So, are electric vehicles going to be as widely feasible as we would like it to be?Nearly every major automobile manufacturer in the world appears ready to market some flavor of plug-in vehicle with in the next few years. So the odds are piled high for sure.
A recent study concluded that together these manufacturers have committed to producing some 840,000 electric vehicles by 2013. The demand for lithium-ion automobile batteries is projected to increase from 2.4 gigawatt hours (GWh) this year to 18 GWh by 2013 - a seven fold increase. The rapid increase in lithium-ion battery production -- 20 new plants are under construction -- is expected to drive the cost of these batteries down from $800-1000/kWh today to the vicinity of $350 by the end of the decade.
Good news. But, where is the research on batteries heading? On small short-term batteries or bulky long-term ones?
Tom Whipple writes in Energy Bulletin, quoting a study by Carnegie-Mellon that for the immediate future electric cars with small battery packs and limited electric range offer more benefits to society than larger packs that attempt to substitute completely for conventional fuels.
Not only do the smaller shorter range battery packs such as those found in conventional hybrids or the newer plug-in electrics cost far less, they also weigh much less. Large electrical batteries become a lot more dead weight that has to be carried around after discharged than do smaller batteries. In the long run cheaper, long-lived, longer range batteries will of course prove superior. But it will take time for research to fructify and allow scalability.
Meanwhile, another major laboratory announced that its technology could lead to electric cars with a 300 mile range, while another says its titanium dioxide microspheres will allow batteries to be charged to 50 percent of capacity in 6 minutes.
Work is underway to standardize wireless recharging systems that would eliminate the need to actually plug-in a vehicle to recharge its batteries. Simply parking an appropriately equipped vehicle in an appropriately equipped parking space would allow the recharging of the batteries to take place! fancy and more about comfort than going green!
Cynics still insist that research apart, such technology will be too costly for 7 billion to afford anyway. Well, even if 3 billion could, that would be a welcome relief for the environment, right?
Showing posts with label Transport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Transport. Show all posts
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Fuel from paper!
While on cars and fuels, Tulane University scientists have discovered a novel bacterial strain, dubbed "TU-103," that can use paper to produce butanol, a biofuel that can serve as a substitute for gasoline.
TU-103 is the first bacterial strain from nature that produces butanol directly from cellulose, an organic compound.
Cellulose is found in all green plants, and is the most abundant organic material on earth, and converting it into butanol is the dream of many. In the United States alone, at least 323 million tons of cellulosic materials are known that could be used to produce butanol are thrown out each year.
TU-103 is the only known butanol-producing clostridial strain that can grow and produce butanol in the presence of oxygen, which kills other butanol-producing bacteria. Having to produce butanol in an oxygen-free space increases the costs of production.
As a biofuel, butanol is superior to ethanol (commonly produced from corn sugar) because it can readily fuel existing motor vehicles without any modifications to the engine, can be transported through existing fuel pipelines, is less corrosive, and contains more energy than ethanol, which would improve mileage.
So, pick your choice, hydrogen or butanol?
TU-103 is the first bacterial strain from nature that produces butanol directly from cellulose, an organic compound.
Cellulose is found in all green plants, and is the most abundant organic material on earth, and converting it into butanol is the dream of many. In the United States alone, at least 323 million tons of cellulosic materials are known that could be used to produce butanol are thrown out each year.
TU-103 is the only known butanol-producing clostridial strain that can grow and produce butanol in the presence of oxygen, which kills other butanol-producing bacteria. Having to produce butanol in an oxygen-free space increases the costs of production.
As a biofuel, butanol is superior to ethanol (commonly produced from corn sugar) because it can readily fuel existing motor vehicles without any modifications to the engine, can be transported through existing fuel pipelines, is less corrosive, and contains more energy than ethanol, which would improve mileage.
So, pick your choice, hydrogen or butanol?
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Let's move it!
More inspiring news on transport from across the world. German researchers have found that just five cars in a thousand communicating with one another is all it takes to reduce congestion. German officials prepare to roll out a vehicle-to-vehicle communication to alleviate traffic congestion and a growing number of automakers explore the technology.
This involves a vehicle-to-vehicle telematics system that sends data from in-car sensors to local traffic control centers over 802.11p WLAN, reserved for intelligent transportation networks. Data from the V2V network would be analyzed by local authorities and sent to motorists through navigation systems, text messages and radio traffic reports.
There are multiple disincentives to driving in European cities, including limits on parking, congestion pricing, restrictions on cars in center cities, and decent public transit and bike infrastructure. Europe recognises that globally, emissions from transportation continue a relentless rise, with half of them coming from personal cars, and the EU has committed to cut down its emissions.
Zurich's planners take it a step ahead - to tame traffic, shorten the green-light periods and lengthen the red with the goal that pedestrians wait no more than 20 seconds to cross! Now can you imagine such a move in our Indian cities, and what would ensue? Decibel levels up as horns blare all around! And talk about disincentives to private vehicles, it will take a long long time. the market is booming, with India and China racing close to the US.
