Congress

 

EVs In Rural America. According to Politico, “The House Agriculture Committee released its list of witnesses ahead of a Wednesday hearing on the implications of EV investments for agriculture and rural America. Witnesses include GM vice president of global regulatory affairs David Strickland, Southern Company’s electrification policy manager Lincoln Wood, Terry Reid Automotive Group president Matthew Laughridge, Sheetz vice president of petroleum supply management Trevor Walter, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Geoff Cooper, UAW legislative director Josh Nassar and Manhattan Institute senior fellow Mark Mills.” [Politico, 1/11/22 (=)]

 

States

 

Calif. Governor Pledges $22.5B For Climate Programs. According to Politico, “California Gov. Gavin Newsom today proposed spending $22.5 billion over six years on programs to fight climate change, part of a $286.4 billion budget. The Democratic governor unveiled the plans in his proposed fiscal 2022-23 blueprint, which included money for wildfire and drought prevention, charging for clean cars and renewable energy tax credits. He’ll now negotiate with the state Legislature, with the final budget approval deadline in summer. … In the climate change space, an additional $6 billion will go toward Newsom’s goal of phasing out gas-fueled cars. He’s banned sales of new ones after 2035. The $6 billion comes on top of $4 billion pledged last year in that arena. Part of the money will target programs getting low-income Californians into electric vehicles, along with electric-vehicle charging infrastructure in low-income communities across the state. He also plans a focus on cleaning up heavy-duty trucks and buses. ‘For California, you can’t get serious about climate change unless you’re serious about tailpipe emissions and all the related emissions,’ Newsom said. ‘You’d think we were announcing for the United States government. And this is a $10 billion state subnational commitment.’ ‘This is a reason so many new zero-emission vehicle companies are moving into the state of California,’ Newsom said. ‘And this is why even those that resided historically in the state are growing.’” [Politico, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

California Proposes $6.1 Billion On Electric Vehicle Initiatives. According to California News Times, “California Governor Gavin Newsom has presented a budget of $ 286.4 billion. California Blueprint, ‘For the state on Monday. The plan proposes to spend $ 22.5 billion to address the state’s fast-growing climate crisis and allocate a new $ 6.1 billion to electric vehicle-related initiatives. Last year, California promised to spend $ 15.1 billion on a variety of climate-related initiatives, including $ 3.9 billion on electric vehicle-related initiatives. California was also the first state to state that it would virtually ban the sale of new internal combustion engines or gas-powered vehicles by 2035. ‘You’ll think you’ve announced it for the US government,’ Newsum said of the amount of money he plans to spend on incentives for electric vehicles. He boasted that adding $ 6.1 billion in electric vehicle spending to last year’s budget was equivalent to a ‘$ 10 billion state and municipal pledge.’ The governor said such aggressive spending was partially justified to counter greenhouse gas emissions from vehicle tailpipes and fossil fuel extraction. The transport sector accounts for more than 50% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.” [California News Times, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

A Neglected California City Reinvents Itself With Electric Cars — And Plots A Roadmap For The Nation. According to The New York Times, “‘It’s a Spanglish term,’ León said of the word ‘raitero’ and its root, ‘raite’ — slang for ‘ride.’ In the long history of migrant workers seeking and offering lifts, the person who gives or receives the ride, León said, is the raitero. The Green Raiteros program’s costs are covered mostly with hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants León cobbled together from state climate programs that industrial polluters are required to fund. Passengers are asked to reserve their rides a few days in advance, and they are welcome to use the service as often as they need. … León’s vision for turning this out-of-the-way city with a median household income of $25,000 into a showcase of electric vehicle innovation is built around the area’s needs and financial constraints. It is a turnabout from most electric vehicle programs, whose incentives focus on car ownership — accessible only to drivers who can afford a Tesla or Bolt and have a garage to equip with a charging station. Huron, said Alvaro Sanchez, vice president of policy at the Oakland-based Greenlining Institute, is ‘revolutionizing the way that we should think about planning for transportation and deploying transportation.’ That wasn’t necessarily León’s plan. He was just trying to solve a vexing transportation puzzle that plagues so many communities like his. León seized on an informal raitero ride-sharing economy that thrived in farmworker communities long before Uber was even a thing. ‘Raiteros precede Uber by decades,’ León said. ‘If raiteros would have had the social media and technology skills, then it would have been raiteros not Uber’ that brought ride sharing into the mainstream.” [The New York Times, 1/10/22 (+)]

