Articles tagged with "climate-impact"
The LNG Detour: What Scotland's New Ferry Teaches US - CleanTechnica
The article discusses Scotland’s Glen Sannox ferry, launched as the country’s first “green” ferry designed to run on dual fuels—marine diesel and liquefied natural gas (LNG)—with the goal of reducing emissions and improving local air quality on the mainland-Arran route. Despite its green intentions, the project has faced significant challenges, including a decade-long delay, escalating costs, and technical issues. The ferry only entered service in January 2025, ten years after its initial order in 2015. Meanwhile, recent research, notably the ICCT’s 2024 FUMES study, revealed that methane slip (unburned methane emissions) from LNG engines is significantly higher than previously estimated, casting doubt on the ferry’s climate benefits. CalMac’s analysis shows Glen Sannox emits about 10,391 tons of CO2 equivalent annually, approximately 35% more than the older diesel ferry it replaced, the Caledonian Isles, which emits 7,
energyLNGclean-energymaritime-transportemissionsclimate-impactdual-fuel-enginesHow Much Are Non-Electric Vehicle Sales Dropping Globally? - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica discusses the challenges and variability in assessing the global decline in non-electric (internal combustion engine, ICE) vehicle sales amid rising electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Using data from José Pontes and other sources, the article highlights differing estimates of how much ICE vehicle sales have dropped between July 2024 and July 2025. One analysis suggests a significant decline of over 8 million ICE vehicles annually, while other data comparisons show either a modest decrease of around 69,000 to 342,000 units or even a slight increase in fossil fuel vehicle sales during the same period. These discrepancies stem from the difficulty of collecting consistent global vehicle sales data across many countries and sources. The article underscores that while EV sales are clearly growing, the exact rate at which non-electric vehicle sales are falling remains uncertain due to data inconsistencies. The author expresses interest in further exploring these challenges with José Pontes, who has extensive experience in automotive market analysis. Overall, the piece emphasizes the
energyelectric-vehiclesautomotive-industryclean-technologyvehicle-sales-trendsclimate-impactfossil-fuel-alternativesAbandoned coal borehole leaks methane equivalent to 10,000 cars
A single abandoned coal exploration borehole in rural Queensland, Australia, has been identified as a significant methane “super-emitter,” releasing approximately 235 tonnes of methane annually—equivalent to the climate impact of 10,000 new cars each driving 12,000 kilometers per year. Researchers from the University of Queensland used advanced Quantum Gas LiDAR technology to conduct the first long-term methane emission measurements from such a borehole, which is about 100 meters deep and located in the Surat Basin. The borehole, drilled around twenty years ago and covered by dirt, was detected partly due to the absence of grass growth around it, indicating leakage. This discovery raises concerns that thousands of similar abandoned boreholes across Queensland—estimated at around 130,000—may also be leaking methane, though the extent and sealing quality of these holes remain largely unknown. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a warming effect approximately 80 times stronger than carbon dioxide over 20 years, making these emissions a significant but
energymethane-emissionscoal-boreholesgreenhouse-gasesclimate-impactLiDAR-technologyenvironmental-monitoringHeat Waves — U.S. Electricity Peak Demand Set New Records Twice in July - CleanTechnica
In late July 2025, electricity demand in the contiguous United States reached record highs on two consecutive days, driven primarily by intense heat waves that increased cooling needs. On July 28, the coincident peak demand hit 758,053 megawatts (MW) between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, followed by an even higher peak of 759,180 MW on July 29. This latter figure surpassed the previous record set on July 15, 2024, which was 745,020 MW, marking a 1.9% increase. The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts that electricity demand served by the power sector will grow at just over 2% annually through 2025 and 2026. Growth is expected to be particularly strong in regions with expanding data centers and manufacturing, such as Texas and Northern Virginia. The reported coincident peak demand reflects a simultaneous snapshot across the entire Lower 48 states, though
energyelectricity-demandpeak-loadUS-energy-gridpower-sectorenergy-forecastclimate-impactNuclear war could starve world, wipe out 87% of global corn: Study
