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☆ Tesla shares drop nearly 6% after Musk cuts about 500 jobs in Supercharger team
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Lora Kolodny | In Lorakolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Tesla shares fell nearly 6% on Tuesday following news that CEO Elon Musk was pressing ahead with more job cuts at Tesla , impacting an estimated 500 employees in its Supercharger team. In the email, Musk also expressed consternation that Tesla management hadn't thinned out the company's staff more promptly at his direction. Other laid-off Tesla employees posted publicly about Tesla shrinking the Supercharger team. In cutting that group, Tesla revealed it's throttling the expansion of its Supercharger network in the U.S. The move comes after Tesla struck partnerships with Ford , GM and other industry players ensuring they would manufacture cars using the Tesla NACS (North American Charging Standard) for compatibility with Tesla charging stations, and allowing those companies' customers to use Tesla stations.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, Musk, Rebecca Tinucci, Daniel Ho, Andres Pinter, Pinter, Junheng Li Organizations: EV, CNBC, U.S, Ford, GM, Tesla, U.S . Transportation, Clean Transportation, Baidu, Warren Capital Locations: Tesla, California, United States, U.S, China

☆ Why hybrid sales surge as EV sales flatten
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Robert Ferris | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

After years of being overshadowed by flashy electric vehicles from Tesla and others, the hybrid — a gas sipper that has both an engine and an electric motor — is back in the spotlight. Hybrid sales grew five times faster than EV sales in February 2024, according to Morgan Stanley. But soon after that, Tesla sparked EV mania with its sleek, quick electric Roadster and Model S, shoving the hybrid to the margins. About two years later, sales of hybrids and plug-ins increased nearly 28% over the previous year. Toyota is not the only one capitalizing on hybrid sales.

Persons: Edmunds, Morgan Stanley, Tesla, Ford, Mary Barra Organizations: EV, Toyota Prius, Hollywood, Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai, General Motors, International Council, Clean Transportation Locations: Tesla, U.S, Edmunds, Georgia, North America

☆ Icon of the Seas: The world’s largest cruise ship sets sail on maiden voyage
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Terry Ward | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —There is nothing subtle about the world’s largest cruise ship. The commotion brought traffic to a halt along the causeway to Miami Beach that parallels the cruise ship channel. Icon of the Seas’ list of superlatives and firsts is longFinding time to fit in everything onboard Icon of the Seas promises to keep passengers busy. A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said Icon of the Seas is 24% more energy efficient than required for ships designed today. Royal Caribbean International is clearly pitching Icon of the Seas to a market that goes beyond cruising.

Persons: Lionel Messi, ”, Hurricane Hunter, Oz, Bryan Comer, Comer, Colleen McDaniel, McDaniels, ” McDaniels, Michael Verdure, Rob Clabbers, Q, ” Clabbers, Wagyu, Michael Bayley, ” Bayley, Jay Schneider, Royal, “, ‘, ’ ” Schneider, Terry Ward Organizations: CNN, Port, Hurricane, Storm, Royal, The International Council, Clean Transportation, Royal Caribbean International, Cruise, CNN Travel, Seas, Star, Royal Caribbean Locations: Port of Miami, Turku, Finland, Miami Beach, Argentine, Miami, Eastern Caribbean, Sedona , Arizona, Royal Caribbean, Florida’s Port Canaveral, Orlando, Chicago, Izumi, Caribbean, Vegas, Florida, Tampa

☆ Icon of the Seas: Why Americans Are Obsessed With Big Cruise Ships
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Henry Wismayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

Love them or loathe them, giant cruise ships are among the most remarkable success stories of the mass tourism age. Rechristened the Mardi Gras, the first Carnival cruise ship sailed out of Miami that March. Cruise ships like the Icon of the Seas will spend the majority of their trip at sea. Eight years later, cruise ships such as the Diamond Princess became early incubators for COVID-19. Cruise Market Watch forecasts there will be 360 cruise ships in service at the end of this year, comprising less than 1% of the global commercial fleet.

