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Topic Page: Transportation
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News
Paris to Launch EV Sharing Program
The cars can be used by anyone with valid ID, driver’s license and credit card.
Mobile Solar Technologies
Companies are developing apps for electric vehicles to find the nearest and cheapest recharging stations.
Charging Stations Multiply
Fewer than 15,000 all electric cars are on the roads in the U.S., but the infrastructure continues to grow.
Cali. Updates Alternative Fuel Technology Investments
California enters year 3 of its investment plan for alternative fuel technology, and offers a progress update: There’s more money available.
Japanese Company Develops World’s Smallest And Lightest Chargers For Electric Vehicles
Japanese Company Develops World’s Smallest And Lightest Chargers For Electric Vehicles
Customers Demand Wind & Sun to power German Rail
Germany’s Deutsche Bahn to run a national railway on renewable energy, because its customers demanded it.
Ford entices EV customers to adapt solar and “Drive Green for Life”
Motorists who buy Ford electric vehicles will have the option to purchase a $10,000 home, solar panel installation from SunPower.
Google sponsors Green Flight electric plane challenge
The CAFE Foundation‘s 2011 Green Flight Challenge, hosted by NASA and sponsored by Google, will award a grand prize of $1.3 million to winner of the electric-plane contest.
U.S. overhauls mpg standards
A new agreement between auto manufacturers and the Obama administration will require U.S. vehicles to average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.
The country’s most ambitious smart growth project
Atlanta has ambitious plans for smart growth.
Science schooner guards Lake Superior
Lake Guardian, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) largest Great Lakes’ research and monitoring vessel, is leading an education workshop, while researching environmental conditions on Lake Superior.
Cab drivers encouraged to become green ambassadors
The Smarter Cab Drivers study has led London cabbies to cut fuel consumption by 12% in the first two weeks.
Webisodes
Energy Pimp Your SUV – Make it More Cost-Effective than a Prius
In this week’s webisode, we take a look at a video submitted to us by Sewanee’s Eco-Auto Club. The students set out to take a 1998 Ford Explorer with 231,000 miles and transform it into a more energy efficient “Eco Explorer” vehicle. Would you do this to YOUR car? WATCH!
Energy Secretary Bill Nye?
Planet Forward met up with Bill Nye at the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards last week. See the first item on his #EnergyToDo list. Tell us yours on twitter. (@Planet_Forward)
ICLEI’s Martin Chavez On Sustainable Growth & Smart Cities
This week, Planet Forward host Frank Sesno sits down with Martin Chavez, Executive Director of ICLEI. The focus? Smart cities! Learn what your city can do to grow and adapt to a changing planet. More>>
Energy Freedom Fries: Is this Cooking Oil Powered Speed Car the Missing Ingredient in the Energy Mix?
Planet Forward member Dan Gray shares an innovation that goes from the fryer to the racetrack. Do you think this idea can be supersized? Watch>>
Get Charged Up for Project Get Ready, a Planet Forward Nominee
There is a lot of talk surrounding electric cars at this years’ auto show, but until charging stations are readily accessibly, will drivers really feel comfortable with the idea of a battery-powered vehicle? Project Get Ready is trying to allay that concern and is one of Planet Forward’s nominees.
New Technology Updates Public Transportation
Erin Parsons and Lexi Combs, Planet Forward members and students at Ole Miss, share an innovation that is making bussing around Mississippi the hot new trend
Solar Truck Feeds a City
Would you be more willing to buy your lunch from an environmentally conscious restaurateur? Planet Forward member Stephan Boillon, better known as @flmeetsDC, shows us his solar powered food truck. We do the math and run his business model by George Washington University professor and entrepreneur expert Paul Swiercz – does it make the grade?
Is Nissan’s Leaf Too Sexy for Your Pocketbook?
Electric cars may pimp your green image but are they worth the ride? Planet Forward member and creator of MPG-o-Matic, Daniel Gray, shows us some cool features of Nissan’s electric vehicle. But just how expensive is a zero emissions ride? We do the math! (You can see Dan’s full video here.)
Cars Wired: Robbie Diamond’s Plan for Electric Cars
Get your chargers ready! The President and CEO of the Electrification Coalition shares his innovation on cars that won’t have you running to the pump.
An Electrifying Vision: 20 Million Plug-in Hybrids on the Roads in 5 Years
Planet Forward host Frank Sesno talks with Commissioner Mark Spitzer, of the Federal Energy and Regulatory Commission about how the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico may finally lead to commercialization of plug-in hybrids.