A recent study from Penn State highlights the devastating impact a nuclear winter could have on global corn production, potentially triggering catastrophic worldwide famine. The research modeled six nuclear war scenarios with varying soot injections into the atmosphere, simulating corn yields across 38,572 locations. A regional nuclear war injecting about 5.5 million tons of soot could reduce global corn production by 7%, severely straining food security. In contrast, a large-scale global nuclear war releasing 165 million tons of soot could slash corn yields by 80%. Additionally, the destruction of the ozone layer would increase harmful UV-B radiation, further damaging crops and potentially driving total corn production losses to 87% in the worst-case scenario. The study utilized the Cycles agroecosystem model to simulate crop growth and accounted for the combined effects of reduced sunlight, lower temperatures, and increased UV-B radiation. The researchers also proposed a potential mitigation strategy involving “agricultural resilience kits” containing region-specific, cold-adapted, fast-growing
energynuclear-waragricultureclimate-impactfood-securityenvironmental-sciencecrop-productionSlow Down, Cool Down: Reducing Methane From Coastal Shipping - CleanTechnica
The article highlights a recently recognized source of methane emissions linked to large ships operating in shallow coastal waters. Research shows that vessels with draughts over nine meters traveling faster than 12 knots can disturb organic-rich seabed sediments, releasing methane—a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 82.5 times that of CO₂ over 20 years. Field measurements near Neva Bay, Russia, confirmed measurable methane release caused by such ship activity. While oceanic cargo ships mostly transit deep waters and thus generate negligible methane emissions from sediment disturbance, large coastal vessels like cruise ships, roll-on/roll-off (roro), and ropax ferries frequently operate in shallow, sediment-rich zones, making their methane emissions more significant. The article also notes that dredging in major ports disturbs methane-rich sediments, causing episodic methane releases, but these events are infrequent and minor compared to the overall maritime carbon footprint. Although methane emissions from coastal shipping and dredging are currently small relative to the billion
energymethane-emissionscoastal-shippinggreenhouse-gasesclimate-impactmaritime-pollutionsediment-disturbanceHydrogen Isn’t The Answer: 0.7-1.5 Billion Tons CO2e Would Make It A Climate Liability - CleanTechnica
The article challenges the widespread perception of hydrogen as a clean-energy solution for decarbonizing difficult sectors such as heavy industry, aviation, maritime shipping, and long-haul trucking. It highlights findings from the EU-funded HYDRA project, which investigates hydrogen leakage throughout its production, transport, storage, and use. The project’s analysis, particularly a study by Politecnico di Torino, reveals that hydrogen leaks could result in 726 million to nearly 1.5 billion tons of CO2-equivalent emissions annually by 2050 when measured by the Global Warming Potential over 20 years (GWP20). This significant climate impact largely undermines the presumed environmental benefits of scaling up hydrogen use. The study also points out that electrolysis, often promoted as the cleanest method for green hydrogen production, has notably high leakage rates averaging around 4%, with some real-world cases reaching over 9%. In contrast, conventional steam methane reforming (SMR) and SMR with carbon capture
energyhydrogen-economyclimate-impactCO2-emissionshydrogen-leaksclean-energyenvironmental-policyUS defense spending cuts could 'match' energy needs of a small country
A recent peer-reviewed study published in PLOS Climate, led by Ryan Thombs of Penn State University, reveals that sustained cuts in US military spending could significantly reduce the Department of Defense’s (DoD) energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Analyzing data from 1975 to 2022, the researchers found a strong correlation between defense budget fluctuations and the Pentagon’s energy use, particularly in jet fuel, vehicle operations, and facility maintenance. Notably, reductions in military funding yield disproportionately larger energy savings compared to the energy increases caused by budget growth, suggesting that modest defense cuts could produce substantial environmental benefits without compromising military readiness. Projecting forward to 2032, the study’s scenario modeling indicates that sustained defense budget cuts could save energy equivalent to the total annual consumption of a small country such as Slovenia or the US state of Delaware. While the authors caution that military spending reductions should not be seen as a standalone climate solution, they emphasize the importance of addressing the DoD’s vast energy footprint
energyenergy-consumptiondefense-spendingDepartment-of-Defensegreenhouse-gas-emissionsclimate-impactmilitary-energy-useMeta buys a nuclear power plant (more or less)
energynuclear-powercarbon-accountingclimate-impactdata-centersrenewable-energytech-companiesAI Is Eating Data Center Power Demand—and It’s Only Getting Worse
energyAIdata-centerspower-demandgreenhouse-gas-emissionssustainabilityclimate-impactHoofprint Biome boosts cow nutrition while slashing methane burps
cow-nutritionmethane-reductionlivestock-managementsustainable-agricultureclimate-impactanimal-scienceHoofprint-Biome