QUICK NEWS, August 26: Automakers Risk Business To Back Emissions Cuts; Research Shows 100% New Energy Works

Automakers Risk Business To Back Emissions Cuts Automakers snub Trump to side with climate crisis, says Obama-era official; Companies are considering years of regulatory uncertainty when aligning with California’s mileage standards deal

Emily Holden, 22 August 2019 (UK Guardian)

“…[Automakers are pushing back against the president’s rollbacks to mileage standards because they are expected to lead to years of regulatory uncertainty that could end with judges deciding against them and producing] cars that use more gasoline could make it harder for American companies to compete in the US and abroad…[Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and BMW are instead] aligning with California for stricter rules [that require them to reach] an average fuel economy for new cars and trucks of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2026…[A presidential tweet criticized the ‘politically correct Automobile Companies’ and argued] his proposal would lower car costs and have ‘very little impact on the environment’...

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The president is seeking to cripple the country’s only significant policy to stem the pollution that heats the planet, which would cut carbon dioxide levels by about 6bn tons – equal to a year of US emissions…Transportation is responsible for 29% of US climate pollution…Increasing fuel economy, as well as expanding mass transit and electric bikes and vehicles, would help reduce that footprint…[I]t would be a win for oil companies and refiners of gasoline…[Some power companies also opposed efforts] to nix a climate rule for coal and gas plants without replacing it with another regulation…[because of the] regulatory uncertainty of Trump’s war against climate policies. And even the most conservative trade groups have not supported his bids to challenge climate science and the legal underpinnings that require the US government to lower emissions…” click here for more

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Research Shows 100% New Energy Works Opinion: We now have the technology to create a grid of cheap fully renewable electricity; All that’s missing is the political will

David Timmons, August 22, 2019 (MarketWatch)

“The main solution to climate change is…[stop burning fossil fuels,] make electricity with renewable sources and electrify almost everything…That means running vehicles and trains on electricity, heating buildings with electric heat pumps, electrifying industrial applications such as steel production and using renewable electricity to make hydrogen (similar to natural gas) for other requirements…There is debate, though, about whether fully renewable electricity systems are feasible and how quickly the transition can be made…There are a number of ways to make renewable electricity: hydro, wind, solar photovoltaics, geothermal and burning various forms of biomass (plant matter), besides improving efficiency to use less energy. These are mature technologies with known costs…[Unproven possibilities include wave, tidal and concentrating solar power, but] the mature technologies suffice…[Detailed computer modeling shows] the United States does not need nuclear energy to retire fossil fuels…

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...[A] diversity of renewable sources can reduce costs…[A combination of larger scale solar and wind] reduces cost…[In addition, the grid must grow and] some form of electricity storage is needed. Batteries work well for smoothing short-term fluctuations, but for storing energy for many hours or days, pumped hydroelectric storage is less expensive…[That] shrinks the energy storage need and reduces cost…[Environmental effects] must be managed…[Government policies like a price on carbon] are needed to make a transition to renewable energy…[They will return money to the economy and create jobs…[B]arriers to using renewable electricity are more political and cultural than technological or economic.” click here for more

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