Fossil-fuel subsidies are needed in the U.S., but not nearly as much as in many other countries. A new study from Our World in Data details countries that have the heaviest amounts of subsidies provided to fossil-fuel suppliers.

While the Trump administration is now working out how possible tariffs could be enacted with Canada, Mexico, China, and a new proposal just came up on adding 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, fossil-fuel subsidies will likely continue as is. Automakers, suppliers, and infrastructure providers are anxiously waiting to learn more about whether grants will be going forward and the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program (see below for more).

Americans consumed 137.05 billion gallons of gasoline in 2023, compared to 142 billion gallons in 2007, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But it could it have been at much higher consumption level in 2023. The population has been increasing as have the number of vehicles since 2007. There were 254.4 million registered vehicles on American roads in 2007 versus 296 million in 2024, according to the Federal Highway Administration. That gasoline consumption decrease has come from more fuel efficient vehicles being sold, along with the amount of battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and hybrid vehicles on our roads. Alternative fuels such as renewable natural gas and renewable diesel are making their way to fleets as well, along with electric and hydrogen-powered trucks.

Those numbers — gasoline and diesel consumed, natural gas and coal used to power the electricity grid, and other segments like petrochemicals — have not been reduced enough in the U.S. and globally to make much-needed improvements in air quality and climate change. There’s still a long way to go.

Like corn growers and other industry segments, oil companies and their partners — oil refineries, fueling stations, natural gas suppliers, and more — are seeing government subsidies all over the world to reduce the distribution costs and to keep the prices stable for end users. The chart above from Our World in Data shows you countries that have the heaviest amounts of subsidies provided to fossil-fuel suppliers. It’s well over a trillion dollars a year in global subsidies.

Saudi Arabia and Turkmenistan have the highest levels of subsidies. The U.S. is much lower. For example, these subsidies average out to $28.16 per capita versus $83.60 per capita in Canada. That might have something to do with the U.S. having an ample supply of oil and gas domestically, and a good deal of it coming from Canada. Gasoline and diesel prices stay relatively stable in the U.S,, though that could be volatile for a while if the U.S. goes through with the Trump administration’s threatened tariffs on Canadian imports.

Nikola BK: A recent report says that hydrogen-electric truck maker Nikola Motors is getting close to bankruptcy. That comes from an article from The Wall Street Journal. Nikola has been working with law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman to explore options. These may include a sale or a restructuring in bankruptcy. A company representative has stated that the company is still assessing its financial position and liquidity needs.

Jeep Super Bowl ad: Harrison Ford told the Super Bowl audience yesterday that “we get to write our own stories” and that freedom in American is “Yes. Or No. Or maybe.” The ad includes scenes of Jeep electric vehicles as well as those with internal combustion engines. “Freedom is the roar of one man’s engine. And the silence of another’s,” the actor says. “We won’t always agree on which way to go, but our differences can be our strength.” Near the end of the TV commercial, Ford gets into an electric Jeep Wrangler and says, “Choose what makes you happy,” quickly adding: “This Jeep makes me happy…. even though my name is Ford.”

Trump halts NEVI program: The Trump administration on Thursday said it would halt a program intended to build the infrastructure needed for the future of transportation in America. In a memo from the Federal Highway Safety Administration, states were ordered to halt spending on the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program intended to build fast EV chargers along highways nationwide. The program calls for 500,000 charging stations nationwide, and was funded with $7.5 billion under the 2021 infrastructure law to make that happen. That total was split into $5 billion for a highway-based program, and $2.5 billion for rural and underserved communities, with states submitting proposals for use of the available funds.

The Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) has asked the Trump administration to restore the NEVI program, which the organization called “an effective and important element of a truly strategic energy policy that promotes U.S. innovation, domestic investment, and energy security.”

RNG Coalition challenges GHG Protocol: Following the withdrawal of guidance on the use of renewable natural gas (RNG) certificates in the GHG Protocol, over 130 companies and trade associations from around the world have today issued a public joint letter to the governance bodies of the GHG Protocol calling for the key role of market-based instruments to be recognized in the Protocol’s Scope 1 inventory. Their message to the GHG Protocol is simple: Let Green Gas Count. Led by the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA), The Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG Coalition), Eurogas, the European Biogas Association (EBA), and the World Biogas Association (WBA), the signatories represent economic operators globally responsible for the production, trading and consumption of renewable gaseous fuels and their derivatives. They underline the urgent need for a climate reporting framework that provides rules and certainty for investment in their sectors. Renewable gases and their derivatives are necessary to decarbonize industry, transport and buildings. To facilitate their rapid deployment, a market-based approach is required to overcome any economic, technical and environmental barriers and inefficiencies arising from the requirement of a physical (local) connection, the group says. GHG Protocol is a 20-year partnership between World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). The organization works with governments, industry associations, NGOs, businesses and other organizations.

What’s up with that new Honda logo? Have you noticed that Honda has a new logo out there? It’s not the slightly modified ‘H’ that will be appearing on a few upcoming electric models that we’ve heard about, including the Honda O Series models. It’s a clean-and-simple spelling out of the Honda name on the back of its all-electric 2024 Honda Prologue, which the company has not talked about in media announcements and photos. It appears on a black bar above the license plate.

The Prologue is an all-electric SUV that’s built on the same platform as the Chevrolet Blazer EV. The Prologue is assembled in Mexico using GM powertrain components and Ultium batteries. The 2024 Prologue is eligible for the federal electric vehicle tax credit of $7,500.

Honda has been moving its production plants into Marysville and East Liberty, Ohio in recent years, and it also has facilities in Lincoln, Alabama and in Greensburg, Indiana. The company moved about 50 employees from its Torrance, Calif., headquarters over to Ohio in 2017. Honda corporate tends to be more quiet about its brand imaging, manufacturing plants, and model changes, than does its Japanese competitor, Toyota.

Honda’s 2024 sales data, released earlier this month, said that 33,017 Prologue EVs were sold in 2024 in the U.S. It beat the gasoline-powered Honda Passport by about 500 units; that was impressive, given that the Prologue wasn’t available for sale and delivery until about the middle of 2024.