 

Colorado Lawmakers Try Again To Reduce Traffic Emissions With A ‘Clean Commute’ Bill That Favors Incentives Over Penalties. According to Colorado Public Radio, “After state health officials last year gutted, then killed, a proposed rule that would have required large employers to encourage non-car commuting, two key state lawmakers will introduce a bill this session with largely the same goal. ‘To meet our climate goals in Colorado, we cannot just rely on electrification,’ said state Sen. Faith Winter, a Westminster Democrat, referring to the state’s push for electric vehicles. ‘We also have to reduce vehicle miles traveled and reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicle trips. And this is one of the many ways we can do that.’ The bill, which Winter said she is drafting with state Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield, will take a different approach. The state rule would have penalized employers that did not meet certain targets, which led to pushback from business groups. Winter’s bill will instead incentivize shifts toward carpooling, telecommuting, and public transit. ‘We want to partner with the business community,’ Winter said at an event this week hosted by Louisville-based Commuting Solutions.” [Colorado Public Radio, 1/7/22 (=)]

 

PNM Prepares For Spring Launch Of $9M Transportation Program, Anticipates EVs To Double In 2 Years. According to Utility Dive, “Public Service Co. of New Mexico (PNM) expects the number of electric vehicles (EVs) in its service territory will more than double over the next two years, and is working to roll out a new transportation electrification program in the spring, the company said last week. There are currently about 3,800 EVs in the areas PNM serves, but the utility is planning for 7,800 by the end of 2023, according to Alaric Babej, the utility’s manager of customer program marketing and development. The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission approved PNM’s $9.1 million transportation electrification program in November. It includes incentives for charging infrastructure and multiple new rates for commercial and residential customers.” [Utility Dive, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

North Carolina Sets Goal To Sell 50% Zero-Emission Vehicles By 2030. According to Utility Dive, “North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, D, issued an executive order on Friday that outlines the state’s next steps toward its goal of halving carbon emissions by 2030, and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The order calls for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) to comprise 50% of in-state automobile sales by 2030, and requires multiple government agencies to incorporate questions of equity and economic justice into future decision-making processes. The order drew praise from multiple advocacy groups, who had asked the governor to integrate transportation and equity into the state’s climate objectives.” [Utility Dive, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

In-Depth: Can Utah's Power Grid Keep Up With Electric Vehicle Growth? According to KSTU-TV, “As more electric vehicles (EVs) hit the road the demand for electricity rises. It’s a concern to EV charging analysts like Casey Donahue, the Founder & CEO of Optiwatt. ‘Our current grid infrastructure is going to be under a lot of stress with the upcoming electric vehicles coming online,’ said Donahue. Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) estimates about 3% of cars in Utah are Electric right now and that number is only expected to climb. This comes as President Biden set the goal of EVs making up 50% of all vehicle sales by 2030. James Campbell, the Director of Innovation and Sustainability Policy at RMP said Utah’s current power grid can only support 50% EV adoption. ‘We did a study with the University of Utah where we had them look at what sorts of impacts increased EV adoption would have on our existing infrastructure to serve those residential neighborhoods,’ said Campbell. If it goes beyond the threshold of 50%, Campbell believes changes will need to be made to our state’s infrastructure and to consumers’ charging habits.” [KSTU-TV, 1/9/22 (=)]

 

