Should you fill up your car with E5 or E10, and is there a difference?

DutchNews, October 12, 2018

Photo: Depositphotos.com 

Moves to standardise the names of different types of fuel come into effect in the Netherlands on Friday, but the old names will stay for some time to give drivers time to get used to the change. 

From Friday the names for petrol, diesel and LPG at petrol stations will be the same throughout Europe as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Macedonia, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey. The aim is to make it easier for people to opt for the right fuel when abroad.

In total some some 150,000 stickers have been handed out to 4,000 petrol stations nationwide to alert drivers to the new names. 

Standard unleaded fuel will now be known as E5 or E10 depending on the ethanol percentage added to the fuel. 

E10 is due to be the standard by 2020, but motoring organisation ANWB  has warned it is not suitable for cars built before 2000. Car owners can check here if their cars are suited to E10 or whether they have to use an alternative fuel. 

Petrol stations in Germany, France and Belgium have already switched to E10 and are phasing out E5/Euro95. The Netherlands is lagging behind but will be up to speed before 2020, the ANWB said.

KLM-backed bio-kerosene plant may open in the Netherlands

DutchNews, September 18, 2018 

Aviation is a major source of carbon-dioxide emissions. Photo: DutchNews.nl 

The Netherlands is on the verge of getting its first factory to produce bio-kerosene, an alternative fuel to tradition kerosene and made out of biomass, the AD said on Tuesday. 

A location for the plant has not yet been confirmed but Groningen is on the shortlist, the paper said. 

The plans have been confirmed by Maarten van Dijk, director of SkyNRG, which will build the factory. ‘We are in the last phase of selecting the location and suppliers. I think that we will be able to reveal more at the end of this year or beginning of the next,’ he told the paper. 

Rotterdam and Amsterdam are being considered as alternative locations. 

Airline KLM is a important shareholder in SkyNRG and has also confirmed that plans for the factory are being made. The airline currently imports bio-kerosine from Los Angeles and it uses the fuel mainly on its fights to the American east coast. 

The AD says there are no other bio-kerosines plants in north-west Europe and that the investment will create a large number of jobs. 

Pollution 

Passenger air traffic is currently responsible for between 2% and 3% of global carbon-dioxide emissions, but in the Netherlands, the figure is 7%, the AD said. 

Bio-kerosine is made from leftovers from the timber and agricultural industries, as well as the food processing industry. Wageningen University said earlier this year that bio-kerosene is a potentially important option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation sector. 

However, the price is two to three times that of ordinary kerosene and ‘the direct and indirect effects… on the aviation sector and the Dutch economy as a whole depend to a large extent on how the additional costs of biokerosene will be funded,’ University researchers said.

Africa rejects Europe's 'dirty diesel'

Ghana and Nigeria are the first countries to respond to reports of European companies exploiting weak fuel standards in Africa. Stricter limits on the sulfur content of diesel will come into force on July 1.

Deutsche Welle, 29 April 2017

Governments in West Africa are taking action to stop the import of fuel with dangerously high levels of sulfur and other toxins. Much of the so-called "dirty diesel" originates in Europe, according to a report published by Public Eye, a Swiss NGO, last year.

The report exposed what Public Eye calls the "illegitimate business" of European oil companies and commodities traders selling low quality fuel to Africa. While European standards prohibit the use of diesel with a sulfur content higher than 10 parts per million (ppm), diesel with as much as 3,000 ppm is regularly exported to Africa.

From July 1, diesel being sold at the pumps in Ghana and Nigeria will have to meet a maximum 50 ppm standard.

"We're very happy to see this change in policy," Public Eye's Oliver Classen told DW. "We are still hoping that other West African countries will follow suit, such as the Ivory Coast, Benin, Togo or Mali."

Health risks of dirty diesel

During an investigation spanning three years, Public Eye tested the fuel for sale at gas stations in eight African countries, five of which were in West Africa. They found that more than two thirds of the samples taken had a sulfur level 150 times the European limit.