This involves a vehicle-to-vehicle telematics system that sends data from in-car sensors to local traffic control centers over 802.11p WLAN, reserved for intelligent transportation networks. Data from the V2V network would be analyzed by local authorities and sent to motorists through navigation systems, text messages and radio traffic reports.
There are multiple disincentives to driving in European cities, including limits on parking, congestion pricing, restrictions on cars in center cities, and decent public transit and bike infrastructure. Europe recognises that globally, emissions from transportation continue a relentless rise, with half of them coming from personal cars, and the EU has committed to cut down its emissions.
Zurich's planners take it a step ahead - to tame traffic, shorten the green-light periods and lengthen the red with the goal that pedestrians wait no more than 20 seconds to cross! Now can you imagine such a move in our Indian cities, and what would ensue? Decibel levels up as horns blare all around! And talk about disincentives to private vehicles, it will take a long long time. the market is booming, with India and China racing close to the US.
Monday, June 27, 2011
800 million, and still growing
An alien watching planet earth would see much the same activity we humans see around an anthill. With 800 million cars on the road zooming on the roads at any time, we do give a view of a frenetic civilisation running around most of the time!
According to experts, the time is not far away when all this zooming will come to a screeching halt. And no, we are not talking of peak oil here. But of gridlock. And who best to imagine such a situation than one who has 'contributed' in many ways to this? Bill Ford, the great grand child of Henry Ford, has an impressive talk on TED where he suggests some solutions to avoid traffic jams.
The number of automobiles will touch 4 bn by 2050. Even today the average Beijing-ite spends 5 hrs for the daily commute! China, a developing nation that has the second largest growth in automobiles, recently saw a traffic jam that took 11 days to clear!
Even if all the 4 bn vehicles are 'clean' traffic jams will remain jams. Imagine the state of ambulances caught in this mess. More deaths on the road, for sure.
As Bill sees it, the soultion is not in building more roads but in smart vehicle networks where cars 'talk' to each other and help divert vehicles and reduce jams. Not only this, various smart moves will be required if people need to be on the move towards progress and development. Of course, public transport will play a big role too with various modes playing in symphony.
Any smart ideas?
According to experts, the time is not far away when all this zooming will come to a screeching halt. And no, we are not talking of peak oil here. But of gridlock. And who best to imagine such a situation than one who has 'contributed' in many ways to this? Bill Ford, the great grand child of Henry Ford, has an impressive talk on TED where he suggests some solutions to avoid traffic jams.
The number of automobiles will touch 4 bn by 2050. Even today the average Beijing-ite spends 5 hrs for the daily commute! China, a developing nation that has the second largest growth in automobiles, recently saw a traffic jam that took 11 days to clear!
Even if all the 4 bn vehicles are 'clean' traffic jams will remain jams. Imagine the state of ambulances caught in this mess. More deaths on the road, for sure.
As Bill sees it, the soultion is not in building more roads but in smart vehicle networks where cars 'talk' to each other and help divert vehicles and reduce jams. Not only this, various smart moves will be required if people need to be on the move towards progress and development. Of course, public transport will play a big role too with various modes playing in symphony.
Any smart ideas?
Thursday, May 12, 2011
The Green fleet
More than 50 percent of the 64,000 new transit buses expected to arrive on roadways worldwide by 2015 will be fueled by alternative sources of energy, compared with 28 percent of new bus deliveries in 2010, according to a report by U.S.-based Pike Research.
The most significant growth will occur in North America and Asia, where more than 60 percent of all new buses will be powered with alternative fuels within five years. This is especially significant since the two regions together will represent nearly 70% of all new bus deliveries during that timeframe.
According to the report, hybrid electric buses will have the smallest impact on infrastructure since they usually use diesel fuel; while natural gas buses are less expensive, they require fueling stations. While the number of hydrogen fuel cell buses will continue to increase, their growth will be small compared with other alternative fuels because they require hydrogen refueling points.
Good news but then this is about the new vehicles added. Not all vehicles. Still, 32,000 is a sizeable number when you consider that transport sector comes second to power plants in emissions.
The most significant growth will occur in North America and Asia, where more than 60 percent of all new buses will be powered with alternative fuels within five years. This is especially significant since the two regions together will represent nearly 70% of all new bus deliveries during that timeframe.
According to the report, hybrid electric buses will have the smallest impact on infrastructure since they usually use diesel fuel; while natural gas buses are less expensive, they require fueling stations. While the number of hydrogen fuel cell buses will continue to increase, their growth will be small compared with other alternative fuels because they require hydrogen refueling points.
Good news but then this is about the new vehicles added. Not all vehicles. Still, 32,000 is a sizeable number when you consider that transport sector comes second to power plants in emissions.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The major culprits are big nations
When researchers looked at cities in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, they found low
emissions per person across the board. "This paper reminds us that it is the world's wealthiest cities and their wealthiest inhabitants that cause unsustainable levels of greenhouse gas emissions, not cities in general," said editor David Satterthwaite, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Environment and Development.
