Connect with us

Published

on

U.S. President Joe Biden holds out his pen to U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) look on after Biden signed “The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022” into law during a ceremony in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, August 16, 2022.

Leah Millis | Reuters

The Biden administration this year signed a historic climate and tax deal that will funnel billions of dollars into programs designed to speed the country’s clean energy transition and battle climate change.

As the U.S. this year grappled with climate-related disasters from Hurricane Ian in Florida to the Mosquito Fire in California, the Inflation Reduction Act, which contains $369 billion in climate provisions, was a monumental development to mitigate the effects of climate change across the country. 

The bill, which President Joe Biden signed into law in August, is the most aggressive climate investment ever taken by Congress and is expected to slash the country’s planet-warming carbon emissions by about 40% this decade and move the country toward a net-zero economy by 2050.

The IRA’s provisions have major implications for clean energy and manufacturing businesses, climate startups and consumers in the coming years. As 2022 comes to a close, here’s a look back at the key elements in the legislation that climate and clean energy advocates will be monitoring in 2023.

Incentives for electric vehicles

U.S. President Joe Biden gestures after driving a Hummer EV during a tour at the General Motors ‘Factory ZERO’ electric vehicle assembly plant in Detroit, Michigan, November 17, 2021.

Jonathan Ernst | Reuters

Stephanie Searle, a program director at the nonprofit International Council on Clean Transportation, said the combination of the IRA tax credits and state policies will bolster EV sales. The agency projects that roughly 50% or more of passenger cars, SUVs and pickups sold in 2030 will be electric. For electric trucks and buses, the number will be 40% or higher, the group said.

In the upcoming year, Searle said the agency is monitoring the Environmental Protection Agency’s plans to propose new greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles starting in the 2027 model year.

“With the IRA already promoting electric vehicles, EPA can and should be bold in setting ambitious standards for cars and trucks,” Searle said. “This is one of the Biden administration’s last chances for strong climate action within this term and they should make good use of it.”

Taking aim at methane gas emissions

Some pumpjacks operate while others stand idle in the Belridge oil field near McKittrick, California. Oil prices rose in early Asian trade on the prospect that a stalled Iran nuclear deal and Moscow’s new mobilization campaign would restrict global supplies.

Mario Tama | Getty Images

The Harris Cattle Ranch feedlot, located along Interstate 5, is the largest producer of beef in California and can produce 150 million pounds of beef a year as viewed on May 31, 2021, near Harris Ranch, California.

George Rose | Getty Images

Robert Kleinberg, a researcher at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, said the methane emitted by the oil and gas industry each year would be worth about $2 billion if it was instead used to generate electricity or heat homes.

“Reducing methane emissions is the fastest way to moderate climate change. Congress recognized this in passing the IRA,” Kleinberg said. “The methane fee is a draconian tax on methane emitted by the oil and gas industry in 2024 and beyond.”

In addition to the IRA provision on methane, the Biden Interior Department this year proposed rules to curb methane leaks from drilling, which it said will generate $39.8 million a year in royalties for the U.S. and prevent billions of cubic feet of gas from being wasted through venting, flaring and leaks. 

Boosting clean energy manufacturing

The bill provides $60 billion for clean energy manufacturing, including $30 billion for production tax credits to accelerate domestic manufacturing of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and critical minerals processing, and a $10 billion investment tax credit to manufacturing facilities that are building EVs and clean energy technology.

There’s also $27 billion going toward a green bank called the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which will provide funding to deploy clean energy across the country, but particularly in overburdened communities. And the bill has a hydrogen production tax credit, which provides hydrogen producers with a credit based on the climate attributes of their production methods.

Solar panels are set up in the solar farm at the University of California, Merced, in Merced, California, August 17, 2022.

Nathan Frandino | Reuters

Investing in communities burdened by pollution

The legislation invests more than $60 billion to address the unequal effects of pollution and climate change on low-income communities and communities of color. The funding includes grants for zero-emissions technology and vehicles, and will help clean up Superfund sites, improve air quality monitoring capacity, and provide money to community-led initiatives through Environmental and Climate Justice block grants.