Africa's cities are growing quickly. Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, has a population of 21 million, and estimates suggest this number could almost double by the year 2050. Bigger cities mean a much greater risk from air pollution. While rapid urbanization and the poor quality of the largely second-hand car fleet in the region are partly responsible for the high levels of air pollution, low quality diesel also has a significant impact.

Nigeria's largest city, Lagos, already has a population of 21 million

Fuel pollutants have been linked to the development of asthma, lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The Public Eye report claimed that switching to low sulfur fuel in Africa, as well as introducing cars with modern emissions control technologies, could prevent 25,000 premature deaths in 2030 and 100,000 in 2050.

"Double standards"

Classen explains that Public Eye has been driving a "two-fold campaign" in order to force change in the fuel industry.

"Our partner organizations in West Africa made sure that this strong message from the people who are suffering from these sulfurous emissions on the ground is heard by their governments," he says. "In Switzerland we put pressure on the companies that take advantage of these double standards - shamelessly, ruthlessly, systematically."

The report focuses on Swiss trading companies that use a process known as "blending" to combine low and high specification fuel, creating a mixture that complies with weak African regulations. As the report explains, "the closer to the specification boundary the product lies, the larger the potential margin for the trader."

The harmful effects of diesel have been well publicized in Europe in recent years

This sub-standard product, known in the industry as "African Quality," could not be sold in Europe, but it is not illegal for it to be sold elsewhere. The blending process - which takes place either in European ports or en route to Africa, via a "ship-to-ship" transfer - complicates the matter, because fuel from various suppliers can be mixed into one product.

According to Public Eye, Swiss companies also own, or are major stakeholders in companies that own, a great deal of the "downstream" infrastructure used for blending, transporting and distributing fuel - such as ships, storage tanks, petrol stations and pipelines.

Despite having significant oil reserves, West Africa lacks sufficient refinery resource to process its own higher quality oil and has therefore welcomed cheaper imports from abroad.

Whose responsibility?

Following the report, governments in five West African countries were quick to pledge an overhaul of fuel regulations. Ghana and Nigeria are the first to follow through on this promise. But what about the commodities traders in Europe?

"They actually didn't respond at all," Classen says. "We brought up a petition here in Switzerland, and 20,000 people signed that petition asking those commodities giants to stop selling dirty diesel to Africa. But nothing happened. Zero."

The two main commodities companies implicated in the report were Trafigura and Vitol. Both told DW that, while they accepted that the problem of high sulfur fuel needed to be dealt with, the onus was on the governments in Africa to ensure the quality of diesel being sold at the pumps.

Vitol added that, under current regulations, European companies cannot be certain that what they supply to importers from a certain country will then be sold in that country. "If Vitol, or any other supplier, were to supply EU-specification (at a financial loss) to an importer, there is nothing to stop the importer from reselling the cargo, at a profit, and sourcing a cargo with a cheaper specification for local use."

Pressure on the middle men

Around 50 percent of the European oil that ends up in West Africa flows through the ports of Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, known as the ARA region. Public Eye called on these "export hubs" to ban the export of fuel that does not meet European standards.

"There's a huge public debate going on in the Netherlands and Belgium," Classen explains. "There have been parliamentary motions and a whole lot of media coverage on the issue, and there's pressure on their governments there. We are hoping to see some change of mind which would put Swiss commodity traders under sever pressure to change their business practices."

In response to concerns about tougher regulations pushing up fuel prices, Public Eye points out that five East African countries adopted low sulfur fuels in January 2015 "with no impact on prices at the pump."

Ghana has significant oil reserves but only one refinery, the state-owned
Tema facility

Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President of Ghana, said that the introduction of the new regulations would see Ghana "moving to be at the same level as the western countries or the East African countries."

He added that the changes "will reduce respiratory diseases triggered by fuel toxins with higher sulfur content."

Nigeria has also announced plans for all domestically produced fuel to meet the 50 ppm standards by 2020. At a meeting of African fuel producers in February, Ndu Ughamadu, the spokesperson for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, said that the installation of equipment to cut sulfur emissions was already underway or planned at three of Nigeria's four refineries.

