The Energy Blog

Wagoner Promises to Make a Plug-in

Several articles in the press yesterday (Wednesday) gave significant publicity to GM's chairman and chief executive G. Richard Wagoner Jr. announcement at the Los Angeles Auto Show that GM plans to build a plug-in hybrid vehicle. Wagoner called the plug-in hybrid technology a "top priority" for the automaker. Citing technical obstacles, he didn't say when the new vehicle would go on sale. GM is working to put the plug-in hybrid powertrain in a future version of the Saturn Vue. He claimed that timing depends on how soon a suitable battery can be developed for the vehicle. He claimed that affordable battery technology doesn't exist yet.

Wagoner said the new Vue will be the "launch platform for the first front-wheel-drive version of our advanced 'two-mode' hybrid system in 2008." Its first plug-in hybrid will be based on the 2008 Saturn Vue, a redesigned crossover-utility vehicle that goes on sale next year. Eventually, the Vue will be sold in three hybrid versions: as the Green Line that used a mild hybrid system, as a vehicle that uses GM's more efficient two-mode hybrid system, and as the plug-in hybrid.

According to GM, the Saturn plug-in hybrid will include lithium-ion batteries, two interior permanent magnet motors, and a 3.6-liter V-6 gasoline engine with direct injection and variable valve timing. The 2-mode hybrid system will be altered for use with plug-in technology. It maintains two driving modes - one for city driving, the other for highway driving - and four fixed mechanical gears to maximize efficiency while maintaining performance.

According to some reports, GM is expected to show off a concept plug-in hybrid next month -- dubbed the I-car within the company, or iconic vehicle.

Hybrid Sailboat

A French catamaran offers a different approach to power and propulsion

The novel part of the Lagoon 440 is its propulsion system—it’s a diesel-electric hybrid. Twin electric motors, one mounted in each hull, power the boat. They turn the props at 900 to 1,100 rpm at cruise, an ideal speed for efficiency in this size range. Energy for the motors comes from a 22-kW diesel genset which charges a massive storage bank equivalent to twelve 8D-size batteries. (The extra weight of the batteries is compensated for by the lack of two heavy diesel engines mounted near the sterns and by the ability to mount the battery weight closer to the center of the boat.) The batteries are wired in series to give 144 volts. It’s similar to the system in a hybrid car, the genset starts automatically when the batteries need recharging. This happens at 50 percent to 80 percent discharge and is adjustable.

American Superconductor to Aquire Windtec

American Superconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: AMSC), best known for its high temperature superconducting products, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Windtec, a private company based in Klagenfurt, Austria that develops and licenses proprietary wind turbine system designs, and sells wind turbine electrical systems. The all-stock transaction, worth $12.4 million, is expected to close in January 2007. Including Windtec, next year's revenues for AMSC's Power Electronic Systems Business Unit is expected to more than double to approximately $50 million. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to earnings beginning in its first full quarter of operations.

Windtec designs a wide variety of wind turbine systems from the ground up, and in certain cases licenses these designs to third parties for an upfront fee and royalty payments for each installation of a Windtec-designed wind turbine system. They provide development, design, calculation, optimization and certification of complete wind turbines or individual components.

Agencies line up for plug-in cars, (CNET News.com)

State and local governments are launching programs to see if it's possible to convert their hybrid cars and trucks into plug-in cars. ... The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority recently solicited contract bids for nine plug-ins, said Ray Hull, an official at the agency. If the trial succeeds, the state will try to convert the 535 hybrids it owns into plug-ins. ....

A good article summerizing the status of plug-in vehicles.

Ford to unveil two new environmentally-friendly SUVs at this year's L.A. Auto Show
(Daily TECH)

At this year's L.A. Auto Show, Ford is expected to show two eco-friendly SUVs -- one of which will be soon available for the public to purchase. Later this week, Ford will unveil a second generation Escape Hybrid, shown left, and a fuel cell-powered Explorer, shown below. ....

Ford to Showcase Fuel Cell Powered Explorer
(Ford press release)

Ford will unveil an all-new fuel cell powered Explorer that features a center-mounted hydrogen tank that delivers more miles on a single fill-up than any other fuel cell vehicle today, while maintaining ample space for six passengers and cargo. It can travel 350 miles on a single fill-up, more than any fuel cell vehicle on the road. ....

Hydrogen Storage Using Polymeric Foam as a Hydrostatic Pressure Retainment Structure

Two publications suggest a means of containing hydrogen in a pressure vessel that is conformable, lighter and safer than a simple pressure vessel.  The potential methods of storing in a vehicle are numerous and none have surfaced that are ideal.  This is a rather novel one, but does not strike me as the ultimate answer.  The real answer, in my opinion, if hydrogen is needed at all for cars, is to use it in fuel a cell as a replacement for the ICE in a plug-in vehicle.

Examination of Poylymeric Foam as an On-Board Vehicular HPR Hydrogen Storage Media

Hydrostatic pressure retainment (HPR) is an innovative theory for gaseous pressure vessels. An ideal HPR pressure vessel contains an array of spherical cells arranged in a homogeneous fashion that may be likened to a simple-cubic (SC), bodycentered cubic (BCC), or face-centered cubic packing structure (FCC)

The main advantages of HPR pressure vessels over traditional pressure vessels are threefold. First, because an HPR pressure vessel essentially is a matrix of multiple spherical pressure vessels, the outer shell need not be spherical or cylindrical. Rather, the outer shell may take on a conformable geometry, making it more convenient to have a larger tank volume within an automotive assembly. ....