States Carve Out Billions In Budgets For Electric Vehicle Surge. According to The Hill, “State governments are carving out billions of dollars to adapt to surging demand for electric vehicles in a new push to accommodate such vehicles that require new infrastructure to operate. The growth of the electric vehicle market has already spurred billions in tax breaks and spending incentives as states race to attract new manufacturing plants. In recent months, the electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian has announced plans to open a major facility in Georgia, and Ford has said it will open a multibillion dollar facility in Tennessee. Toyota said last month it would build its first North American battery plant in North Carolina. The flood of new electric vehicles that consumers will purchase in the coming years has states thinking about how they will handle the demand for charging stations, both at homes and in public places. Those states are also considering how they will replace billions in gas tax revenues for the fuel that electric vehicle owners will not have to purchase. ‘We want people to buy electric vehicles. And if we want to encourage people to buy electric vehicles, then we have to make sure that we have the infrastructure available for people to buy electric vehicles so they can actually get the cars charged and not get stuck somewhere,’ Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) said in an interview.” [The Hill, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

Auto Manufacturers

 

Ford

 

Ford F-150 Lightning Buyer Now 'On The Fence' After $10,000 Dealer Markup. According to Detroit Free Press, “Just as Ford Motor Co. is demanding its dealers nationwide not jack up prices on the much-anticipated F-150 Lightning pickup truck, potential buyers are reacting to some dealers saying big markups are automatic. Chris Chase, a construction project manager from Massachussetts, told the Free Press he was stunned when he read an email dated Jan. 3 from Herb Chambers Ford of Braintree in greater Boston that said the all-electric pickups would include a $10,000 price hike over and above what the company thinks is a fair profit for the dealer.” [Detroit Free Press, 1/11/22 (=)]

 

Ford Threatens Dealers: We Won't Send You F-150 Lightnings If You Break Sales Rules. According to Detroit Free Press, “Ford Motor Co., concerned about its reputation and customer complaints related to the upcoming launch of the F-150 Lightning, is warning dealers not to upsell reservations for the popular EV truck and also wants customers to sign a contract preventing them from reselling it within a year, according to a letter from the automaker to its dealers. The warning letter, dated Friday and posted online by the F150gen14.com forum, is addressed to all dealer principals, the general manager and sales managers. Written by Andrew Frick, Ford vice president of U.S. and Canada sales, the letter began: ‘It has come to our attention that a limited number of dealerships are interacting with customers in a manner that is negatively impacting customer satisfaction and damaging to the Ford Motor Company brand and Dealer Body reputation.’ Examples of these negative interactions include demanding that customers who are already on the reservation list for the 2022 model year F-150 Lightning make additional deposits or payments, the letter said. ‘These actions are perceived as threatening customers by withholding their opportunity to convert reservations to orders,’ the letter said. ‘This behavior is not allowable ...’” [Detroit Free Press, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

5-Minute Electric Vehicle Charging Could Be Here Soon, Professor Says. According to Detroit Free Press, “Ford Motor Co. is working with scientists at Purdue University in Indiana on a patent-pending plan to slash the average time it takes to recharge all-electric vehicles at charging stations from an estimated 25 minutes to 5 minutes. ‘That’s a game changer,’ said longtime industry analyst John McElroy, host of ‘Autoline After Hours’ podcast and webcast. ‘All of a sudden, it makes electrics far more viable for everyday use for people. It opens up the potential EV market.’” [Detroit Free Press, 1/7/22 (=)]

 

General Motors

 

About-Face: GM Agrees To Calif. Tailpipe Emissions Rule. According to Politico, “General Motors Co. yesterday announced it will recognize California’s authority to set vehicle emissions standards under the Clean Air Act, a move that makes the company now eligible for fleet purchases by the Golden State. The announcement marks a reversal for the company, which previously sided with the Trump administration’s stance against the state’s authority to set its own tailpipe standards. In a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), the auto giant said it will meet the California Air Resources Board’s emissions reduction targets and is ‘committed to complying with California’s regulations.’ ‘We believe everyone should have access to affordable, long-range electric vehicle options, and we are committed to working in collaboration with California to achieve an equitable transportation future,’ Omar Vargas, GM vice president and head of Global Public Policy, said in a statement. ‘We’re all in on putting everybody in an EV.’ The announcement means GM now qualifies for California government fleet purchases, including EVs, the company said in a press release. Under the previous administration, GM supported a Trump-era policy that prevented California from setting tougher emission standards than the federal government. The rule also prevented more than a dozen other states from regulating auto emissions more aggressively (Greenwire, Nov. 10, 2021).” [Politico, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

