recharging. Some hybrid models can go much further with an added petrol or diesel system. Many manufacturers now offer electric versions for purchase. These include Nissan, Renault, Volkswagen, BMW, and more. It is becoming easier than ever to go green in Scotland.

Last updated on September 21st, 2023

Incredible ideas seem to come to the fore when the future of the planet is at stake. The most recent developments in the Hydrail has shown that the planet has enough brain power to see this through, however, not enough time. The clock is ticking for governments to meet their 2020 targets. This is simply not just a strategy for emission reductions, it is the very essence of our survival.

In a time of need, new inventions seem to flourish. Ordinarily people would laugh off new inventions as improbable or unlikely to succeed. Sometimes inventions or alternative methods happen after the effect, which we’re hoping will not be the case. The history of the world refers that the best inventions are usually the ones that come along when we run out of options. By applying their minds, these inventors and scientists are pushing beyond boundaries to reclaim the beauty of the earth. It takes every person on the planet to make this work by being aware.

Harnessing the assistance of the ocean

Pretty much the forest of the sea, photosynthesizing plankton need our bad guys to make food. The CO2 in the air would be used by the plankton to make food. Iron stimulates the growth of plankton, therefore more iron in the ocean should then mean more plankton. More plankton would then obviously mean less CO2. This all seems like a great idea, however, the ocean’s ecosystem is very fragile and a lot more testing is needed to see just what the effect is on the ocean.

White goat

This is by far one of the most bizarre inventions ever, however, we have to take into consideration the speed with which the human race uses up toilet paper. Office paper that needs to be recycled is fed in on one side and in half an hour a toilet roll pops out.

Sulfur rockets

Scientists believe that by having more sulfur in the atmosphere, it will reduce the temperate of the atmosphere and thus reduce global warming. Acid rain is the unfortunate by-product of this idea and causes other problems for our environment. Sulfur would also continuously have to be injected into the atmosphere for this to be effective.

Hydroponic and Vertical Farming

The combination of hydroponic and vertical farming has a huge effect on the environment. With vertical farming, less land is needed to cultivate the produce. It also involves less water which is great for the environment. The vertical farms would be on a rotational basis, allowing each row of plants enough light for sufficient growth.

Using the garbage to rebuild

Chicken feathers, carton boxes, tin cans and plastics have all been ear-marked for re-use. Chicken feathers are proposed as the new component for shopping bags, which would give a higher probability of being biodegradable. Inventors have also discovered ways of making sturdy yet appealing furniture out of trash. Of late, trash is compacted into building blocks which are used for building houses.