Category: Uncategorized

Ford is going full-steam on its electrification plans, and the latest step is breaking the decades-old company into two.

In a video, American automaker Ford has announced it has split into two entities to put it in a better position to pursue its EV goals. The two units are Ford Blue and Ford Model E.

Ford Blue focuses on legacy ICE vehicles, while Ford Model E will coordinate all its EV efforts going forward. This means the company’s existing EVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and upcoming models like the Ford F-150 Lightning will come under the jurisdiction of Model E.

Model E will be headed by Doug Field, a former executive at Apple and Tesla, although he will also have roles at Ford Blue because he is in charge of software and embedded systems across the company.

CEO and president of Ford, Jim Farley, will be the president of Model E. The position at Ford Blue is occupied by Kumar Galhotra.

The new Model E will “lead on creating an exciting new shopping, buying and ownership experience for its future electric vehicle customers that includes simple, intuitive e-commerce platforms, transparent pricing and personalized customer support from Ford ambassadors.”

Ford is also making some changes to its sales model. While retaining the franchise model in North America, the company will introduce a new way that is more transparent in pricing and customer support. However, the new method is voluntary for dealers to join.

Model E will allow Ford to restart its EV journey on a clean slate in designing, manufacturing, and delivery. It will help Ford to move and respond fast as Tesla can do.

Ford executives hail the division as a boost to actualize the EV push it revealed last year. There were talks about spinning off the EV business and making it public via a SPAC, but Ford ultimately abandoned the plan.

Meanwhile, Ford plans to cut costs in its ICE business, up to $3 billion, and involve lay-offs in the next four years. However, at the same time, Model E will expand by employing more workers with skills in software, engineering, design, etc.

While the share of EVs in the UK remains 12 percent, their effect on the environment is already being felt. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, average new car emissions reduced to 119.7 grams of CO2, representing an 11.2 percent decrease. This is a good sign as emissions from cars had been increasing thanks to the increasing popularity of SUVs.

Despite challenges faced by the EV industry, the head of SMMT, Mike Hawes, expects the situation to get even better. “Once again, it is electrified vehicles that are driving the growth, despite the ongoing headwinds of chip shortages, rising inflation, and the cost-of-living squeeze. 2022 is off to a reasonable start, however, and with around 50 new electrified models due for release this year, customers will have an ever greater choice, which can only be good for our shared environmental ambitions.”

Meanwhile, EV enthusiasts still have to content themselves with only a 1.3 percent share of the more than 40 million cars on the UK roads. Ben Nelmes, who heads policy and research at New Automotive, laments the ongoing harm caused by new ICEs. “Electric car sales have doubled in the last year, but there is still a mountain to climb to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions from cars. The 90,000 internal combustion engines that rolled off forecourts this month will continue to pollute and hit motorists in their pockets for another 14 years, on average.”

Part of the challenges EVs face includes inadequate charging infrastructure. According to data provided by the Government, the UK has 28,400 public charging points. However, SMMT believes about five times more is needed to eliminate range anxiety among potential EV owners.

Tesla is slowly letting other people into its walled garden of EV rapid charging as non-Tesla EV owners in France and Norway can now take advantage of its popular Superchargers.

The company shared the news on its official Twitter handle for charging. However, from the screenshots accompanying the tweet, EV owners will have to locate eligible charging sites. Apparent, Tesla has opened up 20 of its locations in France and 15 in Norway.

If you want to take advantage of these fast chargers, you can find them using the Tesla mobile app.

The first time non-Tesla EVs could suck up electrons tethered to a Supercharger was last November when the company began trialing the service in the Netherlands. The test run covered 10 stations.

Tesla only supports the CCS standard for now, and non-Tesla EV owners will pay an additional fee which Tesla justified as a support for “charging a broad range of vehicles and adjustments to our sites to accommodate these vehicles.”

Tesla cars can continue to charge normally with the Superchargers, although the stalls might get more crowded. However, the company has tried to prevent congestion at the charging sites by implementing several policies.