GM Finally Bends The Knee To California’s Authority To Set Vehicle Pollution Rules. According to The Verge, “General Motors isn’t done wiping the egg off its face from its misguided decision to back then-President Donald Trump’s failed effort to take away California’s ability to set fuel efficiency standards. In a letter sent to the state’s governor today, the automaker said it ‘recognizes California’s authority to set vehicle emissions standards’ under the Clean Air Act and offers itself up an EV supplier for the state. This represents a reversal of GM’s position three years ago, when it joined Fiat Chrysler and Toyota in supporting the Trump administration’s escalating battle with the state over vehicle emission rules. Under the Clean Air Act, California has historically been allowed to set its own emissions standards, which are tougher than federal guidelines and typically set the bar for the entire auto industry in the US. California is the largest auto market in the US and the 10th largest in the world.” [The Verge, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

Rivian

 

Rivian Manufactured 1,015 Vehicles In 2021, Says COO Retired. According to Reuters, “Rivian Automotive Inc (RIVN.O) produced 1,015 vehicles by the end of 2021, the Amazon-backed electric pickup truck maker reported in a filing on Monday, in line with its lowered expectations. Last month, Rivian said it expected production to be ‘a few hundred vehicles short’ of its 2021 target of 1,200 because of supply chain constraints. read more The company delivered 920 vehicles by the end of 2021, according to the filing.” [Reuters, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

Stellantis

 

Stellantis Says Goodbye To ICE As Citroën Berlingo, Peugeot Rifter, And Opel Combo Go EV-Only. According to Electrek, “Just days after revealing the new Chrysler Airflow Concept electric crossover at CES and promising to go 100% electric by 2028, Stellantis began to take steps toward meeting that goal by reducing the engine options for its European Citroën Berlingo, Opel Combo Life, and Peugeot Rifter models down to one. And it’s electric! In three separate press releases (one for each brand), Stellantis announced that it had removed both the 1.2 PureTech (gas) and 1.5 Blue HDi (diesel) engines from the consumer-facing options sheets of its compact people-mover in most European markets. ‘Electrification is a particularly sensitive issue for the future of the MPV segments,’ reads the Citroën press release. ‘Their silhouette and their weight lead them to consume more fuel, as gas prices continue to rise. This situation will rapidly reduce the relevance of gasoline or diesel offerings for these models.’ As for the electric vans themselves, the ë-Berlingo (which I’ll keep using as a stand-in for all three, nearly identical models) offers the same interior volume and people-hauling capabilities as the ICE versions. Its 136 hp electric motor ‘offers a smooth start thanks to immediately available torque’ and a top speed of 130 kph (about 80 mph).” [Electrek, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

Amazon Will Buy Thousands Of Ram ProMaster Electric Delivery Vans Every Year. According to Clean Technica, “The folks at Inside EVs noticed something in a press package from CES 2022 that most others missed. It said, ‘As part of a separate agreement with Stellantis, Amazon will be the first commercial customer for Stellantis’ new Ram ProMaster Battery Electric Vehicle launching in 2023. Stellantis, with input from Amazon, designed the vehicle with unique last mile delivery features and Amazon will deploy the vehicles to routes across the United States. Building on the current relationship and as part of the long-term agreement, Stellantis and Amazon will be putting thousands of BEV ProMasters on the road every year.’ Amazon has bought thousands of delivery vans from Mercedes, Ford, and Stellantis to bring packages to its customers in North America for years. Even though it has a 20% ownership stake in Rivian and expects to purchase 100,000 of its electric delivery vans, its need for such vehicles is so massive that it will continue to buy trucks from traditional manufacturers to get the hundreds of thousands of packages it delivers every day from its warehouses — called fulfillment centers — to its customers.” [Clean Technica, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

Tesla

 

Tesla Signs Deal To Source Nickel For Battery Production From Upcoming New Mine In The US. According to Electrek, “Tesla has signed a new deal to source nickel for battery cell production from an upcoming new mine in the United States. It’s a landmark deal to start sourcing the critical battery material in the US and help boost upcoming new mining projects. Over the last few years, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been pushing for nickel producers to boost production as he expects the resource could become a bottleneck for battery production. The company gets its nickel overseas. Vale, the Brazilian mining giant, is Tesla’s main nickel supplier, and the company has recently done a big deal to secure nickel supply from New Caledonia. But, North American production of nickel is limited, and Tesla is not sourcing locally. There are several new projects in the work as demand for nickel is expected to explode. The EV market is already affecting the nickel industry despite BEVs representing less than 4% of the global auto industry.” [Electrek, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

Tesla Sold A Record 70,847 China-Made Vehicles In Dec -CPCA. According to Reuters, “U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) sold 70,847 China-made vehicles in December, the highest monthly rate since it started manufacturing in Shanghai in 2019, data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed on Tuesday. Tesla’s December sales, which included 245 for export, were almost three times the amount achieved in the same month last year and 34% higher than November’s sales. read more It also brought Tesla’s total sales of China-made cars for last year to at least 473,078, according to Reuters’ calculations of CPCA’s data, which prior to April did not publish figures for Tesla’s China-made car exports. This accounts for around half of 936,000 vehicles the U.S. automaker delivered globally last year.” [Reuters, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

Toyota

 

Toyota Plans Solid-State Battery Debut In A Hybrid By 2025–Future Prius? According to Green Car Reports, “Toyota’s planned solid-state batteries will debut not in an EV, but in an upcoming hybrid, an executive said in a recent interview with Autoline. The batteries, which are on track for commercialization by 2025, will appear in hybrids first because that allows for a smaller battery pack that’s less cost-sensitive, Toyota chief scientist Gill Pratt said. Hybrids also represent a ‘tougher test’ for solid-state tech because of the higher amount of battery cycling inherent in that use case, Pratt said. As Toyota gains more experience with solid-state battery cells, and as costs come down, the automaker will expand use to all-electric vehicles, he said. One of the claimed benefits of solid-state batteries is greater energy density, but Pratt said Toyota is also hoping that they will reduce charging times. That hasn’t been confirmed, as development work is currently focused on solid-state batteries’ hybrid rollout, he noted. Quicker charging will also require upgrades to the grid and charging network, he said.” [Green Car Reports, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

Volkswagen

 

Volkswagen Aims To Double Electric Car Sales In China This Year After Missing Targets. According to Reuters, “Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) said it would likely double sales of its ID battery electric vehicles in China this year and aims to do even better but the automaker could be hamstrung by a shortage of semiconductors. The ID series, which Volkswagen produces at its Chinese joint ventures with SAIC Motor (600104.SS) and FAW Group, is the backbone of its EV ambitions in China, the world’s largest auto market. The German automaker sold 70,625 of its ID electric vehicles in China last year, missing its goal of selling 80,000 to 100,000 cars, with production also affected by regional COVID-19 outbreaks in addition to chip-related issues. Volkswagen’s China chief Stephan Wollenstein told a briefing in Beijing that the automaker would still like to double its original plan but that goal ‘is not currently secured by the semiconductor supplies that we currently see.’” [Reuters, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

Electric Vehicles

 

