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LowCVP News - 30 September 2013 Issue 109

UN Secretary General says: "The heat is on. We must act" as landmark climate change report is published

Scientists are 95% certain that human activity is the 'dominant cause' of climate change since the 1950s and there is 'unequivocal' evidence that global warming is affecting the ground, air and oceans according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) latest report, the first to be published for six years.

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Policy Developments

Government publishes new strategy to drive introduction of ULEVs

The Government has launched 'Driving the Future' a renewed strategy to promote the production and uptake of ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs). Transport minister Norman Baker, launching the strategy at Cenex's LCV2013, said that it signals a major change in the way vehicles will be powered in the future and reaffirms the Government's commitment to promote the greening of the motor industry which will also provide jobs and growth.

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European Parliament votes to impose 6% cap on use of land-based biofuels

The European Parliament has voted to impose a 6% cap on the use of land-based biofuels for use in road transport.  The Parliament also backed a target for transport fuel to consist of at least 2.5% 'second generation', or advanced, biofuels and for the indirect land use change (ILUC) impacts of biofuels to be accounted for under the Fuel Quality Directive from 2020.

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DfT announces £5m awards for introduction of emissions reduction technology in buses

Funds from the DfT's £5m Clean Bus Technology Fund have been awarded to eleven areas of England to fit emissions reduction technologies to 400 buses.

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Germany proposes delaying 95g target to 2024 as Cars and CO2 vote returns

European member states are expected to vote on the delayed Cars and CO2 regulation this week but reports suggest that Germany is trying a last-minute push to reject it on new grounds.

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Reports & Studies

T&E issues latest report on carmakers' progress in cutting CO2 emissions

Europe's largest 15 carmakers cut new car emissions by 3.4g/km to an average of 132.4g/km in 2012. The annual rate of progress at 2.5% was a little below the 2011 figure of 3.3% but the UK achieved one of the highest emissions reductions. T&E said that the overall slowdown in progress was due to a fall in car sales across the continent.

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Greener Journeys publishes 'Bus Manifesto' for the next Parliament

Greener Journeys, the national campaign to encourage modal shift from car to bus and coach, has published a 'Bus 2020 Manifesto' which sets out concrete, practical solutions that it says will generate growth, boost jobs and protect the environment. The Manifesto calls for the provision of bus lanes and improved traffic management systems as well as a new tax incentive to encourage people to commute by bus rather than by car.

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US study challenges 'first principles' of biofuels carbon accounting

A new study from the Energy Institute at the University of Michigan challenges the conventional analysis that “biofuels recycle carbon”. Published in the journal Climactic Change the author concludes that strategies should move away from a downstream focus on replacing fuel products to an upstream focus on achieving additional CO2 uptake through the most cost-effective and least damaging means possible.

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Technology News

LowCVP introduces online resource to promote collaboration in the low carbon automotive sector

The Low Carbon Automotive Directory (LCAD) hosted by the LowCVP and supported by UKTI and the Government’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) was introduced at the the Cenex LCV2013 event on 4th September. It provides the ideal online resource to search for people and businesses working in this arena and is intended to enable those all-important initial contacts to be made.

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Advanced Diesel Electric Powertrain (ADEPT) project to show how 'intelligent electrification' can cut carbon and costs

Partners in a new initiative launched at Cenex's LCV 2013 aim to show how the 'intelligent electrification' concept developed in the successful predecessor Hyboost project can be used to demonstrate a high performance, low CO2 gasoline powertrain offering fuel economy benefits equivalent to a full hybrid - but at a projected cost premium of less than a diesel.

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Industry News

JLR in £1.5bn Solihull investment and collaboration to develop EV technology; Ferrari to invest £2bn in engine efficiency

Ferrari and Jaguar Land Rover have announced major investments to improve engine and overall vehicle energy efficiency. Ferrari is to increase investment by $2bn to 2017 while JLR will invest £1.5bn in its Solihull plant creating 1,700 jobs.

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LowCVP News

LowCVP Award for Innovation at Cleantech Innovate 2014 - Deadline Oct 7!

There are less than three weeks to the application deadline for the new LowCVP Innovation Award which will be presented to the most impressive entry - or entries - to Cleantech Innovate 2014 in the area of road transport.