Hydrogen Storage for Automotive Tanks Using Using Hydrostatic Pressure Retainment (HPR) Microstructure

Gas is stored in small bubbles of a foam matrix, thereby forming a series of small spherical pressure vessels. The resulting stress in the material between the bubbles is in a hydrostatic state of tri-axial tension. ....

New Funding for U.S. Geothermal Energy

Increasing oil prices and enthusiasm from the incoming Congress are renewing interest in sustainable energy and have led to the construction of 50 to 60 new geothermal power in nine states, Canada and six other countries.

Already in Iceland more than 17 percent of electricity, and in the Philippines, more than 27 percent, is generated from geothermal power, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. .......

Geothermal power is the most reliable and environmentally friendly form of energy. It provides baseload power 24/7 and there is enough potential geothermal energy to meet all the needs of the world.  The MIT Technical Review has another post on the potential of geothermal and new technology that would make geothermal possible in more locations.

Austrailian Government May Fund $46.5 million of Worlds Largest Carbon Capture and Storage System

The Australian government said it would pump 60 million dollars (46.5 million US) into the world's biggest, AU$850 million, carbon capture and storage system, aimed at cutting a major gas plant's environmental impact. Owners of the Gorgon gas project, which sits in a sensitive nature reserve off the West Australian coast, plan to bury 125 million tonnes of carbon dioxide -- two-thirds of what the plant would emit over its 20-year lifespan. The funding is dependent on environmental approval for the 11 billion dollar scheme to develop the massive natural gas field on Barrow Island by Chevron Corp and its partners Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell.

The operators of the Gorgon Gas project on Barrow Island plan to bury 125 million metric tons of excess carbon dioxide during the life of the multibillion dollar project. Carbon dioxide is routinely removed from natural gas during processing and is usually vented into the air, but in this case would instead be injected 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) underground.

Lighting the Key to Energy Saving

The BBC News website has an article "Lighting the key to energy saving" that quotes the IEA as saying a global switch to efficient lighting systems would trim the world's electricity bill by nearly one-tenth. Better building regulations would boost uptake of efficient lighting, it says. Nineteen percent of global electricity generation is taken for lighting - that's more than is produced by hydro or nuclear stations, and about the same that's produced from natural gas.

There is a strong case for introducing lighting measures into building codes. Currently codes have a lot of energy measures in them, but with few exceptions there aren't specific provisions for lighting.

A related article argues for banning the incandescent light bulb, which includes this quote: "They waste so much energy that if they were invented today, it is highly unlikely they would be allowed onto the market."

The Energy Blog has strongly argued for more energy efficient lighting since being enlightened while researching the post: "Wal-Mart's Bright Idea"

DuPont Announces Stronger, More Durable Nafion Membrane

Recently DuPont Fuel Cells introduced DuPont™ Nafion® XL, a new extended life membrane that combines the advantages of mechanical reinforcement with enhanced chemical stability, enabling improved membrane durability. DuPont Fuel Cells is also developing new, highly durable electrodes, that, when coupled with use of the new Nafion® XL membrane, should yield up to ten times longer lifetime over current membrane electrode assemblies.

DuPont™ Nafion® XL offers significantly enhanced membrane durability and mechanical strength. Comparison data shows a greater than 1.5 times increase in tensile strength and over 50 percent reduction in swell over the DuPont™ Nafion® NRE211 membrane. In addition, DuPont™ Nafion® XL demonstrates 30 times lower fluorine emission rates (FER) in open circuit voltage (OCV) and lifetime improvement of greater than 25 percent in the load and relative humidity cycling test. Significant lifetime improvement, coupled with lower FER was observed in the automotive drive cycle test with over 3,500 hours demonstrated in this accelerated lifetime test. These improvements are achieved while maintaining the voltage performance of DuPont™ Nafion® NRE211 membrane.

Also noted on the DuPont Fuel Cell website was the following:

Within the next two years, DuPont, working with their partners, expects to make commercial inroads in the consumer electronics and stationary power markets.  Since transportation applications still require fundamental advances in materials, as well as system technologies, the timeline for automotives remains a longer-term prospect.

SageGlass, Windows that can be Electronically Switched from Clear to Tinted, One of Top Ten Green Building Products for 2006

BuildingGreen, Inc., a publisher of green building news, has selected windows that can be electronically switched from clear to tinted, as one of the top ten energy efficiency products of 2006. Called SageGlass®, the product from Sage Electrochromics, Inc. uses "electrochromic" (EC) tungsten oxide coatings that turn dark when a voltage is applied to them, allowing automated or manual control of daylighting.

SageGlass® is an electronically tintable exterior glazing that provides glare control on demand while preserving views. Unlike earlier switchable glazing products that degraded with exposure to UV light, SageGlass is a multi-layer, thin-film tungsten-oxide coating that is as durable as low-emissivity coatings. The glazing uses 0.28 W/ft² to switch the glass from clear to tinted state, a process that takes several minutes, and 0.1 W/ft² to maintain that tinted state. Used with typical clear glass in an insulated glazing unit, SageGlass reduces the visible transmittance from 62% to 3.5% while reducing the solar heat gain coefficient from 0.48 to 0.09.

