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newsclips -- CARB Newsclips for April 4, 2017.
Posted: 04 Apr 2017 17:38:42
CARB Newsclips for April 4, 2017. This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office of Communications. You may need to sign in or register with individual websites to view some of the following news articles. CARB BUSINESS The Air Resources Board (ARB or Board) will conduct a public meeting at the time and place noted below to consider Truck Field Enforcement Activities and New Screening Technology for High Emitting Vehicles. DATE: April 27, 2017 TIME: 9:00 a.m. LOCATION: California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board Byron Sher Auditorium, 2nd Floor 1001 I Street Sacramento, California 95814 WEBCAST: http://www.cal-span.org/ Air Resources Board staff have posted a white paper on the health benefits of physical activity and air pollution exposure while walking and bicycling for transportation. Download the White Paper: https://www.arb.ca.gov/research/vprp/physical_activity_and_health_final_161216.pdf For more information, including the White Paper and other resources, visit our Built Environment webpage: https://www.arb.ca.gov/research/vprp/vprp.htm A fact sheet summarizing this document can be found here: https://www.arb.ca.gov/html/fact_sheets/physical_activity_fact_sheet.pdf On Monday, April 24th, the California Air Resources Board will host a research seminar focusing on household transportation choices and commitments of statewide greenhouse gas reductions required by SB 375. Announcement available here: https://www.arb.ca.gov/research/seminars/mokhtarian/mokhtarian.htm CAP AND TRADE Cap-and-trade costs wielded as weapon in fuel tax hike fight. California Republicans opposed to a fast-moving bill that would hike fuel taxes and fund transportation work have deployed a new weapon: a nonpartisan analysis that said the state's cap-and-trade program also could cost drivers more in future years. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office, or LAO, responding yesterday to a request from Republican Assemblyman Vince Fong, vice chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee, said that in a worst-case scenario, cap and-trade could add as much as 63 cents per gallon to fuel costs by 2021 and 73 cents by 2031. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060052557/search?keyword=california New opposition arises to bill that would raise the gas tax in California. Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield) clashed Monday with Gov. Jerry Brown over how a proposal to raise gas taxes for road repairs may add to increases in fuel prices expected from the state's cap-and-trade program. Fong told Brown during a legislative hearing that he opposes a bill by the governor and legislative leaders that would raise the gas tax by 12 cents per gallon. http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-new-opposition-arises-to-bill-that-1491259625-htmlstory.html EU Carbon Market Emissions Fall for Sixth Year, Down 2.7 Percent. Emissions regulated under Europe's carbon market fell for the sixth straight year in 2016, in part due to lower coal-fired power production, data published on Monday by the European Commission and examined by carbon analysts at Thomson Reuters showed. Around 45 percent of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions are regulated… https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2017/04/03/world/europe/03reuters-europe-emissions-data.html?_r=0 http://www.platts.com/latest-news/electric-power/london/eu-co2-emissions-fall-indicative-255-in-2016-21339037 Ontario’s first cap-and-trade auction is done, and the world didn’t end. ANALYSIS: The Liberal cap-and-trade plan seems to have come through its first test intact. The government is relieved, the New Democrats are being gracious, and the Tories may need new talking points. Moments of non-partisan goodwill are rare enough at Queen’s Park that they deserve to be noted. http://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/the-next-ontario/ontarios-first-cap-and-trade-auction-is-done-and-the-world-didnt-end AIR POLLUTION London plans vehicle emissions fee to fight air pollution. The mayor of London says drivers of the most polluting cars will have to pay a 12.50 pound ($15.55) charge to drive in the city in a bid to improve air quality. Mayor Sadiq Khan says the charge will start in April 2019 and apply to diesel cars more than four years old and petrol cars more than 13 years old. It will initially cover central London, with plans to widen the zone by 2021. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_BRITAIN_AIR_POLLUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Related articles: http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/04/london-mayor-tax-ultra-low-emission-zone-autos-pollution.html http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/04/04/london-plans-vehicle-emissions-fee-to-fight-air-pollution.html https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/apr/04/thousands-of-british-children-exposed-to-illegal-levels-of-air-pollution https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/04/04/world/europe/ap-eu-britain-air-pollution.html http://www.reuters.com/article/us-london-emissions-idUSKBN1760OU https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/london-plans-vehicle-emissions-fee-to-fight-air-pollution/2017/04/04/f7b982ae-1934-11e7-8598-9a99da559f9e_story.html?utm_term=.476de53398d3 Wealth didn’t matter. Pollution from a coal-fired plant, carried miles by wind, still hurt their babies. Air pollution from power plants has wanderlust. It never stays still. It rides the wind, drifting far from its source, visiting homes miles away with potentially harmful effects. New research released Monday documents the impact that pollution from a coal-fired plant in Pennsylvania had on four wealthy New Jersey counties as far as… https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/04/03/wealth-didnt-matter-pollution-from-a-coal-fired-plant-carried-miles-by-wind-still-hurt-their-babies/?utm_term=.22192389b95b Torrance officials and residents call for ban of refinery chemical. The use of a hazardous chemical at the Torrance Refining Co. should be eliminated in the wake of repeated fires and explosions that have occurred at the facility in recent years, elected officials and community activists said at a news conference Saturday morning. The news conference took place outside the Torrance Marriott shortly… http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-torrance-refinery-20170401-story.html This is how much global trade costs, not in dollars but in premature deaths caused by pollution. Rich countries like the United States import tons of stuff from China and other less-developed nations. In so doing, we not only send our dollars abroad — we’re also exporting premature deaths that would have occurred here if we had to make those goods ourselves. Indeed, one of the reasons it’s cheaper to produce things elsewhere is… http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-pollution-trade-deaths-20170331-htmlstory.htm l Pruitt dodges on health impacts of killing carbon rule. You can't blame "Fox News Sunday" moderator Chris Wallace for trying. Several times on yesterday's broadcast, Wallace tried to get U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to respond to the adverse health effects of withdrawing the Obama-era Clean Power Plan. Pruitt repeated the Trump administration's argument that the plan, which aimed to reduce the rate of car… http://www.eenews.net/interactive/clean_power_plan/column_posts/1060052477 Blue states ready to battle Pruitt over emissions. Democratic attorneys general from eight states and the District of Columbia yesterday urged U.S. EPA to reconsider its decision to stop collecting certain emissions information from oil and gas operators, and hinted at a legal battle. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey (D) and the top lawyers from California, Illinois, Maryland, Maine, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont sent a letter to Administrator Scott Pruitt asking him to reissue information requests initiated by the Obama administration. http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/stories/1060052532/search?keyword=california CLIMATE CHANGE Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visits California. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has signed a climate change agreement with California Gov. Jerry Brown at the start of a five-day visit to the U.S. that comes as Scotland considers its independence from the United Kingdom. In June, the U.K. voted to leave the European Union sparking outrage in Scotland where the majority was opposed. Sturgeon says Scotland is planning to hold a referendum on Scottish independence sometime between fall 2018 and spring 2019. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_SCOTLAND_FIRST_MINISTER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Related articles: http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/04/california-and-scotland-join-forces-to-fight-climate-change.html https://cleantechnica.com/2017/04/04/scotland-california-sign-partnership-tackle-climate-change/ Trump plugs away at his central goal: undoing Obama's work. Amid the turmoil over staff shake-ups, blocked travel bans and the Russia cloud hanging overhead, President Donald Trump is steadily plugging away at a major piece of his agenda: Undoing Obama. From abortion to energy to climate change and personal investments, Trump is keeping his promises in methodically overturning regulations and policies adopted when Barack Obama was president. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TRUMP_UNDOING_OBAMA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT At Trump’s EPA, Less Science and More Industry. Congress and the Trump administration are planning sweeping changes in how science is used to govern public health. Controversy over climate change may be getting all the attention right now, but legislation under consideration would transform the way the Environmental Protection Agency combats pollution, identifies harmful pesticides and classifies everyday toxins, such as laundry detergent, window cleaner and clothing dye. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-04/research-that-saved-the-bald-eagle-at-risk-as-new-epa-settles-in At Trump's EPA, going to work can be an act of defiance. As California’s top energy regulator, Michael Picker has an absurdly busy job. So it was a little surprising to find him recently near a Washington, D.C., metro stop, randomly handing out help-wanted fliers in the middle of a workday. But with morale plummeting at the Environmental Protection Agency since President Trump took office, Picker saw in that patch of sidewalk near its headquarters an opportunity… http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-epa-staff-morale-20170404-story.html EU Nations Consider Lowering Energy Savings Targets-Draft. EU nations are considering lowering targets on energy savings after 2021, a draft document seen by Reuters shows, in what climate campaigners say would be blow to the European Union's goals to curb the worst effects of global warming. The text drafted by the Maltese presidency of the European Council proposes new annual energy savings targets of 1.4 percent through 2030, down from 1.5 percent proposed by the European Commission, the EU executive. https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2017/04/04/business/04reuters-climatechange-eu-energy.html EPA Proposal Cuts Hundreds of Climate Change Employees. A memo detailing how U.S. EPA would cut its budget by one-third shows that the agency would eliminate hundreds of employees working on climate change, including 20 lawyers who provide support for the Clean Power Plan. Overall, EPA would reduce staffing from about 15,000 to a full-time equivalent (FTE) ceiling of 11,547, according to the document, which was first reported by The Washington Post. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/epa-proposal-cuts-hundreds-of-climate-change-employees/ To Curb Global Warming, Science Fiction May Become Fact. In the delirious sci-fi thriller by the Korean director Bong Joon-ho, an attempt to engineer the climate and stop global warming goes horribly wrong. The planet freezes. Only the passengers on a train endlessly circumnavigating the globe survive. Those in first class eat sushi and quaff wine. People in steerage eat cockroach protein bars. Scientists must start looking into this. Seriously. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/business/economy/geoengineering-climate-change.html Mass. greenhouse gas emissions down 21 percent compared to 1990. Greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts decreased from 2013 to 2014, continuing a decade-long trend, according to the latest state data. State law requires emissions by 2020 that are 25 percent lower than 1990 levels, and emissions in 2014 were 21 percent below 1990 levels, according to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)… http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2017/04/03/mass-greenhouse-gas-emissions-down-21-percent.html These stunning timelapse photos may just convince you about climate change. Melting glaciers, from Greenland to Antarctica, have become symbols of global warming — and monitoring their retreat is one major way scientists are keeping tabs on the progress of climate change. Now, scientists are trying to bring the issue a little closer to home by using time-lapse photos to show the effects of climate change are already occurring. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/04/03/you-cant-deny-climate-change-once-you-see-these-images/?utm_term=.31d81075858f WATER With Drought Emergency Over, Californians Debate Lifting Water Restrictions. As California water officials confirmed Thursday that the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada remains well above average, pressure was mounting on the state to lift emergency water restrictions that have been in place for two years. The snowpack across the mountains is now 164 percent of average… http://www.npr.org/2017/03/30/522042235/with-drought-emergency-over-californians-debate-lifting-water-restrictions Have SoCal's water supplies recovered? Depends on where you live. Here in California, we've been on a roller coaster when it comes to water. After five years of crippling drought, the Golden State had one of its wettest winters on record. So what has all the rain and snow meant for our water supply in Southern California? It depends on where you live and where your water comes