The U.S. has had lower and more stable gasoline prices than other countries in recent years due to its high domestic production, and from getting much of its oil from Canada. That should be changing with the steep tariffs that the Trump administration announced Saturday and that which should start Tuesday. It includes a 25% duty on all imports from Mexico and most goods from Canada (with a 10% exemption for energy-related items such as crude oil), and an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods imported into the U.S. That 10% tariff exemption on Canadian energy-related supply isn’t expected to cushion the tariff blow with this NAFTA partner.

The U.S. imports about 4 million barrels per day (bpd) of Canadian oil, 70% of which is processed by refiners in the Midwest. It also imports over 450,000 bpd of Mexican oil, mainly sent to refiners concentrated around the U.S. Gulf Coast. Tariffs on those imports mean higher costs for making finished fuels like gasoline, much of which is likely to be passed along to U.S. consumers, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

In 2022, 52% of oil imports came from Canada and 10% from Mexico, the two largest import countries. In that same year, 12% of U.S. petroleum exports (including crude oil) went to Mexico and 9% went to Canada, followed by 7% to China, 6% to South Korea, and 6% to The Netherlands, reports EIA.

The EIA, and AAA Fuel Prices, report that gasoline and diesel prices typically go up in February on a seasonal basis, rising up even more in the summer months. As of Sunday, the national average price at gas stations for gasoline is $3.098 per gallon and $3.154 a year ago; diesel comes in at $3.660 per gallon on Sunday and $3.938 a year ago, according to AAA Fuel Prices. Monthly reports from EIA show gas prices at $3.328 for February 2024 and $3.542 for March 2024.

Tesla may feel the pinch
The tariff will likely bring tensions and conflicts between the U.S. and some of its partner countries. Canada is expected to be particularly heated with the close connection the U.S. and Canada have in transporting and refining oil between the nations; and in selling oil to each other.

Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s former finance minister and current Liberal Party leadership contender, has proposed a bold countermeasure: slapping 100% tariffs on select American goods, including Teslas, in direct response to President Trump’s threatened tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, reports Business Today.

Freeland also admitted her personal concerns about Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s campaign contributions to Donal Trump and the leadership role he’ll be playing in making U.S. administrative agencies more cost effective. Tesla vehicles sold in Canada are mainly manufactured in the U.S. and China. Imposing tariffs is expected to hike Tesla vehicle products for buyers in Canada, which could benefit EV competitors. Tesla Model Y and Model 3 have played a dominant role in Canadian EV sales.

Automakers are feeling quite anxious about the tariffs halting vehicle production in North America, and raising their costs substantially. Flavio Volpe, CEO of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, says the tariff rate coming Feb. 4 is “15-per-cent higher than anybody’s profit margin,” according to Automotive News.

Transformative Pathways for U.S. Industry: Unlocking American Innovation
This U.S. Dept. of Energy study identifies and explores transformative pathways and how they can be potentially pursued together to chart a course to an industrial transformation. It looks at industrial sectors in various industries along with agriculture to study the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, power sources, efficiency, and other issues shaping the near future for each of them. Key findings include: For GHG emissions by industrial subsection, the two leading emitters have been agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting; and chemical products.

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting includes animal production and aquaculture; crop production; forestry and logging; fishing, hunting, and trapping; and support activities for agriculture and forestry.

The analysis of the chemical sector primarily focused on nine high-volume, energy- and emissions-intensive basic chemicals: ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene-toluene-xylene (BTX), chlor-alkali (co-production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide), soda ash, ethanol, methanol, and ammonia. Together, these chemicals account for roughly 40% of total U.S. chemicals subsector greenhouse gas emissions in 2018. The remaining 60% of subsector emissions come from the production of hundreds of other chemicals. This analysis considers cross-cutting measures to decarbonize these chemicals but does not evaluate process-level decarbonization pathways. 

For the oil and gas sector, most energy use is for motor drives to run drilling equipment, pumps, and compressors, whereas within mining, energy use varies significantly from site to site. Approaches to address fugitive methane emissions are a critical need in oil and gas, as methane has high global warming potential, and a substantial leakage of methane exists throughout all stages of oil and gas extraction and from underground coal mining. Additional methane is leaked from wastewater treatment plants and from dairy, poultry, and swine farms. Captured methane could be used for energy, offsetting natural gas demand.

For those interested in tracking this sector, you can go to Oil & Gas Watch Database. It’s mission is: ‘Spotlighting the Environmental Impact of Oil, Gas, and Petrochemical Expansion.’

Tracking Elon Musk’s Politics and Power
Another information resource is a fairly new tracker, with this one taking a careful look at what Musk is doing in his role with the Trump administration, as head of X, Tesla, SpaceX, and Starlink, and other significant activities. This Tech Policy Press tracker was first published on August 11, 2024, and is updated intermittently.

President Donald Trump’s strong interest in exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) has carried over from his first term. It’s a critical part of what the Trump administration says makes up the heart of the U.S. economy, and it provides an edge in the geopolitical battle for dominating energy markets.

There were no surprise announcements from the Trump administration last week — electric vehicle tax credits won’t be supported, offshore oil and gas drilling will increase, renewable energy won’t be supported, and the U.S. will go back to staying away from the UN’s climate change initiative. The focus will be on global energy exports.

“We have something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have: the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on earth,” Trump said during his inauguration speech.  “And we are going to use it…and export American energy all over the world.”

Trump will have to watch out for overpromising on LNG. He’ll have to wait to see if market demand will justify moving forward on building any of the nearly two dozen new export terminals in the U.S. President Biden had put that on hold a year ago, but that decision was overturned by a federal judge in July.

Demand continues to rise in Europe as Russia’s supply of gas through Ukraine has been cut off due to the war. Exxon has four LNG projects under development and expects to start commissioning the production units in the US and Qatar first, by the end of this year, according to a senior Exxon Mobil Corp. executive. Other US export projects will also start picking up production, but most of the new supply won’t arrive until 2027.

In 2023, the U.S. used 1.27 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas for transportation, which is about 4% of the total natural gas consumed in America. Most of the natural gas used for transportation that year came from renewable natural gas, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration. Another significant indicator from that year: LNG exports accounted for 57% of the U.S.’s total natural gas exports.

