Green Car Congress

FedEx Express Orders 51 Azure Dynamics Hybrid Electric Delivery Vans, Establishes First All-Hybrid Facility

2009-11-09T07:14:11-08:00

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., will purchase 51 additional gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles from Azure Dynamics Corporation. The FedEx fleet of hybrid electric and electric vehicles will total 325 when all 51 hybrid step-vans are delivered during November and December of 2009.

Most of the new FedEx gasoline-electric vehicles will be put into service at a Bronx, NY, station, making it the first FedEx all-hybrid facility with about 100 trucks.

With electric-launch assist, engine-off at idle, and regenerative braking, the FedEx Azure gasoline-electric step-vans are well-suited for the tough start-and-stop conditions endured in the everyday traffic. FedEx expects a fuel efficiency improvement of 30% while also reducing its carbon footprint.

Twenty FedEx Azure Balance Hybrid Electric gasoline step-vans are already in service across the FedEx Express delivery network in California. Overall, FedEx currently operates 274 hybrid electric and electric vehicles around the globe, and 1,780 alternative fuel vehicles and equipment. The addition of these 51 vehicles takes FedEx to a total of 325 hybrid electric and electric vehicles, and more than 1,800 alternative fuel vehicles and equipment.

The FedEx hybrid fleet has logged more than four million miles of revenue service since being introduced in 2004, reducing fuel use by 150,000 gallons and carbon dioxide emissions by 1,521 metric tons.

The new purchase marks the third advancement in FedEx’s alternative vehicle fleet in recent months. In June 2009, FedEx converted 92 existing trucks to hybrid-electrics in its delivery fleet—the first of its standard FedEx delivery trucks retrofitted to hybrid-electric systems. In late August, FedEx completed the rollout of ten new state-of-the-art electric commercial vehicles for use in the UK.

With zero tailpipe emissions, the FedEx electric vehicles will save around 11 tons of CO2 a year compared to a similar-weight diesel vehicle.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) plans to provide a grant to FedEx for the Azure hybrids. NYSERDA, in part, aims to maintain momentum for the State’s efforts to develop competitive markets for energy efficiency.

Coulomb Technologies Signs Exclusive Distributor for Charging Stations for Australia

2009-11-09T06:54:48-08:00

Coulomb Technologies has signed ChargePoint Pty Ltd to an exclusive distribution agreement for its charging stations in Australia.

ChargePoint Pty Ltd now offers Coulomb’s ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations throughout Australia and is currently in advanced discussions with a number of government and private sector partners for pilot projects in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne which are all due to commence in the first half of 2010. The pilot projects will be used to evaluate charging behavior, energy grid load analysis and environmental and societal impacts.

The first mass-produced electric vehicles will arrive in Australia in 2010. Most manufacturers expected to release models in 2012.

Shell Sells its Shares in BTL Company CHOREN

2009-11-09T05:54:07-08:00

Shell Deutschland Oil GmbH has sold its shares in CHOREN Industries GmbH to all the remaining CHOREN shareholders, a syndicate consisting primarily of Hamburg-based entrepreneurs as well as the carmakers Daimler AG and Volkswagen AG. Shell had acquired a minority stake in CHOREN in 2005. (Earlier post.)

CHOREN is a supplier of gasification technologies used for the production of biomass-to-liquids (BTL) as well as traditional synthesis gas products (e.g. ammonia and methane) and for the generation of electricity especially in CHP (combined heat and power) plants.

The parties agreed not to disclose any information on the general business-related background to this transaction. The major shareholder Turina and other leading shareholders will arrange a further capital increase for the upcoming projects.

Shell and its shareholding partners in CHOREN jointly agreed to this transaction, said a Shell spokesperson.

The technical expertise of Shell will provide future support in developing BTL to market maturity, said Marcell Ulrichs, CEO of Choren.

Renault to Produce the Electric Version of Kangoo in Maubeuge, France

2009-11-09T05:36:53-08:00

Renault has decided to produce the future electric, zero-emission version of its Kangoo Express LCV at M.C.A. (Maubeuge Carrosserie Automobile), in northern France, starting in the first half of 2011.

The electric vehicle will be built on the same production line as the internal combustion variants. The new version will benefit from the know-how, fabric of suppliers and logistics network of the current Kangoo.

Specializing in LCVs for twenty years, Maubeuge, which produces Kangoo, Kangoo Express and Kangoo be bop is able to adapt to the diversity required for this kind of vehicle (short or long versions, with or without lateral windows, etc.), and to meet demand.

Kangoo be bop Z.E. and Kangoo Z.E. Concept were the precursors of the future electric Kangoo, which will be an LCV designed for professionals. It will be mainly intended for urban and peri-urban use.

On 5 November, Renault announced that production of its future vehicle derived from Zoé Z.E. Concept was to start in Flins starting in 2012 and that the Group planned to take part in a French joint venture for research into the production and recycling of batteries for electric vehicles.

BMW Provides Update on ActiveHybrid X6

2009-11-09T05:00:00-08:00

Output and torque diagrams, BMW ActiveHybrid X6. Click to enlarge.

BMW has provided some additional detail on its two-mode ActiveHybrid X6, as well as updating some of the figures released for the introduction of the production model at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. (Earlier post.) The ActiveHybrid X6 arrives in US BMW Centers in the fourth quarter.

The ActiveHybrid X6 is BMW’s first application of the two-mode transmission developed in partnership with GM and then-DaimlerChrysler, and offers approximately a 20% reduction in fuel consumption versus a comparable vehicle powered by a combustion engine alone, while at the same time offering an increase in driving dynamics.

Components of the ActiveHybrid X6. Click to enlarge.

The drive system in the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 consists of a 4.4-liter 300 kW/407 hp V8 power unit (revised upward slightly from introduction) with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and two electric motors developing 67 kW/91 hp and, respectively, 63 kW/86 hp. Maximum system output is 357 kW/485 hp, peak torque is 780 N·m/575 lb-ft.

Acceleration from a standstill to 100 km/h comes in 5.6 seconds (0.2 seconds longer than preliminary figures). Top speed of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is limited electronically to 236 km/h or 146 mph (250 km/h or 155 mph with the optional Sports Package). Average fuel consumption in the EU5 test cycle is 9.9 liters/100 km (equivalent to 23.8 mpg US mpg), with a CO₂ emission rating of 231 grams/kilometer.

BMW’s first full hybrid model is able to run exclusively on electric power up to a speed of 60 km/h or 37 mph, with the combustion engine being activated automatically whenever required.

The two-mode active transmission provides combinations of the two power modes for enhanced efficiency and dynamic performance at all times. With the two electric motors, three planetary gearsets and four multiple-plate clutches, drive power is transmitted through a seven-gear automatic transmission operated by the driver via an electronic gear selector lever and, respectively, shift paddles on the steering wheel.

V8 with TwinPower Turbo Technology. The 4.4-liter V8 was terms presented for the first time in the BMW X6 xDrive50i. The world’s first V8 gasoline engine with two turbochargers and two catalytic converters in the V-section between the two rows of cylinders maintains its maximum output of 300 kW/407 hp from 5,500 – 6,400 rpm. Torque peaks at 600 N·m/ 442 lb-ft in the speed range between 1,750 and 4,500 rpm.

With BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology four cylinders are each supplied with compressed air by one turbocharger for a particularly spontaneous and direct response to the gas pedal. Engine power builds up without delay, continuing all the way to high engine speeds.

The innovative arrangement of the turbochargers also benefits the response of the engine, the new position of the intake and outlet ducts helping to keep the intake pipes and manifolds shorter and provide larger cross-sections significantly minimizing pressure losses on both the intake and exhaust side.

High Precision Injection developed by BMW ensures precise dosage of fuel at all times. In the same process the cooling effect of the fuel injected directly into the engine allows a compression ratio exceptionally high on a turbocharged engine, further enhancing the efficiency of the V8 power unit.

Piezo-injectors positioned in the middle between the valves help to make the combustion process particularly smooth, efficient and clean, the V8 power unit therefore fulfilling both the European EU5 standard and the ULEV II standard in the USA.

Compared with the BMW X6 xDrive50i, the power unit has been modified in a number of its features to meet the specific requirements of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6.

There is no longer a conventional starter, just as the alternator and belt drive for the a/c compressor and the hydraulic pump on the power steering have both been dropped. The main and secondary coolant circuit, in turn, have been modified for all-electric motoring, and a heat insulation plate protects the power electronics additionally from excessive temperatures.

The position of the oil filler manifold has been modified, the conventional torque converter is replaced by a two-mass flywheel, and the exhaust system has been modified for an optimum acoustic effect when the combustion engine fires and cuts in in the all-electric mode.

Two-Mode Active Transmission. The Two-Mode Active Transmission with its fully integrated electric motors is the central unit in the drive system featured in the BMW ActiveHybrid X6. Developed specifically by BMW for its first full hybrid vehicle, the Two-Mode Active Transmission ensures optimum interaction of the combustion engine and electric drive in the interest of maximum power and efficiency at all speeds.