Eventually, all Superchargers worldwide will be opened to all EVs, although drivers in North America might have to wait to join the charging party or be ready to use adapters. According to the company, it has long wanted to open up its chargers as doing so will help the CEO, Elon Musk, achieve his ambition. Musk wants to encourage as many people as possible to switch to battery-powered cars to stop environmental pollution.

Ameresco Inc. has signed a contract that will see it collaborate with Prince Edward Island (PEI) Energy Corp. to develop the Slemon Park Microgrid project in Canada.

The duo will implement a microgrid consisting of a 10 MW solar facility and direct current-coupled energy storage, in conjunction with Slemon Park Corp. The microgrid will manage peak load demands within Slemon Park with the energy storage components.

Construction began last month and is expected to conclude by the fall of 2022.

Funding for the project came from the Natural Resources Canada’s Smart Grid Program, part of the Government of Canada’s Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program: Green Infrastructure stream.

Minister of Environment, Energy, and Climate Action Steven Myers said, “The Slemon Park Microgrid project will further our goal of achieving net-zero energy by 2030 on Prince Edward Island. With the addition of a new, clean, renewable energy grid, we’ll be able to reduce our baseline greenhouse gas emissions better and create a more resilient future.”

“We are so excited to partner with PEI Energy Corp. on such an impactful project,” says Bob McCullough, president of Ameresco Canada. “Improving grid resiliency will enable the province of Prince Edward Island to successfully implement renewable energy projects that will help serve to protect the Island’s environment and lead to a more sustainable and economically robust future.”

The city of Moscow in Russia is one that takes environmental conservation seriously. It recently demonstrated this by deploying its 1,000th electric bus, with a target of 2,200 by the end of next year.

Moscow’s 1,000th electric bus coincided with the 400th bought with funds raised through green bonds. Thanks to such bonds, the city can reduce pollution and further the discourse of environmental protection.

The first electric bus was launched in the city in 2018, with more than 60 million electric kilometers covered on 66 routes. More than 150 million passengers have enjoyed the zero-emission and quiet rides.

Moscow has installed more than 168 charging stations to support these battery-powered buses. It hopes to have 500 stations running by 2023.

The buses have the capacity for 85 people and are convenient to embark and disembark from. They are also fitted with a low floor and ramp for easy access for people with disabilities. Riders can charge their phones and watch content on media screens.

Moscow has also proven that electric buses can work throughout the year, even during the cold winter months that are often brutal on EV batteries. They have a temperature control mechanism to prevent them from getting too cold.

Moscow has stopped purchasing diesel-powered buses since last year and plans to add 600 more electric buses next year. When it reaches the 2,200th electric bus milestone, it means nearly 40 percent of its fleet is electric.

Lithium-ion batteries are excellent for electric vehicles because of their weight and relatively high energy storage capacities. However, they have a problem; as they age, lithium-ion batteries lose capacity, and the amount of energy they can store reduces. But now, a group of Stanford University researchers has been able to reverse the process.

These researchers boosted an old battery’s range according to their report published in Nature.

The loss of capacity comes due to lithium that separates from the electrodes. The Stanford group was able to make the ‘dead’ lithium move toward one of the electrodes and reconnect. Once reconnected, the lithium can then resuming helping the battery to hold a charge.

The lithium moved after lithium metal was added at one end and dissolved at the other end, and a short, high-current discharging step was added just after charging the battery. This process slowed the battery degradation down and increased its useful life by about 30 percent.

Professor Yi Cui had theorized that free-standing lithium could be moved physically by supplying a voltage to the battery’s cathode and anode, inspiring the research. His speculation has now been confirmed.

The researchers set up an optical cell with a lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt-oxide cathode and a lithium anode, with an island of lithium between them. While tracking the content of the battery in real-time as it worked, the team realized that the isolated lithium was not dead and could react to the battery operation.

