I often hear EV skeptics say some variation of, “Unless electric vehicles are charged with 100% renewables, they’re still contributing to pollution.” That seems intuitive, but we don’t have to wait for 100% zero-emissions electricity to have a huge impact on the climate by transitioning to electric vehicles.
During the early years of the electrification era, the choices in electric vehicles were slim. The earliest version of the Nissan LEAF offered a comforting dose of normalcy but unfortunately was accompanied by a small electric range. Then came the super-suave Tesla with more of everything, including the sticker price. But it wasn’t until the Chevrolet Bolt came on to the scene that consumers finally had a car to choose that was highly functional and affordable.
Green Energy Consumers policy coordinator Kai Salem speaks at a distanced rally for Act On Climate at the State House this April.
Last weekend, Governor McKee signed the 2021 Act On Climate. Now, Rhode Island has an exciting and urgent challenge ahead of it: meeting the binding climate goals set by this landmark legislation.
A priority for Green Energy Consumers Alliance is increasing New England’s clean energy supply while delivering lower costs to consumers. In both Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the following facts prevail about our electricity supply options:
The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) recently announced that the popular rebate program for electric vehicles, MOR-EV, will now offer incentives for medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks too. This is great news for the climate and public health in Massachusetts.
Last week was a huge step forward for climate action in New England.
For the last two decades, the Toyota Camry has been the reigning champion of passenger cars in the Unites States. But behind the scenes, the Toyota RAV4 had been steadily gaining speed in the race for most popular car and finally took the top spot in 2019. The Toyota RAV4 sold nearly 450,000 cars with it's slow and steady approach. In the end, the Toyota Camry didn't just lose its top spot, it came in with a measly 337,000 models sold, snatching eighth place.
In the months since California Governor Gavin Newsom announced by executive order that the state would phase out the sale of gasoline-powered cars by 2035, the world has changed.
Our hearts go out to Texans. The cold, snow, ice, power outages, and water shutoffs have gone way past inconvenient for people there. It’s caused death and misery. Although we’re not experts on the Texas grid system as much as we are in New England, we’ve noticed a lot of confusion and deliberate misinformation surrounding the blackouts.
The confusion about the power system is understandable; it's complicated and largely operates behind-the-scenes. It’s only until there’s a major crisis that we take a look behind the curtain. Unfortunately, the grid’s complexity makes it a ripe opportunity for the financially and politically motivated to spread “alternative facts.”
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