Persons: Ted Arison, Arison, Pieter De Boer, Costa, Diamond, Aaron Saunders, We've, Sue Bryant, Z, sass, Emma Le Teace, YouTuber, David Foster Wallace, Harper's, Sarah Knorr, Bryan Comer, Karla Hart, Hart, Saunders, it's, Henry Wismayer Organizations: Port, Passengers, Mardi Gras, Mardi, Gras, Cruise, Royal Caribbean, Costa Concordia, Cruise Lines International Association, Broadway, CivicScience, Royal, Virgin, Business, Transport & Environment, Getty, International Council, Global Cruise, Global Cruise Activist Network, Cruise Market, Royal Caribbean International, New York Times, National Geographic, Financial Times Locations: Port of Miami, Caribbean, Miami, The Port, Tuscany, Italy, Royal Caribbean, TikTok, Panama, Bahamas, Brussels, Netherlands, Douarnenez, Venice, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Amsterdam, Juneau , Alaska, Skagway , Alaska, CocoCay, London

Biden sought to kickstart SAF production with a $1.25 per gallon production tax credit in the IRA. To be eligible for the credit, SAF producers must demonstrate their fuel is 50% lower in emissions than conventional jet fuel. The DOE spokesperson confirmed that ethanol producers must cut emissions of they want a long-term role in SAF production. Still, ethanol producers need carbon pipelines because many ethanol plants are not near geologically appropriate underground storage sites. Other options for reducing ethanol's carbon intensity include using renewable energy at ethanol plants, or climate-friendly farming practices for corn.

Persons: Tom Mihalek, Valero, Joe Biden's, Homer Bhullar, Biden, MARK, Barry Glickman, Nikita Pavlenko, Pavlenko, Leah Douglas, Laura Sanicola, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Eco Energy, REUTERS, Rights, SAF, U.S, Carbon Solutions, Valero Energy, U.S . Department of Energy, DOE, Honeywell, Biofuels, Growth Energy, Navigator, CCS, International Council, Clean Transportation, Thomson Locations: Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, U.S, Omaha, Iowa, Denver, Maine, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wolf's, Illinois

☆ Regent aims to fly its electric seagliders over the waterways of Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Billy Thalheimer (CEO) and Michael Klinker (CTO) of REGENT with a full-scale mockup of their first electric seaglider. Regent, a startup developing electric seagliders to transport people and cargo, has raised a $60 million round of venture funding and struck a partnership with Japan Airlines to figure out how to bring the company's flying electric ferries to the waterways of Japan. Venture fund 8090 Industries co-led Regent's series A round alongside Peter Thiel's Founders Fund, with Japan Airlines Innovation Fund and Point72 Ventures also participating among others. The commercial version of this battery powered 12-seater, named the Viceroy, will fly higher above the water at speeds of up to 180 mph, Thalheimer says. Thalheimer said, "You can build as many decks or pitches as you want but this is the experience that unlocks excitement."

Persons: Billy Thalheimer, Michael Klinker, REGENT, Peter Thiel's, Regent, seaglider, Thalheimer Organizations: Japan Airlines, Venture, Japan Airlines Innovation Fund, Point72 Ventures, CNBC Locations: Japan, Rhode, Narragansett

☆ Robin Hood tariff could curb airline emissions
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Nevertheless, aircraft are responsible for about 4% of global warming from carbon emissions and the vapour trails they leave behind in the sky. A more viable short-term option is to run planes on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). The third option is to tax either the kerosene that airlines burn or the emissions they spew out into the atmosphere. So far only the EU, United Kingdom and some smaller countries are doing this via emissions trading schemes (ETS). To work, the plan would need to channel Robin Hood, the legendary English outlaw who stole from the rich to give to the poor.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Robin Hood, Peter Thal Larsen, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Aviation, Reuters Graphics Reuters, SAF, European Union, EU, Transport, FLYERS, International Civil Aviation Organisation, United Nations, ICAO, ETS, Airlines, Council, Clean Transportation, Thomson Locations: TINOS, GREECE, Europe, America, China, Greece, United Kingdom, United States

☆ Sustainable Aviation Fuel Leader Talks Green Premiums and Impact of Tax Incentives
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Dieter Holger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +11 min

Many airlines, corporate fliers and governments see so-called sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, as a way to reduce aviation’s contribution to global warming. It recently converted an oil refinery in California and is expanding its refineries in Singapore and Rotterdam. We worked on a former fossil-fuel refinery and converted that into a renewable refinery. The carbon footprint of aviation can be affected today from today’s SAF technology. It will continue to incentivize current SAF production, but it will be difficult to be the impetus for future production.