The researchers carried out their test on other batteries to confirm the finding. They also did some computer simulations.

Fang Liu, a member of the research group, said:

“We found that we can move the detached lithium toward the anode during discharging, and these motions are faster under higher currents. So we added a fast, high-current discharging step right after the battery charges, which moved the isolated lithium far enough to reconnect it with the anode. This reactivates the lithium so it can participate in the life of the battery. Our findings also have wide implications for the design and development of more robust lithium-metal batteries.”

With breakthroughs like this, electric vehicle batteries could be ‘repaired’ and made to last longer, thereby helping prevent environmental pollution.

The nation of Georgia is getting its biggest solar plant ever and it is coming in conjunction with Masdar.

Contract signed between the Georgian Energy Development Fund and Masdar will yield a solar farm that will output up to 100 MW.

Present to formalize the agreement at the Dubai Expo were the CEO of Masdar, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, and GEDF CEO, Giorgi Chikovani. Also in attendance were UAE’s minister of state for foreign trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and the Georgian Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Natela Turnava.

The agreement is a by-product of a framework agreement the two parties had entered into earlier that contracts Masdar to execute a number of renewable energy projects in Georgia.

Commenting on the new contract, Chikovani said, “Georgia strongly follows its route and in accordance with the country’s strategy continues its utilization of renewable energy sources.

“This agreement, which aims to develop a solar project with one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, is a precondition for achieving the priority goals and targets of the state energy policy.

“Development of similar projects will strengthen the energy security of Georgia, contribute to diversification of energy sources and increase the share of renewable energy in the power generation mix.”

In his own remarks, Al Ramahi said: “This landmark agreement will support Georgia’s energy diversification efforts, and will make a positive contribution on climate action.

“As a global leader in renewable energy, with projects in almost 40 countries, we look forward to working with the Georgian Energy Development Fund and the Government of Georgia on further renewable energy opportunities and will leverage our experience to support the nation’s economic development.”

Georgia is trying to reduce its reliance on hydropower to diversify its energy mix and enhance energy security.

If you are ever suspected to be on the wrong side of the law in New York City in the fast approaching new year, chances are you will ride to the police station in a non-polluting car. While it is not an encouragement to dabble into crime, New York City has revealed it has placed an order for 184 Ford Mustang Mach-Es. Deliveries are set for June 2022.

However, not only law enforcement will operate electric cars because the City’s emergency workers will get some units too. But within law enforcement, the vehicles will be distributed to the police department and Department of Correction. Two other government units that will get the electric Mustangs are the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Environmental Protection.

Overall, New York City will purchase more than 1,250 electric vehicles in 2022 alone. It plans to have an all-electric law enforcement fleet by 2035.

Commenting on the EV purchase, Keith Kerman, chief fleet officer for New York City, said in a statement, “Law enforcement vehicles are the largest and most visible part of our City’s fleet. This order of all-electric Mach-Es will enable our law enforcement agencies to put electric models to the full test and work out maintenance, lights and sirens, charging, and other operational issues. It is a critical step towards our goal of a fully electric fleet.”

New York is committed to swapping internal combustion engine automobiles with battery-powered vehicles in its fleet. “Every single City vehicle we electrify is one step forward to advance clean air and a climate-friendly New York City,” according to Ben Furnas. He heads climate matters at the office of New York City’s mayor.

The Biden administration will phase out more than 600,000 ga-powered vehicles from its massive fleet on the federal government level. President Biden has also signed into law an infrastructural bill that will spend billions of dollars on building electric vehicle chargers all over the country.

New York City has announced it will spend $420 million in electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and alternative fuels as it tries to accelerate the shift to zero-emission mobility in all its municipal operations.

The city is targeting a completely electric fleet by 2035. This brings back the goal by five years as it had been targeting 2040 before.