In its dimensions, the transmission is virtually identical to a conventional automatic transmission and is arranged directly behind the combustion engine. Following the principle of an ECVT Electric Continuously Variable Transmission, the Two-Mode Active Transmission provides the mechanical connection between three planetary gearsets and four multiple-plate clutches in a configuration allowing the power split required for the drive power coming from the combustion engine and the electric motors in two transmission ranges and therefore ensuring unique variability in the combination of the two power sources conventional hybrid drive is not able to offer.

One of the two transmission modes is specifically for setting off and accelerating at low speeds, the second is for driving at higher speeds under optimum conditions. When setting off only one electric motor is activated at the beginning, enabling the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 to drive under electric power alone up to a speed of 60 km/h or 37 mph.

As soon as the driver requires more power, the second electronic motor automatically fires the eight-cylinder power unit and subsequently acts as a generator providing a permanent flow of electric power. The combustion engine is automatically added to the power flow in accordance with the driver’s requirements and the level of performance needed, and is cut off by the electronic control unit when coasting at speeds below 65 km/h or 40 mph.

Power is transmitted by the Two-Mode Active Transmission acting as a seven-speed transmission operated by the driver by means of an electronic gear selector lever on the centre console. As an alternative to the automatic mode, the driver may also opt for manual selection of gears, shifting up and down either sequentially by moving the gear selector lever appropriately or by using the gearshift paddles featured as standard on the steering wheel of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6.

Electric motors The two electric motors offer almost the same degree of power but have been modified in their performance characteristics as a function of their specific purpose and application. Their output is 67 kW/91 hp and, respectively, 63 kW/86 hp, with peak torque of 260 N·m/192 lb-ft and, respectively, 280 N·m/206 lb-ft.

Maximum system output developed jointly by the combustion engine and the two electric motors is 357 kW/485 hp, with combined torque of 780 N·m/575 lb-ft. This makes the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 the world’s most powerful production light-duty hybrid.

High-performance battery pack with separate liquid cooling systems. The electric motors receive their energy from a nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) high-performance battery pack fitted beneath the floor of the luggage compartment and feeding power also to the vehicle’s on-board network.

Even with the combustion engine switched off, this maintains all electrically operated functions including the automatic air conditioning, with electric power generated through the recuperation of brake energy. To perform this function the electric motors serve as a generator in overrun and when applying the brakes in order to feed electric power generated on no extra fuel into the storage units.

The battery in BMW ActiveHybrid X6 has a capacity of 2.4 kWh, with 1.4 kWh being used actively for running the vehicle. To provide the power required, the high-voltage direct current coming from the high-performance battery is converted into three-phase alternating current for the two electric motors. The maximum power available for a period of three seconds is 57 kW, the control unit for the NiMH battery serving to permanently measure and determine various data such as the power currently available and the charge level.

The high-performance battery comes with its own liquid cooling system incorporating a heat exchanger to cool the battery both through outside air and, additionally, through the coolant circuit in the air conditioning. Both circuits are activated as required either individually or in an appropriate combination, the control unit choosing the most effective and efficient cooling option as a function of ambient temperature and the temperature of the high-performance battery.

The cooling function using the vehicle’s air conditioning is activated by an appropriate switch valve, the electrical a/c compressor is activated automatically as required, with the interior and the battery being cooled independently of one another.

This ensures much more efficient cooling than with systems cooled by air alone, helping to make the energy storage unit significantly more efficient and maintaining the hybrid functions longer both under extreme weather conditions and whenever the driver prefers a particularly sporting style of motoring.

Power electronics for highly efficient energy management. Power electronics developed especially for BMW ActiveHybrid serves to keep energy management on board the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 both efficient and flexible. The most important parameter for determining and controlling the operating strategy is the charge status of the battery pack storing electrical energy generated through the recuperation process.

The power electronics also mastermind the charge process of the battery pack during recuperation, alternating current generated by the generators through Brake Energy Regeneration being converted into direct current subsequently fed into the battery.

Recuperation using energy released when applying the brakes. To generate the electric power stored in the battery pack, the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 uses an upgraded version of the Brake Energy Regeneration already featured in BMW’s current models running on a combustion engine alone. In overrun and when applying the brakes, the electric motors act as generators feeding power into the high-performance battery.

Depending on the stopping power applied, this task of recuperating brake energy is performed either by one or both of the electric motors. The output generated in the generator mode of approximately 50 kW is about 25 times higher than the energy supplied so far by Brake Energy Regeneration.

Generator mode providing electric brake power. In addition to these features, the two electric motors provide a major share of the brake power required by the vehicle when operating in the generator mode. The electrical brake system is able to provide up to 3 m/sec² or, respectively, 0.3 g of brake power in the purely recuperative mode, thus taking a significant burden off the mechanical brake system.

Hybrid technology in the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 serves to convey brake power through the xDrive powertrain to all four wheels, thus benefiting from the stopping power provided by the electric motors in the recuperative mode. And whenever the stopping power required exceeds the level of 3 m/sec², the control unit, interacting with the active brake servo, generates additional brake power through the mechanical brakes.

Electronic Power Steering. The BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is the first BMW X Model to feature EPS Electronic Power Steering for active steering assistance both when running on the combustion engine and in the all-electric mode.

EPS Electronic Power Steering on the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is combined with integrated steering assistance related to road speed (Servotronic). EPS significantly reduces the energy required in comparison with conventional, hydraulic power steering, since this electronic system is activated only when power assistance is really required or is desired by the driver. When driving straight ahead, therefore, the electric motor does not take up and consume any energy, thus serving to reduce fuel consumption to an even lower level.

Hybrid-specific Auto Start Stop. The BMW ActiveHybrid X6 features a new generation of the Auto Start Stop function adapted to the specific requirements of a hybrid and at the same time operating with a significantly greater level of comfort.

The combustion engine is switched off automatically when stopping at a road junction or traffic lights. During the short periods in which the combustion engine is switched off (and while driving under all-electric power), all the electrically operated functions of the vehicle remain fully operative, the on-board network receiving an ongoing supply of power from the high-performance battery. The electrical a/c compressor, for example, maintains full climate control of the passenger compartment and other electrical power-consuming items such as the lights and entertainment systems likewise remain fully available even with the combustion engine switched off.

Graphic presentation of hybrid drive functions. Two displays in the cockpit of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 provide information on the current operating status of the hybrid system. The most important information is presented in the central instrument cluster, clearly separated according to the different drive modes. Further information and technical explanations, in turn, are provided in the Control Display on the centre console.

Carbon Nanotube Sponges Can Absorb Oils and Solvents up to 180x Their Own Weight; Potential for Enhanced Oil Spill Cleanup

2009-11-09T00:01:00-08:00

The carbon nanotube sponge is hydrophobic, but can absorb up to 180x its own weight in organic matter. Click to enlarge.

Researchers at Peking University and Tsinghua University have developed a carbon nanotube (CNT)-based sponge that can soak up organic pollutants—such as oils and solvents—from the surface of water. No water is absorbed and the sponge can then be wrung out and reused, like an ordinary household sponge. Absorbing up to 180 times its own weight in organic matter, the sponge is light and tough and has the potential to significantly enhance oil spill cleanup.

Professors Anyuan Cao (Peking University) and Dehai Wu (Tsinghua University), who are publishing their breakthrough in the journal Advanced Materials, say “the sponges have new properties that integrate the merits of fragile aerogels with their high surface area [the lowest density solid material known is an aerogel], and conventional soft materials with their robustness and flexibility.”

Current commercial absorbents for oil spill recovery and industrial use tend to be based on cellulose or polypropylene. These materials can absorb only up to 20 times their own weight and are impractical for large spills, where dispersants are used. Dispersants allow the oil to become diluted, but it remains in the water.

Other materials based on porous oxide-based materials or other polymers can absorb up to twice as much pollutant per weight, but generally need to be heated to remove the organic material. High-temperature heating is not practical on small scales or on ships, and a clear advantage of a squeezable sponge is that the oil can be readily recovered and reused. For other applications including solvent cleanup, the sponges can be heated to remove the pollutant, without affecting the properties of the sponges.

Cao and Wu’s sponges are made from interconnected carbon nanotubes. In this instance the tubes are 30-50 nanometers across and tens to hundreds of micrometers long. The surface of the tubes is naturally hydrophobic (water-hating), therefore no further modification is needed for the sponges to repel water. At the same time, they love to absorb oil on their surface. As the sponges are over 99% porous or empty, they float on water and there is a lot of room for oil to be absorbed, leading to the extremely high capacity for retention—for example, 143 times the sponge’s weight for diesel oil and 175 for ethylene glycol.