Q-Cells AG to invest in CIGS Thin-Film Technology

Q-Cells AG (OTC: QCLSF), the world's second-largest manufacturer of solar cells, is investing in CIGS thin-film technology to complement its current technology portfolio. Q-Cells is joining forces with Solibro AB from Uppsala, Sweden, to set up a joint venture under the name of Solibro GmbH, in which Q-Cells will hold a share of 67.5%.

Solibro GmbH will commercialize the copper indium gallium di-selenide (CIGS) thin-film technology developed in Sweden by Solibro AB. For this purpose there are plans to build an initial factory in Thalheim, which will have an annual production capacity of 25 to 30 MWp.

CIGS technology has several benefits:

• It does not require any silicon
• It has the potential of very high module efficiencies, compared to other thin film technologies, exceeding 12% in industrial production.
• The aesthetic appearance of the black modules also makes them well suited for integration into the facades and roofs of buildings.

So. Calif. Cities Opt for Cleaner Power

Several Southern California cities are gambling their future power needs on the development of sufficient alternative energy sources, such as wind power, solar power and power from IGCC power plants to meet their needs.  Currently these sources are either too intermittent, too costly, or not well enough developed to meet their needs.

Anaheim, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Riverside, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have told Intermountain Power Agency in Delta, Utah, that they would not be renewing their contracts for cheap, coal-fired power. They are instead going to seek cleanear alternative energy power sources by 2027, after their current contracts with the Utah company expire.

A new California law that effectively prohibits electricity purchases from conventional coal-fired power plants goes into effect January first and Intermountain had been pushing cities to renew their contracts ahead of that date in a move to circumvent the law, but these cities refused to budge. The law bans use of power from sources that generate more such gases than in-state natural gas plants. 

Cleaner Iron Production with Corex Process

A special manufacturing process is making the production of iron much more environmentally friendly. The outstanding feature of the “Corex process” is that it uses conventional coal instead of coking coal, the customary ingredient.

Siemens is currently building the world’s largest Corex-based plant in China. Scheduled to begin operation in late 2007, this steel mill requires no coking plant, an element that typically accounts for a major share of emissions.

Corex is a smelting reduction process: Coal gasification, iron ore reduction, and liquefaction of the resulting iron are combined in one process. The gases produced can immediately be used for heating or for generating electricity in a gas and steam turbine power plant.

This plant burns uncoked coal, which means that the coking plant – one of the primary sources of emissions from an iron and steel plant – is now redundant. At the high gasification temperatures of the coal in the smelting reactor, organic compounds are completely reduced to their basic gaseous components and organic sulfur hydrides are converted to carbonated and/or hydrogenous gases. In a separate process in a melter gasifier, these vile smelling, and highly toxic, compounds are almost completely combined in sponge iron, aggregates, and slag.

Americans Want Detroit and Washington to impose 40 mpg Fuel Efficiency Standard

According to a poll, released November 21, conducted for the Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) by the nonprofit and nonpartisan Civil Society Institute (CSI), it was found that 90 Percent of Americans expect much higher gas prices soon and almost half of them are now more likely to a buy hybrid or other fuel-efficient vehicle. Americans want Washington to help the big 3, but don’t want to let carmakers off the hook for past mistakes.

A strong and bipartisan 78 percent of Americans want Washington to impose a 40 mile per gallon (MPG) fuel efficiency standard for American vehicles.

Other key findings of the ORC survey include the following:

• Nine out of 10 Americans expect gas prices to go up “in the near future,” with nearly half (46 percent) “definitely” expecting a resumption of higher fuel prices.
• 70 percent of Americans are not turning their back on fuel-efficiency concerns and say that they are factoring “expected future gasoline price increases into consideration in thinking about buying a new vehicle.”
• Temporarily lower gasoline prices are not sending large numbers of Americans rushing back to gas-guzzling SUV and trucks. In fact, nearly half (45 percent) of Americans are now more likely to buy a “hybrid or other fuel-efficient vehicle” than they were six months ago, compared to 30 percent who are unchanged in their plans and fewer than one in four (24 percent) who are less likely to make such a vehicle purchase.

Broin to Convert Corn Ethanol Plant to Cellulosic Ethanol, (updated 11:32 am)

Broin Companies, the nation’s largest dry mill ethanol producer, plans to build a cellulose-to-ethanol production facility in the state of Iowa with a completion date expected in 2009.

“This is an important day for both the Broin Companies and the ethanol industry,” Broin said. “The need to commercialize cellulosic ethanol is apparent as the United States continues to move away from its dependency on oil. We have been working very hard at developing technologies and advancements the past several years to position Broin as a leader in this area and the project in Emmetsburg is a major step toward reaching that goal.”

Voyager Ethanol, shown left, will be converted from a 50 million gallon per year (MGPY) conventional corn dry mill facility into a 125 MGPY commercial scale bio-refinery designed to utilize advanced corn fractionation and lignocellulosic conversion technologies to produce ethanol from corn fiber and corn stover. Broin Companies has applied for matching grant funds through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to assist with the project.

UQM Supplies Propulsion System for Phoenix Sports Utility Truck

UQM Technologies Inc. (AMEX: UQM), a developer of power dense, high efficiency electric motors, generators and power electronic controllers, announced that Phoenix Motorcars, Inc. will be exhibiting its all electric sport utility truck (SUT) (previous post) powered by a UQM® propulsion system at the San Francisco International Auto Show which began Nov. 17 and runs through November 26th.

