Sir Richard Branson Gives Green Light to Saab BioPower

Move over fossil fuel - that's just so passé - or that's the message as the UK's most high-profile and best-known businessman Sir Richard Branson takes delivery of a Saab 9-5 BioPower!

Sir Richard's switch to his Saab flex-fuel car, which runs on the eco-friendly and renewable fuel source bioethanol E85 (made from plant products such as wheat and grain), reinforces the Virgin boss' unwavering commitment to fighting one of the biggest challenges of our times - that of global warming.

Speaking today (Wednesday 15th November) as he took the keys of his new Saab, Sir Richard said: "I am convinced that biofuels are the way forward, both for the car and aviation industries, which is a vision we share with Saab. Now we need to extend that vision to others. It's high-time that flex-fuel cars, such as the Saab 9-5 BioPower, are given the same concessions in the UK as other green cars, like for example, exemption from London's Congestion Charge."

He continued: "At the moment, bioethanol is made from a variety of agricultural sources, whilst in the future, we will see it made from cellulosic waste matter, such as wood chippings, which really will make it the ultimate green fuel"

Earlier this year, the Virgin Group announced that all profits and equity realisations over the next ten years from the group's worldwide transport companies, including Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Trains in the UK, would be invested in the renewable energy sector. The amount to be invested is expected to be some £1.6bn. Virgin Fuels is expected to be one of the beneficiaries and has already invested in bioethanol production and will conduct research and development into alternative transport fuels, including bioethanol and an alternative biofuel for aviation. Sir Richard's new car will carry both the Virgin Fuels and Saab BioPower logos.

Consultation begins on detailed proposals for London-wide Low Emission Zone

The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, today announced the start of detailed consultation by Transport for London on the proposed London-wide Low Emission Zone. The scheme is aimed at reducing emissions from the most polluting diesel engine lorries, coaches, buses, heavier vans and minibuses.

Low Emission Zone scheme would aim to improve London's air quality - and thereby improve Londoners' health - by encouraging operators of large diesel vehicles to clean up their fleets.

From 2008, diesel engine lorries, coaches and buses that fail to meet a minimum pollution standard face having to pay a charge if they drive within Greater London. Such a charge would be designed to act as an effective incentive for operators to modify or replace dirty vehicles.
The Low Emission Zone could go live as early as February 2008. It is also proposed that by 2010 the scheme would be extended to heavier diesel engine light goods vehicles and minibuses. From 2012 the emissions standard for Heavy Goods Vehicles, buses and coaches would be tightened to Euro IV standards for particulate matter.

Transport for London has published a scheme order this week, and consultation on the plans will run until 2 February 2007. Explanatory notes and leaflets for both the public and for operators have been produced by Transport for London to inform the consultation process. Following the consultation the Mayor will decide whether or not to confirm the proposals with or without modifications.

Ken Livingstone said: "The proposed Low Emission Zone is the most effective way of quickly reducing pollutants that are among the most harmful to human health. It will make London one of the first cities in the world to have taken such a radical step to tackle air pollution and safeguard our environment.

"London suffers the worst air quality in the UK and amongst the worst in Europe. We want people living, working and visiting London to benefit from better air quality and to live longer and healthier lives."

More information is available on the LEZ section of the TfL website or by calling Transport for London's LEZ helpline on 08457 224577.

How Green Is Your Car? - Conservative Party launches Green Car website.

How Green Is Your Car? is a new website containing evironmental information about every car currently on sale in the UK.

Launched at the Conservative Party Conference by Shadow Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, the website is a 'must visit' location for drivers looking to find out more about the impact their cars will have on the environment.

During a debate on the environment at the conference, Chris said "It contains the league tables that the Government will not publish."

"I discovered a few weeks ago that the Government had asked the Energy Saving Trust to produce a set of green car league tables. To my amazement I was told that Ministers had refused to publish that information. So, as part of our green cars strategy, we're going to do it ourselves."

Click here to visit howgreenisyourcar.co.uk

Chinese government is in a mood to change the face of its roads. The country is promoting the use of eco-friendly LNG as vehicle fuel.

The government of China is soon going to launch a research and promotion program to amplify the use of non-polluting LNG as vehicle fuel. This move is an attempt to reduce the air pollution blackening its sky.

Hou Fushen, an engineer with 'National Clean Vehicle Co-ordination Leading Group' and 'China Automotive Technology and Research Center', said that their target is to make the LNG vehicles more technically advanced with a reduction in cost and harmful gas emissions. The government is planning to carry out technical research and development. The products of the research, like buses, will be demonstrated in selected cities.

Last year, the rapidly expanding middle-class consumer base of the world's fastest-booming vehicle market invested liberally in vehicles and bought 5.9 Million new cars. It was more than China's total vehicle population in 1990. The country is the 2nd largest car market after US. So this addition in the existing caravan of cars is bolting tons of oil. China depends heavily on imports to meets its oil demand. Also, oil is a major culprit of spreading urban pollution. Hunting new fuels for vehicles will not only take care of the environmental pollution but also aid in diversifying fuel consumption of China.

According to a Research Analyst at RNCOS, who has recently researched on "Future Outlook for Global LNG Market (2010)", the invasion of middle class consumers in vehicle market is on a high. Hence, China's government is offering many strategies to combat the problem of vehicle pollution to portray a clean image.

For more information, please visit: RNCOS Future Outlook for Global

Lib Dems support insurer's call to use the tax system to incentivise drivers into 'green' vehicles

Seven in ten drivers would consider swapping to 'green' cars if they were cheaper. Early Day Motion tabled to incentivise green drivers.

With seven in ten drivers prepared to help reduce the UK’s carbon footprint by converting to environmentally friendly cars, insurer swiftcover.com is today calling on the Government to provide positive tax incentives to get drivers out of high emissions cars and into green vehicles.

Swiftcover.com’s Going Green1 report surveyed 1787 motorists and highlights motorist’s attitudes to ‘going green’. The findings show that having an eco-conscience spans all generations and regions, with 73% of drivers across all age groups stating they’d like to be kinder to planet.

Road transport currently accounts for around a quarter of UK green house gas emissions2 and less than 1%3 of the UK’s 32 million drivers4 own an environmentally friendly car. In the wake of its findings, swiftcover.com is calling on the Government to give tax breaks to green drivers who currently pay around £5,000 more each for cars that do the least to damage the environment.

Andrew Blowers, Chief Executive Officer at swiftcover.com, said: “Our report’s findings should act as a massive wake-up call for the Government who has clearly underestimated the number of drivers who are prepared to invest in environmentally friendly cars if they become more affordable.

“There is an almost £5,000 difference between the cost of a Toyota Prius5, a hybrid6 car and a Ford Mondeo7, a standard family car. Providing a tax incentive on the environmentally friendly option would bring the cost more in line with standard petrol vehicles. This would make green cars a viable alternative to their gas guzzling counterparts.”

Concerned by the research findings, Chris Huhne Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in support of swiftcover.com’s call to give incentives to consumers to purchase low emissions vehicles.

Chris Huhne comments: "The trouble is some low emission vehicles find it difficult to compete on price with equivalent standard cars so motorists have no incentive to go green. If the Government is serious about meeting its Carbon reduction targets, they should reform Vehicle Excise Duty so that there are tax incentives to encourage motorists to opt for low emission cars.”

Andrew Blowers concludes: “The research sends a clear message to the Government: Britain’s drivers want to go green, it’s up to you to help them achieve it.”

Definition of Clean Vehicles

Clean vehicles are fuelled by renewable fuels or fossil fuels that are less pollutant than ordinary fuels, or use a technique which dramatically reduces pollution and energy use.