Most cities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America have low emissions per person. The challenge for them is to keep these emissions low even as their wealth grows.
Researchers examined data from 100 cities in 33 nations for clues about which were the biggest polluters and why, according to the report in the peer-reviewed journal Environment and Urbanization.
While cities across the world were to blame for around 71 percent of the world's
greenhouse-gas emissions, urban dwellers who can use public transportation rather than drive helped to lower per capita emissions in some cities.
For instance, the sprawling western U.S. city of Denver's per capita emissions were nearly double those in New York City, home to 8 million inhabitants and a heavily used subway system. This is mainly attributable to New York's greater density and much lower reliance on the automobile for commuting.
Time for thought.
emissions per person across the board. "This paper reminds us that it is the world's wealthiest cities and their wealthiest inhabitants that cause unsustainable levels of greenhouse gas emissions, not cities in general," said editor David Satterthwaite, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Environment and Development.
Most cities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America have low emissions per person. The challenge for them is to keep these emissions low even as their wealth grows.
Researchers examined data from 100 cities in 33 nations for clues about which were the biggest polluters and why, according to the report in the peer-reviewed journal Environment and Urbanization.
While cities across the world were to blame for around 71 percent of the world's
greenhouse-gas emissions, urban dwellers who can use public transportation rather than drive helped to lower per capita emissions in some cities.
For instance, the sprawling western U.S. city of Denver's per capita emissions were nearly double those in New York City, home to 8 million inhabitants and a heavily used subway system. This is mainly attributable to New York's greater density and much lower reliance on the automobile for commuting.
Time for thought.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Air travel as last resort
Germany's Chancellor Merkel has presented an austerity plan that includes an eco-tax on air travel. Advocates hope for new revenues of 1 billion euros from the eco-tax on air travel. The opposition claims the German government is using the environment as a lame excuse to raise taxes.
The proposal offers solidarity with Great Britain, which started air travel duties in 2007 and will raise the air tax significantly later this year. Although the details are not yet clear, it is expected that Germany will follow Britain's model, applying lower duties to shorter flights and penalizing long flights more severely, in relation to their higher emissions.
Is it a eco-tax or merely a way of tapping extra revenue? As the airlines point out (correctly) taking a modern plane is more fuel efficient than driving alone in a car. Is it really necessary to discourage flying?The problem with flying is that the emissions are released high in the atmosphere, where they can cause more problems than an equal amount of emissions from a car on the ground. Furthermore, this overlooks the option of train travel.
Should air travel be the last resort or be treated as a form of mass transport? Will such move merely divert traffic to other nations, or to people taking many short flights instead of one long flight? How else can we price externalities into air travel which is a concern for climate change issues?
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Pure fantasy?
While on the subject of vehicles, let us take a look at EVs or electric vehicles – the alternative for polluting petrol/diesel vehicles. True, they have limited range, acceleration and a long recharge time but they eliminate urban pollution. They also have smaller carbon footprint, given that the electricity to power the batteries comes from a mix of sources like thermal, hydro, nuclear and renewables.
But on the matter of price, opinions differ. Proponents claim to save more money avoiding petrol and lubricants than on replacement cost of batteries. Battery technology still is backward in most places and the claims of performance of Evs are pure fantasy, according to the Institution of Engineering and Technology. Citing the examples of Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf which is capable of travelling more than 360 miles (576 km)on one tank of fuel, the researchers said, for an electric car to offer a similar level of performance, the batteries alone would weigh 1.5 tonnes. Batteries run out in two years incurring heavy expenses.
But range and speed are not the only considerations, surely? Why can’t EVs be the vehicle of choice for short-distance commuting? Why not club some other attractive features to make the EV a better choice? Any ideas?
But on the matter of price, opinions differ. Proponents claim to save more money avoiding petrol and lubricants than on replacement cost of batteries. Battery technology still is backward in most places and the claims of performance of Evs are pure fantasy, according to the Institution of Engineering and Technology. Citing the examples of Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf which is capable of travelling more than 360 miles (576 km)on one tank of fuel, the researchers said, for an electric car to offer a similar level of performance, the batteries alone would weigh 1.5 tonnes. Batteries run out in two years incurring heavy expenses.
But range and speed are not the only considerations, surely? Why can’t EVs be the vehicle of choice for short-distance commuting? Why not club some other attractive features to make the EV a better choice? Any ideas?
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Bring on the bicycles
The WorldWatch has some interesting points on the merits of cycling!
A bicycle commuter who rides four miles to work, five days a week, avoids [...] about 2,000 pounds of CO2 emissions, each year."
... countries with the highest levels of cycling have the lowest levels of cycling fatalities.
..some 700,000 car trips in Lyon, and 2,160,000 in Paris, are foregone each year because of bike-sharing.