We Need More Money. According to Politico, “One of the largest fleets of government-owned vehicles, the Post Office, said it needs $3.3 billion from Congress to go all-electric and currently prefers to replace up to 165,000 trucks with a fleet that is only 10 percent electric to save money. Environmental groups and EV advocates disagree with USPS’ cost assessment and said the agency’s reluctance to go all-electric unless showered with more cash is misguided. The Natural Resources Defense Council said Congress should give the USPS more money, but ‘there’s no reason planning for the widespread shift to emissions-free vehicles should wait.’ ‘USPS cherry-picked their models and data in order to weave the narrative they needed to justify their decision to pursue a 90% ICEV and 10% EV NGDV fleet,’ the Zero Emission Transportation Association, a coalition of EV interests, said in a statement on Monday. ‘The USPS’s EIS shows a clear bias against EVs by excluding data, relying on unrealistic assumptions, and mistaking simple facts. The USPS’s preference to pursue an overwhelmingly polluting fleet will leave Americans worse off by ignoring the crucial public health benefits and necessary greenhouse gas pollution reduction that will derive from electrification.’” [Politico, 1/11/22 (=)]

 

Electric Vans from Stellantis, GM, Ford: Cleaner, Quieter Last-Mile Delivery Takes Connectedness. According to Green Car Reports, “Last-mile delivery vans are, increasingly, how we shop, how we get home services, and even how we get food delivered. And as the fleet of last-mile vans expands to meet this need, it’s largely going electric. The wake-up call for how quickly this change might sweep the industry came in 2019, when Amazon announced plans to buy 100,000 electric vans from Rivian over many years—before the van was being produced, and before Rivian was making anything yet. Since then, electric vans from Ford and Stellantis have been confirmed for arrival in the next year—e-Transits and electric Ram ProMasters, respectively—while GM’s vans, under a new business called BrightDrop, have already been delivered in small numbers. Beyond that, it’s worth noting the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning, the 2023 Chevy Silverado, and the fully electric Ram 1500 due around 2024. Each of these are electric pickups that will be offered in fleet-oriented configurations. This week, Stellantis announced that an agreement with Amazon will put ‘thousands of BEV ProMasters on the road every year’ in the Amazon delivery fleet, showing that Amazon’s business arrangement with the company will continue in the era of electric vans, alongside Rivian. Likewise, GM’s BrightDrop announced that Walmart is agreeing to reserve 5,000 of its vans for last-mile delivery; FedEx has also reserved 2,500 of the vans and will buy up to 20,000 more over several years. Ford meanwhile announced last November that its E-Transit lineup was sold out for the first year of production, with around 25,000 reservations.” [Green Car Reports, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

Electric-Vehicle Race Heats Up As Detroit Makes Its Move. According to The Wall Street Journal, “The electric-vehicle race is tightening, with both Ford F -0.08% Motor Co. and General Motors Co. GM -0.95% highlighting new electric pickups, and car companies getting ready to release a barrage of new battery-powered models this year and next. Auto executives have spent the past few years talking up their ambitions, allocating billions of dollars in new investment to add more electrics to their global lineups. But so far, the transition has mostly taken place behind the scenes with engineers and designers readying the next generation of vehicles. In the coming year, car buyers will start to see those efforts show up more on dealership lots. Auto makers plan to launch dozens of new electric models over the next two years in a range of different styles and at varying price points, according to analysts at Bank of America. The arrival of these EVs shifts the pressure on car companies from developing them to convincing consumers to buy them. ‘There’s a new world coming,’ said Carlos Tavares, chief executive of global auto maker Stellantis STLA -2.06% NV at the CES electronics show on Wednesday. ‘Now, the machine is on, and we are going fast forward.’” [The Wall Street Journal, 1/9/22 (=)]

 

In The Race For Batteries, One Scientist Has Seen It All. According to The Wall Street Journal, “Much of the technology behind the batteries that power electric vehicles and smartphones came from the U.S. Most batteries are made by Asian companies using materials produced in China. Susan Babinec is trying to put the U.S. in front again on batteries. She has been among the leading U.S. battery scientists for more than 20 years and believes cutting-edge science will make that happen. ‘Everyone knows what the stakes are,’ Ms. Babinec said. As batteries become more sophisticated, ‘we’re playing to the United States’ strength. We are bad-ass scientists.’ Ms. Babinec has played key roles in the rise, fall and rise again of the U.S. battery industry. Currently a leader of battery research and development at Argonne National Laboratory outside Chicago, Ms. Babinec holds more than 50 patents. She has done stints with the federal government, the most famous failed battery startup and chemical giant Dow Chemical. The transition away from fossil fuels has sparked a global arms race to improve battery technology. Better batteries would extend the range and quicken the charging of electric cars. They would allow solar and wind power to run the electric grid even after the wind stops and the sun sets.” [The Wall Street Journal, 1/9/22 (=)]