The Phoenix all electric SUT is powered by a 100 kW UQM® electric propulsion system which produces over 400 ft-lbs of torque, accelerates the vehicle from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 10 seconds and operates at peak system efficiencies of over 94%. The vehicle’s 35kWh NanoSafe™ battery pack (previous post) supplied by Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. can be recharged in less than 10 minutes, with the appropriate battery charger, provides sufficient power and energy for a fleet vehicle to travel up to 130 miles and can travel at speeds up to 95mph. The vehicle is expected to qualify as a Type III ZEV in California.

Siemens SOFC Test Results Exceed SECA Requirements

Siemens Power Generation, a division of Siemens AG (NYSE: SI) announced the successful testing of a prototype 5 kW-class solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) that incorporates its high power density technology being developed under the U. S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA). A complete system using the SECA technology has operated for 2,800 hours and continues to operate at the Siemens facility near Pittsburgh, PA. It has met or exceeded all of the DOE technical and economic objectives for Phase 1 of the SECA program.

There has been absolutely no degradation of cell or system performance during the period of operation. With lifetime a key factor in the commercialization of fuel cells, Siemens' program is the only SECA program believed to have achieved no cell degradation during extended operation. While the test duration required by the DOE was 1,500 hours, the system continues to be operated to determine lifetime, peak power and efficiency potential as the performance of the cells improve.

ECD Ovonics Reports Quarterly Results

Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD Ovonics) (Nasdaq: ENER) reported that its wholly owned subsidiary United Solar Ovonic, producer of thin-film amorphous solar cells, had operating income of $1.5 million on revenues of $23.9 million, 88% of ECD's total income, in the first quarter of fiscal 2007, ended Sept 30, 2006, as compared to operating income of $1.7 million on revenues of $19.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2006. The company as a whole reported a net loss of $2.3 million (or $0.06 per share) on revenues of $27.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2007, as compared to a net loss of $6.5 million (or $0.22 per share) on revenues of $23.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2006.

The Company's portfolio of alternative energy solutions includes Ovonic thin-film amorphous solar cells, modules, panels and systems for generating solar electric power; Ovonic NiMH batteries; Ovonic hydride storage materials capable of storing hydrogen in the solid state for use as a feedstock for fuel cells or internal combustion engines or as an enhancement or replacement for any type of hydrocarbon fuel; and Ovonic fuel cell technology.

THIN-FILM SOLAR

United Solar Ovonic flexible triple-junction thin-film material, shown above, is made on proprietary high-output football field-sized continuous web roll-to-roll manufacturing machines similar to those used in newspaper production.

Honda: Will Start Leasing FCX in California Within 2 Years

According to a Bloomberg article Honda Motor Co., plans to start, within two years, leasing a limited number of fuel cell powered cars based on its new FCX concept, shown left, in California, taking advantage of the state's plans for a hydrogen-fuel network. Marketing will gradually expand from California to other major U.S. markets.

The new FCX sedan has a top speed of 100 miles an hour and can travel as far as 270 miles when fully fueled, 30 percent farther than the previous FCX. The fuel-cell stack is 40 percent smaller than in the previous version and increases the electrical output to 100 kilowatts from 86 kilowatts, said Yozo Kami, executive chief engineer for Tokyo-based Honda's FCX program.

Prisim Solar Licenses Hitachi Bifacial PV Cells

Hitachi America Ltd. (Hitachi) has signed a Cooperation Agreement with Prism Solar Technologies, Inc. (PST).  Under the agreement PST will market Hitachi’s proprietary bifacial photovoltaic (PV) cells and manufacture modules for sale under the Hitachi brand name in the US to key clients and customers groups. 

Hitachi manufacturers a unique “bifacial” PV cell as well as several bifacial module styles. While most of the PV module manufacturers use monofacial PV cells in their modules, Hitachi has developed a unique high-efficiency cell that can produce power from both the back and front sides of the PV cell.  The amount of power produced from the back-side is dependant on the amount and method of getting sunlight onto the back of the solar cell or module.  Until recently, options to accomplish this have been limited to using mirrors or reflectors.  New optics and technologies being developed separately by the two companies are providing exciting opportunities to gain improved power production from solar cells.

Toyota: Plug-in Vehicles to be Maketable Within Five Years

The Louisville Currier-Journal, reporting on a visit to the company's plant in Georgetown, Ky., last month, by Toyota Motor Co. Executive Engineer Dave Hermance attributed him as saying that Toyota has pushed down the prices on all major hybrid components by raising production volumes, but "we're reaching the end of those efficiencies."

And those cost cuts have done little more than offset skyrocketing prices for nickel based hybrid batteries. The most likely candidate to replace nickel is lithium.

Hermance thinks it will take about three years to make them viable for hybrid vehicles.

GE, Hitachi to Join in Nuclear Power Business

General Electric and Hitachi are joining forces in a $2 billion deal that will produce nuclear power ventures in the U.S. and Japan. They hope, through this venture, they will capture more contracts as power suppliers gear up to build a new generation of plants.The two companies which have shared a joint venture in nuclear fuels, are planning to bid on a nuclear power plant that merchant power company NRG Energy Inc. aims to build in Texas, which could be among the first constructed in the U.S. in three decades.