Lateral thinking was the key to the scientists’ breakthrough. A major ambition among carbon nanotube researchers is to look for ways to make large lined-up arrays of the tubes. Cao and Wu, however, searched for a method that would make long tubes that were completely disordered. This randomness allows the tubes to slide past each other, allowing the sponge to be manually reduced in size by 95%, and bent or twisted without breaking.

As the sponge is squeezed, any oil or solvent in the cavities and on the surface of the tubes is expelled. To gain the best effect, the sponges first have to be filled with solvent and then compressed gently in a process called densification, but after this they are extremely robust and can be used potentially thousands of times.

They swell to recover their original dimensions when exposed to oil or solvent and “a small densified pellet of sponge can quickly remove a spreading diesel oil film with an area up to 800 times that of the sponge”. This effect occurs even if the sponge is placed at the edge of the spill.

Potential applications reach beyond oil spill recovery. According to Cao, “the nanotube sponges can be used as filters, membranes, or absorbents to remove bacteria or contaminants from liquid or gas. They could also be used as noise-absorption layers in houses, and soldiers might benefit by using these sponges in impact energy absorbing components while adding little weight. Thermally insulated clothing is also possible.” Large-scale production is currently being investigated.

Resources

X. C. Gui, J. Q. Wei, K. L. Wang, A. Y. Cao, H. W. Zhu. Y. Jia, Q. Shu, D. H. Wu (2009) Carbon Nanotube Sponges. Advanced Materials doi: 10.1002/adma.200902986

Study: Bio-Based Plastics Could Ultimately Replace Up to 90% of Total Global Consumption of Plastics in 2007

2009-11-08T07:46:18-08:00

Projections of the worldwide production capacity of bio-based plastics through 2020. Source: PRO-BIP 2009. Click to enlarge.

Replacement of up to 90% (270 Mt) of the total global consumption of plastics in 2007 with bio-based plastics is ultimately technically possible, according to new study by authors at Utrecht University, commissioned by the associations European Bioplastics and the European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE). How fast this substitution will occur depends on a multitude of factors.

Study authors Martin K. Patel, Li Shen and Juliane Haufe project that by 2020, worldwide bio-plastics capacity could increase to as much as 4.40 Mt (about 1.5% of 2007 consumption) under a high growth scenario—approximately 30% higher than the projections based on company announcements (3.45 Mt) and the companies’ expectations (3.44 Mt).

The authors define bio-based plastics as human-made or -processed organic macromolecules derived from biological resources and for plastic and fiber applications (without paper and board). This is to avoid the ambiguity of the term “bioplastics”, which is sometimes applied to plastics (even those derived from fossil resources) that are biodegradeable.

The developments in the past five years in emerging bio-based plastics are spectacular from a technological point of view. Many old processes have been revisited, such as the chemical dehydration of ethanol which leads to ethylene, an important intermediate chemical which can be subsequently converted into polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other plastics. Moreover, recent technology breakthroughs substantially improved the properties of novel bio-based plastics, such as heat-resistance of PLA, enabling a much wider range of applications. For numerous types of plastics, first-of-its kind industrial plants were recently set up and the optimization of these plants is ongoing.

Hence, we are at the very beginning of the learning curve. Some of the plant capacities are still rather small when compared to petrochemical plants (e.g. the capacity of Tianan’s PHA plant is only 2 kt), but others are very sizable (e.g. Dow-Crystalsev’s bio-based PE plant will have a capacity of 350 kt). With growing demand for bio-based plastics, it is probably just a matter of time until turn-key plants with large capacities will be commercially available for more bio-based plastics, thereby allowing substantially accelerated growth.
—PRO-BIP 2009

The bio-based plastics investigated in the study include starch plastic, cellulose polymers and plastics, PLA (polylactic acid), PTT (polytrimethylene terephthalate), PA (polyamides), PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates), PE (polyethylene), PVC (polyvinylchloride), and other polyesters (e.g. PBT [polybutylene terephthalate], PBS [polybutylene succiniate], PET [polyethylene terephthalate] and PEIT [polyehthylene-coisosorbite terephthalate]), PUR (polyurethane) and thermosets (e.g. epoxy resins).

For each of these plastics, the report presents the bio-based production routes, material properties, technical substitution potentials, applications today and tomorrow, emerging producers and wherever possible, costs.

The authors estimate the global capacity of emerging bio-based plastics at 0.36 Mt (million metric tonnes) by the end of 2007—approximately 0.3% of the worldwide production of all plastics. They estimate the total maximum technical substitution potential of bio-based polymers replacing their petrochemical counterparts at 270 Mt, or 90% of the total polymers (including fibres) that were consumed in 2007 worldwide.

It will not be possible to exploit this technical substitution potential in the short to medium term. The main reasons are economic barriers (especially production costs and capital availability), technical challenges in scale-up, the short-term availability of bio-based feedstocks and the need for the plastics conversion sector to adapt to the new plastics. Nevertheless, this exercise shows that, from a technical point of view, there are very large opportunities for the replacement of petrochemical by bio-based plastics.
—PRO-BIP 2009

Forecast to 2020. Based on company announcements, the authors calculate the worldwide capacity of bio-based plastics will increase from 0.36 Mt in 2007 to 2.33 Mt in 2013 and to 3.45 Mt in 2020. This is equivalent to average annual growth rates of 37% between 2007 and 2013 and 6% between 2013 and 2020.

In 2007, the most important products in terms of production volumes were starch plastics (0.15 Mt) and PLA (0.15 Mt). Based on the company announcements, the authors project that the most important representatives by 2020 will be starch plastics (1.3 Mt), PLA (0.8 Mt), bio-based PE (0.6 Mt) and PHA (0.4 Mt).

The authors also developed three different growth scenarios based on expected influencing factors (e.g., technical barriers, bulk applications, cost and raw material supply security): baseline business as usual (BAU), high and low growth.

The BAU scenario assumes a steady growth of the four key plastics (i.e. starch plastics, PLA, bio-based PE and bio-based epoxy resin) and a modest growth for cellulose films, PHA and bio-based PUR. The BAU projection results in a global production capacity of approximately 3 Mt for 2020.
Under the high-growth scenario, the four key plastics are expected to grow strongly, while a steady growth rate is foreseen for cellulose films, PHA and bio-based PUR. PA 11 and PTT will not enjoy substantial growth because of their limited use in bulk applications. The high scenario projects that the global production will reach 4.40 Mt by 2020, approximately 30% higher than the projections based on company announcements (3.45 Mt) and the companies’ expectations (3.44 Mt).
The low-growth scenario describes a relatively pessimistic future. The four key plastics will grow relatively slowly and the growth from the remaining plastics will be insignificant. Little progress will be made for bio-based succinic acid, bio-based PA 6 and 66, and bio-based PP. The low scenario projects that only 1.47 Mt capacity will be installed by 2020. This is approximately 60% lower than the projections.

Several factors clearly speak for bio-based plastics. These are the limited and therefore uncertain supply with fossil fuels (especially oil and gas), the related economic aspects, environmental considerations (especially savings of non-renewable energy and greenhouse gas abatement), innovation offering new opportunities (technical, employment etc.) and rejuvenation in all steps from chemical research to the final product and waste management.

Challenges that need to be successfully addressed in the next years and decades are the lower material performance of some bio-based polymers, their relatively high cost for production and processing and the need to minimize agricultural land use and forests, thereby also avoiding competition with food production and adverse effects on biodiversity and other environmental impacts.
—PRO-BIP 2009

Resources

Li Shen, Juliane Haufe, Martin K. Patel. “Product overview and market projection of emerging bio-based plastics: PRO-BIP 2009” (June 2009)

SINTEF Exploring Potential for Kelp-Derived Biofuels

2009-11-08T06:20:00-08:00

The SINTEF Group, the largest independent research organization in Scandinavia, has opened a new full-scale laboratory for kelp cultivation to assess the potential use of that macroalgae as a feedstock for sustainable biofuels.

Liquid biofuels have met a lot of negative criticism because current production of bioethanol and biodiesel is based on vegetable products that could have been used for food, or that are produced on land that could have been used to cultivate food. Many countries, including Norway, have raised the alarm about this trend.

Cultivating kelp will supply us with fuels without using food as a raw material, and without taking up either good soil or freshwater resources. And Norway enormous areas that are very suitable for cultivating kelp. Our coastline, including all its islands, is twice as long as the Equator. Norway’s economic zone is twice as large as the land area of Sweden.
—Senior scientist Jorunn Skjermo

Skjermo says that SINTEF has already performed a number of studies on potential production cost, and has so far concluded that a kelp biofuel operation would be at least as good economically as production based on timber.

Cultivation, however, would be required. Norway has trawled for kelp commercially on the coast for 35 years, Skjermo says, and harvests about 170,000 tonnes each year primarily for use in a range of food products.

The quantity of kelp harvested in Norway is kept at a sustainable level and cannot be increased just like that. Any outtake over current levels will have to be based on cultivation.
—Jorunn Skjermo

SINTEF is experimenting to clarify which species of kelp are most suitable for cultivation in northern waters.