U.S. exports of LNG have grown quite a bit over the past eight years, in part because of the rise of fracking and also because of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which hurt Russia’s pipeline exports of natural gas to Europe.

LNG has gone mainstream for most commercial trucks, with some of it being bio-LNG. The list of trucks using LNG includes Volvo FH, FH Aero, FM, and FMX; Peterbilt Model 386 and 579, Freightliner M2 112, Raley’s, and Kenworth T800.

Read more on Trump’s executive orders on energy policies from ACT News.

How Europe is doing: The alternative fuel market in November 2024 shows a continued dominance of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), with cars at 15.0% and vans at 5.2% market share, according to European Alternative Fuels Observatory. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) maintain a moderate share of 8% in the car segment, while fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) remain absent in both categories. Propane-powered vehicles account for 2.9% of cars and 1.0% of vans, whereas compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles register no market share, the agency said.

ACT Expo keynoters: Jennifer Rumsey, Chair & CEO, Cummins Inc., Lars Stenqvist, CTO, Volvo Group, and Jim Walenczak, Vice President, PACCAR Inc, General Manager, Kenworth Truck Company, are the first keynote speakers announced for Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo 2025. Held April 28 to May 1, 2025, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Southern California, these three speakers will each be on stage on that Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. This year’s ACT Expo will provide fleets with the tools, insights, and strategies needed to achieve organizational goals in clean transportation, emissions, while building both economic and environmental sustainability.

Wouldn’t it have been miraculous if drones and robots had put out the L.A. wildfires soon after they’d started? Peter Diamandis, executive chairman of the X Prize Foundation, sure thinks so.

In April 2023, X Prize launched an $11 million XPRIZE Wildfire, a global incentive competition whose goal it is to detect a fire at ignition and put it out within 10 minutes. Today, 50 teams from 10 nations are moving forward on developing the technology that could win them the X Prize and enable it to all come together. A winner is expected in early 2026. It will be discussed and other relevant and pressing issues at the Abundance360 Summit in March of this year for those who are interested. 

Diamandis wished it had been done earlier, and it could be preventable. On January 15 in his email newsletter, he wrote, “My family and I evacuated our home last Tuesday and luckily, our home is safe (for now), but the atmosphere in Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades remains toxic as Teslas and flat-screen TVs melt and go up in smoke.”
 
The Palisades fire, on the western side of Los Angeles, was 52% contained, according to Cal Fire. The Eaton fire, near Pasadena, is 81% contained, as of about 6:30 Pacific time this morning according the New York Times. Winds are expected to increase this afternoon, creating a “particularly dangerous situation.”

Another good from Diamandis: “I also believe the future of fire insurance will soon change. Rather than paying you to rebuild your home after it burns down, the best insurers will use exponential tech to protect and prevent your home from ever burning in the first place. That’s a policy I’d prefer to have.”

He’s not the only futurist to warn us that advanced technologies like drones and robotics have become a necessity. Just talking about the impact of climate change doesn’t tell the whole story anymore. The words ‘remediation’ and ‘mitigation’ are becoming front and center. Climate change remediation involves reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the effects of climate change. Mitigation reduce the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) released into the atmosphere. The U.S. and other countries will need to invest more in emergency response and prevention tactics and technologies to prepare for wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and more.  

Canoo files for BK: Electric van maker Canoo announced on Jan. 17 that it will be ceasing operations “immediately” and that it has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Delaware. The EV startup estimates in its filing that its assets are worth $126 million and that it owes over $164 million to its creditors, according to TechCrunch and The Verge. The U.S. will be appointing a bankruptcy trustee to oversee liquidation of the company’s assets and the distribution of proceeds to creditor, Canoo said. The startup EV maker had asked for support from the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Loan Programs Office and from foreign investors, but neither came through. It’s the latest sign of problems developing for the company with Oklahoma operations idling and several executives leaving in recent weeks — including all of its founders.

What will come of Nissan and Honda merger?: With Nissan and Honda announcing its merger last month, what will come next? The merger could help the companies compete with other automakers in the electric vehicle (EV) market tapping into Nissan’s experience in building batteries and EVs, and Honda’s success in hybrid powertrains. A joint holding company is being formed, with each brand retained but a merger of the two global automakers taking place. Honda said it will initially lead the new executive management.

Some analysts wonder if the JV will be able to produce competitive, profitable EVs and hybrids, with both companies being known for staying behind global market leaders in designing, developing, manufacturing, and marketing new model lineups. Nissan is currently marketing its Ariya all-electric crossover SUV. Car and Driver recent placed the Accord and Civic on its top 10 models to now this year. At CES earlier this month, Honda debuted two prototypes in its new 0 Series line of battery electric vehicles. Honda also showed another EV — an updated version of its Afeela 1 sedan, in a JV project with consumer electronics giant Sony.

Don’t forget about my Substack page: If you’re looking for something to read, check out Discovery: Jon LeSage’s Substack. It started with publishing my book in September, but then I got hooked. It was also fascinating to see a few big names out there — in writing, journalism, novels, music, technology innovations, politics, economics, and more — joining up in Substack. For a writer like me, it’s a thrill just to be there. They also make it easier to keep your commentaries organized and sent out to readers, along with promoting it on social media. If you’re hooked on writing and sending it out to the world, go see Substack and consider trying it out. It’s all free, and you can put out subscriber only version as well.

News briefs:
1. Check out U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Transformative Pathways for U.S. Industry with fascinating analysis of industrial transformation.
2. Learn more about how National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will continue to support medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicle charging by tapping into its ARIES platform and decades of electrification research.
3. With the changing executive branch in Washington DC, California Air Resources Board (CARB) sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) withdrawing the state’s request for a Clean Air Act waiver for its Advanced Clean Fleet (ACF) Regulation. CARB thinks it would be prudent to do so given its experience during the previous Trump administration.
4. The U.S. Department of Energy released an update to the 45VH2-GREET model, which has been adopted by the Department of the Treasury for the purposes of calculating well-to-gate emissions of hydrogen production facilities for the clean hydrogen production tax credit established in Internal Revenue Code (I.R.C section 45V [45V tax credit]).
5. Hyundai Motor America says that it’s been awarded The Clean Transport Award at the annual Supply Chain Excellence Awards USA, being recognized for its groundbreaking advancements in hydrogen mobility and clean logistics.
6. The Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), a federal coalition focused on advocating for the advancement of the electric vehicle supply chain, released its 2025 Policy Platform to support electric vehicle adoption. It’s also organized around building a robust domestic supply chain, and creating American jobs. Built on four pillars supporting all elements of the EV value chain, ZETA’s Policy Platform will reinforce the industry’s continued strong domestic growth, the coalition said.