The consolidation will be formed in the wake of both companies losing out in a bidding war for Westinghouse Electric Company, the world's largest designer of nuclear reactors, which was purchased for $5.4 billion by rival Toshiba earlier in the year, and while France's Areva, the world's largest maker of nuclear reactors, and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said they would cooperate in this sector.

Hitachi and GE expect to build around 100 new reactors in the next 20 years to keep up with the growing demand for nuclear energy. The deal will create two operations, one dealing with Japan and 80 percent owned by Hitachi, and another controlled by GE and providing services worldwide. The companies are expected to sign the contract by June of 2007.

This deal combined with the Westinghouse deal are of great importance if U.S. industry is to maintain its market share in the nuclear business.

General Electric, Hitachi Form Nuclear-Plant Ventures,  Rachel Layne and Pavel Alpeyev, Bloomberg, Nov 13, 2006

Net Metering: "Freeing the Grid"

The Network for New Energy Choices (NNEC) report "Freeing the Grid,” is the first report ever to rank and grade the effectiveness of 34 state programs designed to help homeowners and small businesses generate their own distributed energy and sell the excess back to the central transmission grid. These ‘net metering’ programs have been described as having the most potential of any policy tool at any level of government to “green” American electricity sources.

“Every homeowner and every small business is a potential source of reliable, renewable electricity for their community,” noted NNEC Executive Director Chris Cooper. “Smart utilities realize that we will have to tap all of these small sources to meet future demand.”

By comparing regulations with customer participation rates, NNEC was able to identify which states had the best programs and which states had the worst (and why).

New Jersey ranked first out of 34 states with net metering programs. Indiana and Arkansas were profiled as states with “worst practices”. Oklahoma ranked last. Read the report to find out what your state is doing to require net-metering.

The Network for New Energy Choices (NNEC) is committed to providing state and local governments with new ideas and useful information to promote clean, affordable power from local, renewable energy sources. NNEC is promoting creative ideas for financing community-based clean energy, helping to dispel misinformation about renewable energy in the media and advocating for critical utility policy reforms that will usher in a new world of energy choices for all Americans.

While I applaud NNEC's efforts to encourage distributed energy, it is only part of the answer to our energy problem. I do not agree that net metering has "the most potential of any policy tool at any level of government to “green” American electricity sources."  Energy conservation through the encouragement of plug-in hybrid vehicles and energy efficient homes using high efficiency lighting (compact fluorescent lights) and higher insulation standards for new homes could have a greater effect in a shorter time period.  Net metering and higher insulation standards need legislation to require them, which takes time and is why organizations like NNEC are needed. Government research money for batteries and purchase, not subsidies, of hybrid and plug-in vehicles is perhaps the best use of taxpayer dollars in the field of energy. 

Fuel Cells in a Hydrocarbon Economy

Cleantech blog has got it right in Richard T. Stuebi's post on fuel cells on Nov. 13.

His main points are 1) (the hydrogen economy) to say the least, is not very likely, at least not anytime soon and 2)  in stationary application the fuel cell market continues to show improving vital signs.

A good short read.

Ethanol Industry Growth to Slow, ISU Experts Say

The DesMoines Register reports: Look for a slowdown in the rapid expansion of the ethanol industry, Iowa State University economists cautioned Monday.

Increased costs and delays in ethanol plant construction, transportation bottlenecks in moving ethanol to market, and rapidly rising corn prices all signal that the expansion of the ethanol industry might be cooling, the ISU economists said in a webcast that originated from the ISU campus.

John Miranowski, an ISU economics professor said, The price of crude oil - and the resulting price of gasoline - is expected to remain at levels that make ethanol production profitable.

It is time to take a break in building new ethanol plants, until cellulosic ethanol processes are economical.

Sunpower, PowerLight to Merge

In a major merger in the solar industry,  SunPower Corporation, previous post, (Nasdaq: SPWR - News),  manufacturer of the world's highest-efficiency, commercially available solar cells and solar panels, announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire PowerLight Corp., a privately owned solar systems provider.

PowerLight is the leading global provider of large-scale solar power systems, having designed and deployed hundreds of large-scale solar systems with a total capacity of more than 100 megawatts over the past ten years. The company recently began providing complete residential solar system solutions to homebuilders. In Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Korea, PowerLight designs, develops, operates and maintains solar electric power plants ranging from one megawatt to more than 10 megawatts, including two of the world's largest solar electric power plants.

SunPower recently announced the SPR-315 solar panel which utilizes the company's newly developed 22-percent-efficient Gen 2 solar cells and carries a rated power output of 315 Watts. Improved panel efficiency was obtained through a combination of enhanced cell architecture and improved packing density. It utilizes the next generation solar cell rated at 22 % efficiency on 170um wafers, which will bring polysilicon consumption to less than 6 g/W. The SPR-315 solar panel is planned for commercial availability in the Spring of 2007. 

Maxwell: New Capacitor Module for Vehicles

Maxwell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL) has introduced a compact, fully integrated, 125-volt ultracapacitor module to provide an easy-to-integrate building block for scalable energy storage and power delivery solutions for heavy hybrid and electric vehicles and heavy duty industrial applications requiring up to 1,500 volts.

“This high-performance module is designed specifically to satisfy rapidly growing global demand for ultracapacitor-based braking energy recuperation and torque assist systems for hybrid bus and truck drive trains and electric rail vehicles,” Balanson said. “It meets or exceeds transportation industry requirements for watt-hours of energy storage and watts of power delivery per kilogram, and is designed to perform reliably through one million or more deep charge/discharge cycles, which equates to more than 15 years of operational life.” said Dr. Richard Balanson, Maxwell’s president and chief executive officer.