Resources

A.B. Ross, J.M. Jonesa, M.L. Kubackia and T. Bridgemana (2008) Classification of macroalgae as fuel and its thermochemical behaviour. Bioresource Technology doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2007.11.036

NEC To Hike Output Capacity Of Lithium Battery Electrodes for AESC

2009-11-08T06:00:00-08:00

Nikkei. NEC Corp. and NEC Tokin Corp. plan to increase production of lithium-ion battery electrodes, with all output to be sold to Automotive Energy Supply Corp., a joint venture between Nissan Motor Co. and the NEC group.

This joint venture aims to manufacture enough lithium ion batteries for 100,000 cars in the year ending 31 March 2011.

The firms’ original blueprint called for a 13.7 billion yen [US$152 million] investment by the end of the year through March 31, 2011, with manufacturing to begin at a factory in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, next spring.

By spending an additional 10 billion yen [US$111 million], they now aim to lift the operation’s annual output capacity by 50% to enough lithium ion battery electrodes for 100,000 cars, up from an initial plan for 65,000 cars.

Moller International Develops Damage-Resistant Carbon-Fiber Fan Blades for Skycar and Neuera

2009-11-08T05:27:00-08:00

Moller International has successfully developed and tested a damage-resistant, carbon-fiber blade technology that increases durability for the ducted fans used in its Skycar and Neuera VTOL aircraft product lines. (Earlier post.)

This improvement reduces blade rotating inertia, allowing the fans to respond quicker to roll and pitch commands from the artificial stability system, resulting in a more stable aircraft during hover and transition.

In addition, the newly-developed epoxy carbon fiber matrix can tolerate increased damage to the leading edge of the fan thereby dramatically improving resistance to damage caused by bird ingestion.

This advancement was inadvertently validated when a screwdriver was accidentally ingested into a fan during the maximum power tests of an M400. The screwdriver caused a significant notch in the leading edge of the fan but was quickly repaired with epoxy filler. An aluminum fan blade would have to be replaced if it had survived the impact, which is problematic
—Dr. Paul Moller, President of Moller International

Carbon fiber has up to seven times the tensile strength of aluminum. As a result, the blades can be designed to have a very large safety factor. This is particularly important in a VTOL aircraft like the Skycar or Neuera, where a fan blade failure due to foreign object damage (FOD) could be catastrophic during hover or early transition, the company said. This technology proves to be valuable not only to the Moller volantor aircraft but an important advancement in aviation safety.

Moller International has developed and flight-tested a utility or recreational, two-passenger VTOL aircraft called the Neuera. This was followed by the development and initial flight-testing of a four-passenger VTOL aircraft called the Skycar.

Both aircraft use the Rotapower rotary engine, designed specifically for applications requiring high power along with low weight, volume, hazardous emissions, fuel consumption and cost per horsepower.

Chrysler Disbands ENVI Electric Vehicle Group; Function Absorbed into Traditional Line Organization

2009-11-08T01:00:00-08:00

Reuters reports that Chrysler has disbanded its ENVI team, formed in 2007 to bring electric-drive vehicles and related advanced-propulsion technologies to market. (Earlier post.) At the North American International Auto Show in January 2009, Chrysler had introduced two new EV concepts and updates on three earlier EV concepts developed by the ENVI group. (Earlier post.)

In April 2009, Chrysler unveiled four all-electric Chrysler Town & Country minivan concepts to the US Postal Service (USPS) in Washington, DC. Then, Chrysler announced that it intended to apply to the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Transportation Electrification stimulus program for a federal grant, which would enable Chrysler to establish a nationwide demonstration fleet of zero-emission electric minivans that could be used by the US Postal Service for mail delivery. (Earlier post.)

And in May 2009, Chrysler LLC submitted three proposals representing a request for $224 million in funding to two US Department of Energy (DOE) initiatives: the Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative and the Transportation Electrification Initiative. With a 50/50 cost share, the total investment represented by the proposals is $448 million. Proposed vehicles covered under the submission include Dodge Ram 1500 Plug-in Hybrid-electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Chrysler Town & Country PHEVs and Chrysler Town & Country Electric Vehicles (EVs). (Earlier post.)

In August, Chrysler took $70 million in grants from the US Department of Energy to develop a test fleet of 220 hybrid pickup trucks and minivans.

During the unveiling of the new five year (2010-2014) business plan last week, however, there was only one hybrid (the two-mode RAM) with plans for a PHEV demo fleet and a battery electric vehicle to follow sometime in mid plan.(Earlier post.)

Chrysler spokesman Nick Cappa said on Friday that an in-house team of electric car development engineers had been disbanded in favor of a more traditional organization. “ENVI is absorbed into the normal vehicle development program,” Cappa told Reuters.

Under the Marchionne plan, former ENVI chief Lou Rhodes will become the group line executive in charge of electric car development for both Fiat and Chrysler, Cappa said.

Marchionne told reporters and analysts electric cars would only represent “one to two percent” of Chrysler’s sales by 2014, equivalent to less than 60,000 vehicles—a percentage consistent with the current proportion of hybrid to conventional vehicle sales for all OEMs in the US with the exception of Toyota. (Earlier post.)

As outlined in the plan, Chrysler is putting a more immediate focus on downsizing its engines and improving fuel economy across the entire portfolio.

Sequoia Solar Introducing Solar-Powered Networked EV Charging Station

2009-11-07T08:08:05-08:00

Sequoia Solar, a California company that designs, installs, and maintains grid-connected, solar solutions, will introduce its first networked solar-powered electric vehicle charging station, using equipment from Coulomb Technologies, on 11 November at its San Diego Country regional office in Solana Beach.

We are taking the next step to upgrade our solar-powered EV charging station to include Coulomb’s world-leading networked electric vehicle charging station and further establish the ChargePoint Network throughout San Diego. The marriage of solar-generated electricity and electric vehicle charging is an exciting prospect for us and for the advancement of clean tech and reducing our carbon footprint.
—Marty Reed, CEO and Founder of Sequoia Solar

The CoulombChargePoint Network is open to all drivers of plug-in vehicles and provides authentication, management, and real-time control for the networked electric vehicle charging stations through multiple web-based portals for Hosts, Fleet managers, Subscribers, and Utilities.

ChargePoint Network features include: charging status by SMS text or email notification, location of unoccupied charging stations via smart phones, authenticated access to eliminate energy theft, authorized energizing for safety, and Smart Grid integration for utility load management with future V2G capabilities.

Utah Researchers Find Strong Correlation Between Size of Catalyst Particles and Their Electronic Structure and Activity; Potential For Less Expensive, More Efficient Catalysts

2009-11-07T07:27:57-08:00

CO oxidation activity (left axis, solid squares) compared with shifts in the Pd 3d binding energy, relative to expectations from smooth bulk scaling (right axis, open circles), as a function of cluster size. Source: Kaden et al. Click to enlarge.

University of Utah chemists demonstrated the link between the size of catalyst particles on a solid surface, their electronic properties and their ability to speed chemical reactions. Senior author Professor Scott Anderson says it is the first demonstration of a strong correlation between the size and activity of a catalyst on a metal surface and the electronic properties of the catalyst.

The study, published in the 6 November issue of the journal Science, is a step toward the goal of designing less expensive, more efficient catalysts to increase energy production, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and manufacture a wide variety of goods from medicines to gasoline.

The researchers used palladium particles of specific sizes that were deposited on titanium dioxide and used to convert carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide for the model catalyst study.

Previous experiments documented that electronic and chemical properties of a catalyst are affected by the size of catalyst particles floating in a gas. But those isolated catalyst particles are quite different than catalysts that are mounted on a metal oxide surface—the way the catalyst metal is supported in industrial catalysts.

Also, past experiments with catalysts mounted on a surface often included a wide variety of particle sizes. Those experiments failed to detect how the catalyst’s chemical activity and electronic properties vary depending with the size of individual particles.

One of the big uncertainties in catalysis is that no one really understands what size particles of the catalyst actually make a chemical reaction happen. If we could understand what factors control activity in catalysts, then we could make better and less expensive catalysts.

Most catalysts are expensive noble metals like gold or palladium or platinum. Say in a gold catalyst, most of the metal is in the form of large particles, but those large particles are inactive and only nanoparticles with about 10 atoms are active. That means more than 90 percent of gold in the catalyst isn’t doing anything. If you could make a catalyst with only the right size particles, you could save 90 percent of the cost or more.

There’s a huge amount of interest in learning how to make catalysts out of much less expensive base metals like copper, nickel and zinc. And the way you are going to do that is by ‘tuning’ their chemical properties, which means tuning the electronic properties because the electrons control the chemistry.