Smoke hangs over the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. Powerful, dry winds are sweeping across Northern California for a third day, driving up the risk of wildfires in a region thats been battered by heat waves, freak lightning storms and dangerously poor air quality from blazes.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Research published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters found that communities of color are systematically exposed to higher levels of air pollution than white communities due to redlining, a federal housing discrimination practice. Black Americans are also 75% more likely than white Americans to live near hazardous waste facilities and are three times more likely to die from exposure to pollutants, according to the Clean Air Task Force.

Biden signed an executive order after taking office aimed to prioritize environmental justice and help mitigate pollution in marginalized communities. The administration established the Justice40 Initiative to deliver 40% of the benefits from federal investments in climate change and clean energy to disadvantaged communities. 

More recently, the EPA in September launched an office focused on supporting and delivering grant money from the IRA to these communities.

Cutting ag emissions

The deal includes $20 billion for programs to slash emissions from the agriculture sector, which accounts for more than 10% of U.S. emissions, according to EPA estimates.

The president has pledged to reduce emissions from the agriculture industry in half by 2030. The IRA funds grants for agricultural conservation practices that directly improve soil carbon, as well as projects that help protect forests prone to wildfires.

Farmer Roger Hadley harvests corn from his fields in his John Deere combine in this aerial photograph taken over Woodburn, Indiana.

Bing Guan | Reuters

Inflation Reduction Act could push workers toward the climate industry

Continue Reading

Environment

Bafang’s new automatic shifting hub motor could change urban e-biking

Published

on

By

Bafang’s new automatic shifting hub motor could change urban e-biking

Forget fiddling with derailleurs and gear levers mid-commute. Instead, Bafang wants to make urban e‑biking smoother than ever with its all-new H730 hub motor, featuring its patented GVT (Gear Variable Transmission) technology. The idea is to combine the advantages of internally geared hubs with Bafang’s own hub motors to create an internally geared hub motor.

We covered Bafang’s GVT technology after seeing it first-hand on a tour of the company’s headquarters in China. Now we’re getting a look at a new 3-speed version, which takes the original 2-speed concept even further.

Launched this summer, this new hub motor packs a 3‑speed automatic gearbox that shifts gears seamlessly based solely on riding speed – no rider input needed.

The benefits are immediate: durability, simplicity, and less maintenance. Without derailleurs, cables, or external shifters cluttering the setup, the H730 boasts a clean, minimalist rear-end design, not to mention the benefits of weatherproofing the transmission to handle rain, mud, and debris.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

The 250W motor includes a torque sensor and smart controller to analyze riders’ pedal input in real time, suppressing pedal lag while delivering smooth acceleration up to 25 km/h (15.5 mph). It’s an ideal match for daily commuting, where energy efficiency and responsiveness matter. The speed limit fits European-regulation bikes, but it would make sense to see Bafang introduce a slightly faster 20 mph (32 km/h) version for the North American market.

That’s even more likely considering Bafang seems to be targeting broad compatibility, with the company highlighting how the H730 plays well with belt-drive systems and minimalist e‑bike frames.

The GVT system itself is the culmination of nearly two decades of innovation, Bafang explained. Since its introduction with the H700 motor in 2022, over 40 global e‑bike brands, covering everything from urban commuters to fat‑tire and cargo e-bikes, have adopted GVT-powered solutions.

Bafang seems to be positioning the GVT as the foundation of a platform, with the company seeing the H730 as a springboard for integration into shared‑bike fleets, folding bicycles, and e‑bike systems built to last. That’s a compelling narrative for urban mobility: fewer moving parts, smarter automation, and a ride experience tuned for simplicity and longevity.

Electrek’s Take

I love this solution because we’ve normally had to choose between an internally geared hub OR a hub motor, but not both. Getting an IGH normally meant shelling out for a more expensive mid-drive motor, but now it’s possible to get the benefits of both. An economical hub motor can keep prices more affordable, while the IGH means you don’t have the muss and fuss of a derailleur.

I wish the system also worked through the motor itself (i.e. could downshift the motor for more torque on hill climbs), but this is still great progress for the industry. And who knows, maybe Bafang has gear-shifting hub motors in development somewhere to give us the multi-ratio motors we want. Until then, this looks pretty cool.

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

Continue Reading

Environment

New EV Totem from Blink could solve electric fuel’s biggest problem

Published

on

By

New EV Totem from Blink could solve electric fuel's biggest problem

EV charging is everywhere now, and it’s reliable, accessible, and affordable. There thousands of public chargers are already out there – and, in some places, you’ll find more plugs than pumps. But if you don’t drive electric, you’d never know it. That’s because gas stations don’t just exist, they announce themselves with giant, illuminated signs that can be seen for miles, while EV chargers tend to just sort of sit, nestled away in the back of the parking lot.

