EMTA Holdings, Inc., an energy, fuel and environmental conservation company, announced recently that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality ("TCEQ") has re-evaluated the emissions data and determined that Clean Boost LE Diesel Fuel Treatment does meet the state's stringent low-emission diesel fuel regulations. Clean Boost LE Diesel Fuel Treatment is produced by White Sands, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of EMTA Holdings.

Tests conducted in the past by the independent nonprofit research institute in San Antonio, Texas, demonstrated that the Clean Boost LE Diesel Fuel Treatment additive reduces nitrous-oxide (NOx) emissions and particulate matter (black smoke) to levels that bring diesel-powered vehicles into compliance with the regulations of the TCEQ -- without impacting fuel economy. The testing was observed and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is considering extending the strict clean air regulations in Texas to the rest of the nation.

Full report from here

Labels: diesel, environment, transportation

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Webasto Product North America, a global leader in heating and cooling solutions for the light and heavy-duty transportation industries, has received California's Air Resources Board (CARB) approval for its BlueCool Truck Bunk Cooler. Out of all CARB approved devices, BlueCool Truck (BCT) is the only engine-off technology that has no emissions when in use.

BlueCool Truck's source of cooling is a high-tech cold storage unit that is charged (frozen) while the truck is running. During times of driver rest, the system utilizes only small amounts of electricity from the existing vehicle batteries (no additional batteries are needed) to circulate super-chilled coolant between the cold storage unit and a heat exchanger installed in the truck sleeper cabin. Once charged, the system uses no diesel fuel and therefore produces no emissions during the cooling operation because it runs independently of the OEM air conditioning system.

The principle behind how BlueCool Truck works is not a new discovery, it is a natural phenomenon called latent heat. It has been known for centuries that ice has poor thermal conductivity and extracting cold storage efficiently and effectively is extremely difficult. This problem has been overcome now by embedding the water/ice in a high-tech graphite matrix, with a resulting thermal conductivity that is 100 times better than a pure water/ice exchange. The design provides a highly efficient, compact and dynamic thermal energy storage system that produces an assured cooling output at a constant temperature.

Full article here - Zero-Emission, Idle-Reducing Cooling Product From Webasto Earns CARB Approval

Labels: engines, environment, transportation

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DHL investigates the use of biodiesel for its fleet in the UK

11 May 2007

A UK division of the international DHL logistics group, DHL Exel Supply Chain, has started to investigate the possibility of operating its delivery vehicles using 100% biodiesel.

DHL has undertaken this project in partnership with JD Wetherspoon and Argent Energy UK, a producer of biodiesel. The project will involve recycling and re-processing cooking oil...

Test runs on an initial trial vehicle will begin end of May to prove the feasibility and assess maintenance and operational requirements...

Read the full report from here @ Biofuel Review

Labels: transportation

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Want an eco-friendly holiday? Get on your bike!

Guilt free, environment-friendly holidays are becoming all the rage. There's nothing that would make the blog author (Gareth Kane) than cruising along a country lane in the sunshine scaring the wits out of the local wildlife. Since however, he would not be able to make a biking expedition this year, he feels he should at least introduce some others to it, and here are some of his suggestions:

1. Follow a formal route.
2. Get cycle fit.
3. Eat a good breakfast.
4. Buy waterproof panniers.
5. Get up early in the morning.
6. Have fun

Read more on each of his above suggestions at this post @ Eco Living

Labels: environment, transportation

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A Green Tax for ‘Binge’ Flyers

May 9th, 2007 post @ Eco Chick

Recently, the publisher of a guidebook series - of all books - said people fly too much! Reason? Mark Ellingham, the founder of the Rough Guides, railed in an interview recently against the travel development he refers to as “binge flying” – hopping a flight for a quick weekend in a distant locale. To counter this trend, he calls for a £100 (~ $ 210) green tax on all flights from Britain to Europe and Africa and a £250 (~ $520) green tax to flights elsewhere.

Does this make sense - rational and emotional? The author feels while emotionally this might not be acceptable ("oops, the price just doubled between Germany & USA!"), from an economic and rational standpoint, it could make the environment a lot cleaner.

Read more from this interesting post @ Eco Chick

Labels: environment, transportation

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Research Shows Segway(R) PT Tops the List of Most Energy-Efficient Transportation

Press release

BEDFORD, N.H., April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The findings of an in-house analysis conducted by Segway Inc., show the environmental benefits of the Segway(R) Personal Transporter (PT) compared to traditional transportation options like cars and sports utility vehicles (SUVs). The research evaluates a variety of vehicles relative to their impact on the environment, both in emissions created and energy consumed, proving that the Segway PT can substantially decrease greenhouse gas emissions and is the most energy-efficient alternative to short-distance, single-occupancy car journeys.

Read the full press release from PR Newswire

Labels: conservation, efficiency, environment, inventions, transportation

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Ethanol vehicles pose a significant risk to human health

Medical Research News, 20-Apr-2007

Ethanol is widely touted as an eco-friendly, clean-burning fuel. But if every vehicle in the United States ran on fuel made primarily from ethanol instead of pure gasoline, the number of respiratory-related deaths and hospitalizations would likely increase, according to a new study by Stanford University atmospheric scientist Mark Z. Jacobson. His findings are published in the April 18 online edition of the journal Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T).

