PHEV consumption data way off, 99% of sea level assessments wrong and seasonal storage
In this issue:
PHEV consumption claims 300% out
A recent report from the Fraunhofer Institute revealed a huge discrepancy between real-world fuel consumption of PHEVs and the figures claimed by manufacturers and emerging from type-approval testing. On average, the tested PHEVs consumed 5.9 l/100Km, around three times the consumption level marketed. Apparently, the discrepancy emerges because the testing regime does not accurately reflect the normal proportion of electric driving. Of course, with fossil fuel use three times that stated, the emissions figures are correspondingly askew. That’s not to say a PHEV is a bad idea, just if you’re thinking of buying one, a long test run with a sharp (but safe) eye on the live fuel calculator is recommended.
Carbon pricing
Internal carbon pricing received quite a lot of coverage a few years ago but widespread talk of it has eased. Nevertheless, progressive companies still apply an internal carbon price on projects and Carbon Capital Lab has just published its 2026 update on what these companies are doing. The technology sector leads the way with an average internal carbon price of US$118 (NZ$200), followed by Financial Services with an average of US$90 (NZ$153).
99% of sea level impact assessments getting it wrong
Scientists associated with Wageningen University (Netherlands) have published new research indicating almost all sea level rise impact assessments are getting it wrong. It seems most (90%) of these types of assessment rely on geoid models rather than actual measures. Even those employing actual measures are coming up flawed, according to the researchers. They believe some estimates of level rise could be over a metre understated. They conclude 31%–37% more land and 48%–68% more people could be seriously affected than previous research suggests.
Pace of climate change increasing
That’s the conclusion of new research from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. Global mean surface temperatures have been increasing at around 0.2C per decade since the 1970s but have been tracking at around 0.35C per decade since 2015, a statistically significant increase. Many attribute the acceleration to tighter air pollution controls in the shipping sector, which have reduced the shielding effect of seeded clouds.
All the teapots in China
It may seem odd that estimates of China’s reliance on the Straits of Hormuz for its liquid fuels range as widely as 50%-80%. One of the main reasons is the existence of ‘teapot” refineries. These are smaller, independent refineries, many of which are in the Shandong region that operate using sanction-breaking crude oil, much of it sourced from Iran. Estimates suggest this satisfies 25% of China’s demand and with much of the production off record, getting an accurate, overall figure is confounded. It’s reported these teapot refineries are now looking to Russia for their discounted, contraband feedstock.
Domestic hydrogen storage for seasonality
Norwegian company, Photoncycle, is marketing a domestic energy storage system it claims can level out a lot of the seasonality associated with domestic PV. The systems are based on solid state hydrogen technology with underground storage units with a capacity of 10,000KWh, around 700 times that of a standard lithium-ion battery system. The stored energy can be sold back to the grid at peak times or simply used to spread summer energy to winter, with associated huge cost savings.
Did you know .........
80% of the oil products travelling through the Straits of Hormuz are heading to Asia? So while the often quoted statistic of 20-25% of world trade is not inaccurate, the impacts around the globe vary significantly. Of course, New Zealand gets most of its refined products from South Korea, Singapore and Japan, who rely heavily on passage through the Straits for their crude.