...take a metal that is not catalytically active and, when you reduce it to the appropriate size [particles], it can become catalytic. That’s the focus of our work—to try to identify and understand what sizes of metal particles are active as catalysts and why they are active as catalysts.
—Professor Scott Anderson, senior author

As the size of a catalyst metal particle is reduced into the nanoscale, its properties initially remain the same as a larger particle, Anderson says. But when the size is smaller than about 10 nanometers—containing about 10,000 atoms of catalyst—the movements of electrons in the metal are confined, so their inherent energies are increased.

When there are fewer than about 100 atoms in catalyst particles, the size variations also result in fluctuations in the electronic structure of the catalyst atoms. Those fluctuations strongly affect the particles’ ability to act as a catalyst, Anderson says.

Anderson conducted the study with chemistry doctoral students Bill Kaden and William Kunkel, and with former doctoral student Tianpin Wu. Kaden was first author.

Resources

William E. Kaden, Tianpin Wu, William A. Kunkel, Scott L. Anderson (2009) Electronic Structure Controls Reactivity of Size-Selected Pd Clusters Adsorbed on TiO₂ Surfaces. Science Vol. 326. no. 5954, pp. 826 - 829 doi: 10.1126/science.1180297

EVI Launches New Medium-Duty Electric Truck, Allies with Freightliner Custom Chassis for Electric Walk-in Van, Selects Valence for Exclusive Battery Supplier

2009-11-07T05:30:00-08:00

Electric Vehicles International (EVI) has introduced its new medium-duty truck, the MD EVI. (Earlier post.) EVI also has formed a strategic alliance with Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation to build a fully electric Walk-In Van, the WI EVI.

At the unveiling of the vehicles at the Grand Opening ceremony for EVI’s new US headquarters and production facility in Stockton, California, EVI also announced an exclusive supply agreement with Valence Technologies for Li-ion energy storage systems.

MD EVI. With Gross Vehicle Weight ratings (GVWR) of a class 4 (15,000 lbs) up to a class 6 (25,950 lbs), the MD EVI can meet most commercial needs. The electric motor application—occupying less space than a conventional engine—also allows for a 55-degree wheel cut, making the MD EVI one of the most maneuverable trucks in its class.

Powered by a 360 Volt 3-phase electric motor with a rated power of 100 kW (max 146 hp) and 450 ft-lb (610 N·m) of torque at 0 rpm and using an Eaton 6-speed Ultrashift automatic transmission, the MD EVI is capable of top speeds of up to 60 mph.

The high-density top-of-the range Valence U-Charge XP Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries allow for an average range of up to 115 miles (MD 115)—a more than adequate number for most return-to-base commercial applications—and can be charged overnight. Smaller, more cost efficient battery packs with slightly smaller range choices are available for the MD 60 and MD 80 models. Production of the MD EVI will start in late 2009 and first deliveries to customers are expected in the first quarter of 2010.

WI EVI. The fully electric WI-EVI built upon the FCCC chassis will use the same drivetrain as the MD EVI. The WI EVI also comes with three different battery packages offering three different ranges, the WI 60 (60 miles range), WI 80 (80 mile range) and WI 115, which offers a 115 mile range. All three WI models use Valence Technology’s U-Charge XP battery system for best reliability and safety. Manufacturing of the WI EVI, too, is expected to begin in late 2009.

Global Power Company AES Raises $1.58B Through Stock Sale to China Investment Corp; Approx. 15% Stake

2009-11-07T04:45:00-08:00

Global power company AES Corporation entered a binding stock purchase agreement with a wholly owned investment subsidiary of China Investment Corporation (CIC) to raise $1.58 billion of new equity to fund growth opportunities and extend its global leadership in the power sector.

At close, CIC will acquire 125.5 million shares of AES stock for $12.60 per share for an approximate 15% stake in the company. AES also announced the signing of a letter of intent with CIC to raise an additional $571 million of equity for an approximate 35% interest in its wind generation business.

AES, with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, owns and operates a diverse portfolio of power generation and distribution businesses in 29 countries. More than two-thirds of AES’ revenue is generated outside of the United States. AES seeks to invest in highgrowth areas of the power sector, including renewable energy and emerging markets.

CIC is a long-term institutional investor operated on a commercial basis. Following the closing, CIC will nominate a director to join the AES board, which currently has ten members.

The stock purchase agreement is subject to completion of regulatory reviews and receipt of applicable approvals, including the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and the antitrust review under Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. Approvals are expected to be completed during the first half of 2010.

Final execution of the terms in the letter of intent for the investment in the wind business would be subject to additional due diligence, completion of final documentation and regulatory approval.

Dow Video on Partnership with Algenol for CO2-to-Ethanol

2009-11-07T04:30:00-08:00

Dow has posted a short video clip outlining its partnership with Algenol Biofuels to build a pilot-scale algae-based integrated biorefinery that will produce ethanol, located at Dow’s Freeport, Texas site. (Earlier post.)

Steve Tuttle, Global Business Director, Biosciences, Ventures & Business Development for Dow, provides a brief overview of the direct-to-ethanol process, along with some infographics and a few shots of the biorefinery under construction.

In addition to land and providing an industrial CO₂ source, Dow will provide the advanced materials, specialty films and water treatment solutions that will be used in the photobioreactor (PBR) system.

ECO2Trans Project Converting Two Buses to Fuel Cell, Battery and Capacitor Combination

2009-11-06T12:37:15-08:00

Engineers from the University of Sunderland (UK), in collaboration with Shanghai’s Shen Li High Technology, ComeSys Europe and AVID vehicles, have launched ECO2Trans, a project to convert two buses to a fuel cell, battery and capacitor combination.

Sunderland’s Dirk Kok, Mark Armstrong, Maggie Ren and Adrian Morris with one of the buses. Click to enlarge.

One North East have sponsored the £314,000 (US$521,000) project to convert the two Gulliver U500EUK buses bought from Mersey Travel.

Sunderland’s team is led by Dirk Kok and Adrian Morris from the Institute of Automotive and Manufacturing Advanced Practice (AMAP), who last year successfully adapted a Nissan Almera to run on hydrogen so that it only emits water from its exhaust.

The aim of ECO2Trans, says researcher Dirk Kok, is to educate people about the possibilities of hydrogen as a fuel, by demonstrate the efficiency of fuel cells. The University of Sunderland is also looking to develop the next generation of engineers and technicians who are ready for a low carbon future, and puts Sunderland right at the forefront of current developments in green vehicles.

The visitors from Shen Li were here to help us understand the fuel cell operation, train us in its use and to help mount the fuel cell in the buses. Now, we want to get one fully driving, and one will be completely revamped with a new motor and new electrics. These vehicles will act as a test bed to evaluate novel hydrogen technologies in vehicles and will enhance the region’s status as an important automotive research and development center.
—Dirk Kok

ABB and Fincantieri to Collaborate on Shore Power Systems

2009-11-06T12:20:21-08:00

ABB, a leading power and automation technology group, and Fincantieri, the Italian merchant and naval shipbuilder, have signed an agreement to collaborate on the construction, marketing and supply of high-voltage shore connection (HVSC) systems to provide electricity to vessels in port.

Diagram of HVSC system. Click to enlarge.

Harbor facilities around the world are taking a close look at shore-to-ship connections as a way of reducing emissions from ships in port and improve air quality for surrounding communities.

HVSC systems enable ships to draw electricity from onshore power grids while in port to operate onboard equipment as refrigeration units, lighting, cooling and heating systems, instead of burning fuel oil to run electrical generators.

For a large cruise ship on a 10-hour stay in port, a shore connection can cut fuel consumption by up to 20 metric tons and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60 metric tons: equivalent to the total annual emissions of 25 European cars. In Sweden, shore connections have reduced annual CO₂ emissions in the ports of Gothenburg, Stockholm, Helsingborg and Pitea by 6,000 metric tons annually, according to the Swedish Environmental Research Institute IVL.

The new shore connection systems to be developed by ABB and Fincantieri will meet all current international standards, and can be installed on ships while under construction, docked for maintenance or even out at sea.

Shore connections are now available at ports in the United States, including Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle and Juneau, in Canada at Vancouver, and, in Europe, at ports in Germany, Sweden, Finland and Holland.

Fincantieri and ABB are already collaborating through Seastema S.p.A, a joint venture company tasked with designing and developing integrated automation systems for the marine sector.

US DOE Signs Cooperative Agreement for New Hydrogen Power Plant

2009-11-06T11:50:04-08:00

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has signed a cooperative agreement with Hydrogen Energy California LLC (HECA) to build and demonstrate a hydrogen-powered electric generating facility, complete with carbon capture and storage, in Kern County, Calif. (Earlier post.)

HECA, which is owned by Hydrogen Energy International, BP Alternative Energy, and Rio Tinto, plans to construct an advanced integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plant that will produce power by converting fuel—a blend of 75% coal and 25% petroleum coke—into hydrogen and carbon dioxide (CO₂). The hydrogen will be used to fuel a combustion turbine, enabling net generation of 250 megawatts of electricity, enough power for more than 150,000 homes.