In the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany in particular, a number of cities boast cycling rates of greater than 20 percent, and even 30 percent, of urban trips (compared with about 1 percent of trips in most U.S. and Australian cities).
Bicycling uses 35 calories (of energy intensity) per passenger mile, compared to 1,860 calories for a single person driving a car. That's 53 time less energy required to cover the same distance.
... a bicycle can increase a person's travel capacity (a combination of speed and payload) by at least five time over that of walking.
Finally, 100 bicycles can be manufactured for the energy and materials it takes to build a medium-sized car!
Now, is that a good reason why more of us should start demanding bicycle lanes in our cities instead of ever-widening roads catering to ever-increasing numbers of automobiles?
A bicycle commuter who rides four miles to work, five days a week, avoids [...] about 2,000 pounds of CO2 emissions, each year."
... countries with the highest levels of cycling have the lowest levels of cycling fatalities.
..some 700,000 car trips in Lyon, and 2,160,000 in Paris, are foregone each year because of bike-sharing.
In the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany in particular, a number of cities boast cycling rates of greater than 20 percent, and even 30 percent, of urban trips (compared with about 1 percent of trips in most U.S. and Australian cities).
Bicycling uses 35 calories (of energy intensity) per passenger mile, compared to 1,860 calories for a single person driving a car. That's 53 time less energy required to cover the same distance.
... a bicycle can increase a person's travel capacity (a combination of speed and payload) by at least five time over that of walking.
Finally, 100 bicycles can be manufactured for the energy and materials it takes to build a medium-sized car!
Now, is that a good reason why more of us should start demanding bicycle lanes in our cities instead of ever-widening roads catering to ever-increasing numbers of automobiles?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Cheers to Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad has done Gujarat and India and developing nations proud again. This time by winning the 2010 Sustainable Transport Award. By adopting eco-friendly transit solutions like the Bus Rapid Transit, it has helped increase mobility for residents while reducing emissions and pollution.
The five other nominees were Cali, Colombia; Curitiba, Brazil; Guadalajara, Mexico; and Johannesburg, South Africa.
City residents have embraced their new BRT system; 18,000 daily passengers use Janmarg to commute to work, to school and elsewhere. In just a few months of operation, Janmarg has transformed the delivery of transit in Ahmedabad.
Bus stations feature passive solar design, an inexpensive way to keep stations naturally cool. The city is making continued efforts to be a leader in sustainable transport, including incorporating high-quality pedestrian facilities in some corridors, as well as bicycle lanes. Ahmedabad has initiated car-free days and recently announced more. Three cheers!
While on cycling, let us hear what Nobel laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan (seen in the picture above) has to say. “The perception that cycling is a slow way of commuting is bogus and the idea that increased car ownership is a sign of progress is silly.”
The Nobel laureate's only vehicle has just two wheels. "I get to exercise every day, regardless of whether I take time out to exercise or not... You get up in the morning and you go on a bicycle; [when you get] to work, you are awake and not stressed out. At the end of the day, by the time you go home, you are fully relaxed. It is a great lifestyle."
"The whole world is running out of gasoline. There is global warming and all sorts of reasons that you need to be concerned about. Apart from that, people are stressed out; you always have to be alert [when driving]... Cycling is enjoyable and it is fun. But unfortunately, it cannot co-exist with so much traffic."
Read more on the link attached on reasons why the scientist advocates cycling, and what he thinks the Indian government needs to do, but here’s a question for you: Is owning a car a status symbol for you or not?
Would you take a bus if your city had a lane dedicated for buses alone? (Imagine buses zooming along as you remain stuck in the car lane!) Any ideas on why a BRT succeeds in Ahmedabad and fails in a Delhi or Pune?
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Car-free towns
Vauban in Germany is one of the largest car-free neighbourhoods in Europe, home to more than 5,000 people. If you own a car here, you must buy a space in a multi-storey car park on the edge of the district. Vehicles are allowed down the residential streets at walking pace to pick up and deliver, but not to park. Streets have been taken over by kids as young as four or five, playing, skating and unicycling without direct supervision.
Most of the European car-free areas prevent vehicles from entering the streets where people live. Exceptions are made for emergency vehicles and removals vans but not for normal deliveries, which are made on foot, trolley or cycle trailer. Cycling is a vital means of transport.
That seems a contrast from cities in developing nations where everybody is on a car-buying spree. More cars on the road, and most single occupants, mean roads to be widened and that means trees face the axe! Cities are beginning to look like desert landscapes. Goes without saying car-free cities/towns will need certain infrastructure in place.
More of the metal story follows. India is drowning under 4,20,000 tons of e-waste a year which is growing at 10-15 percent a year. Pollution control officials says there are only six regular recycling units in India, with an annual capacity of 27,000 tonnes.
Without recycling facilities that can handle the loads of e-waste that need to be process,97% of the waste gets recycled in hazardous conditions, where workers are exposed to toxins like barium, cadmium, copper and lead.