Bike Curious in Rhode Island
Planet Forward host Frank Sesno introduces a video about one college professor’s commitment to reducing his carbon footprint…even in the dead of a New England winter.
Van Jones on Obama’s Fuel Efficiency Standards
Part 3 of a 3 part series See Part 1: Van Jones on Community Solar and Wind Energy See Part 2: Van Jones on What Individuals Can Do to Increase Efficiency Former green jobs adviser to the White House and founder of environmental justice group, Green For All, Van Jones joins Planet Forward’s Frank Sesno in …Read More…
NBR
Automakers Using Greener Plants, Production Techniques
If cars are polluters, than car plants are even worse, right? Not so much anymore as car makers go green. Planet Forward GW students Sara Snyder and Bridget Lynn got a close-up view of the new VW plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Planet Forward Test Drives the Nissan Leaf
In Planet Forward’s premier segment on Nightly Business Report, host Frank Sesno takes the Nissan Leaf for a spin and crunches the numbers to see if the car’s green technology is worth the extra green from your wallet.
Behind the Scenes: Planet Forward Test Drives the Nissan Leaf
Watch what happens behind-the-scenes at Planet Forward as we test drive the Nissan’s Leaf, turning your stories into TV. Watch>>
Bill McKibben on Hybrids vs. Electric Cars
Author and climate expert Bill McKibben offers his take on electric vehicles and whether or not he plans to buy one.
Planet Forward Series Premier on PBS
Tune in Thursday for Planet Forward’s premier on PBS’s Nightly Business Report. Inspired by a PF member, the piece asks: Is the Nissan LEAF worth it? We take a test drive.
Articles From the Blog Related to Transportation
Natural Gas, Electric or Fuel-Cell Powered Cars?
Amy Harder of the Nationnal Journal previews innovative efficient technologies at the Washington DC Auto Show.
Tonight! Planet Forward at the Washington DC Auto Show
Tonight, Planet Forward will be at the Washington DC Auto Show’s preview night. We’ll bring you the first peaks into this year’s gadgets and gizmos. We’ve asked our expert, Amy Harder to take your questions about how to move to next-generation green vehicles. She’ll answer your questions and preview vehicles on the floor of the …Read More…
Speed Limit: Myself
Did you know that May is Bike Month? Our intern Max Chen reflects on his love for biking and shares his bike picks from the Planet Forward archive.
Read it
Pay for my solar panels!
Solar is a hard sell in the midst of global recession and continued unemployment. Just try convincing a middle class family with a mortgage and car payments to part with $40,000 for a rooftop installation. So long as rooftop builds are the only way to get solar energy, the growth of the home solar industry …Read More…
President Obama calls for Electric Vehicles and Clean Energy in his State of the Union Address
During his State of the Union address, President Obama set a new goal: by 2035, 80 percent of America’s electricity will come from clean energy sources.
Watch
Americans and Their Cars
This post was originally published on The Energy Blog, a project in collaboration with National Geographic’s Great Energy Challenge. by Scott Bittle and Jean Johnson For decades, a number of environmentalists have been hoping the American love affair with the car would fade away. A lot of people who’d like this to happen see hope …Read More…
Eliminating your Carbon Share
I’ve talked about it before: how much running on a treadmill and using gym equipment actually harms the environment. Though the main focus of visiting a gym is to focus on bettering your own body, there is little awareness of how much electricity the gym uses to power your calorie burner. But, additionally, most Americans …Read More…
NGV’s: an ‘ethanol’-like boondoggle?
Despite all the green washing out there (and there is lots of it, lets be clear), corn-based ethanol is far from a panacea in terms of reducing America’s dependence on imported oil, dependency on fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gases and representing a good investment for the taxpayer. While supporting corn ethanol is, it seems, great …Read More…
When You Can’t Fit Everything You Need on Your Carbon Fiber Road Bike. Cargo Bikes!