Related Articles:

Netherlands must prosecute dirty diesel exporters: report

Ploumen: reported export of toxic diesel ‘scandalous’

Dutch ports at centre of dirty diesel trade, Swiss report claims

A lorry near Accra. Photo: Carl De Keyzer – Magnum

Netherlands must prosecute dirty diesel exporters: report

DutchNews, February 7, 2017     

Photo: Depositphotos.com

The Netherlands and Belgium could prosecute dirty diesel exporters Trafigura and Vitol for contravening international agreements, environmental law experts have told Trouw. 

The diesel, which is blended with sulphur and benzene in the ports of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp, is commonly sold to African countries by European oil companies who are taking advantages of the weak fuel standards in those countries, the experts say. 

Swiss-based commodity traders Trafigura and Vitol are responsible for 50% of dirty diesel exports. 

There are no EU rules banning such exports, but according to the Centre for International Environmental Law (Ciel), the practice contravenes the 2005 Basel Convention which says that the export of the fuel is illegal if countries themselves prohibit the import of dangerous waste. 

Ciel says this the case since most African countries have signed the Bamako agreement (1991) which declares such imports illegal. 

‘Therefore the export from Belgium and the Netherlands of fuel with a high sulphur content is in contravention of the Basel Convention,’ Trouw quotes the report as saying. 

Ciel’s lawyers say the export of dirty diesel is also in breach of human rights because the Netherlands and Belgium both signed up to a UN agreement which obliges them to respect people’s right to health. 

Sulphur 

Dirty diesel can contain up to two hundred times the amount of sulphur allowed in Europe. 

Milieudefensie spokesman Bram van Liere, said he expects that minister Lilianne Ploumen, who called the practice ‘scandalous’, will now prosecute the two oil companies ‘with the tools we have given her’. 

The Ciel report, which was commissioned by Swiss NGO Public Eye and Dutch environmental group Milieudefensie, was sent to parliament on Monday. 

Shell to add electric car battery charging points in some petrol stations

DutchNews, January 31, 2017

A charging station in Amsterdam. Photo: DutchNews.nl

Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell is to add electric car battery charging centres at selected petrol stations in the Netherlands and Britain, the Telegraaf reported on Tuesday.

The paper bases its report on an interview with Shell’s downstream director John Abbott in the Financial Times. The number of battery changing centres was not disclosed. 

French rival Total is working on a similar roll-out, the FD said. Both companies said they were making the move because of the rapidly rising number of electric cars operating in Europe. 

Shell expects the charging centres to be commercially interesting. ‘When a customer is waiting to have the battery charged, he will probably want a coffee or something to eat,’ Abbott suggested. 

The first charging stations will be in large population centres due to the limited range of electric cars. Shell has 600 service stations in the Netherlands and says the first will be installed before the end of the year.

Car manufacturers to power Europe with e-charging network

Yahoo  - AFP, Tom Barfield, November 29, 2016

Hybdrid and all-electric cars remain little-used in Europe, hobbled by high prices,
 the short range of the vehicles and a lack of recharging infrastructure (AFP Photo/
Odd Andersen)

Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - German carmakers BMW, Daimler, Porsche and Audi and US competitor Ford said on Tuesday they would cooperate on a Europe-wide network of electric charging stations.

The move is an "important step towards facilitating mass-market battery electric vehicle adoption", the manufacturers said in a joint statement, and comes as German carmakers rev up their offers of electric cars for the coming years.

"We intend to create a network that allows our customers on long-distance trips to use a coffee break for recharging," Audi chief executive Rupert Stadler said.

The firms have signed a memorandum of understanding on the joint venture and plan to begin construction of some 400 high-speed charging stations across Europe in 2017.

Completion of the network is slated for 2020.

Hybrid and all-electric cars from any manufacturer using the Combined Charging System (CCS) standard will be able to use the stations, in a move aimed at boosting growth of electric car use on the continent.

