BMW, on 25th November, announced a new partnership with Stratus Organic Dairy Farm. They are aiming at the reduction of greenhouse gases while also delivering clean energy to the electric vehicle drivers in California.
The German automobile giants started a new production process that aimed at using renewable energy when they created the BMW i sub-brand. There are many measures been taken by BMW.
In many places, BMW i solar panels have been placed for charging electric cars. Also, the BMW factory in Leipzig, Germany, where i3 is assembled, uses renewable energy.
At the Stratus Organic Dairy Farm, a methane biodigester captures methane from cow manure and transforms it into renewable energy, which in turn is exported to the public power grid.
“This collaboration is the first of its kind in the auto industry,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, president and CEO, BMW of North America. “It is a perfect fit for the BMW Group, which has long valued creative technologies and partnerships that can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
California received plenty of appreciation back in the year 2016 when it hit the target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions four years ahead of time.
But, over the last 3 years, California has reduced emissions at a rate of only 1.15 percent, and at that pace, it would take a century for the state to zero-out carbon emissions. Since they’re falling behind, the state would need to step up emissions reductions to 4.51% every year, according to a report.
California’s next challenge is the even tougher job of eliminating climate pollutants from transportation, industry, and homes, and offices. And most notably, cars that are driven on fossil fuels.
Passenger vehicles alone produce nearly 1/3 of California’s emissions, more than all of the electric power plants, livestock, and oil refineries in the state put together. Vehicle ownership has reached tremendous levels.
Since early 2017, more than 50% of the new passenger vehicles Californians bought were SUVs and trucks. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) tweeted, “The state will stop purchasing vehicles from carmakers that have refused to protect our air & chosen to follow the regressive ways of Trump.”
Due to this greening development, not only BMW but other automakers have signed a joint agreement that described the accord with California as a step to maintain nationwide emissions requirements, regardless of the disapproval from the White House.
