Connect with us

Published

on

John Kerry gives a speech at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London on July 20, 2021.
TOLGA AKMEN | AFP | Getty Images

The United States’ climate envoy John Kerry issued a stark warning on Tuesday, claiming that the suffering brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic would be “magnified many times over in a world that does not grapple with, and ultimately halt, the climate crisis.” 

In a speech delivered in London, Kerry — who on Thursday is due to attend a G20 ministerial meeting in Italy focused on the environment, climate and energy — sought to emphasize the magnitude of the challenge facing the planet.

“The climate crisis, my friends, is the test of our times,” he said. “And while some may still believe it is unfolding in slow motion, no, this test is now as acute and as existential as any previous one.”

Former Secretary of State Kerry also stressed the need for geopolitical cooperation, acknowledging that “no country and no continent alone can solve the climate crisis.”

Turning to China, Kerry noted that “a foundational building block” of its growth had stemmed from “a staggering amount of fossil fuel use” and called on it to step up when it came to cutting emissions.

In a remotely delivered address to the United Nations General Assembly last September, Chinese President Xi Jinping said his country was targeting peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by the year 2060. For his part, Kerry claimed China needed to do more.

“As a large country, an economic leader and now the largest driver of climate change, China absolutely can help lead the world to success by peaking and starting to reduce emissions early during this critical decade of 2020 to 2030,” he went on to add.  

“The truth is there’s no alternative, because without sufficient reduction by China, together with the rest of us, the goal of 1.5 degrees is essentially impossible.”

The goal referenced by Kerry refers to 2015’s Paris Agreement, which aims to “limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.”

Later this year, world leaders are set to gather for the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow, Scotland. It’s seen as a crucial event, with many hoping it will act as a catalyst for governments to step up their climate ambitions in order to meet the targets set out in the Paris accord.

“Glasgow is the place, 2021 is the time and we can, in a little more than 100 days, save the next 100 years,” Kerry said.

While there is an undoubted sense of urgency about COP26, the reality on the ground shows just how big a challenge achieving climate-related goals will be in the years ahead.

On the same day that Kerry made his speech, the International Energy Agency said only a small chunk of governments’ recovery spending in response to the Covid-19 pandemic had been allocated to clean energy measures.

The IEA’s analysis notes that, as of the second quarter of this year, the world’s governments had set aside roughly $380 billion for “energy-related sustainable recovery measures.” This represents approximately 2% of recovery spending, it said.

In a statement issued alongside its analysis, the IEA explained just how much work needed to be done in order for climate related targets to be met.

“The sums of money, both public and private, being mobilised worldwide by recovery plans fall well short of what is needed to reach international climate goals,” it said.

Indeed, the Paris-based organization is forecasting that carbon dioxide emissions will hit record levels in 2023, with “no clear peak in sight.”

Continue Reading

Environment

You probably won’t believe which country leads the world in e-bike battery safety

Published

on

By

You probably won’t believe which country leads the world in e-bike battery safety

If you ask the average American which country is doing the most to improve e-bike battery safety, most people probably wouldn’t guess China. But that’s exactly where the world’s strongest, most comprehensive lithium-ion safety rules are coming from – and the latest round just went into effect today.

Beginning December 1, China has officially banned the sale of all e-bikes built to the older national standard, replacing them with a new, far stricter rule set known as GB 17761-2024. Under the announcement from the State Administration for Market Regulation, any e-bike sold in China from today forward must carry a valid CCC certification under this brand-new standard. Older certificates are now invalid, and retailers caught selling non-compliant bikes face enforcement from local regulators.

The new rules go far beyond what most countries require. They tighten fire-resistance requirements, restrict the amount of plastic allowed on an e-bike, cap total vehicle weight, and mandate improved electrical safety. The regulations also work hand-in-hand with a second standard, the already-implemented GB 43854-2024, which sets some of the toughest lithium-ion battery testing requirements in the world, including mandatory over-charge protection, thermal abuse tests, puncture tests, and a ban on repurposed or second-hand cells, a major cause of past fires.

Balancing safety and convenience for existing owners, Chinese regulators also built in consumer protections. Bikes that were already purchased and registered under the old rules won’t be forced off the road. And companies are required to support repairs and spare parts for at least the next five years. But unregistered “old-standard” bikes must have been formally plated already, or they’ll no longer be legal to operate.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

For a country often stereotyped as producing unsafe batteries, the reality is almost the opposite. China is now setting the global pace on e-bike safety – aggressively tightening standards, sharply reducing fire risks, and pushing manufacturers to meet levels of testing that most of Europe and the US still haven’t matched.

via: ITHOME

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Tesla Model 3/Y with Chinese LG batteries showing ‘catastrophic’ failure rates, repair shop warns

Published

on

By

Tesla Model 3/Y with Chinese LG batteries showing ‘catastrophic’ failure rates, repair shop warns

A prominent European EV repair specialist is sounding the alarm on Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles equipped with LG battery cells manufactured in China, claiming they are seeing “catastrophic” failure rates and significantly shorter lifespans compared to Panasonic packs.