Greenland is not a place you’d want to build a resort destination for American tourists. So why would soon-to-be President Donald Trump want to acquire the island from Denmark? It’s the world’s largest island, with almost 80% of it is covered by ice caps and glaciers. For the ice-free area, only a very small part of it is arable.

Greenland holds rare earth minerals that America wants — but which it largely relies on China to get. Greenland has about a quarter of the world’s rare earth minerals used in many of today’s technologies — from smartphones to MRI machines, as well as electric vehicles and military jets.

US and Danish officials lobbied the developer of Greenland’s largest rare earths deposit last year not to sell its project to Chinese-linked firms. Greg Barnes, CEO of privately held Tanbreez Mining said that the company has been in regular talks with Washington as it reviews funding options to develop the island’s critical minerals.

Trump initially made the surprise suggestion during his first presidency in August 2019 that the U.S. should buy Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. It drew an immediate rejection from the leaders in Greenland and Denmark.

It also has its strategic advantages on the military and national security front. It offers the shortest route from North America to Europe.

The U.S. already has military presence on the island. British online newspaper, The Independent, reports that the Danish government has been speaking privately with members of President-elect Trump’s team about potentially increasing U.S. military presence there.

Greenland is about 630 miles from the Arctic Sea. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Arctic region holds an estimated 90 billion barrels of oil, 1,669 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 44 billion barrels of natural gas liquids, according to its July 2023 report. Another USGS report says that it could have up to 160 billion barrels of oil and 30% of the world’s undiscovered natural gas.

These reserves are currently under the jurisdiction of eight countries: Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the U.S. These countries have exclusive rights to seabed resources up to 200 miles beyond their coast, in an area called an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

There are several barriers for any one of these countries taking control over any of these fossil fuel reserves including oil spills being very difficult to clean up in this zone with unique animal and plant species; and because the Arctic is mostly sea there is no international treaty protecting its environment from economic development, as there is for the Antarctic.

So the U.S., Russia, Norway, or another country could make a strong move toward securing the oil and gas reserves in that region.

Kimberly Taylor retires: About a week ago, CALSTART Director Kimberly Taylor announced her retirement after 14 years with the renowned nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting businesses and government in developing clean, efficient transportation solutions. Taylor started out at National Renewable Energy Lab, and then moved over to the Dept. of Energy’s Clean Cities program before coming to CALSTART. Her LinkedIn announcement had a long list of comments from friends and colleagues in the field. While retiring at the end of 2024, Taylor says that she’ll, “continue to enthusiastically advocate for and celebrate the technologies and people who are driven to make the world a better place.”

Musk providing Starlink in Los Angeles: Tesla Cybertruck buyers will have to wait longer for delivery as CEO Elon Musk diverts some of them to support victims of the California wildfires. “Apologies to those expecting Cybertruck deliveries in California over the next few days,” Musk said on X. “We need those trucks as mobile base stations to provide power to Starlink Internet terminals in areas of L.A. without connectivity.”

“The press will of course accuse me of grandstanding, but if this helps save even one house or maybe even someone’s life, we should still do it,” Musk said.

Tesla and SpaceX personnel were also providing drinks and snacks in affected areas. “We are going to position Cybertrucks with Starlinks and free wifi in a grid pattern in the areas that most need it,” he said.

What happened at CES 2025: Honda’s futuristic electric vehicles and Nvidia’s technology for autonomous driving got a lot of attention at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. There was also a few missing major automakers at the biggest tech-gadget and electronics show of the year.

Honda debuted two prototypes in its new 0 Series line of battery electric vehicles. The Honda 0 Saloon and Honda 0 SUV can be seen in the photo above. Both models are still in the prototype stage, but they’re scheduled to launch in North America in 2026.

Honda also showed another EV — an updated version of its Afeela 1 sedan, in a joint venture project with consumer electronics giant Sony. Sony will provide a full-screen dash powered by Sony software, including the ability to play PS5 games, among other in-car entertainment features.

Nvidia continues to count on autonomous vehicles becoming the norm in the next few years CEO Jensen Huang to Yahoo Finance he expects its technology for autonomous driving will generate $5 billion in annual sales for the AI chipmakers. For this year, Huang unveiled Nvidia’s Cosmos platform for developers to simulate its self-driving vehicle software.

“If it’s already a $5 billion business for us, imagine how big it’s going to be when we have 100 million new [self-driving] cars per year,” Huang said.

Nvidia also announced new partnerships with Toyota to power computing and autonomous tech, and autonomous trucking company Aurora Innovation (AUR), which will use its specialized chips for self-driving vehicle systems. Toyota did not say which upcoming vehicles would use Nvidia tech, while the Aurora deal also brings in Germany’s Continental, which will manufacture the driverless trucks.

John Deere grabbed attention by showing off its autonomous machinery at CES. That includes functions for tillage, orchard spraying, landscaping, and construction.  Jahmy Hindman, senior vice president and chief technology officer at John Deere said that it’s very much about addressing labor availability challenges in agriculture, construction, and landscaping.

BMW unveiled its latest infotainment software and digital driver cockpit. Hyundai unveiled its Hyundai Mobis division with its Holographic Windshield Display, powered by augmented reality.

While automakers like Ford have many times used CES as the launch pad for its latest technology, that automaker didn’t have an appearance at this year’s show. That was also true of GM, Stellantis, and Mercedes.

Several Chinese automakers filled that void, with Zeekr, the EV brand owned by China’s Geely Holdings, being visible. Wey, a premium brand owned by Great Wall Motor, and Xpeng also had booths.

