Articles tagged with "emissions"
The EIB Lent €7 Billion to Dirty Transport Projects — Analysis - CleanTechnica
The European Investment Bank (EIB), despite branding itself as the ‘EU climate bank’ since 2021, lent over €7 billion between 2021 and 2024 to transport projects that increase CO2 emissions, according to analysis by the green group Transport & Environment (T&E). Notably, €6.1 billion was allocated to new road construction, including a €200 million motorway project in Poland that cuts through protected nature areas and is expected to emit over 3,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent. The EIB controversially counted this motorway project as part of its climate spending, citing improved climate resilience. Additionally, the bank lent nearly €890 million for airport expansions, including €90 million to Bologna Airport and €800 million to the Spanish airport operator Aena, which plans to expand multiple airports, contradicting the bank’s own environmental rules and undermining efforts to reduce aviation emissions. The EIB also financed biofuel projects with questionable sustainability, lending about €1 billion
energytransportationEuropean-Investment-Bankclimate-financebiofuelsemissionsinfrastructurexAI gets permits for 15 natural gas generators at Memphis data center
County regulators have approved permits for Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, to operate 15 natural gas turbines at its data center near Memphis, despite ongoing legal challenges. The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) alleges that xAI has been running up to 35 generators without proper permits, with a combined capacity of 421 megawatts. The SELC, representing the NAACP, has raised concerns about potential violations of the Clean Air Act. Under the newly issued permits, xAI is allowed to emit substantial pollution annually, including significant amounts of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, and hazardous air pollutants such as formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. The company is responsible for maintaining its own emissions records. Community groups funded an independent air quality study prior to the permit issuance, but the SELC criticized the methodology, noting that ozone levels were not measured and that testing was conducted under conditions that likely underestimated pollution exposure. Specifically, testing occurred
energynatural-gas-generatorsdata-centeremissionspollution-controlClean-Air-Actair-quality-monitoringDespite Protests, Elon Musk Secures Air Permit for xAI
Elon Musk’s xAI data center in Memphis has been granted an air permit by the Shelby County Health Department to continue operating its gas turbines, which power the company’s Grok chatbot. This permit was issued despite significant community opposition and an impending lawsuit alleging violations of the Clean Air Act. The xAI facility, located in the predominantly Black Boxtown neighborhood—a historically pollution-burdened area—uses mobile gas turbines that emit harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxides. Residents and local leaders, including State Rep. Justin Pearson, have raised concerns about the public health impact of these emissions, describing the situation as a public health emergency. xAI began operating the turbines before obtaining the necessary permits, leading to legal challenges from the NAACP and the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), which argue that the company violated environmental regulations by failing to secure permits and allowing unchecked pollution. The newly issued permit allows xAI to operate 15 turbines until 2027, though reports and aerial footage suggest the company
energygas-turbinesair-permitpollutionclean-air-actsupercomputeremissionsLNG Canada’s True Cost: 2.2 Billion Tons Of CO₂e Over 50 Years - CleanTechnica
LNG Canada, a large liquefied natural gas facility in Kitimat, British Columbia, is nearing full operation and represents a significant development in Canada's energy and climate landscape. The project, led by Shell with international partners, aims to export 14 million tons of LNG annually, sourced from British Columbia’s Montney Formation and transported via the 670-kilometer Coastal GasLink pipeline. While LNG Canada incorporates efficiency measures such as using hydroelectric power for part of its liquefaction energy and employing high-efficiency turbines, the overall LNG supply chain remains energy-intensive and emits substantial greenhouse gases. The facility primarily serves Asian markets, with shorter shipping routes compared to U.S. Gulf Coast LNG exports, which somewhat reduces transit emissions. Despite these efficiencies, the full LNG supply chain experiences significant energy losses—about 66% of the original energy content is lost from extraction through to electricity generation. This includes losses during gas transmission, liquefaction, marine transport, regasification, and power generation,
energyLNGnatural-gasemissionshydroelectricitygas-turbinesenergy-efficiencyxAI is facing a lawsuit for operating over 400 MW of gas turbines without permits
xAI’s Colossus data center near Memphis is facing a lawsuit from the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), acting on behalf of the NAACP, for operating over 400 megawatts of natural gas turbines without the required preconstruction or operating air pollution permits. SELC alleges that xAI installed and ran at least 35 combustion turbines over the past year without regulatory approval, violating the Clean Air Act. These turbines have the potential to emit over 2,000 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) annually, pollutants that contribute to smog and exacerbate respiratory issues. Memphis already struggles with poor air quality and high asthma rates, making the unpermitted emissions a significant public health concern. Despite local health authorities initially claiming the turbines were exempt from permitting, SELC’s investigation—including aerial and thermal imaging—confirmed extensive turbine operation without proper permits or pollution controls. Although some turbines have been removed recently, around 26 remain operational, maintaining a generating capacity near 407 megawat
energygas-turbinesair-pollutionClean-Air-Actnatural-gasemissionsdata-center-energy-useThe EPA Wants to Roll Back Emissions Controls on Power Plants
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed rolling back emissions standards for power plants, which are the second-largest source of CO2 emissions in the country. This move comes shortly after NOAA reported record-high seasonal CO2 concentrations. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin criticized previous administrations for prioritizing environmental regulations over economic growth, emphasizing the agency’s intention to support domestic fossil fuel industries, including coal, which has been in decline due to competition from natural gas and renewables. The proposed rollbacks would weaken Biden-era rules that required coal- and gas-fired power plants to reduce emissions by 90% by the early 2030s, primarily through carbon capture and storage technology. The EPA’s justification for the rollbacks includes the argument that US power sector emissions represent a small fraction (3%) of global emissions, and that continued coal use abroad diminishes the impact of US regulations on global greenhouse gas levels. However, critics highlight that the US power sector remains a major domestic polluter, ranking second only
energyEPApower-plantsemissionscarbon-capturefossil-fuelsclimate-policyAviation Professionals Call For A New Flight Plan On Emissions
energyemissionsaviationclimate-changesustainable-aviation-fuelscarbon-footprintfossil-fuelsNew Data On Fossil Fuel Industry Emissions Could Play Pivotal Role In Climate Litigation
energyclimate-changefossil-fuelsemissionscarbon-footprintsustainabilityclimate-litigationPorts, Fuels, & Emissions: How Trump’s Tariffs Are Reshaping Maritime Trade
energyemissionsmaritime-tradefuel-consumptionclimate-changeshipping-routesalternative-power