We’ve all reached that point when traditional commutes just won’t do. For many Philadelphians, it was last year, when metro workers went on strike. So, they took to the streets—on bikes. As more people rode on the roads, they discovered it’s easier and cheaper to get around by bike. (Strikes are so common in Philadelphia …Read More…
Monorail Air Cushion Ultra High Speed (MAC-UHS) Transportation System
MAC train structure.jpg Description Using a combination of well known and proven technologies, a highly cost-effective and innovative solution to ultra high-speed passenger train transportation is presented. The proposed Monorail Air Cushion (MAC) system uses lightweight vehicles built with aircraft technologies, propelled via electric linear motors, riding on wheels at low speed and on an …Read More…
FEED IN TRANSPORTATION
You can stop the OIL addiction that causes the USA to import 60% of the OIL we burn each day. This cost us over 1 Billion dollar each day and creates pollution at the same time which is killing us. This affects our economy, environment and security. An ICE Internal Combustion Engine is less than …Read More…
Oil Refiners are going in the exact opposite direction
According to a recent story in the LA Times, oil refiners, trucking companies and petrochemical companies are suing the state of California over its new standard controlling the carbon intensity of fuel. The standard, which is designed to motivate the use of alternative fuels, is costing these companies money. Unfortunately, instead of focusing on ways …Read More…
Science Corner articles filed under Transportation
Biochar Produces Better Crops and Cleaner Air
A multinational research team is developing biochars–fine-grained, highly porous charcoal that helps soils retain nutrients and water. These additives can improve crop yields, help inoculate plants with beneficial microorganisms and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Better crop yields can increase farm income and improve human nutrition. The combination of biochar production and clean-burning cook stoves may …Read More…
Controlling Light Pollution
New measurements of the NSF-funded Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Ariz., show that sky brightness has remained remarkably constant over the past 20 years, despite the area’s rapid population growth. The study demonstrates that with a conscientious effort, human-caused light pollution can remain constant, despite large population growth in cities. Shielded outdoor lights, required …Read More…
Sparking the Algae Harvest
A team of engineers and scientists at North Carolina State University has developed a new method for harvesting marine algae. By applying an electric charge they change the chemistry of the algae cell boundary and cause cells to clump together. These algae clumps are easier to collect. One of the challenges facing algal oil production …Read More…
Conversion of Sugars to Make Fuels, Plastics and Pharmaceuticals
Researchers have developed a way to make an efficient catalyst that transforms biomass-derived sugars into a compound used in fuels, plastics and pharmaceuticals. The solid acid catalyst is noncorrosive and easily recovered for re-use, making it easier and potentially cheaper than other catalysts such as mineral acids. Renewable sources of fuels and chemicals are in …Read More…
Engineering Bacteria to Make Biofuels
Researchers have re-engineered an anaerobic bacterium known as clostridia to prevent spore formation, a change that improves the bacteria’s productivity in making biofuels. The University of Delaware engineers demonstrated the feasibility of using clostridia (specifically, C. acetobutylicum) as an economically viable, industrial-scale producer of biorenewable fuels and chemicals. Their work could help lower the cost …Read More…
Identifying Severe Weather Outbreaks Earlier
A team of scientists from three universities has developed a weather-prediction system that will allow forecasters to predict tornadoes and other severe storms at least three days before the storms start. Tornadoes and other severe weather outbreaks annually cause loss of life and massive property damage to many portions of the U.S. These research findings …Read More…
Understanding the Nanoparticle in Renewable Energy
Using a powerful electron microscope, a research group at Arizona State University has observed dynamic behavior in small catalytic nanoparticles during energy-related chemical reactions. Nanomaterials can act as catalysts for many important chemical reactions related to sustainable energy. However, many of the best catalysts are composed of expensive precious metals such as platinum or gold. …Read More…
Winter Shrinking by Seven Days Each Decade
Climate trends in the northeastern U.S. show that in the past 40 years, winter has lost seven days every decade and the growing season has expanded by nearly four days each decade. Researchers are figuring out how these changes will impact farmers, foresters, outdoor recreation and wildlife to help them adapt their practices to the altered climate.
Toward a Low Energy Computer: Efficient Caches
In an NSF-sponsored project, computer scientists at the University of Utah have developed techniques to reduce the energy consumption of computers associated with large, temporary storage areas, called caches. The innovation could significantly lower energy consumption and improve performance within multi-core processors, directly impacting future computing devices including laptops, desktops and server processors. The group …Read More…
Oil-spill Cleanup Material: Coal Fly Ash
A team of undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Central Florida is transforming fly ash–a waste product from coal-fired power plants–into an environmentally friendly adsorbent for oil-spill cleanup. Researchers hope this material will be an economical alternative to current methods of soaking up oil at clean-up sites. At the same time, it could …Read More…