Brian Moody, senior editor for Kelley Blue Book, told TechCrunch that it has to do with the long product cycles vehicles are under. He also thinks that some automakers have been rethinking their presence at shows like CES and whether its worth the expenditure.

EV tax credits: Electric vehicles qualifying for tax credits went up to 27 vehicles this year from 22 last year, but the future of tax credits may be affected by President Donald Trump returning for his second term as president. The Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act had set the template for the current state of EV tax credits, with domestic assembly and battery sourcing being a strict guideline. The Trump administration can change how it’s being enforced by the Internal Revenue Service.

EVs from Cadillac, Chevrolet, Honda, Acura, Ford and Tesla continue to be eligible for the full $7,500 credit this year, as does the plug-in hybrid version of the Chrysler Pacifica minivan, according to the IRS. Some EVs and PHEVs from Volkswagen, Audi, Ford, Lincoln, Jeep and Rivian that qualified in 2024 dropped off the list as of Jan. 1. However those leasing an EV can find a less stringent set of battery sourcing and assembly rules, according to Automotive News.

Hyundai and its two other brands, Genesis and Kia, did make the list this year after not qualifying last year. The brands anticipate eligibility for the full $7,500 purchase credit on the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9, the 2025 Genesis Electrified GV70 and the 2026 Kia EV6 and EV9 crossovers this year as U.S. battery and vehicle assembly sites come online.

Clean energy in Chicago: As of January 1, Chicago can now produce 700,000 megawatt hours of electricity to power Chicago’s more than 400 municipal buildings every year. Every single one of them — including 98 fire stations, two international airports, and two of the largest water treatment plants on the planet — is running on renewable energy, thanks largely to Illinois’ newest and largest solar farm, according to Grist. The move is projected to cut the carbon footprint of the country’s third-largest city by approximately 290,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year — the equivalent of taking 62,000 cars off the road, according to the city.

Hyzon liquidating assets: Hydrogen fuel cell truck maker Hyzon will be leaving the market, according to its board of directors. Employees had been issued a warning December, but the board unanimously voted to dissolve the company and liquidate its assets, pending shareholder approval. The company in the past look like it could be a supplier of hydrogen-powered refuse trucks, tow trucks, severe-duty trucks, and transit buses.

Biofuels and bioenergy have been going through a constructive transformation in recent years similar to other clean fuels and energy. Like hydrogen, the source of the biofuels and energy is diversifying as is end-user applications. Production capacity has been increasing.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) recently reported that the capacity to produce biofuels increased 7% in the United States during 2023, reaching 24 billion gallons per year at the start of 2024, led by a 44% increase in renewable diesel and other biofuels. The other biofuels includes renewable heating oil, renewable jet fuel (also known as sustainable aviation fuel), and renewable naphtha and gasoline. With continuing state and federal tax incentives, and regulatory policies, plant expansions, and projected new plant construction, EIA expects U.S. biofuels production capacity to continue increasing.

Ethanol that gets blended into gasoline at 10-to-15 percent is still dominated by corn, with the U.S. Dept. of Energy reporting that 94% is produced from the starch in corn grain. Cellulosic ethanol, which comes from either waste, coproduces of another industry (wood, crop residues) or dedicated crops such as switchgrass, is seeing an increase in consumption as ethanol-blended fuel use increases around the world.

The number of fuel stations in the U.S. offering E-15 was 4,495 in 2023, up from 2,839 in 2014, according to USDA Economic Research Service – U.S. Bioenergy Statistics. Biodiesel at fuel stations increased from 782 stations in 2014 to 1,700 in 2023.

As you can see from these two tables created by the USDA Economic Research Service, ethanol used in fuel and renewable diesel have been seeing increases in production and consumption over the past decade. Renewable diesel has seen dramatic gains, similar to renewable natural gas, as the the supply and consumption continue to grow, backed by government mandates and technology improvements in the production and distribution channels.

Here are a few other news developments in this sector:

• The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced their intent to issue funding to support high-impact research and development (R&D) projects in two priority areas: sustainable propane and renewable chemicals and algal system cultivation and preprocessing. The intended Sustainable Propane and Renewable Chemicals (SPARC) funding opportunity would support R&D of domestic chemicals and fuels from biomass and waste resources to help secure domestic supply chains, support the growth of rural economies, and grow the nation’s competitiveness in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry. It could include up to $23 million in federal funding.
• The intended Maximizing Algal System Yield (MASY) funding opportunity would support applied algal system R&D to improve the affordable production of biofuels and bioproducts. While algal systems can be highly productive, there are technical barriers that limit the expansion of algae as a domestic bioenergy feedstock. The MASY funding opportunity will address these challenges by focusing on algal system cultivation and preprocessing R&D to advance affordable and reliable development of innovative algae technologies that can support algae developers bring these new bioproducts to market. The potential MASY NOFO could include up to $10 million in federal funding and is expected to be released in January 2025.
• Renewable natural gas (RNG) could scale up sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by utilizing established gas-to-liquid (GTL) technologies, according to Biofuels Digest. These technologies could include SynCOR autothermal reforming and Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis. This approach combines proven processes with innovative adaptations, creating a high-carbon-efficiency pathway for SAF production. It could also mean another significant market for RNG to serve with new mandates globally driving adoption of SAF.
• Gevo, a Colorado-based renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company, has worked with LG Chem to extend their joint development agreement. The agreement extension enables LG Chem to assess existing assets for deploying Gevo’s Ethanol-to-Olefins (ETO) technology while accelerating commercialization activities, considering project scale and end-product markets. Gevo’s patented ETO technology can target carbon-neutral or carbon-negative drop-in replacements for traditional petroleum-based building blocks. These are core olefins, that can be used for renewable fuels and chemicals, including sustainable aviation fuel and bio-propylene. ETO technology is just one of multiple patented technologies that Gevo is bringing to bear on the challenges of developing cost-effective bio-based renewable fuels and chemicals.
• A marine research engine at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory is providing scientists with valuable insights into biofuel design for large ocean-going vessels (OGVs) in a multi-lab project focused on reducing total life-cycle carbon emissions from this vital transportation sector. Scientists at DOE’s national laboratories knew their work on biofuels for marine use would be needed to meet the revised target. Their efforts are concentrated on large OGVs like cargo and container ships, which account for more than 80% of all transported goods and 3% of global GHG emissions. 
• Major oil and gas companies have ramped up investments in the biofuels sector, betting on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with 43 projects expected to be up and running by 2030, consultancy Rystad said in a report. The energy research firm indicates that investments by industry giants such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Shell, TotalEnergies, and Eni could add 286,000 barrels per day (bpd) of production capacity.