Persons: P, Chris Cooper, We’ve, we’ve, Neste, Dieter Holger Organizations: Aviation, International Energy Agency, International Council, Clean Transportation, SAF, Sustainable, Neste’s U.S, Airlines, International Air Transport Association, Neste, Bloomberg New Energy Finance Summit, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, DHL, Amazon, Marathon Petroleum, Sustainable Business, today’s SAF, Air, dieter.holger Locations: California, Singapore, Rotterdam, U.S, Neste U.S, San Francisco, Dallas, City, Oakland, Air Canada, Alaska, American, Delta, Los Angeles, San Jose, Washington, York, New York, New Jersey, . Oregon

☆ Singapore has pledged billions to fight climate change. Experts say it's not enough
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Nyshka Chandran | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesSingapore, a tiny city-state with an import-dependent economy, is especially vulnerable to rising sea levels, heat waves and other adverse effects of climate change. Around the globe, financing for climate adaptation has traditionally lagged behind mitigation investments that are focused on slowing or stopping the rise in fossil fuel emissions. Singapore's climate challengesIn 2019, Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong said climate change was a matter of "life and death" for the city-state. An initiative of London's Imperial College and Singapore Management University, SGFC was launched in 2020 to advance climate financing solutions. In 2020, Vena Energy became the first Singapore-based company to issue green bonds in U.S. dollars with a $325 million five-year green bond aimed at refinancing existing corporate loans for green projects.

Persons: Xinying Tok, Lee Hsien Loong, Grace Fu, Emirhan Ilhan, SGFC, issuances, Vena Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty Images, Singapore, Carbon Trust, National University of Singapore Business School, Green Finance Institute, City State, Singapore Green Finance, London's Imperial College, Singapore Management University, Monetary Authority of, Insurance, Vena Energy, Resources Locations: Getty Images Singapore, Singapore, Southeast Asia, City, Monetary Authority of Singapore

☆ The world’s most eco-conscious airlines
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Elissa Garay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —Most sustainability experts will scoff at the idea of “sustainable” and “airlines” in the same sentence. In 2022, an Airbus wide-body Beluga XL transport aircraft was filled with Sustainable Aviation Fuel" (SAF) for the first time. WiderøeNorway-based Widerøe, the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, says it is on track to become one of the world’s first fully emissions-free airlines. Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines has invested heavily in Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty ImagesWhile most major global airlines are targeting 2050 for net-zero carbon emissions, Alaska Airlines intends to meet that target as soon as 2040.

Persons: ”, Pedro Piris, Sola Zheng, Sina Schuldt, Nicolas Jammes, ” Akbar Al Baker, “, Zheng, –, that’s, it’s, Beata Zawrzel, Fabrizio Gandolfo, Nicolas Economou, Bauer, Griffin, It’s Organizations: CNN, Environmental Defense Fund, International Council, Clean Transportation, Commercial, International Air Transport Association, UN, Airbus, Beluga XL, Sustainable Aviation, Qatar Airways, SAF, European Union, Google, Environmental Defense, Airlines, United Airlines United, Aerospace, United, Flight Fund, Widerøe Norway, Widerøe, Royce, SAS SAS, Scandinavian, SAS, Wizz, Wizz Air, Etihad Airways Etihad, Getty, Etihad Airways, United Arab Emirates, Boeing, Etihad, Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines, Aviation Fuels, AaronP, Alaska Airlines, Air Canada Canadian, Air Canada Locations: Europe, Denmark, Sweden, ICCT, Scandinavia, Norway, Canada

☆ Cosmic Aerospace is working on an electric plane with real range
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Denver startup Cosmic Aerospace is developing a fully electric plane to reduce air pollution from regional flights. The aim is to build an electric plane that operates without any emissions but that can still fly for just over 600 miles. Alex Teng, a partner at 50 Years, told CNBC his firm invested in Cosmic partly owing to the cofounders' experience in aviation. The fund also liked that Cosmic is tackling a problem that other developers of electric planes and air taxis have not solved yet -- getting beyond the short hop flight. "Electric aviation has always suffered from a range problem," Teng said, "but my average flight is over 500 miles personally.

☆ US oil lobby blasts EPA emissions cuts plan, California likes it
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, May 10 (Reuters) - The largest U.S. oil and gas trade lobby group said on Wednesday it believes sharp emissions cuts proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would result in the elimination of new internal combustion vehicles. Just said the rules would "eliminate the opportunity to improve" internal combustion and hybrid technologies "and create an outsized reliance on battery materials from other countries to meet United States' transportation needs." They testified the second day of the EPA's virtual public hearings on its aggressive proposal for cutting U.S. vehicle emissions for 2027-2032 model years. The plan would require 13% annual average pollution cuts and a 56% reduction in projected fleet average emissions over 2026 requirements. The EPA estimates the plan would result in 60% of new vehicles by 2030 being electric and 67% by 2032.