from. http://www.scpr.org/news/2017/04/02/70381/have-socal-s-water-supplies-recovered-depends-on-w/ See How One Year’s Snowpack Buried the California Drought. It might be appropriate that California water managers designate April 1 as the date when the Sierra snowpack is presumed to be at its peak for the season. It tends to be unpredictable. But this year’s bounty is no April Fool. The water content of the Sierra Nevada snowpack currently stands at 164 percent of normal for this date (the official April 1 snow survey… https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2017/03/30/see-how-one-years-snowpack-buried-the-california-drought/ DIESEL EMISSIONS California roads bill would limit truck pollution mandates. A plan to raise taxes and fees to pay for California road repairs includes a concession to the trucking industry that would block the state from requiring truck owners to upgrade to lower-emission models. The provision angered environmentalists, who implored lawmakers to reject it Monday saying it would perpetuate health problems in neighborhoods around ports and other areas exposed to a high volume of truck traffic. http://www.scpr.org/news/2017/04/04/70449/california-roads-bill-would-limit-truck-pollution/ FUELS EU Commission to debate ‘phase out’ of palm oil in biofuels. The long running controversy regarding palm oil is coming to a climax, with members of the European Parliament (MEPs) set to debate a report calling on the European Commission to phase out palm oil in biofuels. The controversial report also calls for a single certification scheme for the commodity to enter the EU market. http://biofuels-news.com/display_news/12108/eu_commission_to_debate__lsquo_phase_out__of_palm_oil_in_biofuels/ BP, DuPont joint venture acquires Kansas ethanol plant. Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC, a joint venture between BP and DuPont to commercialize the production of bioisobutanol, has acquired a small corn ethanol plant in Scandia, Kansas. Butamax will immediately begin the detailed engineering work to add bioisobutanol capacity to the 10-MMgy Nesika Energy LLC facility, while continuing to produce ethanol before and after the retrofit. http://ethanolproducer.com/articles/14233/ VOLKSWAGEN The bill for Volkswagen's Dieselgate crisis grew by $157 million (running total: $22.3 billion). Back in the early days of the Volkswagen Dieselgate fiasco, we estimated that the crisis would cost Europe's largest automaker at least $25 billion. As it turns out, that estimate may have been too conservative. The company's bill in America alone has topped $22 billion, and thanks to a settlement with ten states that had sued the automaker for environmental damages, the sum has now crept up by another $157.45 million. http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1109690_the-bill-for-volkswagens-dieselgate-crisis-grew-by-157-million-running-total-22-3-billion German court rebuffs VW complaint over prosecutors' searches. A German court has rebuffed Volkswagen's attempt to prevent prosecutors from using information seized during searches of the law firm which the carmaker had hired to investigate its emissions scandal. Volkswagen (VW) said last week it had filed a complaint with a Munich court to prevent prosecutors… http://www.reuters.com/article/volkswagen-emissions-court-idUSL2N1HB1P0 FUELS U.S. gasoline consumption flattens as fuel economy improves: Kemp. Growth in U.S. gasoline consumption is slowing after two years of brisk increases between the middle of 2014 and the middle of 2016. The average fuel economy of vehicles on U.S. roads is improving, as a result of federal regulations, which is offsetting the continued growth in driving. U.S. refiners and fuel blenders supplied an average of 8.5 million barrels per day (bpd) of motor gasoline to domestic consumers in January, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-gasoline-kemp-idUSKBN1762G5 MEPs vote to ban the use of palm oil in biofuels. MEPs have voted overwhelmingly to ban biofuels made from vegetable oils including palm oil by 2020, to prevent the EU’s renewable transport targets from inadvertently contributing to deforestation. A new palm oil regulation, minimum sustainability criteria, customs duty reforms and anti-deforestation articles in future EU trade deals were also approved with a 640-18 majority. https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/apr/04/palm-oil-biofuels-meps-eu-transport-deforestation-zsl-greenpeace-golden-agri-resources-oxfam RENEWABLE ENERGY New York, Other States Take on Trump Over Energy Efficiency. A coalition of U.S. states has mounted a broad legal challenge against what it called the Trump administration's illegal suspension of rules to improve the energy efficiency of ceiling fans, portable air conditioners and other products. The challenge, also joined by environmental groups, came after the U.S. Department of Energy last month delayed standards proposed under the Obama administration to reduce air pollution… https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2017/04/03/us/politics/03reuters-usa-trump-energy-lawsuit.html http://www.reuters.com/article/usa-trump-energy-lawsuit-idUSL2N1HB1P9 Renewable energy sources could be cheaper than fossil fuels within 10 years – UN-backed report. A new United Nations-backed report has revealed overwhelming consensus that renewable power will dominate in the future, with many experts saying that even large international corporations are increasingly choosing renewable energy products either from utilities or through direct investment in their own generating capacity. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56489#.WOPdlm8rKpo Former Danish PM says investment is key to developing renewable energy – video. Helle Thorning-Schmidt, appearing on the ABC’s Q&A, says every country needs to determine the right mix of energy sources for its requirements, but the important thing is investment, planning and political will. She says Denmark started investing in its renewables strategy 30 years ago and now makes… https://www.theguardian.com/environment/video/2017/apr/04/former-danish-pm-says-investment-is-key-to-developing-renewable-energy-video California, other states sue over delay of energy-efficiency rules under Trump. A 10-state coalition led by New York and California is suing the Trump administration over the delay of energy-efficiency standards for consumer and commercial products. The states announced Monday they had filed notice with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit in New York seeking review of a series of actions by the Energy Department to delay final standards for devices… http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/03/california-other-states-sue-over-delay-of-energy-efficiency-rules-under-trump/ This turbine can harvest green energy in water currents as slow as 2 mph. A Canadian company has designed a water turbine which can harvest energy in slow moving water. "Waterotor" can work in currents as slow as 2 mph which means it could be used in almost any river, canal, or ocean current. The company believe that "Waterotor" could be the solution for many of the world's 1.3 billion people that live without electricity. http://www.businessinsider.com/waterotor-harvest-green-energy-water-currents-2-mph-turbine-electricity-fish-flow-renewable-2017-4 Australia’s Green Bank Charges Ahead on Energy Storage. Ensuring power reliability in Australia’s wilderness is a challenge for power providers, but the grid is getting a boost from the new technology of giant, energy-storing batteries and financing support from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Australia’s green investment bank. https://www.nrdc.org/experts/sarah-dougherty/australias-green-bank-charges-ahead-energy-storage Ohio House passes repeal of renewable energy mandate. Republicans in the Ohio House are doggedly pursuing a rollback of the state's clean energy mandates, but the path ahead looks similar last year's failed attempt. The Associated Press reports Kasich will likely veto the bill, should the Senate approve it. And InsideClimate News reports it is unlikely to pass the Senate by a veto-proof margin. http://www.utilitydive.com/news/ohio-house-passes-repeal-of-renewable-energy-mandate/439581/ Renewable energy needed to drive uptake of electric vehicles. Plugging into renewable energy sources outweighs the cost and short driving ranges for consumers intending to buy electric vehicles, according to a new study. QUT Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Kenan Degirmenci, from QUT Business School, said environmental performance—or being green—was more important than price or range confidence for electric vehicle consumers. https://phys.org/news/2017-04-renewable-energy-uptake-electric-vehicles.html Made in America: Trump embracing offshore wind? In March, the Interior Department auctioned off 122,405 acres of water off Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to the Spanish-based Avangrid for $9 million. Avangrid, a division of Iberdrola, beat out three competitors, including Norway’s Statoil and Germany wind farm developer wpd. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke hailed the auction, affirming that offshore wind is "one tool in the all-of-the-above energy toolbox that will help power…http://www.dailyclimate.org/tdc-newsroom/2017/april/made-in-america-trump-embracing-offshore-wind/ MISCELLANEOUS New EPA documents reveal even deeper proposed cuts to staff and programs. The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a new, more detailed plan for laying off 25 percent of its employees and scrapping 56 programs including pesticide safety, water runoff control, and environmental cooperation with Mexico and Canada under the North American Free Trade Agreement. At a time when the agency is considering a… https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/03/31/new-epa-documents-reveal-even-deeper-proposed-cuts-to-staff-and-programs/?utm_term=.09f9a2d388b3 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE California’s ‘new’ environmentalism: Toxic air, tainted water driving climate-change debate. Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia’s hometown of Bell Gardens is so notoriously contaminated by toxic waste sites and freeways stacked with diesel trucks that some residents of nearby towns call it “Bell Garbage.” Garcia channeled her anger into a successful 2012 Assembly campaign… http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/01/californias-new-environmentalism-toxic-air-tainted-water-driving-climate-change-debate/ OPINIONS Want more renewable energy? State should stop building natural gas plants. California has a reputation of being on the cutting edge of clean energy. But the state still clings to old habits – using natural gas to generate electricity – to provide the necessary flexibility to keep the electric grid reliable. At some point, if the state is serious about cutting greenhouse gas emissions, it cannot have its renewables and its natural gas, too. http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article142422474.html California plans to fix its transportation infrastructure by selling out its clean air to the trucking industry. If the transportation funding proposal unveiled this week by Gov. Jerry Brown and state legislative leaders simply contained the gas tax hikes and vehicle fees outlined in their press releases and statements, then of course lawmakers should support the proposal. The state’s infrastructure needs far outpace the revenue… http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-road-funding-20170401-story.html Don’t Give Volkswagen an Unfair Advantage. Last week, the California Air Resources Board heard from the public on Volkswagen’s $800 million spending plan for Zero Emissions Vehicle infrastructure, access, and education in California. But in order to know if this spending is a good deal for California, it’s important to know how we got here. We cannot forget that Volkswagen executed a deliberate scheme to pollute our air… http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/01/californias-new-environmentalism-toxic-air-tainted-water-driving-climate-change-debate/ PD Editorial: California greets a bleak salmon season. This week’s news included warnings about potential flooding as temperatures rise and the Sierra’s mammoth snowpack begins to melt. So it may seem a bit odd to be reading about the lingering effects of California’s drought. But one of the most troubling consequences is coming into focus as sport salmon fishing season… http://www.pressdemocrat.com/opinion/6841125-181/pd-editorial-california-greets-a Trump’s actions will increase emissions. Is that really what we want? We’re amazed President Donald Trump can sleep at night. His decision to roll back his predecessor’s Clean Power Plan is striking in both what it signals for the future of emissions in the United States, but also the likelihood it will erode efforts across the globe to clean up our atmosphere. http://www.denverpost.com/2017/04/01/trumps-actions-will-increase-emissions-is-that-really-what-we-want / BLOGS California Air Resources Board ratchets up emissions regulations. Continuing a years-long push, the California Air Resources Board cracked down further on emissions, sharpening the debate over the scope of its plans. “The new rules, green-lighted [March 23] … seek to curb methane emissions at oil and gas production plants by up to 45 percent over the next nine years,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported. http://calwatchdog.com/2017/04/01/california-air-resources-board-ratchets-emissions-regulations/ EU Renewable Energy Share Continues To Increase. Renewable energy sources have continued their rapid rise in the share of European Union energy consumption according to new figures published this week, and is edging closer to its 20% by 2020 target. According to new figures published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) this week, the share of renewables in the energy mix has increased from 15% in 2013 to 16% in 2014, and up to 16.7% in 2015. https://cleantechnica.com/2017/04/04/eu-renewable-energy-share-continues-increase/ Kia’s First Fuel Cell Vehicle To Be Released in Three Years. Kia will roll out its first fuel cell vehicle in around three years from now, and a company executive has shed more light on parent company Hyundai’s eco car lineup. Lee Ki-sang, senior vice president of the Eco Technology Center that serves Hyundai and Kia said Kia’s FCV will come out some time after Hyundai releases its next FCVe built on a next-generation platform in 2018. http://www.hybridcars.com/kia-first-fuel-cell-vehicle-in-three-years/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.