The new goal is significant because it has broadened the ICE vehicles it targets. With this update, all light-duty, medium-duty, and non-emergency heavy-duty vehicles must be electrified by 2035. Only essential vehicles like fire engines will be allowed to operate till 2040 if suitable electric replacements cannot be found for them.

It also makes New York City’s plan the most aggressive in the country. The city owns about 30,000 vehicles, the largest for any municipality in the country.

According to the new executive order signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio, the city’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) will:

• Begin a central replacement program for the City’s gas-powered vehicles, starting with at least 1,250 in 2022. DCAS is in the process of finalizing a contract with a Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) vendor to supply many of these vehicles.
• Install at least 1,776 fast electric vehicle chargers spanning all five boroughs by 2030. DCAS will make at least 100 of the 1,776 fast chargers open to the public. DCAS completed its 100th fast charger last month, with 11 open to the public, and is beginning work on an additional 275.
• Add 180 portable mobile electric vehicle chargers and solar carports. These solar carports and portable chargers can be moved from location to location, supporting flexible and emergency charging as the City of New York transitions the fleet to electric vehicles. Solar carports can fully power vehicles without a connection to the electric grid. Both technologies can serve as a power back-up for electric vehicles in the event of a power outage.
• Expand the use of other alternative fuels, including renewable diesel, a 99% petroleum-free alternative to traditional diesel fuel. Renewable diesel is made from domestic waste products, achieves a 60% greenhouse gas reduction, and features lower tailpipe emissions than fossil fuel. It also is manufactured to the same specification as regular diesel, enabling seamless use by the City fleet and storage in the City’s fuel storage tanks. Renewable diesel will be used in the truck fleet until electric vehicle units are available.
• Transition all vehicles operated by senior City officials to be exclusively electric by June 30, 2023. DCAS and the NYC Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will also conduct a review of the suitability of each SUV used in city government to end the unnecessary use of such vehicles.

However, the new funding is in addition to the $75 million announced for purchasing electric vehicles and building charging infrastructure in September.

Next time you want to order a burger that has not exacerbated climate change during its production, the McDonald’s outlet in Market Drayton, Shropshire, England, has several to sell to you. The joint is the first net-zero MacDonald in the whole world.

The Market Drayton outlet was also net-zero during its construction. It will serve as a model for other outlets built from 2022 onwards. The business is run on a combination of solar panels and two wind turbines, producing 60,000 kWh per year.

The new MacDonald’s joint used cladding and insulation materials produced from recycled materials. Even the washing machines were rescued from the landfill.

Other recycled materials like tires were used to construct the Drive-Thru. The curbstones came from recycled plastic bottles.

The fast-food joint offers destination chargers for their customers owning electric vehicles. They will sit on chairs made from 100 percent recyclable materials as they await their order or munch on the food they have bought. When the furniture needs to be replaced, it will be recycled again.

Commenting on the opening, Beth Hart, VP of supply chain and brand trust at MacDonald’s, said, “At McDonald’s, we believe that our food needs to be served in restaurants that are sustainable for the future. Market Drayton is a big step towards making that a reality, enabling us to test and put into practice what a net zero emissions building, both in build and use, really looks like. We’ve already started to roll out some of these innovations to other restaurants, but what is exciting about Market Drayton is the fact it will act as a blueprint for our future new builds.”

Simon McWhirter, the UK’s Green Building Council’s director of communications, policy, and places, enthused, “The challenge of decarbonizing the construction industry is a complex one, but McDonald’s commitment to building the first restaurant in the U.K. in line with UKGBC’s net zero carbon buildings framework is a critical first step. We welcome the ambition to achieve net zero emissions for all McDonald’s restaurants and offices by 2030.”

Apart from making its facilities net-zero, MacDonald’s wants to feature more plant-based options on its menu. It will also begin assessing its numerous suppliers on ethics and sustainability. The long-term goal is to attain net-zero in all its 1400 outlets and offices by 2030 in the UK and Ireland, and across all its operations by 2040.

If you have any tip for me, kindly reach me at davidsanmi@outlook.com