He added that the new module incorporates proprietary balancing, monitoring and thermal management capabilities to ensure industry-leading charge/discharge performance, high reliability and long operational life.

Michael Everett, Maxwell’s vice president and chief technical officer, said that integrated monitoring capabilities and a highly efficient cooling configuration enable the new module to sustain continuous current of up to 150 amps with minimal temperature increase in high-temperature environments.

The module is encased in a rugged, splash-proof, aluminum chassis, weighs less than 50kg and measures 315x425x744mm. Up to 12 modules may be linked in series to deliver a total of as much as 1,500 volts.

Bartlett, Udall Respond to CERA Report

Representatives Roscoe Bartlett and Tom Udall were quick to respond to the CERA report on the future supply of oil. (see immediately preceding post)  The cofounders and cochairmen of the Congressional Peak Oil Caucus, said that a new report released today by CERA confirms the urgency for the United States government to adopt a crash program to mitigate the devastating consequences of peak oil.

Congressman Bartlett said that, "The CERA report agrees that world oil production will peak and projects it will occur within 20-25 years. However, world demand is growing exponentially - faster than production so the CERA report confirms the likelihood of future shortages of liquid fuel and much higher and volatile prices. A major flaw in the CERA report is its reliance upon questionable assessments of global reserves by the USGS. USGS estimates of future world reserves equate a 50 percent probability with a 50th percentile or mean. That is a bizarre and totally inaccurate use of statistics. It almost doubles the amount of projected reserves compared to the 95 percent probable estimate. Actual discoveries are tracking the 95 percent probable trend. That means world oil production will peak much sooner than CERA projects in this report."

Read the entire press release here.

Somewhat the opposite reaction that I might have expected, I guess these congressmen are smarter than I gave them credit for.  As I said, who cares what the theory is, oil will get more expensive as conventional oil resources are depleted and we are forced to find alternate supplies. I think that CERA's assessment of reserves is probably incorrect for the short term, but there projections may be more accurate in the long term as we have to use more of our harder to use reserves.  This is reflected in Canada's adding some oil sands reserves to its official reserves and Venezuela and China considering adding more of its heavy oil to reserves.

CERA: The Undulating Plateau Theory of Oil Supplies

Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA) headed by the sometimes controversial chairman Daniel Yergin, released a new analysis of future oil supplies. They claim that rather than oil peaking and then rapidly declining the correct Model for Post-2030 Oil Supply is an undulating plateau.

In contrast to a widely discussed theory that world oil production will soon reach a peak and go into sharp decline, a new analysis of the subject by CERA finds that the remaining global oil resource base is actually 3.74 trillion barrels -- three times as large as the 1.2 trillion barrels estimated by the theory’s proponents -- and that the “peak oil” argument is based on faulty analysis which could, if accepted, distort critical policy and investment decisions and cloud the debate over the energy future. ....

Global production will eventually follow an “undulating plateau” for one or more decades before declining slowly.  The global production profile will not be a simple logistic or bell curve postulated by geologist M. King Hubbert, but it will be asymmetrical – with the slope of decline more gradual and not mirroring the rapid rate of increase -- and strongly skewed past the geometric peak. It will be an undulating plateau that may well last for decades.

Rand: 25% of Energy from Renewables by 2025

The Wall Street Journal reports that a Rand Corp. study shows that if the the falling costs of ethanol, wind power and other forms of renewable energy continue to fall, as they have historically, such sources could supply as much as 25% of the U.S.'s conventional energy by 2025 at little or no additional expense.

This is certainly good news if costs continue to drop as they forecast, the problem they didn't mention is whether the manufacturing infrastructure can expand that rapidly.

The Rand study concludes that because prices for gasoline, natural gas and coal are likely to remain high, their cost advantage over renewables will erode, furthered by the hope that ethanol from farm wastes will be available by 2020.

I would agree that fossil fuel costs will remain high and that would allow cellulosic ethanol to be, not only competitive, but lower in cost than fossil fuels.

Mascoma Corporation Raises $30 Million in Series B Funding

Mascoma Corporation, the leader in cellulosic biomass-to-ethanol development and production, has raised $30 million in its second round of venture funding.

Today ethanol in the U.S. is made primarily from corn, a resource with multiple uses with limits to its long term capacity. Ethanol made from cellulosic biomass (e.g. grass, wood, and various agricultural and forestry wastes) takes advantage of significantly lower raw material cost, more plentiful and varied feedstocks, and expands the potential for ethanol to blend with and displace gasoline with a cleaner, renewable, domestically-produced liquid fuel.

Converting cellulose to ethanol involves two fundamental steps of breaking the long chains of cellulose molecules into glucose and other sugars, and then fermenting those sugars into ethanol. In nature, these processes are performed by different organisms:

Fungi and bacteria that use enzymes called cellulases to “free” the sugar in cellulose, and

Other microbes, primarily yeasts, that ferment sugars into alcohol

Firefly Raises $10 Million in Series B Financing

Firefly Energy Inc., (www.fireflyenergy.com) the Peoria-based spin out of Caterpillar Inc. now developing a carbon-graphite foam lead acid battery for commercial and military uses, has completed a $10 million Series B equity round of financing.