California ZEV law under scrutiny: On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will review whether the oil industry has the standing to challenge the existence of California’s zero emission vehicle standards, which are stricter than the federal fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions rules. The case filed by oil companies, other fuel producers and 17 other states, argued that the federal government exceeded its authority under the Clean Air Act when it granted California a waiver to set its own tougher auto emissions standards. The justices rejected the fuel industry’s request to consider whether it was unlawful for the Biden administration to grant California the federal waiver. The Supreme Court will be examine whether the fuel companies that appealed a lower court ruling have the standing to sue.
This case will be considered as the Trump team plans to cut electric vehicle tax credits, roll back emissions standards, and limit funding for EV charging deployment; and as the Biden administration may soon allow California and at least 11 other states to set new emissions standards that would allow for the sale of primarily EVs by 2035, according to reports.

CA approves $1.4B for charging and fueling: The California Energy Commission (CEC) on Dec. 11 approved a $1.4 billion investment plan that accelerates progress on the state’s electric vehicle (EV) charging and hydrogen refueling goals. These investments will help deploy infrastructure for light, medium, and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) across California, expanding the most extensive charging and hydrogen refueling network in the country. The plan details how the CEC’s Clean Transportation Program will spend $1.4 billion in state funding over the next four years, with at least 50 percent targeted to benefit priority populations. The funding is part of the $48 billion California Climate Commitment, which includes more than $10 billion for ZEVs and ZEV infrastructure. It ties into the state also receiving billions from the Biden-Harris Administration for clean transportation.
 
AirNow mobile app update: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has updated the AirNow mobile app to allow users to receive optional push notifications of their local Air Quality Index forecasts for the next day. State and local air agencies issue AQI forecasts as a public service to help people plan their outdoor activities. The agencies provide them to EPA, which shares them on the AirNow app and Airnow.gov website. Until now, AirNow users had to remember to check the app or website to see their forecasts; with the updates to the AirNow mobile app, people can opt to be notified when the daily forecast reaches an AQI category of their choosing. You can find more information on AirNow with links to Apple and Android apps at this link.

Volvo and DHL partnering on AVs: Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.) and DHL Supply Chain recently announced their first step in performing autonomous freight operations in the U.S., utilizing a purpose-built, production-ready Volvo VNL Autonomous powered by the Aurora Driver. Drivers will be onboard during an initial phase to monitor performance and integration into the logistics networks. “Early adopters play a pivotal role in accelerating the deployment and acceptance of autonomous technology, enabling us to validate both safety and operational performance,” said Sasko Cuklev, head of On-Road Solutions at Volvo Autonomous Solutions. “Our collaboration with DHL Supply Chain exemplifies the potential of autonomy as a complementary mode of transport that increases freight capacity and optimizes supply chain efficiencies.”

NVIDIA is one of those companies that can stay in stealth mode — you’ll forget about it until you see another strategic alliance or the fact that it’s market cap places it at No. 1 or No. 2 in the world. It’s role and presence is so pervasive in different sectors that the company can be taken for granted. It’s become a major player in artificial intelligence computing, which will be essential to electrified autonomous vehicles being accurately integrated into vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology; and gaming chips is another large part of its business during a time when gaming continues to bring in even more revenue than movies for entertainment companies.

It’s become visible enough for China to use it as a reaction to Washington for setting more control over the Chinese chip sector. The Chinese agency that charged the violations didn’t elaborate on how NIVIDIA actually violated China’s anti-monopoly laws, according to published reports. Last week, the U.S. caused the flare up by launching its third crackdown in three years on China’s semiconductor industry.

On the topic of V2X technology, vehicles in the near future will have to share real-time information with everything from other cars to pedestrians and traffic lights. That’s still being worked out by regulators, but NVIDIA is expected to be one of the main companies creating the pathway for autonomous vehicles to reach mass market.

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company designs and supplies graphics processing units (GPUs), application programming interfaces (APIs) for data science and high-performance computing. It also produces a system on a chip units (SoCs) for mobile computing and the automotive market.

As of Monday at 9:30 am pacific time, it came in at No. 2 behind Apple’s $3.73 trillion in market cap; with NVIDIA trading at $3.39 trillion. It had been No. 1 for several months. Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet (Google) came in next on the ranking.

The tech giant says that more than 40,000 companies use NVIDIA AI technologies, and more than 4 million developers now create create thousand of applications for accelerated computing.

Chipmakers have been eyeing NVIDIA as the ‘one to beat.’ Automakers and their dealer networks create virtual showrooms and car configurators, develop in-vehicle AI assistants, and validate autonomous driving technology — all with NVIDIA AI, Omniverse, and accelerated computing platforms.

One of the most interesting parts of the company’s story is that it’s had the same CEO, Jensen Huang, since its inception in 1993. He’s considered to be a persuasive, hard-working leader to work for, and is one of the very few corporate lone founders to still be running the show.

Lucid Gravity coming up: Lucid has started production at its Casa Grande, Arizona factory of its second offering, the Gravity all-electric SUV. The three-row Gravity will begin sales with the Grand Touring version, and it will start at $96,550. More affordable versions are expected to roll out but not until late 2025, and it’s unclear when exactly deliveries will begin. The Air sedan has a $70,000 starting price, and its getting strong ratings from reviewers.

EVPKI simplifying charging: SAE Industry Technologies Consortia is working with the U.S.’s Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to create a framework that will enable secure automatic authentication as soon as drivers plug in – a capability known as “Plug & Charge.” That will simplify the charging process so that electric vehicles can go to any public charging station and automatically start charging, with no payment processing step required. It’s taken shape through SAE’s Electric Vehicle Public Key Infrastructure (EVPKI) Consortium. The SAE EVPKI Certificate Trust List Requirements (CTL) is the basis for onboarding industry PKI suppliers to the new framework. It will mean faster, automated charging and improved cybersecurity protocols. The consortia is made up of automakers, charging networks, technology suppliers, DOE and DOT, and SAE.

