Kia back with the Big Beach Clean

Kia Ireland will return as the official sponsor of the Big Beach Clean 2025, which takes place from 19th to 21st September across Ireland, writes Brian Byrne. Last year, over 95 tonnes of litter were removed from Irish beaches and waterways by more than 15,000 volunteers involved in over 600 organised clean-ups.

Registrations are now open for this year’s event, which is hoped to be even larger. Kia is encouraging as many people as possible to sign up for their local beach clean at cleancoasts.org.

The Big Beach Clean is part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) and invites volunteers from across Ireland to remove litter from coastal areas and inland waterways following the end of the bathing season. The data collected from this campaign is part of a global citizen science project aimed at raising awareness about marine litter and helping to shape future policies.

Kia places sustainability at the centre of their business strategy with a long-term goal of achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2045. As part of this initiative, Kia is committed to using recycled materials in vehicle production, including recycled ocean waste. The plastic recovered from these operations is currently recycled and upcycled for use in the production of Kia EVs, and by 2030, 20% of all Kia vehicle plastics will originate from recycled materials. 

Biogas facility for HGVs opened at Junction 14 on M7

A new bio compressed natural gas refuelling station commissioned at Junction 14 on the M7 is the sixth public station to become operational in the country, writes Brian Byrne. The facility will supply biomethane produced locally in Nurney, Co Kildare by Green Generation, using local food and farm waste. 

BioCNG offers a cleaner alternative to diesel, reducing emissions from HGVs in the road transport sector, which accounts for more than a fifth of  Ireland's total greenhouse gas emissions. The Junction 14 station facility is provided by Gas Networks Ireland.

Of the 3,008 HGVs sold in Ireland so far this year, 59 were gas powered, most of them Scanias. Albeit from a low base, the trend is quite sharply upwards.

Pictured at the official opening of the new station by James Lawless TD, Minister of State at the Department of Transport and at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, are Martin Heydon TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Fiona O'Loughlin, Donal Fitzpatrick, Director, Lidon Group which manages Junction 14, David Kelly, Director of Customer and Business Development, Gas Networks Ireland, and Liam Fitzpatrick, Director, Lidon Group. 

Kia Ireland helping with coastal cleanups here

Kia Ireland has got involved with the Clean Coasts initiative to promote circular economy initiatives, writes Brian Byrne. Clean Coasts, an initiative led by An Taisce, is a network of volunteers committed to the protection of Ireland's beaches, seas, and marine life. 

The collaboration will support beach cleanup initiatives and explore innovative ways to transform collected waste into new resources.

Cathal Kealey, Head of Marketing & PR at Kia Ireland, notes that by 2030 Kia will have 20pc of all vehicle plastics coming from recycled materials. "Our EV9 which will launch in Ireland in the coming weeks uses ten sustainable items in vehicle production, that have either originated from recycled plastic, or have been sourced from plant-based materials," he says. "We are delighted to support Clean Coasts and to assist them in finding ways to reuse collected beach waste in line with our circular economy initiatives.” 

Cathal Kealey is pictured with Sinead McCoy, Coastal Communities Manager at Clean Coasts, and Liane Costello, Campaigns Officer at Clean Coast. 

Kia helps with ocean plastic pollution clearance

A new record for reclaiming plastic dumped in the world's oceans has been set by The Ocean Cleanup, a global partner of the Kia car company, writes Brian Byrne.

Some 55 tons of ocean plastic from the 1.6 million square kilometre Great Pacific Garbage Patch has been delivered to Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada. The plastics will be recycled with a proportion to be used in future Kia models.

The GPGP is a 1.6-million-square kilometre area of plastic refuse and The Ocean Cleanup is scaling up its mission to remove 90pc of floating ocean plastic by 2040.

Kia is committed to more a than 20pc increase in plastic reuse by 2030 and achievement of carbon neutrality by 2045. 

Citroen sponsors alternative garden for Bloom

Citroen Ireland has sponsored a 'Power of One' garden from the upcoming Bord Bia Bloom festival event in Dublin, writes Brian Byrne. The alternative urban garden aims to show how individuals can help fight global warming.

The sponsorship with garden designer Nicola Haines coincides with the launch here of the new Citroen eC4 X electric car.

The garden includes a biodiverse turf roof, and planting to help absorb pollution and clean the air.

Water features and appropriate planting will help to absorb traffic noise, while rainfall capture and storage will contribute to adding oxygen to the atmosphere and provide a wild-life friendly pond.

The Bord Blia Bloom event in Dublin's Phoenix Park is now in its 17th year. 

Circle K deliveries to come by renewable diesel

Jonathan Diver, Fuels Director with Circle K Ireland.

Circle K fuel delivery vehicles are themselves to be fully fuelled by renewable diesel by early 2023, writes Brian Byrne.

The fuel, milesBIO HVO100, is a completely fossil-free biofuel made from waste by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption from the food industry and can be used to power diesel vehicles. HVO alternative diesel offers an up to 90pc reduction in carbon emissions over regular diesel. This renewable diesel has been available across Scandinavia at Circle K locations in Norway, Sweden and Denmark in recent years.

The fuel will also be available to commercial customers at Circle K’s service station in Dublin Port, with the product to be rolled out at Circle K’s locations in Cork and Galway in the coming months, to support commercial customers in decarbonising the journeys of their own respective fleets. Organisations operating large fleet transport vehicles in sectors such as refuse, retail, and logistics amongst others will benefit greatly from this new product. 

Survey shows small concern about car emissions

Only 6pc of Irish motorists in a recent survey reported the environmental impact of car emissions as a significant concern, writes Brian Byrne.

The survey by mobility solutions and payment specialist Easytrip included responses from 6,000 motorists, and the biggest concern expressed was high fuel prices (42pc), cost of insurance (17pc), poor road conditions (13pc), policing of traffic and traffic incidents (9pc), and that previously mentioned environmental impact of car emissions (6pc).

The investigation also highlighted tyre damage or tyre punctures as the main breakdown incident for 28pc of motorists this year. This was followed by exterior damage to vehicle (15pc) and mechanical failure (11pc). Other issues included electric vehicle battery failure, lost/broken keys, empty fuel tank or mis-fuelling.

Easytrip also asked drivers their opinion on the standard of driving in Ireland which disclosed the following — 77pc believed it to be average, one in five stating it was terrible while only 5pc claimed it was great.

Kia to help clean the oceans

Kia has signed up to help clear the world's oceans of dumped plastics, writes Brian Byrne.

Partnering with The Ocean Cleanup organisation based in The Netherlands, the carmaker will be providing funds and services to the organisation, which will be working in the oceans and also building devices for cleaning river water before it brings plastics into the seas.

Kia will support The Ocean Cleanup financially to initiate ocean and river cleanup projects, and create a resource circulation system that will help avoid harvested plastics ending up back in the environment. Part of the catch from the operations will find their way back into Kia’s production process. 

The agreement will run for seven years. Pictured are Ho Sung Song, President & CEO Kia Corporation; and Boyan Slat, Founder & CEO The Ocean Cleanup.

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Applegreen commits to major reduction in carbon footprint

Forecourt retailer Applegreen has committed to reduce the direct carbon footprint of its Irish operation by 90pc by 2030, writes Brian Byrne.

Under its 'Drive Change' plan, the company will focus on using 100pc renewable energy and what it calls 'increased EV solutions' to help it achieve the goal. These latter will include using EVs in the business's own staff fleet.

Applegreen will also use carbon offsets to to balance any residual emissions that cannot be eliminated.

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Applegreen to carbon offset total fleet

Fuel distributor and convenience store operator Applegreen is to offset the carbon emissions from its total fleet of trucks, delivery vans, and company cars, by buying carbon credits in support of a clean water initiative in East Africa, writes Brian Byrne.

The plan will offset more than 2,500 tonnes of carbon each year, and complements the recent initiative by the company in offsetting all emissions for customers of its premium grade PowerPlus fuel. The project in East Africa is expected in total to offset more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon each year.

According to Applegreen's COO Joe Barrett, the latest move is 'a significant step' on the company's sustainability journey. "We’re acutely aware of the contribution we need to make to a low carbon future, for present and future generations,. Carbon offsetting is something we can use to limit the global impact of fossil fuels and help our customers make a positive choice for the planet now, as we continue the transition towards electric vehicles.”

Applegreen has committed to investing a minimum of €1.5 million in carbon reduction initiatives over the next three years.

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Applegreen's carbon offset programme, fuelled by drivers

Joe Barrett, Chief Operations Officer; Fiona Matthews, Commercial Director; and Bob Etchingham, CEO.

Fuel and motorway services company Applegreen has established a carbon offset programme based on sales of its PowerPlus premium fuel in Ireland, writes Brian Byrne.

As part of the programme, the company will work with Irish NGO Vita in Africa, in a clean water initiative that is said to offset more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon each year. Vita is restoring community water points to provide easy access to clean water for families in East Africa, reducing their need to burn fuel wood in order to boil water, which results in deforestation.

Back home, Applegreen has announced that it will be planting 300,000 native trees including Pedunculate Oak, Birch, Scots Pine, Rowan, Holly and Hazel, around Ireland over the next three years, beginning in selected locations in Limerick and Mayo later this year. One tree will be planted for every tonne of carbon generated by the use of PowerPlus fuel, with a minimum of 100,000 trees per year and no upper limit.

Applegreen’s Joe Barrett says that if all customers buy PowerPlus fuel where it is available, the corresponding carbon reduction initiatives would be equivalent to reducing emissions from 180,000 cars.

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Drive-thru ban 'to cut emissions'

Lots of ideas are coming through aimed at cutting emissions from automobiles, but one intriguing new law is a ban on the construction of fast-food drive-thru facilities, writes Brian Byrne.

That's what the City Council in Minneapolis, USA, has just passed, though it won't affect existing establishments or any current application for one.

The council said it is doing so to cut down on the number of cars idling while waiting for ordered food, and also because the facilities may impact on pedestrian safety.

The law is being criticised by a number of groups, including the Minneapolis Advisory Committee on People with Disabilities. They say the ban would limit access to food and services for people with disabilities.

Another plan by the Minneapolis authorities to ban gas stations in the city will have to wait until there's a greater penetration of the use of electric cars.

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Carmakers will have to cut sports car noise

Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S — be quiet, now.

The snarly sound of most sports-oriented cars is one of the attractions to buyers, but the EU figures that doesn't help the quality of life of those on the street who have to hear it, writes Brian Byrne.

So a new regulation aims to trim back the current maximum permitted noise levels from cars. At the moment that is 74 decibels, but the regulation will have it down to 68 decibels by 2026.

Carmakers are taking note. One option is to have artificial exhaust notes, working through the car's audio speakers. But the Mercedes-Benz AMG division is staying natural, routing the sound directly into the cabin before muting it as the exhaust expels through the tailpipes.

So, for pedestrians and cyclists and other audio-unprotected road users, the 'snap, crackle and pop' of the super sports cars will in future be only in their Rice Krispies.

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EU Parliament votes strict cars, vans, emissions

The European Parliament has voted to set a target of a 40pc reduction in emissions from cars and vans sold in the EU by 2030, writes Brian Byrne.

The target is tougher than one proposed by the European Commission, which proposes a 15pc reduction by 2025, and a 30pc reduction on 2021 levels by 2030.

Germany, which has a large automotive industry, is concerned that too strict reductions will hit jobs in the country.

The impetus is part of a programme that aims to reduce greenhouse gases by 40pc on 1990 levels by 2030.

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Renault's 'Advanced Battery Storage' will help with renewable energy

Renault has launched an initiative which will use electric vehicle batteries in electricity storage systems for integration with national electricity grids, writes Brian Byrne.

The systems, labelled 'Advanced Battery Storage', will be able to store and provide a minimum of 60MWh of electricity to even out fluctuations between production and consumption in grids which use renewable energy from wind and solar as a component of their output.

The systems will be in place several sites in France and Germany by 2020.

They will use both 'second life' batteries from older EVs and new batteries stored while waiting for use in new electric vehicles.

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Electric B-Class awarded environmental certificate

The German TUC automotive testing organisation has awarded an environmental certificate to the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive, writes Brian Byrne.

Though the version isn't available here, it offers a 200km range and CO2 emissions over its entire production and usage life cycle that are up to 64 percent less than the petrol B180.

CO2 emissions during the use phase depend upon the method used to generate electricity. In 160,000 kilometres of driving use, the new B-Class Electric Drive (NEDC combined consumption from 16.6 kWh/100 km) produces 11.9 tonnes of CO2, assuming use of the EU electricity mix. When electricity generated by hydroelectric means is used to power the electric vehicle, the other environmental impacts relating to electricity generation are also almost entirely avoided.

The B 180 (NEDC combined consumption 5.4 l/100 km) on the other hand emits 23.8 tonnes of CO2 during the use phase.

France wants to phase out diesel cars

France is to discourage the use of diesel power for passenger cars on a phased basis, writes Brian Byrne.

According to the country's prime minister, Manuel Valls, the push down the decades to make diesel the most popular fuel was 'a mistake'. Four out of every five French cars have a diesel engine.

Diesel has less CO2 emissions by volume of fuel used, but there are serious concerns about the health effects of other emissions, including particulates and nitrogen oxides.

Valls said France will introduce a rating system for overall pollution by every model next year, which will be used by cities to limit access or tax cars for use in their municipal boundaries.

In its push to encourage adoption of electric cars, the French government is already offering a €10,000 bonus for owners of diesel cars scrapping them for an electric one.

Lighter C-Class 'exemplary' to environment

The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class soon to be launched in Ireland has had a weight trimming of 100kg compared to the current car, writes Brian Byrne, and the consequent reduction in fuel consumption has helped gain the new car an independent environmental certificate for its 'exemplary results' in life cycle assessment.

The certificate has been given to the car by the TUV Sud independent technical inspection authority in Germany.

Compared to the time of market launch of the predecessor car in 2007, CO2 emissions have been reduced by 28 percent. Over the entire life cycle of 200,000kms, the new car will have improved in CO2 emissions by 10 percent.

GDI engines slammed for particulates

A slamming indictment of particulate emissions from new gasoline direct injection engines has been made by the authoritative TUEV Nord transport testing organisation in Germany, writes Brian Byrne.

A report from the organisation says the highly efficient engines emit up to 1,000 times more particulates than predecessor conventional petrol engines, and 100 times more than modern diesels.

Particulates are believed to be carcinogenic as well as being harmful to the environment in other ways.

The report says a €40 filter on the new GDI engines would solve the issue, without affecting efficiency or fuel consumption.

EU agrees compromise for C02 limits

Germany has won an extra year on an EU requirement that all cars sold in the region should have C02 emissions of 75g/km or less by 2020.

This follows what many countries saw as heavy-handed negotiating tactics from Germany to change an agreement that was made as recently as June of this year. Angela Merkel had argued for a less stringent regime in order to protect the large premium German cars industry from which she had received financial political support.

In the latest agreement, the 2020 deadline has been stretched to 2021. In addition, a 'super credits' agreement which allowed manufacturers who built very low emission vehicles such as electric vehicles, extra leeway in the emissions target was also modified.