Health conditions apart, the problem points to a scenario where too many new and unnecessary gadgets keep pouring into the market place, displacing old but perfectly usable gadgets pouring into dumps and recycling facilities!
The fancy with gadgets is all too visible with the middle class joining the upper classes. Lessons in recycling and reducing waste are yet to pick up in the collective consciousness. Perhaps nothing short of a movement can address the problem.
Are you doing something in your community?
Most of the European car-free areas prevent vehicles from entering the streets where people live. Exceptions are made for emergency vehicles and removals vans but not for normal deliveries, which are made on foot, trolley or cycle trailer. Cycling is a vital means of transport.
That seems a contrast from cities in developing nations where everybody is on a car-buying spree. More cars on the road, and most single occupants, mean roads to be widened and that means trees face the axe! Cities are beginning to look like desert landscapes. Goes without saying car-free cities/towns will need certain infrastructure in place.
More of the metal story follows. India is drowning under 4,20,000 tons of e-waste a year which is growing at 10-15 percent a year. Pollution control officials says there are only six regular recycling units in India, with an annual capacity of 27,000 tonnes.
Without recycling facilities that can handle the loads of e-waste that need to be process,97% of the waste gets recycled in hazardous conditions, where workers are exposed to toxins like barium, cadmium, copper and lead.
Health conditions apart, the problem points to a scenario where too many new and unnecessary gadgets keep pouring into the market place, displacing old but perfectly usable gadgets pouring into dumps and recycling facilities!
The fancy with gadgets is all too visible with the middle class joining the upper classes. Lessons in recycling and reducing waste are yet to pick up in the collective consciousness. Perhaps nothing short of a movement can address the problem.
Are you doing something in your community?
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Acceleration mode
Between January and July of 2009, Beijing streets were graced with an 1,231 additional cars per day on average, according to the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau. All those new cars add up to an additional 261,000 vehicles -- the vast majority of which are private cars. This is a 9% increase from the same period last year.This is actually a decrease from the last time we learned of Beijing rapidly expanding: In the first 45 days of 2009 some 1,466 cars were being added to the already crowded streets.
Meanwhile, in what could be seen as a related study, severe air pollution in China’s heavily industrialized east is impeding the formation of rain clouds and contributing to a drought in northern China.
The study, which looked at rainfall and pollution patterns for the past 50 years, concluded that pollution has reduced the number of days of light rain in eastern China by 23 percent. Atmospheric scientist Yun Qian of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory said that the large number of aerosols in China’s polluted skies has led to the formation of rain droplets that are up to 50 percent smaller than rain droplets in clean skies.
The smaller droplets do not as readily form rain clouds, which means that lighter rainfalls valuable to agriculture — ranging from a drizzle to accumulations of .4 inch per day — are occurring less frequently, according to the study, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres.
This is an area that is largely debated just like the role of aerosols in climate change. Do cities with their attendant fog and pollution and urban heat island effects induce rain or not? However there can be no doubts on the effect of adding so many vehicles to the road per day! How long before peak oil hits the automobile lobby? Meanwhile, it pays to make merry on sales today, right?
Friday, July 24, 2009
'Cheap' hydrogen-fuelled bus
Sao Paulo in southern Brazil has launched the first hydrogen-fuelled bus in Latin America – claimed to be the first step towards environmentally sustainable public transport of the future. The project is supported by public, private and international sponsors like the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Unlike a diesel engine, in which fossil fuels are burned, combining with oxygen to produce energy and carbon dioxide – the main greenhouse gas - a hydrogen-powered motor relies on an electrochemical reaction where water is the only byproduct. The bus wheels are driven by traction motors fuelled by the electrical energy from this reaction. Hydrogen fuel is stored in tanks on the upper part of the bus.
A traditional diesel bus travelling the same route and distance as the hydrogen bus uses an average of 270 litres of diesel a day, or one litre per kilometer.
In contrast, the hydrogen bus has an energy efficiency of 90 percent, equivalent to 900 grams of hydrogen gas per kilometre. The other 10 percent is recycled and reused within the vehicle's system.
Brazil is one of five countries in the world that have mastered this technology along with the United States, China, Germany and Japan. But the bus made in Brazil, one of only 78 in the world, is the cheapest. It can be used alongwith electric batteries to supplement the hydrogen. Even the heat produced during braking is captured and stored in the batteries, enhancing fuel economy.
While a diesel bus has a useful life of five to eight years, a hydrogen bus will last an average of 20 years.
All that is fine but when you think of the fact that hydrogen is only a carrier of energy and not a source, questions arise on how it is produced. For the hybrid bus, hydrogen will be made by electrolysis, by passing electric current through water.
The claim of the company, that hydrogen can be made wherever water and electricity is available, is exactly the point. There is an amount of input electricity that is necessary. What is the EROEI? That should be studied. Any answers?