Approximately 90% of the CO₂ produced from the gasification process, or about 2 million tons per year, will be transported via pipeline to the Elk Hills oilfield, less than four miles away, and sequestered in an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) application.

The proposed plant will maximize use of non-potable water for its power production needs, preserving California’s limited fresh water sources.

The project is part of the Clean Coal Power Initiative (CCPI), a cost-shared collaboration between the federal government and private industry to increase investment in low-emission coal technology by demonstrating advanced coal-based power generation technologies prior to commercial deployment. The project will be cost-shared and administered by DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and the National Energy Technology Laboratory.

The estimated capital cost for the project is approximately $2.3 billion. The federal cost-share is limited to $308 million, or just under 11% of the total project costs. The project consists of three phases: project definition (phase I), design and construction (phase II), and demonstration (phase III). Sequestration of 2 million tons per year of CO₂ is slated to begin by 2016.

HUMMER H3 and H3T Updated With New Flex-Fuel V8

2009-11-06T11:41:36-08:00

HUMMER has updated the 2010 HUMMER H3 and H3T midsize all-terrain vehicles with an available E85 Flex Fuel capable 5.3L V8 engine. HUMMER has committed to offer a biofuel powertrain in all body styles by 2010.

The new 5.3L V8 Flex Fuel engine is standard in all 2010 Alpha series models and is a member of GM’s small-block V-8 family. (Other variants of the 5.3L V8 VVT engine are applied in a number of GM trucks.) It is rated at 300 hp (224 kW) and 320 lb-ft (434 N·m) of torque. An aluminum cylinder block is used with the H3 Alpha’s engine, which helps reduce overall mass and maintains a more desirable front-to-rear weight balance.

A Hydra-Matic 4L60 electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission is paired with the 5.3L engine. Flat towing is enabled on all H3 and H3T models.

In October, General Motors and Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd (Tengzhong) entered into a definitive agreement that will allow Tengzhong to acquire GM’s HUMMER brand. (Earlier post.)

BMW Motorrad Develops C1-E Electric Study as Contribution to eSUM

2009-11-06T10:50:40-08:00

BMW Motorrad concept C1-E. Click to enlarge.

BMW Motorrad has developed an electric study vehicle, the C1-E, as a contribution to the European safety project eSUM. This study unit is based on the concept of the BMW C1, and is characterized by a very high level of active and passive safety.

The electric motor employed in the study has been designed for city use and is based on components by the company Vectrix. The motor obtains its power from a lithium-ion battery and thus possesses sufficient power for mastering most inner-city traffic riding. Alternatively the vehicle could also be equipped with an efficient, low-emissions internal combustion engine.

The safety features of the C1-E have been taken from the former BMW C1 and further enhanced. (The C1 is the only motorized single-track vehicle to be exempt from mandatory helmet wearing in almost all European countries.)

A safety cell with a conspicuous roll-over bar dynamically spans the rider seat in combination with the energy-absorbing impact element at the nose end. A further special point is that the C1-E rider wears a seat-belt. In the study this safety feature is highlighted by red belts and belt buckles.

The C1-E BMW Motorrad study is to remain the only model of its kind. Series production is currently not planned. Nevertheless, findings from the project will find their way into other future developments in the field of single-track vehicles, said BMW.

eSUM. eSUM stands for European Safer Urban Motorcycling. It is a cooperation project between major urban European motorcycling centres and motorcycle manufacturers. The cities currently involved in the project include Paris, Rome, Barcelona and London and the manufacturers are BMW and Piaggio.

The advantage of two-wheeled transportation is that it offers a great opportunity for improving the flow of traffic in urban locations, and can be more environmentally friendly. However, the vast majority of accidents occur in urban traffic, in areas where 80% of the population live.

The idea behind eSum is to look into ways of countering this trend. The joint goal is the identification, development, and practical demonstration of measures which are able to guarantee safe motorcycle and motor-scooter transport in the inner-city traffic of the future.

One of BMW Motorrad’s major concerns over the last twenty years has been the improvement of motorcycle safety. This was amply demonstrated by the consistent strategy which has led to the Motorrad ABS and continued with its long-term ongoing development. On 31 August, the 1,000,000^th BMW motorcycle with Integral ABS, a BMW K 1300 R, left the production line in Berlin-Spandau.

Since 2005, a series of further active safety features have been developed to enhance the safety BMW motorcycles still further: RDC Tire Pressure Control, ASC Anti-Slip Control, the new Race ABS and the DTC Traction Control incorporated in the new BMW S 1000 RR, as well as a range of BMW Motorrad rider equipment.

BMW Motorrad is also conducting research into forward-looking rider assistance systems designed to increased road safety, as part of the ConnectedRide project. Features being looked at include cross-traffic and traffic-light assistance as well as a warning system for impending poor weather, road obstacles, an approaching emergency vehicle, or sudden braking manoeuvres.

Ocean Power Technologies Wins A$66.5M Award from Australian Government for 19MW Wave Power Project

2009-11-06T10:33:33-08:00

Ocean Power Technologies (Australasia) Pty Ltd (OPTA), a subsidiary of Ocean Power Technologies, Inc., in partnership with Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd, has received a A$66.46 million (US$61 million) grant from the Federal Government of Australia to build a 19 MW wave power project off the coast of Victoria, Australia.

The award is one of four renewable energy projects approved by the Federal Government after considering more than 30 applications, and is the sole wave energy venture.

The Government funding will be used by OPTA and Leighton to advance the construction of a wave power station to be built in three phases off the coast of Victoria near the city of Portland.

The project is to be developed by a special purpose company, Victorian Wave Partners Pty Ltd, that was formed by OPTA and Leighton following the signing of an agreement to collaborate in pursuing wave power projects off the east and south coasts of Australia. It is expected that work will begin on the project by the second quarter of calendar year 2010.

The grant is conditional on the signing of a Funding Deed stipulating the conditions for the grant, which includes funding milestones. Victorian Wave Partners will be required to seek additional funding to enable the completion of the 19 MW wave power station.

Report from CS3 Symposium Highlights Work Toward Artificial Photosynthesis For Direct Solar Production of Liquid Transportation Fuels

2009-11-06T08:02:23-08:00

Scientists are making progress toward development of an “artificial leaf” that mimics photosynthesis, but that converts sunlight and water into a liquid fuel such as methanol for cars and trucks, according to a new report summarizing the discussions from the 1^st Annual Chemical Sciences and Society Symposium (CS3). However, much work remains to be done in all the component areas, as well as in the integration of the components to a viable artificial leaf.

The three-day symposium, which took place in Germany this past summer, included 30 chemists from China, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. It was organized through a joint effort of the science and technology funding agencies and chemical societies of each country, including the US National Science Foundation and the American Chemical Society (ACS).

The symposium series was initiated though the ACS Committee on International Activities in order to offer a unique forum whereby global challenges could be tackled in an open, discussion-based setting, fostering innovative solutions to some of the world's most daunting challenges.

The symposium focused on four main topics:

Mimicking photosynthesis using synthetic materials such as the “artificial leaf”
Production and use of biofuels as a form of stored solar energy
Developing innovative, more efficient solar cells
Storage and distribution of solar energy

Photosynthesis is the conversion of water (H₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) into carbohydrates (CH₂O) and oxygen (O₂) through a combination of several separate reactions, the two main ones being the splitting of water into hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen and the reduction of CO₂ using electrons released during the water splitting.

Chemists have in fact mimicked most of what is required to make these separate reactions proceed. In essence, they have replicated photosynthesis. But it hasn’t been easy, and chemists have yet to replicate the separate reactions in an integrated fashion and in a way that can be commercially applied on a wide scale. ...scientists have only recently developed an experimental O₂ production reaction that is potentially affordable enough for widespread use; most current commercial O₂ production methods rely on the use of expensive platinum catalysts.

Most of the CS3 discussion on direct solar fuels focused on current research efforts to develop affordable catalysts for driving reactions, particularly in the areas of hydrogen production, oxygen production, and CO₂ reduction.

Dr. Kazuhito Hashimoto of the University of Tokyo commented during this session that two desirable aspects of any next-generation PV technology, indeed any type of solar energy technology are: (1) the ability to self-assemble or self-organize and (2) the ability to self-heal.

Noting that natural photosynthesis is typically only 4½-5% efficient at best, Hashimoto argued that most artificial systems are already “better” than natural photosynthesis with respect to solar energy conversion efficiency. Clearly, however, artificial systems are lacking something that nature has—specifically, the ability to self-assemble and the ability to self-heal.

The participants at the CS3 meeting suggested that before artificial photosynthesis can become an affordable, sustainable solution for widespread use, chemists must:

Develop chemical catalysts for the two major processes of artificial photosynthesis—water splitting and CO₂ reduction—that can be applied commercially and are made of affordable, earth-abundant materials; and
Create an “artificial leaf” by coupling water splitting and CO₂ reduction in a way that eliminates the need for an external, sacrificial electron donor. (A reduction reaction requires an electron donor. In natural photosynthesis, water serves as the electron donor.)

