Important Innovations

  New Hydrogen Powered Internal Combustion Engine                                                  Source:  Toyota Toyota's Portfolio of Green Automotive Technologies Toyota is developing an experimental hydrogen car.  The GR Yaris internal combustion engine in the Toyota Corolla Sport has been converted to run on hydrogen.  Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda has driven and even raced the green vehicle.  He believes the development of this hydrogen powered engine technology could keep internal combustion engines on the road and running in a carbon free world by being fueled with clean hydrogen not carbon emissions producing gas.  CEO Toyoda also believes this technology could save millions of automotive jobs. Near Zero Emissions Driving The Toyota chief executive feels that carbon is the enemy of the environment not the internal combustion engine.  Using hydrogen to fuel the Toyota Corolla Sport experimental car keeps emissions very close to zero.  Currently, a small amount of the engine burns

  Musk Offers $100 M Prize For Best Carbon Capture Technology                                                  Source:  Greenhouse Gas Emissions Stock Image                                      Source: Elon Musk Stock Image Global Competition & Need Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk is offering a $100 million prize for the best new carbon capture technology.  Capturing greenhouse gas emissions is a key component of tackling Climate Change.  But very little progress has been made on the technology to date.  The International Energy Agency says taking carbon out the the air is an essential component for reaching net-zero emissions targets. Entrepreneurial Challenge Elon Musk has become the #1 & #2 richest person in the world from his many entrepreneurial successes.  He founded and is CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.  He announced the $100 million competition on Twitter.  He promised more details on the challenge this week.  Meanwhile, President Joe Biden is a

  Chevron & Carbon Capture Technology                                                                           Source:  Oil Refinery Stock Image Blue Planet US major oil company Chevron disclosed that it is investing in San Jose, CA based Blue Planet Systems Company.  Blue Planet is a startup that develops and manufactures carbon capture technology.  The technology cuts the carbon output of industrial processes in order to reduce their carbon footprint.  Chevron is making the investment through its Future Energy Fund. The Fund focuses on new, innovative lower carbon technologies being developed by startups that can scale up commercially.  The two companies plan to collaborate on pilot projects with the new carbon capture technology in certain locations.  Chevron did not disclose the amount of  the investment. Big Oil Looking For Low Carbon Solutions Chevron is a traditional fossil fuel energy company.  It and other major oil companies are under growing pressure from investors to c

 CA's   Boost to Electric Vehicles Along With 15 Nations                                                            Source:  VW VW Unveils New Electric SUV In California by 2035, new, gasoline powered cars will not be allowed to be sold.  California Governor Gavin Newsome just signed an executive order to that effect.  At least one major Detroit automaker is cheering the move.  Ford says it is proud to stand by California.  Ford is in the process of electrifying its biggest brands including the F-150 pickup truck and the iconic Mustang Mach E. VW ID4 Meanwhile, Volkswagen has just unveiled a new, all-electric SUV for the US market.  The ID4 is priced just under $40,000 and has a range on a single charge of 250 miles.  Governor Newsome's order coincides with that of 15 nations that have similar goals of banning gas powered cars and supporting clean, green travel vehicles.  It demonstrates that government regulations and the heavy financial investments that global automakers have

BMW Demands Renewable Energy Batteries Source:  BMW iNEXT Smart Battery, Green Power German automaker BMW has taken a very strong, green power position.  CEO Oliver Zipse says BMW electric cars will use battery cells produced by using renewable energy.  This decision by BMW will compel big global battery suppliers to use non-coal generated electricity.  Mr. Zipse says he has contractual agreements with their battery cell manufacturers to use only green power to make BMW's 5th generation battery cells. BMW's New Lineup of Electric Vehicles BMW is launching a new lineup of electric vehicles.  They're launching the electric BMW iX3 this year and the BMW iNEXT and BMW i4 in 2021.  BMW estimates the use of green battery power in their electric vehicles will save 10 million tons of CO2 over the next decade.  That is the equivalent of carbon dioxide emissions produced by a city of more than one million people.

BP, Shell, Total Target Carbon-Free Oil Platforms Source:  North Sea Oil Platform Petition Norway for Green Electricity There's yet another sign that big oil is making an effort to go green and use renewable energy.  BP, Shell and Total have petitioned the government of Norway to connect some of their oil platforms in the North Sea to Norway's power grid.  The oil companies want to reduce their carbon emissions by electrifying the platforms with energy generated by wind and hydro power. Underwater Cable Connections The offshore platforms in the North Sea could be connected to the grid by a 300 kilometer underwater cable. BP says electrifying the platforms would significantly reduce carbon emissions. Norway generates electricity primarily from wind and hydro power. Electrifying the oil platforms would replace fossil fuel energy with carbon free energy. Green Moves This week, the new CEO of BP Bernard Looney said that BP will radically cut carbon emissions and

British Petroleum Goes Green - "Reimagining Energy" Commitment Source:  BP Aggressive Commitment to Eliminate or Offset Carbon Emissions Big oil is at the epicenter and the primary cause of global climate change.  So it is major news when the British oil giant BP promises to eliminate or offset all carbon emissions from its operations and from the products it sells globally by 2050. This is the most radical strategic position that BP has taken in its 111 year global oil and gas history. They call their commitment "Reimagining Energy". The question being asked by many around the world is:  How is BP going to do it? Huge Amounts of Carbon Emissions Yearly The amount of toxic carbon emissions that BP is committing to eliminate is huge.  Every year, 55 million metric tons of carbon emissions spew into the atmosphere from BP operations. That amount is dwarfed by carbon emissions from BP customers using their energy products.  Global BP produ