Nex-gen Honda is promising: Honda is committed to making solid-state batteries the leading technology for bringing electric vehicles to a new level — up to 620 miles per charge. Honda says that it’s upcoming solid-state batteries will be 50% smaller, 35% lighter, and 25% cheaper to manufacture than current liquid-based lithium-ion cells. The solid electrolyte cells could also be much safer than what is readily available on the market today, and it can accept much higher charging speeds. The Japanese automaker says it will be available by the end of this decade — and a version that goes 776 miles will come out sometime around 2040.

AI and investigative reporting: Journalists are gaining access to artificial intelligence resources that are available now — some of it free, and some of it for a fee, such as ChatGPT’s GPTs. Luiz Fernando Toledo, a Brazilian investigative journalist well known on CNN and several other media outlets, offers several signs of hope about media professionals using these new resources. He and his work colleagues have had success with a few free offerings in the AI space, too. This is from my Substack ‘Discovery’ column, and offers a look at the role AI can play in a sector that’s been hard hit by economic and technological changes for those working in the field.

What would happen if the Trump administration puts a stop to electric vehicle tax credits next year? It will probably be a bumpy year, with the market counting on a few states to offer good incentives.

Don’t get your hopes up too high, says Jay Turner, an environmental studies professor at Wellesley College who studies the market. Californians will be happy to see Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent announcement that the state will work hard at filling the gap if the feds cut their tax incentive.

What about other states? Colorado and Massachusetts already offer substantial support that EV buyers can combine with those on offer from the federal government, Turner said. But the gains made through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will likely dry up as the Republican-led House and Senate come together in January.

Will Trump’s newfound friend and ally, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, tap into their relationship when it comes to EV sales? Tesla long ago went over the line on the cap of EVs sold getting access to the federal tax credit. That changed at the beginning of 2023 with the Inflation Reduction Act changing the rules — with some of the Tesla models qualifying depending on specifications for each tax payer. The KBB chart above provides some of those details. As for Tesla vehicles under the newer guidelines and whether you qualify, that will depend on your own tax status under the Inflation Reduction Act. “Your eligibility for any tax credits depends on your personal tax situation. We recommend speaking with a tax professional for guidance,” Tesla’s website says.

How Utilities Can Thrive As EV Demand Grows: Utilities can handle more demand on their grid as electric vehicles grow in numbers and charging hours, according to a new study by AES Indiana, a utility subsidiary of global power firm AES Corp. The study analyzed AES Indiana’s service territory with different applications of how it uses data and sets its rates. Utilities will be able to save money even as EV demand grows as they prepare to charge a larger number of EVs in the coming years — even if EV adopting in their system isn’t yet a high level. EVs have large battery packs with the potential to both load and offload electricity, which will be part of solving grid problems. With growing out a grid system can be costly, building it out with realistic usage data would help solve the problem, according to the study.

What about hydrogen under Trump administration?: Like other alternative fuels, President Trump has not been supportive. As for hydrogen, “The one thing I can’t get used to is hydrogen. You know, the story with hydrogen, it’s great until it blows up,” newly reelected Trump said during a rally in October 2024, repeating a claim he has made that hydrogen vehicles run a risk of exploding. While hydrogen is seeing a growing list of users for heating, industrial machinery, and transportation, it’s likely to be affected by Trump’s rollbacks tied to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. One of those benefits was the 45V hydrogen tax credit. One advantage it has is that many hydrogen hub projects are concentrated in Republican-held states, says Kyle Hayes, a partner of Foley & Lardner, which implies that its unlikely to be on Trump’s list of rollbacks. Hydrogen secured a lot of funding through the H2Hubs program in the federal funding. Two hydrogen hub projects in the US Midwest, and Texas, secure up to $2.2bn in federal funds.

California charging incentives: Don’t forget that you can save money with Communities in Charge electric vehicle (EV) charging incentives. Up to 100% of eligible Level 2 AC costs may be covered, says Chargepoint. The California Energy Commission’s Communities in Charge incentive is providing $30 million in EV charging station funds for qualifying sites. Funds cover up to $6,500 per Level 2 AC port or 100% of eligible costs, whichever is less.

RNG looking good: During an Oct. 29 earnings call, BP CEO Murray Auchincloss said he was still optimistic that BP subsidiary Archaea could build 15 new renewable natural gas plants in 2024, despite the company only being about halfway to that goal by the end of the third quarter. Seven plants are ‘online and operating.’ Getting up to 15 is realistic for Archaea, he said. Other companies are going forward, too. Waste Management (WM) expects to have seven RNG projects online by end of the year in its 20-project portfolio. Republic Services has finished four projects so far this year, and expects four more to be done by end of year. Smaller waste management companies are also going forward, Wastetdive reports.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk may get a payback for supporting Donald Trump’s presidential reelection campaign. Members of the president-elect’s transition team say that a plan to create a federal framework for autonomous vehicles is one of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s top priorities, according to confidential sources. Musk, who has been a major contributor to Trump’s campaign, has made self-driving technology and artificial intelligence the foundation of where the EV maker is heading.

Tesla has been offering full self-driving capability on all of its new vehicles in recent years, and the company may be offering robotaxi services. The federal government has taken longer to clear policy for allowing for self-driving cars than automakers like Tesla had hoped for.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration currently permits manufacturers to deploy 2,500 self-driving vehicles per year under a granted exemption. The federal agency has safety investigations underway, including driver-assistance systems and autonomous vehicles that Tesla offers through its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving options.

Approval of autonomous vehicles at mass-market level will likely need full approval in Congress.

Tesla would also like to offer full self-driving technology early next year in China, according to Marketplace. That would require regulatory approval from Chinese officials. Cheese automakers would be competing with Tesla to take the lead in autonomous electric vehicles offered in that market.