Among the key overarching messages of the report:

There’s no single best solution to the energy problem. Scientists must seek more affordable, sustainable solutions to the global energy challenge by considering all the options.
Investing in chemistry is investing in the future. Strong basic research is fundamental to realizing the potential of solar energy and making it affordable for large-scale use.
Society needs a new generation of energy scientists to explore new ways to capture, convert, and store solar energy.

Resources

Powering the World with Sunlight

Renault to Produce EV Based on Twizy ZE Concept in Spain

2009-11-06T06:25:13-08:00

Renault, which already produces Mégane Hatchback, Mégane Estate, Modus and Grand Modus exclusively in Spain, has chosen to manufacture the future electric vehicle (EV) based on Twizy ZE Concept (earlier post) at Valladolid, 150 km north west of Madrid. Production will start in 2011.

The Twizy ZE Concept. Click to enlarge.

Valladolid was selected for its expertise and performance in compact car production. It currently produces Modus and Grand Modus and a share of New Clio output. The Group also chose to produce its future EV in Spain as close as possible to the sales market, namely Western Europe, in order to simplify logistics.

Renault also recently assigned the production of the future electric city car based on Zoé ZE Concept to Flins, in France. (Earlier post.)

Renault also announced last month that Valladolid would be allocated production of a thermal engine in 2012 and a fuel-combustion vehicle in 2013.

Study of Sustainable Value in Automobile Manufacturing Finds Mixed Performance for Most OEMs, BMW and Toyota as the Clear Leaders

2009-11-06T04:00:00-08:00

Sustainable Value Margin—the ratio of Sustainable Value to sales—for each of the evaluated manufacturers. BMW and Toyota are consistent leaders in sustainable value. Click to enlarge.

A survey of the sustainability performance of 17 of the world’s leading automakers has found a mixed pattern when it comes to the sustainability performance of most of the car manufacturers. The BMW Group and Toyota are consistent industry leaders, creating extremely positive Sustainable Value over the entire review period—i.e., they use all the economic, environmental and social resources considered in a value-creating way.

The report, which covers the period between 1999 and 2007, applies the Sustainable Value approach developed by Prof. Frank Figge of Queen’s University Belfast and Dr. Tobias Hahn of Euromed Management School Marseille. The research project was undertaken by researchers working at Euromed Management School Marseille, Queen’s University Belfast and IZT—Institute for Futures Studies and Technology Assessment in Berlin.

The Sustainable Value approach is a value-based method for assessing corporate sustainability performance that extends the traditional valuation methods used in financial analysis to include not just the use of economic capital, but also environmental and social resources. A carmaker creates positive (or negative) Sustainable Value if it earns a higher (or lower) return than its peers with its available economic, environmental and social resources.

The ranking of the 17 manufacturers based on the Sustainable Value Margin. Click to enlarge.

The new report, Sustainable Value in Automobile Manufacturing, examines a set of nine environmental, economic, and social resources: capital use, water use, and waste generated as well as emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and volatile organic compounds; further, the number of employees and the number of work accidents are taken into account.

The analysis is based on the financial, environmental and social data reported and published by the companies themselves and as a result 17 out of the 20 largest carmakers worldwide were included in the ranking: BMW Group, Daihatsu, DaimlerChrysler/Daimler AG, FIAT Auto, Ford, General Motors (GM), Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan, PSA (Peugeot, Citroën), Renault, Suzuki, Tata, Toyota, and Volkswagen Group.

(The authors note that other leading manufacturers including Porsche, KIA or Chinese manufacturers are still not producing sufficient sustainability performance data.)

The ratio of sustainable value to sales (sustainable value margin) is calculated in the report so that different companies can be directly compared irrespective of their size.

Findings of the report include:

Toyota and the BMW Group are industry leaders. Both companies consistently create positive Sustainable Value over the entire review period, and use their economic, environmental and social resources in a value-creating way. In other words, the authors note, these companies use these resources more efficiently than their industry peers.
Hyundai, Honda and—to a certain extent—Nissan and Suzuki, generally create positive Sustainable Value as well.
The only other major volume manufacturer managing to keep up with the two sustainability leaders is DaimlerChrysler, but only intermittently. In 2007, Daimler AG (replacing DaimlerChrysler in the analysis as of 2007) manages to close the gap to BMW Group and Toyota considerably.
Volkswagen only managed to create significantly positive Sustainable Value in 2001, 2002 and 2007.
GM has consistently produced only a negative Sustainable Value, and reveals a downside trend over the entire review period.
Ford has also languished in negative territory from 2001 onwards, and only temporarily showed signs of recovery in 2004 and 2005 (although still not managing to create positive Sustainable Value).
In the group of medium-sized manufacturers, only the BMW Group and Asian producers were able to consistently generate positive Sustainable Value.
Among European carmakers in this group, PSA and Renault are mainly positioned in the bottom half of mid-field, with Renault showing a negative trend towards the end of the review period.
Fiat Auto, and to a certain extent Mitsubishi, posted consistently negative Sustainable Value.
In the group of smaller producers, Isuzu showed a noticeable improvement. Daihatsu, on the other hand, generally fell just within the negative zone.

The study also highlights the potential improvement that a car giant like General Motors has in how it could improve its long-term sustainability performance. GM achieved a sustainable value of -€9.87 billion, in comparison with BMW, which having used all the resources considered necessary to create value doubled its sustainable value to €2.8 billion from 1999 to 2007.

Economic crisis, energy crisis, climate crisis and recent global developments have affected the automobile industry like few other sectors. Never before has it been as important for car manufacturers to employ their economic, environmental and social resources wisely—and efficiently.

However, while issues such as fleet consumption and CO₂ emissions have been firmly put on the public agenda, the equally considerable environmental impact of the production phase of car manufacturing has as yet been largely ignored.

...The bottom line is that this study reveals big differences in sustainability performance in automobile manufacturing. This shows that the production process itself bears considerable room for improvement in terms of sustainability performance.
—Professor Frank Figge, co-author

Prior to this present survey, the Sustainable Value approach had been tested and refined in two extensive comparative studies funded by the European Commission and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The original version of this study triggered public interest and sparked discussion within the industry. BMW Group expressed an interest into how its efficiency gains documented in these regional assessments would translate into an evaluation of its sustainability performance relative to major automobile manufacturers worldwide.

Therefore, it provided substantial financial support for the present survey along with funding from the research institutions involved. The independent researchers would like to make it clear that the study’s findings are wholly independent of any input from funders outside of the data supplied and assessed for every car manufacturer included in the study.

Resources

Sustainable Value in Automobile Manufacturing (2009)

New Tool for Determining Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Impacts of Hydrogen Infrastructure and Fuel Cell Vehicles

2009-11-06T03:06:00-08:00

GHG analysis for hydrogen from renewable sources (HR) and fossil sources (HF), compared to advanced gasoline ICE vehicles (Scenario G). The portion of GHG emissions associated with gasoline ICE vehicles is distinguished from those associated with HFCV. Credit: ACS, Stephens-Romero et al. Click to enlarge.

Although studies widely agree that widespread deployment of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and the associated infrastructure would reduce air pollutant emissions from the transportation sector, the extent to which air quality in an urban airshed will be affected by these reductions is a more complex matter than simply quantifying emissions.

To address that, researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a new tool—spatially and temporally resolved energy and environment tool” (STREET)—to characterize the pollutant and GHG emissions associated with a comprehensive hydrogen supply infrastructure and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles at a high level of geographic and temporal resolution.

STREET integrates preferred combination assessment (PCA) methodology with spatial and temporal infrastructure design and a robust air quality simulation model to provide a capability to assess quantitatively the impacts (e.g., GHG, criteria pollutants, energy intensity, water resources, costs, urban air quality) for future year scenarios proposed for fuels and power plants associated with both mobile and stationary sources.

STREET, says the researchers, allows for business scenarios for fuels, technologies and power generation to be vetted, modified, and refined a priori relative to meeting goals of lowering carbon, enhancing air quality and protecting water resources.

Applying STREET to the South Coast Air Basin (SoCAB) in California as an example, the researchers found that A significant adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and the associated infrastructure by the year 2060 would substantially improve urban air quality. A paper on their study was published online 4 November in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology.

The also determined that a renewable energy emphasis on hydrogen infrastructure deployment produces localized air quality benefits that surpass those of a hydrogen infrastructure scenario with more fossil fuel use. A paper on their work was published online in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Findings suggest that, compared to projections of remarkably improved ICE and hybrid ICE vehicles, hydrogen infrastructure and HFCV deployment will substantially improve air quality in an urban airshed and reduce GHG emissions from passenger vehicles, even when fossil fuels are a significant source of hydrogen. While these results agree with previous hydrogen infrastructure studies in a general sense (e.g., GHG are reduced, air quality is improved), they provide an unprecedented level of detail and insight from a planning perspective.