Unlike a diesel engine, in which fossil fuels are burned, combining with oxygen to produce energy and carbon dioxide – the main greenhouse gas - a hydrogen-powered motor relies on an electrochemical reaction where water is the only byproduct. The bus wheels are driven by traction motors fuelled by the electrical energy from this reaction. Hydrogen fuel is stored in tanks on the upper part of the bus.
A traditional diesel bus travelling the same route and distance as the hydrogen bus uses an average of 270 litres of diesel a day, or one litre per kilometer.
In contrast, the hydrogen bus has an energy efficiency of 90 percent, equivalent to 900 grams of hydrogen gas per kilometre. The other 10 percent is recycled and reused within the vehicle's system.
Brazil is one of five countries in the world that have mastered this technology along with the United States, China, Germany and Japan. But the bus made in Brazil, one of only 78 in the world, is the cheapest. It can be used alongwith electric batteries to supplement the hydrogen. Even the heat produced during braking is captured and stored in the batteries, enhancing fuel economy.
While a diesel bus has a useful life of five to eight years, a hydrogen bus will last an average of 20 years.
All that is fine but when you think of the fact that hydrogen is only a carrier of energy and not a source, questions arise on how it is produced. For the hybrid bus, hydrogen will be made by electrolysis, by passing electric current through water.
The claim of the company, that hydrogen can be made wherever water and electricity is available, is exactly the point. There is an amount of input electricity that is necessary. What is the EROEI? That should be studied. Any answers?
PS: Meanwhile, the world’s cheapest and most fuel efficient cars marketed towards developing economies, Tata’s Nano is stepping into foreign shores. Fiat and Tata have announced plans to market the car in South America.
The car also recently passed European safety standards and will start being sold there in 2011. It is capable of an incredible 23.6km/litre (55.5 mpg) and ultra-low carbon emissions of 101 g/km, one of the lowest in India.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
More wide roads and few trees
It is the same story whether being played out in Sao Paulo or Bangalore. Massive felling of trees make way for wider roads that can carry more cars which can cruise at greater speeds. A few people protest but for a majority it is just another ‘development’ work. Is it?
The environmental community in Sao Paulo is protesting over a project to improve traffic that is taking over thousands of trees at the margins of the Tiete river (see pic).
Dersa, company responsible for the works, states that the environmental compensation will cover the trees taken down and that the project is complementary with the other. By introducing three more lines of cars for 23 kms, 25 percent of traffic jams will be reduced and hence, save 1.5 milion litres of petrol a year, says the government. Even if it means 1500 ancient trees have to go.
In Bangalore too, every day sees tree hackers at work on some road that needs widening. Now it is the Adugodi-Madivala stretch where huge trees are being reduced to logs.
The environmental community in Sao Paulo is protesting over a project to improve traffic that is taking over thousands of trees at the margins of the Tiete river (see pic).
Dersa, company responsible for the works, states that the environmental compensation will cover the trees taken down and that the project is complementary with the other. By introducing three more lines of cars for 23 kms, 25 percent of traffic jams will be reduced and hence, save 1.5 milion litres of petrol a year, says the government. Even if it means 1500 ancient trees have to go.
In Bangalore too, every day sees tree hackers at work on some road that needs widening. Now it is the Adugodi-Madivala stretch where huge trees are being reduced to logs.
Sure, choked streets require respite but does the solution lie in making room for more traffic? Or looking at ways in which to reduce the number of vehicles on the road – like cities of Curitiba and Bogota have shown.
Can compensation by way of planting new saplings really compensate? And how well are these saplings nourished and sustained into adult plants? Very seldom. Does anyone think about the oxygen we lose with the loss of trees?
In Curitiba, Brazil, and Bogota, Colombia, much relief was possible by encouraging public transit. But this means that governments need to be immune to car lobbies. Can they?
Look at the advantages of bus rapid transit (which is a ‘metro’ of sorts for the bus.) BRT reduces smog and traffic. Bogotá’s TransMilenio has made life easy in the city and more livable: A 40-percent drop in air pollutants was reported in the first year of the system’s use, and average travel times were 32 percent shorter.
The system also reduces greenhouse gases by introducing fewer, cleaner buses and coaxing people from their cars. By removing 7,000 small private buses, TransMilenio has allowed Bogotٔá to reduce its emissions by more than 59 percent since the system’s opening in 2001.
Global emissions linked to transportation are set to double by 2030. Eighty percent of this growth will come from the developing world, where major cities are already struggling to provide mobility to their exploding populations. China with more than 30 projects on way shows it has recognized this fact. In India, the government is struggling with a couple of pilot projects.
Political will has to play a stronger role.
Share your thoughts.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Mercurial unision?
Obama's administration has come out in favor of a new international treaty to control mercury pollution. With the US on board, China and India followed suit, and they paved the way for over 140 countries to agree to negotiate a legal binding treaty that could reduce mercury pollution around the world.