Firefly Energy will use its new capital to accelerate product development, expand existing lab facilities, implement manufacturing partnerships, advance product awareness in new markets, and continue the support of commercial and military customers.

“The level of interest from our current and new investors reinforces the momentum we’re seeing in the marketplace for next generation battery performance that utilizes safe, cost-effective, lead-acid battery chemistry,” said Edward F. Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Firefly Energy. Regarding the newest financing, Williams said “The additional capital provides the financial depth and support Firefly Energy will need as our accelerated growth continues in these markets hungry for innovative energy storage solutions.”

Open Energy, Infinia to Develop a Suncone/Stirling Solar Electric Power System

Open Energy Corporation, formerly Barnabus Energy, (OTC BB: OEGY.OB) and Infinia are joining forces to develop a Suncone/Stirling solar electric power system. The agreement combines Open Energy's solar concentrating technology with Infinia's proprietary free piston Stirling engine to produce renewable energy

Open Energy System holds an exclusive, worldwide license to a solar thermal technology called SunCone™ CSP. SunCone™ CSP utilizes non-imaging optical cones made of reflective composites to concentrate sunlight on rods at the base of each cone. The cones stay cool, but the fluid flowing through the base is superheated, generating steam to drive a turbine and produce electricity.

Infinia's free piston Stirling engines are currently used for aerospace and national security applications, where a high degree of reliability and long, maintenance-free service life is required. Operating without internal combustion, a Stirling engine utilizes high temperature differentials to drive a piston and produce electricity.

Greenstar Products: 90 Biodiesel Reactors, Algae Feedstock

Green Star Products, Inc. (OTC: GSPI)  announced that it has signed an agreement with De Beers Fuel Limited of South Africa to build 90 biodiesel reactors.

Each of the biodiesel reactors, first one shown here, will be capable of producing 10 million gallons of biodiesel each year for a total production capacity of 900,000,000 gallons per year when operating at full capacity, which is 4 times greater than the entire U.S. output in 2006.

The first plant is currently using sunflower seed oil as feedstock, however, it is planned to switch to using algae produced with the Greenfuel Technologies Corporation system and has purchased and removed their bioreactor from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and transported it to South Africa.

Z-gen Solid Waste Gasification System

Ze-gen LLC was formed in mid-2004 in order to develop and deploy efficient gasification systems that convert municipal solid waste into clean energy.

The process uses molten iron to cause a chemical reaction in the waste, producing synthetic gas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide) and a small amount of methane from the construction debris. The only other by-products are some metal, which can be recycled, and silica, which can be reused in road construction.

The system is designed to process mundane waste streams and generate significant amounts of energy with a single stage gasifier, which results in extremely low thermal losses. The company's facilities can be expanded into modules, which process 450 tons of waste per day and yield 30 megawatts of electricity, enough energy to power almost 25,000 homes.

GM: Fuel Cell Vehicles Viable at 1 Million Units

According to The Korea Hearld, Larry Burns, GM's R&D and strategic planning director, speaking during the company's 'Tech Tour 2006' in Shanghai, said:

the cost of building hydrogen fuel cell cars will not exceed that of making conventional fuel powertrain vehicles once volumes reach 1 million units. "Lack of scale is the primary reason for the high costs of fuel cell vehicles."

GM has announced plans to build 100 fuel celled Cheverlot Equinoxes, shown right,  in 2007. (previous post)

The Korea Hearld article said that GM aims to design and validate a fuel cell system that is competitive in terms of performance, durability and cost at volume of $50 per kilowatt (of power generated) by 2010.

Geen Fuel Utilizes Low-Rank Coal

As reported in a UPI article:

A new type of coal-based fuel, which will soon be commercialized with federal backing, could harness America's vast low-rank coal reserves and make the country energy self-sufficient for the next 300 years or significantly supplant oil consumption, (said) the chief of Fairbanks, Alaska-based Silverado Green Fuels. ... Green Fuel ... is made by "cooking" low rank powdered coal to drain its water content. The water is treated and then added back to the dried coal. The end product is a thick oily liquid called Green Fuel. ... Importantly, half of the U.S. coal reserve is low-rank coal -- 35 to 44 percent water -- which is not used in coal plants due to its high-water, low-energy levels. Green Fuel has the potential to harness a previously untapped resource. ...  It costs $13 to $15 to produce the energy equivalent of a barrel of oil, the company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer Garry Anselmo, says, which is about 2.2 barrels of Green Fuel. ...  Green Fuel is non-flammable unless burned as a fine spray in a generator. ... Silverado Green Fuels initiative is also planning to build a tertiary industry where the Green Fuel is used as the feedstock for the gasification and liquefaction process. ... The gasification process uses extreme pressure to break down the liquid coal into its basic elements, and then re-forms these elements to create synthetic natural gas, or synfuel. This synfuel is then be pressurized and turned into a liquid that can be used as a jet fuel, explosive, fertilizer or a clean burning diesel.

Sugar Cane Yields Consistently Increasing

Accoring to a post in Biopact:

At the FO Licht World Ethanol Conference held recently in Amsterdam, director Jacyr  Costa Filho of the Brazilian commodity brokerage Sociedade Corretora De Alcool Trading SA, who has 20 years experience in the sector, announced that by 2030, the ethanol output of a hectare of sugar cane will rise to a staggering average of 13,000 liters, more than twice the current output.