☆ Why Porsche is investing $100 million on eFuels to keep its cars on the road
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Robert Ferris | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Porsche has invested more than $100 million in the development of eFuels. "With this approach we have another lever, another opportunity to reduce the CO2 footprint for the combustion engine-driven cars," said Karl Dums, senior manager of eFuels at Porsche. "Electric cars are more expensive to produce, so they are margin dilutive," said Daniel Schwarz, managing director at Stifel. "And Porsche managed to increase the share of electric cars and increase the profitability in parallel." But critics of Porsche's $100 million push into eFuels argue the resultant fuel will be too expensive and inefficient to ever compete with electrification.

☆ The incredible, Earth-saving electric bike is having a moment
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

And while electric cars get all the hype, a game-changing solution to getting around without warming the planet has flourished right under our noses. Electric cars are important, too, but they're expensive and far off for a lot of drivers, MacArthur said. The most popular electric vehicles in the US don't have a Tesla logoWhile electric cars get all the attention, e-bikes have for years been the best-selling electric vehicles in the US. Last year, Americans bought just over 800,000 electric cars, according to Kelley Blue Book, a record. Since e-bikes are much cheaper than electric cars, "you can get them into the hands of consumers faster," she said.

☆ Lack of electric vans opens door for Chinese, other EV makers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Nick Carey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

[1/3] Tristan Thomas, CEO of Packfleet, demonstrates charging an electric van made by Chinese brand Maxus at the fully-electric package delivery firm's headquarters in London, Britain, October 27, 2022. Packfleet grew tenfold in 2022 and CEO Tristan Thomas said most of the company's 53-vehicle fleet are Maxus vans. SAIC said it sold 18,000 mostly electric Maxus brand vehicles in Western Europe and Scandinavia last year, including buses and pickup trucks. Fleet manager Sean Clifton has 50 additional Ford vans and 20 Maxus vans on order, but will need more soon as Asda electrifies its 1,300 delivery vans. There is no difference in delays for conventional and electric vans at Renault, said commercial vehicle marketing director John Cleworth.

☆ EPA proposes new tailpipe rules that could push EVs to make up two-thirds of new car sales in US by 2032
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The agency anticipates the new rules would mean EVs could also make up nearly half of all new medium-duty vehicles, like delivery trucks, by model year 2032. One expert told CNN the Biden administration’s proposal is a pivotal moment for the US auto industry and consumers. Six in 10 respondents said they believe EVs help the environment “only a little” or “not at all,” Gallup reported. “Folks who purchase electric vehicles will see a cost savings over the lifespan of the vehicle, because they’re not having to buy gas, having to pay for maintenance,” Regan said. That means much of the US car industry will already be transitioning ahead of the proposed federal rules.

A new EV platform, if implemented, would be the result of a far-reaching review of Toyota's electric-car strategy undertaken last year. Its current production architecture, the e-TNGA system, was launched in 2019 and produces electric vehicles on the same assembly line as gasoline cars and hybrids. The briefing was given by the former chief competitive officer tasked with the EV strategy review, Shigeki Terashi, according to the person. So far it has fallen short - its initial battery EV, the bZ4X, suffered an early recall and has had only limited sales. GM sold more than 20,000 electric vehicles during the first quarter while Toyota and its luxury brand Lexus sold about 1,880 battery electrics.

The EU has progressively tightened limits since "Euro 1" in 1992. The Commission's proposal widens real-driving emissions (RDE) testing and adds continuous testing of emissions via an on-board monitoring system. Euro 7 would take effect in mid-2025 for cars and in mid-2027 for trucks and buses. The European Commission estimates Euro 7 could add up to 150 euros to car prices and 2,600 euros for trucks and buses. A Commission spokesperson declined to comment on executives' statements, but said Euro 7's real-driving emissions tests were important because of "scandals in the past about cheating devices".

As part of this effort, White House officials said, they locked a commitment from Tesla to open thousands of its chargers to electric vehicles made by other manufacturers. Tesla has intended to open up its charging network in the US for years. But in one omission that will raise questions from staunch environmentalists, the new federally funded EV chargers will not necessarily be powered by clean energy sources. According to environmental impact research by Project Drawdown, compared to gasoline-powered vehicles, emissions drop by 50% when an electric vehicle's power is drawn from the conventional grid. During the briefing, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm emphasized that the President's goal is to get to a "fully clean electric grid" by 2035.

☆ The U.S. passed a historic climate deal this year — here's a recap of what's in the bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

The IRA's provisions have major implications for clean energy and manufacturing businesses, climate startups and consumers in the coming years. As 2022 comes to a close, here's a look back at the key elements in the legislation that climate and clean energy advocates will be monitoring in 2023. Taking aim at methane gas emissionsSome pumpjacks operate while others stand idle in the Belridge oil field near McKittrick, California. Mario Tama | Getty ImagesThe package imposes a tax on energy producers that exceed a certain level of methane gas emissions. And the bill has a hydrogen production tax credit, which provides hydrogen producers with a credit based on the climate attributes of their production methods.

☆ U.S. Postal Service to transform delivery fleet with 66,000 electric vehicles by 2028
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Three United States Postal Service (USPS) mail trucks are parked in front of the post office in Danville. On July 20, the USPS announced that at least 40 percent of its Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDVs) and commercial off-the-street (COTS) vehicles will be battery electric vehicles. Postal Service said Tuesday that it intends to purchase at least 66,000 electric delivery vehicles as part of a push to transform its delivery fleet. The electric vehicles would amount to more than half the 106,000 vehicles it plans to acquire for delivery between now and 2028. The new vehicles will start to replace its aging fleet of 220,000 vehicles, the Postal Service said in a press release.

☆ Yes, electric vehicles are greener than gas cars — even when they use dirty power
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

There's a persistent myth that electric vehicles are somehow worse for the planet than regular cars. But building an EV creates more planet-warming emissions than making a gas vehicle. But mining the necessary cobalt, refining the lithium, and packaging it all into little cells that fit neatly in a larger pack creates significant greenhouse gas emissions. But zooming in on specific regions reveals how vastly EV emissions vary across the country. Electric cars that hit American roads in 2030 could have a 76% greener lifespan than gas counterparts if the US builds an electrical grid in line with the Paris Agreement's goals, according to the ICCT.

A Tesla Model 3 vehicle is on display at the Tesla auto store on September 22, 2022 in Santa Monica, California. The data firm found that Tesla's market share of new registered electric vehicles in the U.S. stood at 65% through the third quarter, down from 71% last year and 79% in 2020. S&P forecasts Tesla's EV market share will decline to less than 20% by 2025, with the number of EV models expected to grow from 48 today to 159 by then. A drop in Tesla's U.S. market share was expected, but the rate of the decline could be concerning for investors in Elon Musk's autos and energy company. "Given that consumer choice and consumer interest in EVs are growing, Tesla's ability to retain a dominant market share will be challenged going forward."

☆ Africa is hosting the UN climate summit. It's also home to 3 oil-and-gas deals announced in just two weeks.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

During the COP27 event, three oil-and-gas deals in Africa have been announced. In the past two weeks — essentially the time of the COP27 summit — three oil-and-gas deals were announced for Africa alone, in Egypt, Nigeria, and Tanzania. That demand is evident even in announcements that purportedly support renewable energy. Plus, the projects are more expensive than building out renewable energy like solar. "If we really want to improve the lives of people, we need to invest in community renewable energy," Elmaawi said.

☆ Palm oil is in almost everything, and it's devastating rainforests. This Bill Gates-backed company used microbes to create an alternative
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Palm oil grows best in the regions right around the equator, so palm oil producers chop down rainforest and clear that felled vegetation by burning it, making it a prime target of conservation organizations like the Rainforest Rescue and the World Wildlife Fund. Palm oil trees grow at the Cikasungka palm oil plantation, operated by PT Perkebunan Nusantara VIII, in Bogor Regency in West Java, Indonesia, on Monday, June 20, 2022. To make its palm oil alternative, C16 Biosciences uses a wild yeast microbe that makes a functional equivalent to palm oil with a kind of fermentation process. Photo courtesy: Cat Clifford, CNBCChemically, the palm oil that C16 Biosciences makes is not identical to the palm oil that is grown in industrial agriculture farms. However, "it contains the same fatty acids, which are the molecular fingerprints of fats and oils, that palm oil does," Heller told CNBC.

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