Residual award winner: The 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric has earned a J.D. Power 2025 Best-in-Class Residual Value Award in the program’s newly introduced Mainstream EV SUV segment. Hyundai Motor America also announced that the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe and IONIQ 6 did well in the residual value awards, both ranking second in their respective categories. These annual awards honor the new vehicles expected to retain the highest percentage of their original manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) over three years, which is essential for determining lease costs, overall vehicle value and total ownership cost.

EV Joint Venture: Rivian Automotive and Volkswagen Group have created a new joint venture, called “Rivian and VW Group Technology, LLC”. The deal came in at $5.8 billion. Through this JV, the companies plan to bring next-generation electrical architecture and best-in-class software technology for both companies’ future electric vehicles, covering all relevant vehicle segments, including subcompact cars. The JV reflects Rivian’s software and electrical hardware technology as well as Volkswagen Group’s significant global scale and industry-leading vehicle platform competencies.

Tesla facing safety problems: Distracted driving and higher rates of speed are behind a high crash rate for Tesla. Automotive research and data analytics firm iSeeCars reports that the Tesla Model Y has a fatal accident rate of more than three times the average car over a billion miles driven. The Model S is twice more likely to result in a fatal crash than the average car. The firm analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System. It included model year 2018-2022 cars with crashes that resulted in at least one occupant fatality to identify the most dangerous vehicles.

“New cars are safer than they’ve ever been,” said Karl Brauer, iSeeCars Executive Analyst. “Between advanced chassis design, driver assist technology and an array of airbags surrounding the driver, today’s car models provide excellent occupant protection,” he added. “But these safety features are being countered by distracted driving and higher rates of speed, leading to rising accident and death rates in recent years.”

Battery prices: Goldman Sachs has released a report predicting that global average battery prices will decline to $80 per kilowatt hour (kwh) by 2026, which is almost 50% lower than the $149 per kwh in 2023. The price decrease has been coming from technological advancements, mainly around larger cells and cell-to-pack tech that lower the number of batter modules needed. A downturn in the price of raw materials is also helping, especially lithium and cobalt.

Hydrogen Summit: Clean Cities Georgia recently announced the Georgia Hydrogen Summit, which will take place Dec. 4, 2025, at the Historic Academy of Medicine. In partnership with the Southern Hydrogen Energy Alliance (SHEA), Georgia Institute of Technology, and Southern Company, the Summit will bring together businesses and organizations that wish to be at the forefront of adopting hydrogen energy within Georgia and throughout the Southeast.

Top News: You can expect the obvious when the Trump administration comes on board in January, says ClimateWire. Trump’s goal is to continue similar efforts as during his first term — rolling back pollution and climate change regulations, unleashing fossil fuel development, and withdrawing from international commitments like the Paris Agreement. On a brighter note, some Democrats think that clean energy projects coming from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will be supported in a few Republican districts. They mention a letter signed by 18 Republican representatives opposing efforts to repeal IRA as a reason to be optimistic about it.

California Air Resources Board (CARB) voted Friday to approve changes to its low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) that increases the state’s emission reduction targets and funds the charging infrastructure for zero-emission vehicles. It will also phase out incentives for capturing methane emissions from dairy farms to turn into fuel. The oil industry and a few analysts complained that the new standard could increase gas pump prices up to 65 cents a gallon. Environmentalists have also had their own complaints, saying that the LCFS program stimulating the production of biofuels, which come from sources including plants and animal waste; environmentalists say the state should focus more on supporting power for electric vehicles.

Data Analytics: Chinese electric vehicle makers have been the clear winners in global EV sales this year through September, with BYD surging ahead of Tesla.
Here’s the top five in sales units for the first nine months of 2024:
BYD 399,442
Tesla 191,430
Wuling 68,605
Li Auto 55,602
Geely 53,358

Sources: CleanTechnica and EV Volumes

Company News: Tesla, Inc. has become a $1 trillion dollar company on the stock market. With shares going well over $320 a share since the election last week, the company’s market valuation soared past $1 trillion for the first time since October 2021. It was a nearly 30% increase in share prices. Analysts say that CEO Elon Musk’s visible support for election winner Donald Trump propelled that along. Musk is hoping to be appointed by Trump to lead a Department of Government Efficiency committee that he says could pave the path for federalized autonomous vehicle standards. Musk put down at least $130 million in campaign contributions to place himself in an ideal position to craft federal rules that could support his autonomous vehicle strategic planning.

Phoenix-based Nikola is one of the few hydrogen fuel cell truck makers to reach serial production in North America — after a number of tumultuous years. CEO Steve Girsky wants to see competition to make commercial fuel cell trucks a viable option to hit zero emission vehicle targets. So far, it’s been mainly about Nikola in this space, but that will be changing. Daimler Truck says that it will start series production of hydrogen-powered vehicles at the end of this decade.

Resources: International Energy Agency’s Energy Technology Perspectives 2024 (ETP-2024) provides a forecast and outlook for the top six mass-manufactured clean energy technologies: solar PV, wind turbines, electric cars, batteries, electrolysers and heat pumps. The agency see the market for these technologies rising from $700 billion in 2023 to more than $2 trillion by 2035 – close to the value of the world’s crude oil market in recent years. Trade in clean technologies is also expected to rise sharply. In the past decade, it’s gone up to $575 billion, more than 50% larger than the global trade in natural gas today.

California Air Resources Board will conduct a public meeting Nov. 21 to consider approval of the fiscal year or FY 2024-25 proposed funding plan for clean transportation incentives or funding plan. This public meeting may continue at 9 a.m., on Nov. 22. You can find the public meeting notice here: https://tinyurl.com/public-Meeting-Notice

Hydrogen hub partnership: The hydrogen fueling industry and truck makers are working to develop a hydrogen refueling infrastructure that can support cost-effective, environmentally viable fleet operations. A U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) program called Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs, created through a bipartisan infrastructure law, can provide up to $7 billion to form what the DOE calls “the foundation of a national clean hydrogen network” and help decarbonize sectors of the economy including heavy-duty transportation. The hubs are, by region or state: Appalachia, California, Gulf Coast, Heartland, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Pacific Northwest. Each hub, consisting of private and public partnerships, applies to and negotiates with the DOE for funding of specific projects.