 

Analysis

 

U.S. Emissions Surged In 2021, Putting The Nation Further Off Track From Its Climate Targets. According to The Washington Post, “The nation’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions — transportation — also saw the steepest rebound during 2021, rising 10 percent over the previous year, Rhodium found. The arrival of coronavirus vaccines and the nation’s fitful efforts to emerge from the pandemic meant more Americans traveled on roads and in the skies than in 2020. But road freight was the only mode of transportation that rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, as thousands of diesel-powered trucks rumbled along the nation’s highways to deliver consumer goods. … ‘We’re going to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by well over a gigaton by 2030, while making it more affordable for consumers to save on their own energy bills with tax credits for things like installing solar panels, weatherizing their homes, lowering energy prices,’ Biden told fellow world leaders at a United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, in November. He promised to electrify school bus fleets, increase tax credits for electric vehicles, ramp up construction of solar panels and wind turbines and incentivize cleaner manufacturing — all while creating well-paying union jobs. … Biden used his executive authority during his first year in office to jump-start an array of climate policies, including proposing tougher tailpipe emissions standards for new cars and requiring the federal government to become carbon neutral by 2050. But a major piece of his climate agenda is stalled on Capitol Hill, where Democrats are still struggling to pass their roughly $1.75 trillion climate and social spending bill.” [The Washington Post, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bounced Back Sharply In 2021. According to The New York Times, “But after last year’s rebound, U.S. emissions are now just 17.4 percent below 2005 levels, the Rhodium Group estimated. Several recent studies have found that the United States is likely to fall far short of achieving Mr. Biden’s climate goals without major new policies to speed up the transition to wind, solar and other clean energy. Whether Mr. Biden can enact these policies is a major question: His Build Back Better Act — which contains $555 billion in spending and tax incentives for renewable power, electric cars and other climate programs — remains in limbo on Capitol Hill. Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, a crucial Democratic swing vote, has so far balked at supporting the legislation, though Democrats are expected to try again this year. Republicans have uniformly opposed the bill. Recent analysis led by researchers at Princeton University found that the bill, if passed in its current form, could potentially get the United States most of the way to its climate goal, by tripling or quadrupling the pace of wind and solar power installations, accelerating electric vehicle sales and spurring utilities to retire more coal plants over the next decade. For now, however, the United States remains deeply dependent on fossil fuels to power its economy.” [The New York Times, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

U.S. GHG Emissions Rebound In 2021 As Economy Recovers From Virus. According to InsideEPA, “As the U.S. economy started to recover last year from the covid pandemic, greenhouse gas emissions surged toward pre-pandemic levels, with some researchers suggesting the tally underscores the need for additional federal climate policy to meet the Biden administration’s 2030 climate targets. Research firm the Rhodium Group in a preliminary estimate released Jan. 10 finds 2021 GHG emissions increased 6.2% from 2020 levels, though they are still 5% below 2019 levels. … The biggest GHG increase last year came from the transportation sector, as products and people began to move again after devastating pandemic lockdowns. Freight transportation drove a 10% increase in overall transportation emissions after the sector’s emissions dropped 15% in 2020, with a steady demand for trucks delivering goods to consumers across the country. In some months, freight even surpassed 2019 levels. Also contributing to the sector’s emissions was an increase in passenger travel as people became increasingly comfortable leaving their homes. Gasoline demand, a bellwether of individuals’ travel, fell 13% in 2020 before rising steadily through 2021. It ended the year 10% above 2020 levels, though demand wavered toward the end of last year amid new covid variants.” [InsideEPA, 1/10/22 (=)]

 

 

Please do not respond to this email.

If you have questions or comments please contact mitch@beehivedc.com