The coupling of spatially and temporally resolved hydrogen scenarios with the UCI-CIT air quality model provides an understanding of how HFCV can effect localized pollution within an urban air basin as well as how these effects can change depending upon spatial allocation of hydrogen infrastructure and temporal distribution of emissions from the infrastructure. Furthermore, the capability to simulate integrated hydrogen infrastructure scenarios provides insight into the degree to which variations in a diverse hydrogen production and distribution portfolio may affect overall environmental benefits.
—Stephens-Romero et al.

Resources

Shane Stephens-Romero, Marc Carreras-Sospedra, Jacob Brouwer, Donald Dabdub, Scott Samuelsen (2009) Determining Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Impacts of Hydrogen Infrastructure and Fuel Cell Vehicles. Environ. Sci. Technol., Article ASAP doi: 10.1021/es901515y

Pratt Whitney Rocketdyne Commissions Compact Gasification Pilot Plant

2009-11-06T02:11:00-08:00

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has commissioned of a compact gasification pilot plant in Illinois; the pilot plant is the first step toward global commercialization of the technology. (Earlier post.)

Key design features of the compact gasification system. Click to enlarge.

The commissioning was held at the Gas Technology Institute in Des Plaines, Ill., where the pilot plant for the compact gasifier is located. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne teamed with ExxonMobil Research and Engineering (EMRE), Zero Emission Energy Plants, Ltd. (ZEEP), the Alberta Energy Research Institute (AERI) and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to develop and commercialize compact gasification, a higher efficiency and lower cost alternative to current gasification systems.

The Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne gasifier provides a 90 percent decrease in size compared to competing systems, thereby enabling higher efficiency, and as much as a 25 percent reduction in cost with enhanced reliability.
—Jim Maser, president, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne

The capital cost to build a commercial-scale compact gasification plant using Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s technology is estimated to be 20% less than conventional gasification plants. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s compact gasifier is also expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 10% compared to standard gasification technologies. EMRE is sharing development cost and collaborating with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne to develop, demonstrate and license the technology.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United Technologies company.

Resources

Compact Gasification System Development Status (Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne)

UK Government Providing Funding for New Electric City Car That Can Be Sustainably Manufactured

2009-11-05T11:24:20-08:00

Bill Gibson Chairman, Zytek Automotive; Lord Drayson , Science and Innovation Minister; and Gordon Murray, Chief Executive and Technical Director, Gordon Murray Design. Click to enlarge.

The UK-backed Technology Strategy Board is investing £4.5 million (US$$7.5 million) in a new £9-million research and development project that will allow a consortium to develop four prototypes of a new all-electric city car that can be more sustainably manufactured.

Consortium partners for the electric T.27 project are Gordon Murray Design as the lead organization and Zytek Automotive Limited. Technical support will be provided by Michelin Plc and Continental Corporation and sub-contractors will include MIRA Limited, Vocis Driveline Controls, VCA UK, and ENAX.

The T.27 project will produce four running prototypes of a 3-seater all-electric vehicle achievable of 4-star Euro NCAP rating and excellent pedestrian safety. This target cannot be achieved by applying a conventional stamped steel construction design, nor with a drivetrain using existing gearboxes, motors or batteries, the partners said.

By applying iStream methodology—a new manufacturing process developed by Gordon Murray Design—to the T.27, and fully integrating it with a custom-designed lightweight, highly efficient drivetrain from Zytek and partners, every aspect of the vehicle can be optimized.

This holistic approach results in a car slightly smaller than a Smart, but with more interior space. A similar approach was used by Gordon Murray Design for the 3-seat gasoline-fueled T.25.

High-level life cycle analysis derived from T.25 data predicts T.27 life-cycle emissions of 63% less than the average car and 27% less than similar EVs—partly due to the iStream manufacturing approach.

The iStream manufacturing process behind the T.25 and T.27 is all about sustainable, low energy process by design. The T.27 programme is a great opportunity for us and our partners to create what will be the world’s most efficient electric vehicle. An opportunity to start from a clean sheet of paper combined with our disruptive manufacturing technology will result in a product which truly pushes the boundaries of urban vehicle design and further protecting our mobility.
—Gordon Murray, Chief Executive and Technical Director of Gordon Murray Design

The aim of the 16 month project is to develop prototypes that will put the consortium in the position where they can further explore the possibility of scaling up and building a manufacturing facility, with the ultimate goal of making this affordable, fun and environmentally-friendly car widely available on the open market.

The iStream assembly process represents a complete rethink and redesign of the traditional manufacturing process. Development of the process began more than 15 years ago. The simplified assembly process means that the manufacturing plant can be designed to be 20% of the size of a conventional factory. This could reduce capital investment in the assembly plant by approximately 80%. The flexibility of this assembly process means that the same factory could be used to manufacture different variants.

Gordon Murray Design Limited is a new British company operating from Shalford in Surrey. Zytek Automotive Technology is a British engineering company with a reputation for success, pursued both on and off the track.

Renault-Nissan EV Partnerships with Guangdong Province, China and City of Saitama, Japan

2009-11-05T10:10:06-08:00

The Renault-Nissan Alliance (the Alliance) and the Development & Reform Commission of GuangDong Province China (the DRC of GuangDong Province) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote electric mobility in GuangDong Province.

The DRC of GuangDong Province is the second local government in China to sign an MoU with the Alliance after the Wuhan Municipal government.

Separately, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and the City of Saitama, Japan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly embark on the E-KIZUNA Project, aimed at creating a sustainable low-carbon society.

The zero-emission partnership will initiate a joint-study to implement all the necessary conditions for the mass introduction of electric vehicles, primarily focused on:

Charging infrastructure
Creating vehicle demand
Implementing community-based educational programs

Reported US Sales of Hybrids Up 11.4% in October Year-on-Year; 2.9% New Vehicle Share for the Month

2009-11-05T09:40:34-08:00

Reported US sales of hybrids. Click to enlarge.

Reported US sales of hybrids in October 2009 rose 11.4% by volume to 24,475 units, representing a 2.9% share of reported new vehicle sales for the month. October 2009 had 28 selling days, while October 2008 had 27. All comparisons here are by total volume, not by daily selling rate.

Reported hybrid sales include those from Toyota, Ford, Honda, GM and Nissan; Mercedes-Benz is not breaking out sales of its new S400 Hybrid. (Total S-Class sales in October were 1,124 units.)

Monthly new vehicle market share for reported hybrid sales. Click to enlarge.

Overall light-duty vehicle sales were essentially flat in October, according to figures from Autodata, with 838,052 units sold compared to 838,156 units in October 2008. The SAAR in October 2009 was 10.46 million, up from 9.22 million in September 2009, and down slightly from 10.82 million in October 2008.

Toyota. Toyota posted a total of 18,757 hybrid units, a 15% increase by volume year on year, and representing 12.3% of its sales in October. Toyota’s overall sales were essentially flat: 152,165 in October 2009 vs. 152,101 in October 2008.

Prius posted 13,496 units, up 14.3% year-on-year
Camry Hybrid posted 1,407 units, down 49.6% y-o-y and representing 4.7% of all Camry sales
Highlander Hybrid posted 700 units, down 31.5% y-o-y, for 11.7% of Highlander sales
The RX Hybrid posted 1,567 units, up 154.8% y-o-y, for 18.8% of RX sales
The GS Hybrid posted 39 units, up 77.3% y-o-y, for 7.9% of GS sales
The LS Hybrid posted 21 units, down 61.8% y-o-y, for 2.6% of LS sales
The new HS Hybrid posted 1,527 units.

Reported hybrid sales as a percentage of total new light vehicle sales by automaker, October 2009. Click to enlarge.

Ford. Ford Motor sold 2,282 hybrid units in October 2009, a 14.3% increase from October 2008. Overall sales of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands increased 2.6% to 132,483 units in the month.

Sales of the hybrid crossovers (Escape and Mariner) were down 52.5% to 949 units, representing 6.3% of total Escape and Mariner sales. The new car hybrids (Fusion and Milan) posted 1,333 units, representing 8.9% of total Fusion and Milan sales.

Honda. Honda reported sales of 1,978 hybrids in October, up 21.9% year-on-year. Total sales were down 0.4% to 85,502 units.

Sales of the Civic Hybrid dropped 85.3% year-on-year to 239 units, for 1.5% of all Civic sales. The new Honda Insight hybrid sold 1,739 units.

General Motors. General Motors reported a total of 1,159 hybrids sold in October 2009, a 22.5% drop from October 2008. Total GM light-duty vehicles sales rose 4.7% to 176,632 units. (This was the company’s first year-on-year sales gain since January 2008.)

Nissan. Nissan posted sales of 299 Altima Hybrids in October, a 46% drop year-on-year, representing 2% of all Altimas sold. Overall, Nissan sales increased 5.6% to 60,115 units.