German carmakers have lagged behind some competitors when it comes to introducing electric models.

The technology remains little-used in Europe, hobbled by high prices, the short range of the vehicles and a lack of recharging infrastructure.

But recent months have seen a fresh commitment from the industry, a pillar of Europe's largest economy, to speed up the introduction of electric cars.

Tesla announced an ambitious goal of producing 500,000 electric cars a year by 

2018, which would take in from being a niche producer of luxury sedans to a 

mainstream competitor in the auto industry (AFP Photo/Odd Andersen)

Audi and Porsche parent Volkswagen announced this month that it aims to sell one million electric vehicles per year by 2025.

VW sees non-polluting technology as a chance to clean its tarnished reputation, after it admitted in September 2015 to installing software designed to cheat regulatory emissions tests on 11 million diesel-powered cars worldwide.

Meanwhile, higher-end manufacturers like BMW and Daimler, which owns Mercedes, face a challenge from newcomers like Tesla, which has a head start in autonomous driving as well as electric power.

Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche was a surprise keynote speaker at the German Green Party conference this year, and has promised 10 new all-electric models in the next few years.

BMW has so far limited its electric ambitions to its BMWi range.

This year the Munich-based manufacturer said it would go further, with plans to offer an all-electric version of its iconic Mini by 2019 and a BMW X3 4x4 by 2020.

Beyond Tesla, German carmakers fear being overtaken by new home-grown competitors in China, which remains a major market.

Chinese plans to introduce a quota system -- which would require a share of vehicles produced in the country to be all-electric -- prompted complaints from German economy minister Sigmar Gabriel ahead of a visit to Beijing last month.

Related Article:

No strings attached: Rotterdam trials wireless electric car charging

Dutch ports at centre of dirty diesel trade, Swiss report claims

DutchNews, September 19, 2016

A lorry near Accra. Photo: Carl De Keyzer – Magnum 

Swiss commodity trading firms are exploiting lax regulatory standards to sell toxic fuel to Africa and much of the dirty diesel is stored in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, according to a report by Swiss NGO Public Eye. 

Rotterdam oil firm Vitol and Dutch Swiss Trafigura, have major refining and storage interests in the Netherlands and in Antwerp where crude oil is mixed with other substances to keep prices low, Public Eye claims.

‘The 160-page report also shows that the trading companies not only ship dirty diesel and dirty gasoline — and in some areas even sell it at their own pumps — but also produce both fuels themselves,’ Public Eye said.

‘On land or at sea, they mix up a petrochemical cocktail from refinery products and other components known in the industry as “African Quality”. These toxic fuels are mainly mixed in the ARA-Zone (Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp) where Swiss trading firms have their own refineries and storage facilities,’ the report said. 

Banned substances

Many West African countries that export high grade crude oil to Europe receive toxic low quality fuel in return. 

Public Eye researchers drew fuel at local pumps in eight countries and found diesel samples contained up to 378 times more sulfur than is permitted in Europe. Other toxic substances, such as benzene and poly-cyclical aromatic hydrocarbons, were also found in concentrations that are banned in Europe. 

Unacceptable

‘It is unacceptable that we continue to supply developing countries with sub-standard fuels and vehicles, which result in major health impacts by increasing air pollution,’ said Eric Solheim, executive director of the UN’s environment programme.

‘In our globalized economy, there are good reasons to universallyapply clean fuel and vehicle standards in every country. Dumping old and dirty substances and technologies needs to stop now.’ 

According to Trouw, both Vitol and Trafigura say they support measures to reduce pollution and will reduce the level of sulfur permitted in fuel if the countries concerned change the regulations.

Related Article:

Ploumen: reported export of toxic diesel ‘scandalous’

Nepal running on empty

Nepal’s capital city, Kathmandu, is usually a bustling hot pot of bumper-to-bumper traffic, noise, pollution and the odd cow on the road. But nowadays it's eerily quiet, as Sophie Cousins discovered.

Deutsche Welle, 11 Oct 2015

On the main roads you can count on your hand the number of cars and motorbikes that drive by; bicycles are now the main mode of transport. On a positive note, the smog has lifted from the city to showcase the wide-ranging, snow-capped Himalayas, which draws thousands of tourists to the land-locked country every year.

But, while it may be quiet on the streets of the capital, it's a different story at petrol stations across the city. Taxis have been lined up at petrol stations in southwest Kathmandu for the last week, unable to work due to the fuel crisis.

"I have been waiting in my car, queuing, for the last six days. The situation is very bad. What can I do? I need fuel to work," taxi driver Trilocan M.R told DW, while dusting his white, beaten-up taxi. "Maybe by Sunday or Monday I will be able to get fuel."

Waiting for hours for a meager
amount of fuel

A blockade on Nepal's border with India has halted imports, disrupting supplies for more than two weeks during clashes between police and protesters opposing the country's new constitution that have seen more than 40 people killed.

Reliant on India

Nepal is completely reliant on India for all its fuel, food and medicine imports. Thousands of trucks are stranded at the border, which has lead to a severe shortage of fuel, resulting in school and restaurant closures, astronomical taxi prices and public transport shortages. As the blockade on the border shows no sign of easing, Nepal is now considering airlifting fuel from either Bangladesh or Malaysia, according to local news reports, and may build a petroleum storage plant near its border with China.

Back at the petrol station, the army and police try to control crowds as they line up with jerricans and empty bottles of water.

People in the crowd push and shove one another in attempt to reach the only pump with fuel, yelling with frustration that they've been standing for more than 12 hours.

As a result of the critical fuel shortage, taxi drivers are now charging four times the fare to make up for the days they haven't been able to work.

At Purano Bus Park in central Kathmandu the scene is chaotic as hundreds of Nepalis cram onto the rooftop of the limited buses that are still running; babies are passed around over people's heads, and the elderly are shoved and pushed until they get a seat inside. Those who don't manage to squeeze onto the bus, hang off the side of its doors, or stay and wait, hoping for another bus to arrive.

There have been chaotic scenes
in Kathmandu

Tourists staying away

The fuel shortage is not only affecting transport around the country. Restaurants and hotels have been hit hard by another issue making headlines around the world, only a few months since the devastating earthquake that killed more than 9,000 people.

While tourists are slowly returning to the country for the trekking season, hoteliers fear that the latest crisis will further deter people from visiting.

Numerous restaurants have been forced to shut down or offer very limited menus. The only seemingly bustling restaurants in the tourist district were those that can serve wood-fire pizza.

Keshab, owner of Karma Travellers Home, a small hotel in the tourist district of Thamel, said the fuel shortage was of huge concern. "The situation is terrible," he told DW. "I have a few customers but nowhere near as many as I usually would for this time of the year. Customers who are coming to Kathmandu are emailing me asking if there's food to eat because of the fuel shortages. I tell them yes, you have breakfast for as long as I have gas, but after then, no," adding that he'd sent his children back to his village where there is firewood.

After the earthquake, Keshab saw a huge spike in the number of cancellations and is worried that the strikes and fuel crisis could further affect his business.

"Nepal, I think, is a beautiful country. When people come here they say they feels like home, that they like it much better than India. I hope this crisis will be resolved soon."

The crisis is also affecting Nepal's world-famous forests, thousands of which are under control of locals to for sustainability purposes. Krishna Bahadur Khadka from the Federation of Community Forestry Users Nepal, an umbrella organization of community forests across the county, said he was highly concerned about the spike in demand for firewood.

"The fuel situation is a big crisis for the community forests where now more people are getting firewood for cooking," he told DW.

"We are worried that people are now cutting down trees which means carbon emissions are being increased and contributing to deforestation."

Miracle motorbike that goes 500km… on a liter of water! (VIDEO)

RT.com, 25 Jul, 2015

A Brazilian man, Ricardo Azevedo from Sao Paulo, has shown off his wonder bike to the world. The magic machine can travel up to 500 kilometers on a liter of water.

The so-called “T Power H20” vehicle is powered by water and an external car battery to produce electricity and split the hydrogen from the water molecules.

As a result, combustion is created giving the motorbike the impetus to move.

READ MORE: World has 10 years to combat climate change, prevent health catastrophe – scientists  

In the video, Azevedo first drinks from the bottle, proving that it’s indeed water and not some kind of other fuel. Then he fills the canister and rides off. 

Azevedo also demonstrates how the bike works. The inventor shows that even polluted waters from the Tiete River can be used to fuel the vehicle.

READ MORE: Bioengineers invent engine powered by water vapor, artificial muscles 

The Brazilian is promoting his creation as an environment-friendly machine. 

“The advantage of this motorcycle, which works with the hydrogen that comes from the water, is that the result that comes out of the exhaust is water vapor. This is different from gasoline, which [produces] carbon monoxide," he told RT.

Related Article:

Toyota to give away fuel-cell patents to boost industry

Hainan Airlines marks China's first passenger flight with biofuel

Want ChinaTimes, Xinhua 2015-03-22

The Boeing 737 is loaded with biofuel before the flight from Shanghai Hongqiao
International Airport, March 21. (Photo/Xinhua)

Hainan Airlines announced on Saturday it has completed China's first passenger flight with sustainable biofuel, a milestone for the country's commercial aviation industry.

The flight, which carried more than 100 passengers from Shanghai to Beijing in a Boeing 737, used biofuel made by Sinopec from waste cooking oil collected from restaurants in China.

The airplane's two engines were powered by the fuel blended of approximately half biofuel and half traditional jet fuel, the company said.

"We are honored to see our flight with safe and effective biofuel," said Pu Ming, vice president of Hainan Airlines, also the flight's pilot.

Boeing has been collaborating with Chinese airlines to develop aviation biofuel industry. In 2011, Air China conducted China's first test flight with aviation biofuel in a Boeing 747.

Indonesia Raises Subsidized Fuel Prices by Rp 2,000 a Liter

Jakarta Globe, Dion Bisara, Nov 17, 2014

(Antara Photo/Fanny Octavianus)

Jakarta. Indonesia raised subsidized fuel prices by an average Rp 2,000 per liter, in an attempt to curb fuel usage and narrow the gaps in the current account and the state budget.

The price for low-octane gasoline, or Premium, will rise to Rp 8,500 per liter, from Rp 6,500. Subsidized diesel was raised to Rp 7,500 per liter from Rp 5,500. The prices would go into effect at midnight on Monday.

The move would also help to reduce state expenses on the subsidy and that money could be used for other programs such as education and health care.

President Joko Widodo announced the prices increases at around 9:10 p.m. on Monday in an address that was broadcast via television.

“The increase is moderate even by recent latest increases standard because we see a decline in global oil price trend,” said Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said before the announcement.

Sofyan Djalil, the coordinating minister for economic affairs, said in a press briefing on Monday that the government has so much infrastructure that needs to be built that “we need to save some of our budget for productive spending.”

Bambang Brodjonegoro, the finance minister, said that the increase will save Rp 120 trillion ($9.8 billion) in the 2015 state budget.

Indonesia’s current account deficit has narrowed to 3 percent of gross domestic product in the third quarter from 4.3 percent of GDP in the previous three-month period.

The government last raised subsidized fuel prices in June 2013 by an average Rp 3,000 a liter.

Hyundai, Kia to pay $100 million over fuel economy suit

Yahoo – AFP, Kerry Sheridan, 3 Nov 2014

Hyundai and Kia agreed to pay $100 million on November 3, 2014, to settle a US 

government investigation into exaggerated fuel efficiency on 2012 and 2013 car 

models sold in the United States (AFP Photo)

Washington (AFP) - Hyundai and Kia agreed to pay $100 million Monday to settle a US government investigation into exaggerated fuel efficiency on 2012 and 2013 car models sold in the United States by the South Korean automakers.

The US Department of Justice said it marked the largest civil penalty ever secured under the four-decade-old Clean Air Act.

"This will send a strong message that cheating is not profitable, and that any company that violates the law will be held to account" said Attorney General Eric Holder.

The settlement involved the sale of nearly 1.2 million vehicles, many of which now need to reduce their stated fuel economy by one to two miles per gallon.

"Because they used inaccurately low numbers to demonstrate compliance with emissions standards -- cherry-picking data and conducting tests in ways that did not reflect good engineering judgment -– Hyundai and Kia calculated higher fuel economy and lower greenhouse gas emissions than these vehicles actually have," Holder told reporters.

The result is that the six vehicle models implicated will emit approximately 4.75 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, above and beyond what the automakers certified with the Environmental Protection Agency.

As part of the settlement, Hyundai and Kia will "forfeit the greenhouse gas credits that the companies wrongly claimed based on their inaccurate reporting," Holder said.

Relinquishing those 4.75 million metric tons of credits could be valued at hundreds of millions of dollars, he said.

The automakers also agreed to have an independent certification test group oversee its fuel economy testing, training, data management and reporting in the future.

"Businesses that play by the rules shouldn't have to compete with those breaking the law," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, describing the settlement as "historic."

The six vehicle models implicated will emit approximately 4.75 million metric tons of 

greenhouse gases, above and beyond what the automakers certified with the

Environmental Protection Agency (AFP Photo/Scott Olson)

"This settlement upholds the integrity of the nation's fuel economy and greenhouse gas programs and supports all Americans who want to save fuel costs and reduce their environmental impact."

Hyundai said in a statement that the agreement requires the company to adjust about a quarter of its 2011-13 model year vehicles, reducing their combined city/highway fuel economy by one to two miles per gallon.

In addition to paying a $56.8 million civil penalty, Hyundai agreed to forgo the use of approximately 2.7 million greenhouse gas (GHG) emission credits, representing the difference between the original emissions pledge and the newly adjusted one.

"Hyundai has acted transparently, reimbursed affected customers and fully cooperated with the EPA throughout the course of its investigation," said David Zuchowski, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America.

Hyundai said its adjusted fuel ratings are 27.2 miles per gallon for 2011, 28.3 mpg for 2012 and 29.0 mpg for 2013 model year vehicles.

Ryanair to appeal against Dutch court over fuel allegations

DutchNews.nl, Friday 18 April 2014

(NOS/ANP)

Budget airline Ryanair is appealing a recent Dutch court ruling which rejected claims of defamation by Dutch broadcaster KRO in a three-part series, the Irish Times reports.

Current affairs programme Reporter carried interviews at the end of 2012 with four anonymous Ryanair pilots who said they regularly fly with less fuel than they would like on company orders.

The airline said at the time the programme was factually incorrect and criticised the makers for failing to contact it for a reaction. It then went to court demanding the series be halted and it be given access to unedited film material.

Three airports

The programme led the Dutch government to ask the Irish authorities for an explanation. Ryanair operates flights from three Dutch airports.

Ryanair described the Dutch court decision in favour of the KRO as ‘bizarre’.

This article was amended to reflect an inaccuracy in the Irish Times report.

Related Articles:

Dutch ask Irish government for answers on safety standards at Ryanair

Ryanair says Dutch tv programme was 'factually incorrect'

Unpaid diplomatic traffic fines? Then no tax-free petrol card

DutchNews.nl, Tuesday 21 January 2014

(Nos/ANP XTRA)

Foreign diplomats who don’t pay their traffic fines will no longer be able to use a special petrol card which entitles them to tax-free fuel, Nos television reports on Tuesday.

The justice ministry cannot force diplomats to clear unpaid fines, which have reached over €700,000 over the past four years.

By ending entitlement to the card, diplomats will have to keep receipts and fill in forms in order to claim back the tax, the broadcaster reports.

Belgium also uses a similar method which has led to an improvement in the payment of fines, Nos said.