For years, the narrative around Tesla’s move to Chinese battery suppliers has been generally positive, with the LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) packs from CATL proving to be extremely durable.

However, Tesla also sources Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) cells from LG Energy Solution’s Nanjing facility for its Long Range and Performance models in Europe and parts of Asia.

Now, EV Clinic, a Croatia-based independent research and repair facility known for diving deep into battery diagnostics, has issued a severe warning regarding these specific LG NCM811 packs.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

According to the firm, data from its repair center suggests a stark difference in quality between Tesla’s two main higher-energy-density packs: the US-made Panasonic NCA packs and the Chinese-made LG NCM packs.

“We are raising serious concerns about Tesla Model 3/Y LG NCM811 battery packs (LGES Nanjing), which exhibit very high failure rates and significantly shorter lifespans compared to Panasonic NCA packs (Made in USA).”

The shop claims that while Panasonic packs are generally repairable and can last up to 250,000 miles before cell failure, the LG equivalents are approaching end-of-life at around 150,000 miles.

More concerning is the nature of the failure. EV Clinic states that in over 90% of the cases they see with LG packs, cell-level repair is “impossible.”

The issue appears to be widespread degradation across the modules rather than a single bad cell bringing down the pack. They found that LG cells often show extremely high internal resistance.

“A failing Panasonic cell hits roughly 28 mΩ, which is the measurement for LG cells when brand new… Out of 46 cells, it’s common to find 15 cells over 100 mΩ ACIR, and the remaining 30 cells above 50 mΩ ACIR.”

The lab shared an example from a Tesla battery module:

Because the degradation is so uniform and severe, replacing a single faulty module is described as “operationally unsustainable,” as the remaining weakened cells are likely to fail in a cascade shortly after.

The situation has become so problematic for the shop that they announced they are introducing a “feasibility fee” just to check if these specific packs can be repaired, noting that they are “losing over €20,000 each month” attempting to fix packs that are effectively dead.

At this moment, during ongoing experimental testing with real customers experiencing LG failures, we are losing over €20,000 per month in operational time while investigating whether LG’s Chinese NCM811 systems can be sustainably repaired. At this stage, we can confidently say: the cells are, to put it mildly, catastrophic. Panasonic has mostly single-cell failures at 250,000km, and it is repairable, whereas LG has multiple-cell failures.

Their advice to owners with failed LG packs? Swap it for a used Panasonic pack or go to Tesla for a full replacement.

Electrek’s Take

This is a pretty damning report from a shop that is well-respected in the aftermarket repair community for actually tearing these things apart and attempting to fix them rather than just swapping them out.

We know that Tesla has been diversifying its battery supply chain aggressively, and for the most part, it has worked out well. The CATL LFP packs are tanks, heavy, but durable. But the NCM chemistry is trickier, and if these findings from EV Clinic hold up across a larger sample size, it could be a headache for Tesla, especially in Europe, where many of the China-made NCM packs end up.

It’s worth noting that this applies specifically to the LG NCM811 packs from Nanjing. Many US Tesla owners have Panasonic packs, which this report actually praises as highly durable and repairable.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Cyber Monday Green Deals hub: e-bikes, EVs, power stations, tools, appliances, more

Published

on

By

Cyber Monday Green Deals hub: e-bikes, EVs, power stations, tools, appliances, more

Thanksgiving may be over, and the official Black Friday date may have passed, but that doesn’t mean savings have slowed down any, with us now having shifted over into Cyber Monday sales. Many of the previous Black Friday Green Deals we spotted up until today are continuing – some ending tonight with the holiday, while others are continuing on through the rest of the week. If you didn’t jump on these deals last week, you still have time to score the best prices of the year across e-bikes, EVs, power stations, tools, eco-friendly appliances, and much more. We’ve thrown all the best deals into this one-stop shopping hub for all your greener needs and will continue updating it throughout the week. Head below to browse all the best Cyber Monday Green Deals while they last.

Cyber Monday Green Deals

Lectric Cyber Monday Green Deals banner

Cyber Monday EV Green Deals

EcoFlow Cyber Monday Green Deals banner

Cyber Monday Power Station Green Deals

Segway Navimow Cyber Monday Green Deals
Anker eufy solar security camera cyber monday green deal

Cyber Monday Appliance and Device Green Deals

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending