Once we opened the box and took a look at all the contents, the process for setting the Kalorik up seemed pretty straightforward. The sweeper brushes came packages separately, a detail we appreciated as that prevents bending and therefore altering the machine’s performance. There was also a mini brush to clean out the vacuum if needed. 

We were also pleased to discover that a remote control was included to direct the vacuum one way or another, a useful feature if you really need to get, say, the kitchen cleaned before moving on to the bedrooms (as opposed to other models that go on auto-pilot when cleaning). It also helps when the vacuum gets stuck and needs some help getting back on track. The remote control had four settings, including auto sweep, focus sweep, random sweep, and a manual mode.

Reviews at Home Depot noted that the Kalorik was efficient at picking up dog hair, but they also said the battery life seemed to be very short, so we were keen to test for both. And according to the Kalorik website, the vacuum’s savviest feature is that it also serves as an ionic air purification system, with negative ions attracting pollutants and eliminating them to improve air quality, all for $129. 

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Consumer / 30D credit

IRA extends the consumer EV tax credit under Internal Revenue Code section 30D, to allow the credit for EVs placed in service through the end of 2032, and expands the credit to include fuel cell vehicles; however, it also guts the old credit requirements and formula, amending the section with requirements that are far more restrictive and complicated. The highlights of the new credit formula and requirements (key terms in bold, key dates bold and underlined) related to EVs are as follows:

• EVs under ‘binding contracts’ for sale, entered into after 12/31/21 and before enactment (August 16, 2022) still qualify for the tax credit under the old 30D rules.

• Effective for sales after August 16, 2022, no EV sales in the US (other than those under binding contracts from pre 8/16/22) will qualify for 30D credits unless their ‘final assembly’ is in North America.

  • “Final assembly” in the bill is defined as “the process by which a manufacturer produces a new clean vehicle at, or through the use of, a plant, factory, or other place from which the vehicle is delivered to a dealer or importer with all component parts necessary for the mechanical operation of the vehicle included with the vehicle, whether or not the component parts are permanently installed in or on the vehicle.”

• Between August 16, 2022 and the day after Department of Treasury guidance is issued in 2022 as described below, the EV credit remains at $7,500 for EVs with batteries with minimum capacity that were made by OEMs not subject to phase-out for reaching their 200k limit, as under the old 30D rules, (and regardless of where the batteries are assembled or the source of critical minerals etc.) as long as such EVs have their final assembly in North America.

• Effective January 1, 2023, the old 200,000 per-OEM cap is repealed. (It remains in place through the end of 2022.)

• Effective January 1, 2023, EVs placed in service on or after this date are subject to AGI and MSRP caps:

  • Taxpayers with modified adjusted gross incomes (for either the year an EV credit would otherwise be claimed, or the previous year) exceeding $150,000 (individual), $225,000 (head of household) or $300,000 (married joint return) are ineligible to claim the credit.

  • EVs with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price exceeding $80,000 (sport utility vehicles, vans, or pickup trucks), or $55,000 (all other vehicles) are ineligible for the 30D credit.

• Effective for EVs placed in service on or after January 1, 2024, EVs with a battery the components of which were manufactured or assembled by a “foreign entity of concern“ DO NOT qualify for any 30D tax credit.

• Effective for EVs placed in service on or after January 1, 2025, EVs with a battery the “applicable” critical minerals in which were extracted, processed or recycled by a “foreign entity of concern“ DO NOT qualify for any 30D tax credit.

  • “Foreign entity of concern” is defined in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, and includes any entity “subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a government of a foreign country that is a covered nation.” Covered nations include China and Russia.

  • “Critical minerals” subject to this restriction are defined under new Internal Revenue Code section 45X, and include a long list of minerals, including lithium, nickel, and cobalt among many others.

• Effective for EVs placed in service the day after guidance is issued in 2022 by the Secretary of the Department of Treasury, (guidance must be issued no later than December 31, 2022), the IRA replaces the old 30D credit calculation (which was simply $7,500 for EVs with batteries meeting the minimum capacity level), with a new credit regime that allows the credit for EVs with batteries that meet minimum percentage thresholds (by dollar value) as follows:

  • Critical Minerals Value: ½ of the credit ($3,750) for EVs with batteries that meet the following percentage thresholds, depending on when the EV is placed in service, based on the percentage of the total value of the critical minerals in the battery that are recycled in the U.S.; or processed or extracted in the U.S. or from countries with which the U.S. has a Free Trade Agreement:

    • The day after guidance issued through 12/31/23, 40%;

    • In calendar year 2024, 50%

    • In calendar year 2025, 60%

    • In calendar year 2026, 70%

    • After 2026, 80%

• • Battery Components Value: The other ½ of the credit ($3,750) for EVs with batteries that meet the following percentage thresholds, depending on when the EV is placed in service, is based on the percentage of the total value of the battery components that are manufactured or assembled in North America:

    • The day after guidance issued through 12/31/23, 40%;

    • In calendar year 2024, 50%

    • In calendar year 2025, 60%

    • In calendar year 2026, 70%

    • After 2026, 80%

• Effective for EVs placed in service on or after January 1, 2024, consumers eligible for EV credits have the option of transferring such tax credits to a dealer from whom the vehicle is purchased, (in exchange for reducing the sales price of the vehicle) who in turn is eligible for a direct pay rebate from the Department of the Treasury.

Credit for used EVs

The IRA also creates a new tax credit – under new Internal Revenue Code section 25E – for previously-owned EVs (and other clean vehicles such as fuel cell vehicles), effective for sales after the date of enactment (July 16, 2022) through the end of 2032. The highlights of this credit provision are:

• Buyers can claim credits for used EVs of the lesser of $4,000, or 30 percent of the sale price.

• The used EV must meet eligibility requirements in the section 30D credit for new clean vehicles, and must be a model year that is at least 2 years earlier than the date of sale.

• The sales price cannot exceed $25,000.

• Taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income of more than $75,000 (individual), $112,500 (head of household) or ($150,000) (married joint return) are ineligible for the credit.

• Buyers must purchase the vehicle from a dealership and cannot claim the credit more than once every 3 years.

• The credit only applies to the first resale of a used vehicle and includes restrictions on sales between related parties.

• The credit may be transferred to the dealer/seller of the vehicle and deducted from the sales price at the time of sale in the same way this is allowed under section 30D.

Business credit for commercial EVs

The IRA further creates a new commercial EV tax credit under new Internal Revenue Code section 45W. This credit is effective for qualified commercial clean vehicles (EVs and fuel cell vehicles) effective for sales on or after January 1, 2023 and before January 1, 2033. The highlights of this credit provision are as follows:

• Purchasers of qualified commercial clean vehicles can claim a credit of 30 percent of the cost of the vehicle, up to $7,500 in the case of a vehicle that weighs less than 14,000 pounds, and up to $40,000 for all other vehicles.

• The tax credit amount also may not exceed the amount by which the EV exceeds the cost of a “comparable” (otherwise comparable in size and use) internal combustion powered vehicle.

• A qualified commercial clean vehicle is any vehicle:

  • the original use of which commences with the taxpayer,

  • which is acquired for use or lease by the taxpayer and not for resale,

  • which is made by a qualified manufacturer (an auto OEM under title II of the Clean Air Act, and that files required sales reports with the Secretary of the Treasury),

  • which is treated as a motor vehicle for purposes of title II of the Clean Air Act or mobile machinery

  • which is propelled to a significant extent by an electric motor which draws electricity from a battery which has a capacity of not less than 15 kilowatt hours (7 kilowatt hours for vehicles that weigh less than 14,000 pounds) and is capable of being recharged from an external source of electricity, or is a fuel cell vehicle based upon the requirements of Internal Revenue Code section 30B, and

  • is of a character subject to the allowance for depreciation.

• Vehicles powered by an internal combustion engine in addition to an electric or fuel cell motor are eligible for a reduced credit of 15 percent.

EV and battery manufacturing incentives

Auto manufacturers are also eligible under the IRA for tax credits and funding programs designed to encourage US manufacturing of clean energy technology. These are further detailed here.

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Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) utilized indigenous Texan Lueders limestone to reduce transport-related emissions in constructing the 9,906 m2 (106,622-sf) headquarters of The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of America in Frisco, Texas. Photo courtesy Chad M. Davis, AIA

Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) utilized indigenous Texan Lueders limestone to reduce transport-related emissions in constructing the 9,906 m2 (106,622-sf) headquarters of The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of America in Frisco, Texas.

Cushman & Wakefield served as construction manager for the $33.5 million project and the design firm Page provided the architectural services. Among other green practices employed in the design and construction are the building’s orientation to maximize natural light with a predominant use of glass, while minimizing solar gain. Also, the interior’s design feature natural, recycled, and low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials to enhance the indoor air quality. Furthermore, Bioswales allow for stormwater conservation.

The headquarters building has applied for the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver certification. LEED-certified buildings are proven to save money, improve efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and create healthier places for people.

On the topic of sustainability, PGA president Jim Richerson noted, “The PGA took a conscious effort in reducing, reusing, and recycling during design, construction, and in-building usage after moving in. More than 75 percent of construction waste was recycled or reused.”

The four-story headquarters sit on 2.51 ha (6.2 acres) of the new 267-ha (660-acre) PGA Frisco campus, which includes two new 18-hole championship courses, a 510-room Omni Resort, a 12.1-ha (30-acre) practice facility, a performance center, and a modern clubhouse. The headquarters was designed to promote the PGA’s mission to bring together state-of-the-art education facilities and a world-class workplace.

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If you’re living in an area that’s unfortunately been subjected to nonstop rain over the last six months or so, you’d know the value of a good air purifier. A good quality one can help circulate and clean the air, leaving you feeling more comfortable at the time and, more importantly, can help prevent mould.

Fortunately for you, we’ve got one to give away: Electrolux’s UltimateHome 500 Air Purifier, valued at $599. The device uses laser particle sensors to evaluate your surrounding air quality and then works to better it, automatically adjusting its fan speed settings — meaning you don’t have to — as conditions change.

Image: Electrolux

It removes ultra-fine dust particles, pollutants, bacteria, allergens and bad odours through a multi-stage filter. Bonus: even at maximum speed, its noise level is comparable to the level of a dinner conversation at a restaurant, and when used in Sleep Mode, it’s barely even noticeable.

So, keen to get your hands on this dream device? Simply answer in 25 words or less: What’s the best air you’ve ever remembered breathing and why?

By entering the competition you accept the T&Cs and terms of the VM Privacy Policy, and opt-in to receive promotional materials from The Latch and Electrolux Australia. Read the full terms and conditions here.

The Promoter is collecting your personal information for the purpose of facilitating The Latch + Electrolux Home Products Pty Ltd Promotion, including providing any prize to you. If the Promoter cannot collect your personal information, we will not be able to enter you in the Promotion or provide you with a prize. The Promoter may disclose your personal information to persons or organisations located in overseas countries, as described in the Promoter’s Privacy Policy. The Promoter may also disclose your personal information to and/or collect your personal information from its related companies and third parties who provide (or assist the Promoter to provide) products and services or facilitate this competition. The Promoter’s Privacy Policy states how you can seek to access or correct your personal information and how to make a privacy complaint.

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Equipped With Company’s Renowned Clothing Care Technologies, New Products Introduce an Innovative Shoe Management Experience, From Care to Storage

SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — LG Electronics (LG) is revolutionizing the at-home shoe care experience with the introduction of LG Styler™ ShoeCase and ShoeCare at IFA 2022. Equipped with the company’s hygiene-enhancing TrueSteam™ technology, LG’s total shoe care solution offers innovative, customized shoe management, collection and storage to enable new daily lifestyles.

LG Styler ShoeCare & ShoeCase

LG Styler ShoeCare & ShoeCase

LG Styler ShoeCare & ShoeCase

As the culture of collecting expensive designer, luxury and limited-edition sneakers grows among the MZ generation – Millennials and Gen Z, LG’s internal research found that these ‘sneakerheads’ would benefit greatly from a solution that not only made their cherished shoes stand out more, but also provided them with the optimal care.

LG Styler ShoeCase with transparent panels is a space-friendly solution for shoe storage and showcasing shoes. In addition to creating the ideal environment for storing shoes by protecting against humidity and fabric-discoloring UV light,[1] the Styler ShoeCase represents a great way for shoe enthusiasts to show-off their favorite pairs, offering interior features such as a 360-degree rotating turntable and a modular design that makes it possible to stack up to four cases on top of one another.

Also making its debut at IFA, like many of LG’s state-of-the-art home appliances, including dishwashers and the Styler, a clothing care solution with steam technology, LG Styler ShoeCare employs the company’s proven TrueSteam technology to deliver a ‘refreshing’ shoe management experience. It also leverages the Zeo-Dry filter’s absorbent properties of zeolite to soak up moisture and help remove smells from footwear, making shoes more pleasant to wear and to have around.[2]

Moreover, the new LG Styler ShoeCare solution optimizes the management of various shoe types, including leather, suede and sports footwear, with its 10 different courses. Depending on the type and fabric of the shoe, it sophisticatedly controls its use of TrueSteam to refresh the shoe. What’s more, quiet and efficient, LG’s revolutionary product can refresh up to four pairs of shoes in only 37 minutes (standard course) while operating at just 35 decibels, which ensures a quiet and efficient performance.

The convenient LG Styler ShoeCare also boasts LG’s unique multiple Moving Nozzle™, which dry out the insides of the shoes being refreshed and can be effortlessly adjusted according to the height of each pair. And, courtesy of the Dual Care System feature, users can clean two different types of shoes (with different fabric care needs) at the same time.

For a more convenient shoe care experience, users can access a range of services for the LG Styler ShoeCase and ShoeCare and via the ThinQ app. LG’s intuitive app lets users remotely control and monitor the Styler ShoeCase and ShoeCare, LG is also partnering with various lifestyle brands to bring new features and functions to its shoe care appliances, which will be made available via the ThinQ apps’ Upgrade Center.

“LG’s new Styler ShoeCase and ShoeCare form a total shoe care solution for hygienically cleansing, storing and displaying one’s footwear,” said Lyu Jae-cheol, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company. “Utilizing our latest technologies and offering convenient control and design, these groundbreaking products are ideal for consumers looking for a better, more enjoyable way to manage their shoe collection. We will continue to deliver innovative solutions for a better life at home.”

Visitors to IFA 2022 can experience all of LG’s latest innovations, including Styler ShoeCase and ShoeCare, at the company’s booth in (Hall 18, Messe Berlin).

[1] LG Styler ShoeCase panels are coated with ultraviolet light absorber, helping to prevent discoloration caused by sunlight or fluorescent lighting.

[2] The Styler ShoeCare’s Zeo-Dry filter is made of the high-performance drying material, ‘Zeolite,’ which is commonly used for dehumidifying and deodorizing. The absorption feature is regenerated when heat and pressure are applied to a ZeoDry filter containing moisture or odor particles.

About LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company

The LG Home Appliance & Air Solution Company is a global leader in home appliances, smart home solutions, air solutions as well as visionary products featuring LG ThinQ AI. The company is creating various solutions with its industry leading core technologies and is committed to making life better and healthier for consumers by developing thoughtfully designed kitchen appliances, living appliances, HVAC and air purification solutions. Together, these products deliver enhanced convenience, superb performance, efficient operation and compelling health benefits. For more news on LG, visit www.LGnewsroom.com.

SOURCE LG Electronics, Inc.

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Originally Appeared Here

There’s a warning label on just about everything these days.

The federal government recently announced that new warning labels will be slapped on all kinds of healthy foods. There’s even been talk of placing individual warning labels on each cigarette in a pack — not just the pack itself.

READ MORE: Canada to require nutrition warnings on front of some packaged food

Since it seems we’re in a Canadian-warning label renaissance, is it time to start putting warning labels on fossil fuels and other products that contribute to climate change?

We’re already accustomed to safety warning labels at the gas pump, so why not add another that tells drivers how many carbon emissions come from burning fuel? Or when you buy a plane ticket, why not include the total emissions of that flight? How about a warning on gas stoves that they contribute to indoor air pollution?

I spoke with Leah Temper about the idea. Temper is with the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and she’s leading their campaign to ban all fossil fuel advertisements.

“The campaign is acknowledging the fact that the burning of fossil fuels is leading to a public health crisis,” she said. “This public health crisis is killing — and will kill — many more people and have many more adverse health impacts than smoking.”

Studies have found that global pollution — primarily attributed to dirty air from cars, trucks and industry — is responsible for 9 million deaths every year.

READ MORE: Global pollution kills 9 million people a year, study finds

CAPE is calling for all fossil fuel ads to include disclosure of information related to carbon emissions so consumers can make informed choices.

But warning labels will have to walk a fine line where they inform the public without placing too much responsibility on individuals or desensitizing people to the issue.

Warning labels on fuels aren’t without precedent. Sweden introduced colour-coded “eco-labels” at gas pumps that show consumers the makeup and origin of their fuels.

Whether warning labels end up on these products or not, Temper says the impacts of air pollution are already impacting people.

“It requires a change in mindset. We do need this information if we’re serious about a green transition. The current level of literacy or consideration regarding the causes of climate change and our consumption is very low, so we have to work to improve it.”

@SchislerCole
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What’s Next in the Regulation of Methane Emissions? [see Slide 1]

This article is a transcription of a presentation given by L. Poe Leggette on August 3, 2022, and should be read with its accompanying slides available here.

Introduction[1]

Previously in our sessions, I have discussed carbon dioxide and what policymakers should do about it. Last month I explained it in full in a speech to the Independent Petroleum Association of America.

Today we’ll spend about 16 minutes on the current state of methane regulation of oil and gas in the U.S. I won’t discuss what we should do, just what government is trying to do.

I’ll explain methane’s flow in and out of the atmosphere, its sources, and what removes it.

I’ll turn to recent trends in methane emissions in the American oil and gas industry. Then it’s on to the Global Methane Pledge adopted at Glasgow, Scotland, at last year’s 26th Conference of the Parties (COP-26).

After that, we’ll look at the Environmental Protection Agency’s methane regulations under the Clean Air Act.

Finally, we’ll look at Senator Joe Manchin’s new compromise bill, the “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.”

The Global Methane Budget

[see Slide 2] Methane is the second most emitted industrial greenhouse gas. The California Air Resources Board claims its release accounts for 20 percent of the current warming of the atmosphere.[i] The International Energy Agency has upped that claim to 30 percent.[ii]

[see Slide 3] Methane is more effective at trapping heat than CO2 is. Over a 100-year span, scientists used to estimate it holds 25 times more heat in the air than CO2. Now they say it’s somewhere between 28 and 34 times, though EPA sometimes still uses 25.

Methane is a short-lived climate pollutant, because on average a molecule of it only lasts eight years in the air before breaking down.[iii] More recently, therefore, its heat-trapping ability has become measured on a 20-year span. The new number is 80 times.[iv] So some value the emission of one ton of methane as 80 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

In prior sessions, I have talked about the global carbon cycle and how nature removes more CO2 from the air than it emits. Methane has a similar cycle.

[see Slide 4] The most recent quantification of global methane is the July 2020 “Global Methane Budget.” The methane budget is even more uncertain than the carbon budget. For us, the big uncertainty is that the budget calculates emissions two ways, and they are about 28 percent apart.

The higher method is called the “bottom up” method. The bottom-up method uses data gathered “down here.” It relies on two types of sources. One is estimates from ground-level measurements of human releases of methane. The other is from ground-level sample measurements of emissions from natural sources, such as wetlands, geological fissures, and termites.

[see Slide 5] The bottom-up method estimates human emissions to be 366 million metric tons (MT)[v] per year in the decade ending in 2017. 371 million MT are from natural sources, slightly more than half. Total emissions are 737 million MT.[vi]

[see Slide 6] The top-down method uses data gathered “up there.” It relies on atmospheric samples and satellite observations. Those data are run through a computer model of how sunlight changes chemicals in the air. The top-down method estimates annual emissions at 576 million MT, ending 2017. In sum, 737 million from bottom-up, 576 million from top down.

[see Slide 7] Both methods also estimate how much methane nature currently removes from the air. The top-down method estimates 518 million MT per year. Bottom-up estimates 15 percent more: 595 million tons.

More important for us are the sources of emissions, but I’ll first discuss what the “sinks” are: that is, what takes methane from the air.

[see Slide 8] First is atmospheric chemistry. Methane is a “reactive” gas. In the troposphere layer of our atmosphere, it reacts with a molecule in the air called the “hydroxyl radical.” Hydroxyl breaks it down, “oxidizing” the methane. Up to 90 percent of methane is removed by the hydroxyl radical.[vii]

Other sinks are from other chemical reactions in the troposphere and stratosphere from chlorine and other chemicals. And one is from removal into the soil. Methane can be pulled into the soil through plant roots, then consumed by bacteria which use the methane for energy. Soil removal appears to be a smaller sink,[viii] about 8 percent. But the studies on soil removal are few. Soil may be more effective as a methane sink.

[see Slide 9] Engineers are also at work on direct air capture for methane. See the slide. For now, it seems years away.

[see Slide 10] Now the sources. These are measured bottom-up. Annually, agriculture and waste emit 206 million MT, oil and gas operations emit 80 million MT, coal 42 million MT,[ix] burning of biomass and biofuel 30 million MT, and miscellaneous sources 8 million MT.[x]

[see Slide 11] To sum up, nature emits 371 million MT per year, and removes 595 million MT per year (bottom-up). That means nature removes 224 million MT more than it emits. Humans emit 366 million tons per year, but only 142 million tons remain in the air. Sixty-one percent of current human emissions are removed by nature.

U.S. Oil and Gas Methane Emissions

[see Slide 12] This chart is EPA’s breakdown for U.S. emissions. I have converted it to millions of metric tons of methane, using EPA’s 25-times conversion factor.

At the top, “enteric fermentation” is from livestock. It’s cows burping. Cows do something else too. Scientists call it anerobic digestion. Polite society calls it posterior burping. There is a methane control for this.

[see Slide 13] EPA has not adopted this. This is 1980s technology. How can EPA claim to follow the science?

[see Slide 14] U.S. methane emissions are 11 percent of all U.S.-emitted carbon dioxide equivalents.

[see Slide 15] Since 1990, American oil and gas emissions have dropped by 1.4 million tpy, from 9.8 to 8.4 million tpy, despite dramatic increases in oil and gas production.[xi]

COP-26 Global Methane Pledge

[see Slide 16] At last year’s 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, the U.S. and the EU advanced the Global Methane Pledge:

• Reduce global methane emissions by 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2030
• The reduction is claimed to “reduce warming by at least 0.2 degrees C by 2050”

Over 100 nations have signed the pledge. What exactly have they agreed to? The White House and United Nations websites do not say what 2020 methane emissions were. The 173-page 2021 Global Methane Assessment, a joint effort of the U.N. Environment Programme and the Climate & Clean Air Coalition, claimed 375 million tpy. But the assessment’s data are from the 2020 Global Methane Budget, which estimated 366 million tpy.

[see Slide 17] For 2021, the IEA estimated total human emissions were lower than either of these: just 356 million MT. Only 8.8 percent (31 million MT) were from the U.S.[xii]

If 360 million MT is the 2020 global number, a 30 percent reduction is 108 million MT per year. Even if the world ended all methane emissions from oil and gas—all 80 million tpy—it could not achieve this goal. I have found no plan to meet the Pledge.

[see Slide 18] While we guess about emissions, at least we can measure atmospheric concentrations. The 2020 methane concentration was 1,892 parts per billion. A University of Colorado analysis says the likely chief drivers of recent increases are wetlands or livestock rather than oil and gas.[xiii]

Federal Regulation

Whether it’s wetlands or livestock does not matter to policymakers. The IEA and the U.S. EPA agree the most important step in fighting climate change is stopping methane emissions from oil and gas. Let’s turn to the EPA.

[see Slide 19] If we’re following the 30 percent Global Methane Pledge, what’s the goal? Oil and gas’s share would be a 2.7 million tpy reduction. The math is on the slide. To put that in perspective, that reduction is double—in eight years—the 1.4 million tpy reduction we achieved between 1990 and 2020.

Currently, EPA is the federal regulator of methane emissions. Under section 111(b) of the Clean Air Act, EPA can issue so-called new source performance standards. Under section 111(d) EPA can also regulate emissions from existing sources.

[see Slide 20] In 2016, EPA adopted methane standards for new oil and gas sources, sources constructed after September 18, 2015. On screen is a schematic showing where in the system the rules apply: basically upstream of “city gate” of gas local distribution systems.

[see Slide 21] The 2016 rules, called the Quad O-a rules,[xiv] imposed controls on specified types of equipment. For example, they required 95 percent reductions in methane coming from wet-seal centrifugal compressors.[xv]

On November 15, 2021, EPA published a new proposed rule in the Federal Register.[xvi] Here’s the state of play.

[see Slide 22] Handout 1 gives you a general idea of the current regulations. These are Quad Oa rules, governing sources built after September 18, 2015. The new proposal would make some adjustments to Quad O-a.

[see Slide 23] Handout 2 is Table 2 from the proposed rule’s preamble. It lists the new standards for oil and gas sources constructed after November 15, 2021. These rules will be called Quad O-b.

[see Slide 24] Handout 3 is Table 3 from the preamble. It lists new emissions guidelines requirements for existing oil and gas sources. These rules will be called Quad O-c.

Quad O-b and O-c will not become final until EPA issues a supplemental proposal with regulatory text and a supplemental regulatory impact analysis.[xvii]

On November 10, 2021, a Bloomberg News article—perhaps inaccurately—said EPA Administrator Michael Regan claimed the proposed rule would cut oil and gas methane emissions by 74 percent by 2030.[xviii]

[see Slide 25] How much will EPA actually reduce? An average of 2.8 million Tpy by 2035.[xix] Thirty percent, not 74. Five years after the pledged date of 2030. I have found no plan to cut 30 percent from any other methane source. EPA has “outreach programs” to agriculture, but no plan.

EPA’s next step is scheduled to be in the Federal Register in October, but I’d be stunned if the administration released it before the mid-term elections.

Inflation Reduction Act

Senator Manchin and the administration have agreed to a 725-page bill. It authorizes expenditures, appropriates money, establishes grant funds, modifies tax credits, and amends the Clean Air Act. Section 60113 of the bill would add section 136 to the Clean Air Act.

[see Slide 26] Among many other things, section 136 would require EPA to collect a charge on any facility reporting more than 25,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent under the GHG reporting program.[xx] The charge per ton starts at $900 in 2024 and rises to $1500 in 2026, with seven pages of further details I’ll spare you. The bill does not address the substantive regulation of methane emissions.

And now you know methane. As always, my remarks and slides are available upon request.

Note: Part II of this article will address new section 136 of the Clean Air Act, added by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

[1] The opinions expressed are those of the author alone.

[iii] Methane Budget § 3.3.5.

[iv] https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/understanding-global-warming-potentials

[v] The text uses MT for “metric tons,” to alert the reader that we are not using “short tons” of 2,000 lbs. The slides use MTpy for million [metric] tons per years, because “MMT” can confuse readers.

[vi] Methane Budget §§ 3.1.2 & 5.1.1.

[vii] Methane Budget § 3.3.

[viii] Methane Budget § 3.3.4 (estimated at 30 million MT per year).

[x] Methane Budget §§ 3.1-3.1.6.

[xi] https://www.epa.gov/natural-gas-star-program/estimates-methane-emissions-segment-united-states

[xii] Iea.org/articles/methane-tracker-data-explorer (last visited July 29, 2022)

[xiii] Research.noaa.gov/article/ArtMID/587/ArticleID/2742/Despite-pandemic-shutdowns-carbon-dioxide-and-methane-surged-in-2020#:-:text=NOAA’s%20preliminary%20analysis%20….

[xiv] 40 C.F.R.Part 60, Subpart OOOOa, 40 C.F.R. §§ 5360a-5499a.

[xvi] 87 Fed. Reg. 63110-63262 (Nov. 15, 2021).

[xvii] 86 Fed. Reg. 63110, 63115R.

[xviii] Bobby Magill, Regan Seeks Industry Backing for Methane Rule to Overcome GOP (Nov. 10, 2021) (Bloomberg Energy and Environment).

[xix] EPA believes the rule will reduce methane emissions by 41 million short tons (2,000 lb.) over 13 years. 86 Fed. 63122 (Table 4). 41 million short tons is 37 million metric tons, which over 13 years averages 2.85 million MTpy.

[xx] Bill § 60113, proposed § 136(c), PDF page 681 of 725.

[View source.]

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While most are hiding from the South Texas summer, there’s one part of the workforce that spends their days crawling through sweltering 140-degree attics.

“It can be 140 degrees in the attics we work in. The conditions we work in are real hard. You really have to get creative to find someone,” said Frank Reyes, owner of South Texas Ventilation, 307 E. Rio Grande St. in Victoria, adding, “This year has been the hardest year in the 16 years that we’ve been open. Summer is the busiest time of year. June, July and August is the season.”

Speaking from his office where he was surrounded by posters of Al Pacino’s Tony Montana in “Scarface,” Reyes said that it was getting harder to find people who wanted to work.

Ramiro Baladez, lead installer with South Texas Ventilation, uses a power saw to cut a panel Friday at a house in Victoria.

Duy Vu | [email protected]

“Nobody wants to work,” Reyes said. “It can be 140 degrees in the attics we work in. The conditions we work in are real hard. You really have to get creative to find someone.”

Reyes said for customers, it’s important for people to maintain their air conditioning units. It is important to keep air conditioning units clean, so they operate efficiently and have the freon levels checked. It is important to check air conditioning filters, as a dirty filter causes the unit to use more electricity. A dirty air filter restricts air flow, making it harder for the unit to operate.

Best Heating and Air Condition: South Texas Ventilation

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This time of year, Reyes said his crews perform between 25 and 35 service calls a day. He said they typically install one or two units a day, with three installation crews working year-round. South Texas Ventilation is a member of the Builders Association of Victoria.

“I love what I do,” Reyes said. “We sell indoor comfort.”

Reyes said people should have their air conditioning units inspected at least yearly, because unless they are inspected, the warranty on the unit could be voided. He said people must clean units’ drains, check electrical components, make sure that cold air can easily pass through and check the filters monthly.

The HVAC contractors work on any residential or commercial heating and air conditioning issue. A veteran-owned business, Reyes said the company carries Goodman/Amana products and said that sometimes existing systems are beyond repair, requiring the installation of a new unit or units. Because indoor air quality can be worse than outdoor, due to allergens, mold spores or bacteria being recycled by existing air conditioning systems, the company has multiple cleaning methods designed to remove allergens or bacteria.

Lead Flores, lead installer with South Texas Ventilation, carries in tools Friday to replace an air conditioning unit at a house in Victoria.

Duy Vu | [email protected]

According to the Energy Information Administration, air conditioning accounts for about 12% of the average energy bill in the United States. Southern states such as Texas typically use more air conditioning in the summer than those who live in the Northeast. The EIA estimates that yearly air conditioning costs range from $60 in cooler climates to as much as $525 in hot and humid areas. The national average is $265 each year. According to June figures from the EIA, Texans paid about $137 on their monthly bill.

Reyes said he has been in the air conditioning business for 33 years, but lately it has become harder to find people who want to work. He said that many don’t pass the drug test, and unlike earlier decades, a labor force wasn’t lined up looking for work.

Other problems include the current gas prices and the difficulty in getting items such a motherboard for some units from overseas. He said he currently has nothing in his warehouse and is pulling some units in from other states. While some parts for air conditioning repair are universal, many parts are specific to units from original equipment manufacturers. In winter, Reyes said there were less problems with heaters, because they run so little, there was less breakage.

The team from South Texas Ventilation gathers for a quick talk before beginning work on replacing the air conditioning at a burnt down house on Friday in Victoria.

Duy Vu | [email protected]

A long-time journalist, George likes 60s musclecars and firearms.

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Originally Appeared Here

By Express News Service

ROURKELA: One of the most industrialised cities in the nation, Rourkela is also among the most polluted. Despite efforts to control pollution in the city by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) with a focus on compliance to norms, sensitisation and collective efforts, not much improvement has been found.

As part of its drive to curb pollution, the regional office of OSPCB on Friday organised a sensitisation workshop for industries under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Experts from the National Institute of Technology – Rourkela (RSP) and Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) stressed on the need for collective efforts to improve the situation. Earlier on the day, awareness rallies against air pollution were taken out at two locations in the city.

Air pollution in and around Steel City is largely attributed to industrial and construction activities besides forest fires. Sources said for the last several years, the city has been facing the brunt of large-scale construction activities which have only added to the air pollution. To make things worse, the majority of such projects are running way behind their completion schedule. This apart, the digging of roads across the city for the construction of an underground integrated sewerage system has also taken its toll on the city.

While pollution from Kalunga Industrial Estate and Kuanrmunda industrial belt has impacted the air quality of the city, forest fires nearby during summers has contributed to the crisis.OSPCB regional officer Binod Bihari Dash said OSPCB is continuously monitoring the situation and taking appropriate corrective steps to check pollution and spread awareness.

He said the mother industry of the city-Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) has its own AQI stations and the overall compliance remains satisfactory except for sporadic episodes due to technical issues. OSPCB is also conducting regular inspections of industries in and around the city and taking action against non-compliance.

Incidentally, on Saturday the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Rourkela measured near the NIT-R was moderate with AQI-US level at 96, PM2.5 level at 38 and PM10 level at 51, but the AQI standard drops drastically at times.

ROURKELA: One of the most industrialised cities in the nation, Rourkela is also among the most polluted. Despite efforts to control pollution in the city by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) with a focus on compliance to norms, sensitisation and collective efforts, not much improvement has been found.

As part of its drive to curb pollution, the regional office of OSPCB on Friday organised a sensitisation workshop for industries under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Experts from the National Institute of Technology – Rourkela (RSP) and Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) stressed on the need for collective efforts to improve the situation. Earlier on the day, awareness rallies against air pollution were taken out at two locations in the city.

Air pollution in and around Steel City is largely attributed to industrial and construction activities besides forest fires. Sources said for the last several years, the city has been facing the brunt of large-scale construction activities which have only added to the air pollution. To make things worse, the majority of such projects are running way behind their completion schedule. This apart, the digging of roads across the city for the construction of an underground integrated sewerage system has also taken its toll on the city.

While pollution from Kalunga Industrial Estate and Kuanrmunda industrial belt has impacted the air quality of the city, forest fires nearby during summers has contributed to the crisis.OSPCB regional officer Binod Bihari Dash said OSPCB is continuously monitoring the situation and taking appropriate corrective steps to check pollution and spread awareness.

He said the mother industry of the city-Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) has its own AQI stations and the overall compliance remains satisfactory except for sporadic episodes due to technical issues. OSPCB is also conducting regular inspections of industries in and around the city and taking action against non-compliance.

Incidentally, on Saturday the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Rourkela measured near the NIT-R was moderate with AQI-US level at 96, PM2.5 level at 38 and PM10 level at 51, but the AQI standard drops drastically at times.

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Originally Appeared Here