Read the full article from here @ Medical Research News

Labels: environment, ethanol, research, transportation

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The first 100 per cent biodiesel tractors arrive in the UK

News - FG | 20 April, 2007, By David Burrows

THE first fleet of tractors in the UK to run on 100 per cent biodiesel have arrived at Cornwall’s Eden Project. The four New Holland machines will emit 70 per cent less carbon dioxide than the ones they replace, and will also cut carbon monoxide emissions by half.

The hope is the 20 litres of fuel each tractor requires daily will be supplied by local oilseed rape growers.

Read the full report from here @ Farmers Guardian

Labels: transportation

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Alternative cars on the rise

Apr. 20, 2007, by Mike Keller, Sun Herald

Whatever the reason, Mississippians are turning more and more to alternatively fueled vehicles as part of the solution.

Mississippi now has 82,000 alternatively fueled automobiles zipping around its streets and highways, a recent automotive market report by R.L. Polk & Co. showed.

Read the full article from here @ Sun Herald

Labels: transportation

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Skoda Auto introduces biofuel, gas-fuelled models

28 March 2007

Czech car maker Skoda Auto today introduced two Skoda Octavia models running on biofuel and natural gas, and announced that it was ready to launch the production of the two models next year if there was good demand. The Skoda Octavia has a 1.6 MPI engine running on so-called FlexiFuel, a mixture of biofuel and petrol.

Labels: autos, transportation

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Animal Fats into Jet Fuel

March 19, 2007

RALEIGH - Airlines could soon be looking to acquire chicken grease and hog lard to convert into jet fuel.

A team of NCSU scientists and engineers says it has developed a biofuels technology capable of converting animal fats - including lipids from dead chickens, hogs and cattle - into fuel for airliners and fighter jets.

The technology is "100 percent green," as no petroleum-derived products are added to the process. It can also be used to make additives for cold-weather biodiesel fuels and holds the potential to fuel automobiles that currently run on gasoline.

Read the full report from here @ The Pig Site

Labels: airlines, animal-waste, research, transportation, waste

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Biodiesel for school buses in Wisconsin

Dane County and the Wisconsin Soybean Program provided the money and students at Wright Middle School provided the science in the unveiling Thursday of a plan to reimburse school districts for using biodiesel fuel in their buses.

The Dane County Clean Air Coalition will contribute $50,000 toward a fund that will reimburse county school districts for the cost difference between biodiesel and standard diesel fuel.

Read the full report here from Wisconsin State Journal

Labels: biodiesel, buses, transportation

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Biodiesel in Trucks - Trucking Sees Use of Biofuels

Mar 2007

By John Latta

Almost a quarter of the way into a 2-million-miles test of biodiesel in 20 over-the-road Caterpillar-powered Peterbilts, the company behind the experiment claimed positive results at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky.

Hard numbers are not yet available from the identically spec’d trucks which began rolling last fall and 350,000 miles ago with a B20 blend of biodiesel. The tractors are Peterbilt 379s, 388s and 389s with Caterpillar C13 and C15 2006 and ’07 engines.

Increased lubricity, and the fact that biodiesel burns cleaner, are seen as the source of decreased maintenance for trucks & trucking.

Read the full report from here @ eTucker News

Labels: biodiesel, transportation

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Montreal buses to run on biodiesel

March 23, 2007, CBC News

Montreal's transit corporation is switching to biodiesel fuel and buying hybrid buses in an attempt to green its fleet and cut carbon emissions.

All Société de transport de Montréal (STM) buses will run on biodiesel fuel by 2008, and the transition should be fairly inexpensive, said president Claude Trudel.

Bus engines can run on biodiesel fuel without requiring any modifications, and the cost of a fill-up should be the same, says this report from CBC News, Canada

Labels: biodiesel, buses, transportation

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New buses drive transportation to next level

By Mike Westervelt

09 Mar 2007

Purdue, USA - A new type of CityBus is driving the company into the realm of alternative energy.

CityBus bought six new buses, two of which use hybrid technology. The company considers the purchase an investment considering the hybrid buses cost an additional $195,000 than regular diesel buses.

The buses are expected to reduce fuel consumption somewhere between 25 and 30 percent, and the fuel savings could also translate into less emissions.

Read more from this report @ Purdue Exponent

Labels: buses, conservation, hybrids, transportation

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U.S. Government Awards Firefly Energy Contract to Develop Battery for ''Silent Watch'' Program

Press release

March 05, 2007

Peoria, IL-based company receives $5 million to support military defense efforts

The US federal government has executed a $5 million contract with Peoria, IL-based Firefly Energy to fund prototype development of its 3D and 3D2 advanced battery technologies ( carbon-graphite foam prototype batteries ) to assist the nation’s military defense efforts, specifically in a “Silent Watch” program, which allows the military to perform reconnaissance in ground combat vehicles without being detected by the enemy.

Read the full press release here

Labels: batteries, transportation

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Biodiesel boat sets off on record attempt today

10-Mar-2007

A record-attempting New Zealand boat, running on biodiesel fuel, sets off on a global adventure today.

The 24-metre trimaran, Earthrace, is trying to snatch the powerboat record for circling the world, from a British boat which made it in 75 days in 1998.

Source: TV3, New Zealand

Labels: biodiesel, transportation

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