The agreement was announced at a high profile UN meeting in Nairobi. The agreement marked an end to a 7 year effort to formally address the mercury issue. Negotiations had largely been stalled because the Bush Administration had blocked them. Achim Steiner, the Director of the UN's Environmental Program, said the US's move helped turn the tide.
With mercury pollution still on the rise, this agreement came at a crucial time. Mercury is a dangerous toxin that can cause neurological damage when exposed to children. Obviously, this spells more bad news for coal burning thermal plants that are worst generators of mercury. Hopefully the technology that will need to be implemented will be forthcoming at affordable costs to the developing world.
Just goes to show how much can be achieved if the rich north leads by example. Hopefully like the Montreal protocol which was effective in alleviating the ozone hole problem, this one too will have its success story to show in a few years.
Meanwhile, the much awaited $787 billion stimulus bill announced by Obama apportions $8 billion in high speed rail system and modernizing and revitalizing railroads. This is being seen as a move that will relieve congestion, conserve energy, prevent pollution and improve accessibility.
Indian Railways is the largest rail network in Asia and the world’s second largest under a single management. Covering over 1 lakh kilometers, it runs some 11,000 trains everyday. Now what prevents improving accessibility and speed on some of these tracks? (Forget any stimulus in our desi budget. At least we can pick some useful tips.)
For instance, in the case of the new Bangalore international airport, with so many crores poured into underpasses and Volvo buses, how come the fact that a railway line going all the way very close to the airport, was not made use of? Kuala Lumpur has a very efficient rail network connecting the 70 odd kms between the airport and the city.
But there is a cultural side to our preferences to commute. How many prefer to car pool or take a bus to work. Very few, as revealed by a survey. And this is not as much about convenience as it is about status! Will high speed trains and a metro mean fewer cars on the roads? Not really, believe many who say that those traveling by bus may shift to the metro, not the car commuters.
How does one change attitudes? Any answers? Will recession do it?
The agreement was announced at a high profile UN meeting in Nairobi. The agreement marked an end to a 7 year effort to formally address the mercury issue. Negotiations had largely been stalled because the Bush Administration had blocked them. Achim Steiner, the Director of the UN's Environmental Program, said the US's move helped turn the tide.
With mercury pollution still on the rise, this agreement came at a crucial time. Mercury is a dangerous toxin that can cause neurological damage when exposed to children. Obviously, this spells more bad news for coal burning thermal plants that are worst generators of mercury. Hopefully the technology that will need to be implemented will be forthcoming at affordable costs to the developing world.
Just goes to show how much can be achieved if the rich north leads by example. Hopefully like the Montreal protocol which was effective in alleviating the ozone hole problem, this one too will have its success story to show in a few years.
Meanwhile, the much awaited $787 billion stimulus bill announced by Obama apportions $8 billion in high speed rail system and modernizing and revitalizing railroads. This is being seen as a move that will relieve congestion, conserve energy, prevent pollution and improve accessibility.
Indian Railways is the largest rail network in Asia and the world’s second largest under a single management. Covering over 1 lakh kilometers, it runs some 11,000 trains everyday. Now what prevents improving accessibility and speed on some of these tracks? (Forget any stimulus in our desi budget. At least we can pick some useful tips.)
For instance, in the case of the new Bangalore international airport, with so many crores poured into underpasses and Volvo buses, how come the fact that a railway line going all the way very close to the airport, was not made use of? Kuala Lumpur has a very efficient rail network connecting the 70 odd kms between the airport and the city.
But there is a cultural side to our preferences to commute. How many prefer to car pool or take a bus to work. Very few, as revealed by a survey. And this is not as much about convenience as it is about status! Will high speed trains and a metro mean fewer cars on the roads? Not really, believe many who say that those traveling by bus may shift to the metro, not the car commuters.
How does one change attitudes? Any answers? Will recession do it?
Friday, October 24, 2008
Each to his own
It may be no exaggeration to say that our cities could soon have more vehicles than humans. If you have the time, just stand and watch the traffic on the roads and you are sure to see the ‘traffic beast’ grow in strength every day.
Everywhere in India’s major cities, private vehicles have taken over the road. Congestion has peaked. Despite city governments adding road width and flyovers, the time it takes to drive has increased. Bangalore has over 2.5 million private vehicles but city buses number only about 4,185. Since 2003, more than 400,000 private vehicles are added to its roads every year, while the number of city buses increased by only about 300.
In a telling and indicting survey taken recently among car-owning Bangaloreans, it was shown that fuel conservation or any related climate concerns hardly bothered many. Covering those who earned between Rs 20-40,000 per month, only 22% of those polled have practiced car pooling. There is also not much to look forward to on that front; almost half (47%) the respondents said they are ‘comfortable traveling alone’. Not many are trying / willing to try public transport either. More than 50% have not even thought of using Public Transport services. Reasons cited included over crowded buses, poor frequency, poor quality of buses etc. At the same time, 43% are not willing try Public Transport even if service standards ‘improve’.