That’s why the new EV Totem from Blink Charging is such a big deal. It doesn’t just charge your car, it stands tall, lights up, and tells the world: electric fuel is here, now.

If you were on a road trip, and your tank was low, how confident would you be in your ability to find gas if you were greeted by the sight of Breezewood, PA, above? We might shake our heads at late adopters of EVs, we might dismiss the things we don’t notice ourselves, but the fact remains that my father-in-law can drive some sea-to-shining-sea of this still (relatively) great country with no plan, no map, and no app, and feel pretty secure in his ability to find gas.

Can you honestly, before spirits of Henry, Lee, God, and the DSM-V, look at that picture and believe that your parents would have similar confidence in their ability to find charging?

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Now, imagine that all those thousands of EV chargers that you and I both know are out there. Imagine they were Blink EV Totems. Twenty feet tall, fully illuminated, and proudly proclaimed that here, weary traveler, was a place that you could – if you had an EV – simply pull up and plug in. Just like the gas stations out there have been proclaiming for nearly a hundred years.

Do you think they’d feel better slipping behind the wheel of an EV then?

No need to imagine


Co-developed by Blink Charging and Universal Media, the EV Totem concept combines Blink car chargers with elevated, 55″ screens to help maximize their eye-catching visibility. It’s a clever solution, and, while we’ve seen chargers with screens before, lifting the screens up above the cars in a parking lot makes them significantly more visible.

But because it’s 2025 and everything is terrible, instead of the EV Totem’s screens simply announcing the availability of reliable EV charging nearby or educating consumers about off-peak savings and duck curves, they’re designed to serve non-stop ads while collecting data that, “provides real-time insights for brands and property partners.”

“The EV Totem is designed to transform EV charging into a smarter, connected platform — one that delivers value for drivers while unlocking new opportunities for brands, property partners, and communities,” said Todd Cohen, Co-founder and CEO of Universal Media LLC, without even the slightest hint of remorse.

Blink’s EV Totem units are available now, with the first units already in service at Mountain View Village, a retail and lifestyle destination (read: strip mall) in SLC.

Electrek’s Jo’s Take


Electrify America gets it, via Electrify America.

Visibility matters, and electric charging stations are almost totally invisible in real life. What that means for most drivers is that, unless they’re in a Tesla or using a third-party app, they might have a tough time seeing public charging stations, even if they’re relatively close as the crow flies. Even if they’re plentiful.

The reality is that all those signs advertising gasoline create confidence on a subliminal level that gas, snacks, and restrooms are everywhere. Meanwhile, the EV charging signs (where they exist at all) are just too small, too bashful to be effective. EV charging is invisible to generations of ICE drivers, and we – as EV ambassadors – need to put ourselves in those drivers’ shoes, meet them where they are, and demand that the electric fuel industry do a better job of selling that same institutional kind of confidence.

SOURCES: Blink, Universal EVX; featured image by Ben Schumin, under Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 2.5 Generic license.


If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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

Continue Reading

Environment

Tesla lawsuits pile up as EVs enjoy their 2nd best US month EVER!

Published

on

By

Tesla lawsuits pile up as EVs enjoy their 2nd best US month EVER!

The floodgates are open following a landmark $243 million ruling against Tesla in a wrongful death suit in Florida, and now that same lawyer is thirsty for more. He’s not alone, either, and America’s leading EV brand seems to be dodging court issues in California and even from its own shareholders! We’ve got all this and more on today’s ruinous episode of Quick Charge!

We’ve also got some killer deals on J.D Power award-winning 2026 BMW electric and plug-in hybrid models and a massive, 82 MW community solar project happening right here in Chicago.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Retrospec—makers of sleek, powerful e-bikes and outdoor gear built for everyday adventure. Check out Retrospec’s viral city ebike, the Beaumont Rev 2, made with a vintage-inspired frame design and modern electric features, all for just $999! Electrek listeners can get 10% off their next ride until August 14 with the exclusive code ELECTREK10 only at retrospec.com.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (most weeks, anyway). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.


If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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

Continue Reading

Trending