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LowCVP launches 'toolkit' to promote university-SME linkages

The LowCVP has introduce a new resource to help promote SME engagement with the academic research sector. ‘Accessing Research Expertise’ is a main output from a LowCVP/Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders project which explored issues around the engagement of SMEs with the research sector.

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Events

IMechE: Future Automotive Body Structures
3rd Dec 2013

This seminar will explore the latest developments in automobile vehicle body design and light weighting, and will cover a variety of topics including crash safety, end of life disassembly, recycling and multi-material construction technologies. What are the market and political pressures for smaller lighter vehicles? How can vehicles be designed with end of life disassembly and recycling in mind?

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Internal Combustion Engines: Performance, Fuel Economy and Emissions
27th Nov 2013

This conference will discuss the latest developments in engine downsizing, advances in FIE and alternative fuels, new engine architectures and the introduction of Euro 6 in 2014.

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4th Annual National Sustainable Transport Conference
3rd Oct 2013

Govtoday and Securing the Future will be hosting the 4th Annual National Sustainable Transport Conference - 'Unlocking the door-to-door journey' - in association with Sustrans, Passenger Focus and the British Parking Association. The event is offering some free places for members of the LowCVP.

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Biofuels: the 2020 targets, ILUC and looking forward to 2030
13th Feb 2014

In the context of the EU's 2020 Directive for 10% of all energy used in transport to be derived from renewable sources, sessions will assess the continued viability of the UK's delivery strategy, particularly in relation to the potential impact of EU ILUC (indirect land use change) proposals - with the European Parliament's Environment Committee having voted to limit the supply of first generation biofuels.

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PACTS Event: Triple Whammy: achieving safety, sustainability and health goals in transport.
16th Oct 2013

With local authorities taking on responsibility for public health, and cycling being pushed up the political agenda, this timely conference will place safety in a wider policy framework. It will bring together experts from across sectors to explore practical ways in which more joined up working can reach these goals.

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World LP Gas Forum and AEGPL Congress incl. UKLPG Annual Conference
1st Oct 2013

This year, the World LP Gas Forum partners with the Annual Congress of the European LPG Association and the UKLPG annual conference, to offer an opportunity to boost delegates' knowledge of, and contacts in, the LP Gas industry.

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LowCVP - other future activities

Fuels Working Group, 3 October, (One Birdcage Walk, Westminster). On the agenda: Future fuels roadmap; scenarios for meeting the RED; Progress on E10 fuel.
Innovation Working Group, 10 October, Loughborough University. On the agenda: SME toolkit review; Low Carbon Automotive Directory; Technology Challenge 2013; 'L' category vehicles.
Members Council,17 October, Dept for Transport, London.
LowCVP Board, 31 October, Ricardo-AEA office, London.

If you are already a member, login to the LowCVP members' section. To join the Partnership and help steer the policy and build the markets, click here.

News in Brief

Arctic sea ice shrinks to sixth lowest level ever (Guardian link)
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ULEV sales up nearly 20% in latest quarter reported (DfT web link)
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China announces subsidies to promote purchase of electric, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles from 2013-15 (China Securities Journal link)
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France to increase tax on high-emission cars to strengthen feebate scheme, raise revenues (Planet Ark link)
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Three main UK political party leaders 'fail to show green leadership' says Green Alliance review (Business Green link)
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EUCAR publishes research & innovation priorities for sustainable propulsion (EUCAR link)
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Sir David King appointed UK climate change envoy by Foreign Secretary William Hague (RTCC link)
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DfT orders feasibility study into HGV platoon trial on UK roads (LTT news link)
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First zero carbon corporate taxi service to begin operations (Fleet News link)
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LibDems approve policy motion to raise 'carbon differential' in car taxation at annual conference (LibDem news link)
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JLR signs deal with consortium to push forward project which aims to double speed of EVs
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90% of trial drivers say they would recommend EVs (Energy Live News link)
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BMW begins series production of electric i3 (GreenFleet news link)
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Palm oil use in biodiesel on the increase says IISD/Friends of the Earth report (FoE Europe link)
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Ford Focus Electric launched in UK (Guardian news link)
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Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership
3 Birdcage Walk
London
SW1H 9JJ

Newsletter Editor: Neil Wallis neil.wallis@lowcvp.org.uk

Website: www.lowcvp.org.uk
Email: secretariat@lowcvp.org.uk
Tel: 020 7304 6880

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LowCVP 2014

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