A study by the ministry of urban development has found the share of public transport declined between 1994 and 2007 in all cities except Kochi, where it is 51 per cent. The irony is that private vehicles meet only 20 per cent of the travel demand, public transport buses meet 60 per cent of the city’s travel demand. The study projects a significant decline in public transport and sharp increase in private vehicles in the future, especially in the metros.
Forget incentives to public transport, there actually are disincentives. With an excise duty which was more than for cars till recently, and is now on par that for small cars, public transport is burdened with passenger tax, etc. The road tax is three times that for cars and unlike the latter’s case where it is a one-time tax, for public transport is slapped annually! In fact, CSE has been campaigning against this step-motherly treatment of public transport since some time.
There is cause for concern here. Not only in terms of greenhouse gas emissions but also pollution related health. Transport sector accounts for nearly 22 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, and of this 74 percent by road sector, according to International Energy Agency.
In a first of its kind study, the greenhouse gas inventory for Bangalore’s transport sector prepared by Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and Enzen Global Solutions, had placed the annual emission figure for the city at 2.2 million tones. This is poised to cross 4 million tones in the next ten years, the study projected.
Now in a continuation of the study, the inventory for seven other southern districts has been prepared. While emissions are lower compared to Bangalore, the trend is disturbing. Mysore and Bangalore Rural boast of emission figures between 0.2 to 0.3 million tones. A majority of the districts show increase in number of cars and jeeps, indicating a clear shift to private transport!
Is this the right direction to take?
Allow your citizens to have the right to spend money as they want, whether it be in buying SUVs or high energy embodied homes. But the least a wise government should do is to smoothen the road for public transport.
A differential pricing for diesel which was made cheap to cater to public transport, but now being increasingly used by big cars; dedicated bus lanes; more buses; congestion charge as collected in London on private vehicles, etc can easily tilt the balance in favour of public transport.
As the world shrinks further and further into a small village, the unfortunate tendency is that the human race is withdrawing into smaller, narrower units. Who knows, traveling together may forge new bonds!
Everywhere in India’s major cities, private vehicles have taken over the road. Congestion has peaked. Despite city governments adding road width and flyovers, the time it takes to drive has increased. Bangalore has over 2.5 million private vehicles but city buses number only about 4,185. Since 2003, more than 400,000 private vehicles are added to its roads every year, while the number of city buses increased by only about 300.
In a telling and indicting survey taken recently among car-owning Bangaloreans, it was shown that fuel conservation or any related climate concerns hardly bothered many. Covering those who earned between Rs 20-40,000 per month, only 22% of those polled have practiced car pooling. There is also not much to look forward to on that front; almost half (47%) the respondents said they are ‘comfortable traveling alone’. Not many are trying / willing to try public transport either. More than 50% have not even thought of using Public Transport services. Reasons cited included over crowded buses, poor frequency, poor quality of buses etc. At the same time, 43% are not willing try Public Transport even if service standards ‘improve’.
A study by the ministry of urban development has found the share of public transport declined between 1994 and 2007 in all cities except Kochi, where it is 51 per cent. The irony is that private vehicles meet only 20 per cent of the travel demand, public transport buses meet 60 per cent of the city’s travel demand. The study projects a significant decline in public transport and sharp increase in private vehicles in the future, especially in the metros.
Forget incentives to public transport, there actually are disincentives. With an excise duty which was more than for cars till recently, and is now on par that for small cars, public transport is burdened with passenger tax, etc. The road tax is three times that for cars and unlike the latter’s case where it is a one-time tax, for public transport is slapped annually! In fact, CSE has been campaigning against this step-motherly treatment of public transport since some time.
There is cause for concern here. Not only in terms of greenhouse gas emissions but also pollution related health. Transport sector accounts for nearly 22 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, and of this 74 percent by road sector, according to International Energy Agency.
In a first of its kind study, the greenhouse gas inventory for Bangalore’s transport sector prepared by Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and Enzen Global Solutions, had placed the annual emission figure for the city at 2.2 million tones. This is poised to cross 4 million tones in the next ten years, the study projected.
Now in a continuation of the study, the inventory for seven other southern districts has been prepared. While emissions are lower compared to Bangalore, the trend is disturbing. Mysore and Bangalore Rural boast of emission figures between 0.2 to 0.3 million tones. A majority of the districts show increase in number of cars and jeeps, indicating a clear shift to private transport!
Is this the right direction to take?
Allow your citizens to have the right to spend money as they want, whether it be in buying SUVs or high energy embodied homes. But the least a wise government should do is to smoothen the road for public transport.
A differential pricing for diesel which was made cheap to cater to public transport, but now being increasingly used by big cars; dedicated bus lanes; more buses; congestion charge as collected in London on private vehicles, etc can easily tilt the balance in favour of public transport.
As the world shrinks further and further into a small village, the unfortunate tendency is that the human race is withdrawing into smaller, narrower units. Who knows, traveling together may forge new bonds!
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