Just like the steady rise of the past quarter of a century, the increased productivity of the coming decades will be the result of a series of new technologies and processes, ranging from the development of high-yield plant varieties to the creation of new planting, harvesting and processing techniques.

First IGCC Plant for UK

A edie news story (UK) reports that A 'clean coal' plant that would capture and bury most of its carbon emissions could become the first coal-fueled power station to be built in the UK since the seventies, under plans announced by British Gas owner Centrica.

Carbon from the Teesside plant would be pumped for storage under the North Sea.

The £1bn plant would produce almost zero emissions and would be the first in the UK  built with carbon capture and storage (CCS), according to Centrica.

The Teesside plant would produce a sixth of the carbon emissions of a traditional coal-fired power station, and capture over 80% of it, giving overall carbon emissions equivalent to less than 4% of those of a traditional coal plant.

The plant would use the "integrated gasification combined cycle" (IGCC) process, which has not been used before in the UK. This process enables capture of a particularly high portion of both the criteria emissions and CO2. IGCC involves crushing coal into a powder, gasifying the coal, and carbon capture before burning the gas for production of electricity.

Update: Makah Bay AquaBuOY Wave Energy Pilot Project

AquaEnergy Group Ltd, an Ocean Energy division of Finavera Renewables Limited (Finavera Renewables), a private Irish renewable energy company, announced a further significant step in developing the United States' first commercial wave energy power plant.

AquaEnergy submitted an application for a license to construct the Makah Bay Offshore Wave Energy Pilot Project. This application marks a significant milestone for wave energy development in the United States.

AquaEnergy is developing the Makah Bay Offshore Wave project to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of wave energy conversion power plants in utilizing ocean resources to generate clean, renewable energy. The research and demonstration of the AquaBuOY pilot plant would contribute to advances in the worldwide ocean energy industry. AquaBuOYs are modular devices with a nameplate power rating of 250 kW, grouped together three miles offshore.

SunPower Predicts Rosey, but Slow, Outlook for PV Solar

John Addison reporting on the Solar Power 2006 conference in the Cleantech Blog had this snippet of information on the growth of the solar PV industry.

SunPower is approaching a 23% efficient PV (previous post). This helps it take business from typical 17% efficient PV. Dr. Richard Swanson, CEO, SunPower gave the conference good reason to expect continued high growth. He pointed out that in 1975 solar modules cost $100/watt. By 2002, the cost had fallen to $3 per watt. The industry learning curve of 30 years has been consistent – each time that production doubles, cost drops 81%. Dr. Swanson expects $1.40 per watt by 2013 and 65 cents per watt by 2023.

That's good news for the future, but I hope production grows at a higher rate or it will be an even longer time than I anticipated before solar power becomes an economical source of power for everyone.  If the silicon producers can't grow any faster, then the CIGS industry will take over. Nanosolar is building its first commercial scale factory, to begin operation in 2007, which it claims will be the worlds largest, (what about Sharp?) with an annual capacity of 430 megawatts. Other CIGS producers; Innovalight, Konarka, Miasolé, HelioVolt, and Daystar are all expanding their production.

Build More Nuclear Plants

For the first time in its 32-year history, the International Energy Agency (IEA), in its World Energy Outlook 2006 urges governments around the world to help speed the construction of new nuclear power plants.

The IEA report – the first to offer advocacy rather than analysis – comes after the Group of Eight last summer asked the agency to come up with guidance on how governments could bolster energy security and combat global warming.

In the WEO 2006, the profile and significance of the World Alternative Policy Scenario is elevated and presented in the format that can be used as a ‘policy tool’ for governments to change the unsustainable trends of the reference scenario. The Alternative Policy Scenario is be built on policy measures such as energy efficiency and increased use of renewables and nuclear.

A Little More About EEStor

On Nov. 5, the Austin-American Statesman had an article about EEStor Inc. and its potentially disruptive energy storage technology (previous post).  Not anything new about the technology, but quite a bit of background information on founders Richard Weir and Carl Nelson. The following are the most interesting excerpts from the article:

The company has come up with a new method for making ultracapacitors, battery-like devices that can store large amounts of electricity. EEStor's energy storage unit can hold enough charge to power a car 300 miles, according to its patent, and it can be recharged in the time it takes to pump a tank of gas. And it can do that at only a small, if any, premium to the cost of a gas-powered engine.

In his May 2004 report, Ed Beardsworth said the company expected to eventually produce its energy storage devices for as little as $2,100 — roughly half the cost of a standard gas engine and power train. Beardsworth used to publish a report called Utility Federal Technology Opportunities.

"That's why the technology that EEStor is developing really breaks the mold," said Ian Clifford, CEO of Feel Good Cars Corp., a Canadian electric-vehicle company that has signed a deal to put EEStor units in its cars. "It's low weight, low cost and it has the rapid recharge technology that suddenly makes electric vehicles viable."

EEStor is building a production line in Cedar Park.  Feel Good Cars had expected to receive some of the energy storage units by now. "There have been slight delays, completely acceptable delays from our perspective," said Clifford. "For this, we're happy to wait."

Thanks to Tyler at Clean Break for the tip.

Solel to Build 150 MW of Thermal Solar in Spain

Solel Solar Systems, Ltd., a world leader in solar thermal technology for solar systems and central power plants for clean electricity, announced that an agreement has been signed with Sacyr-Vallehermoso, a large Spanish infrastructure concern, to build three solar power plants in Spain with a total capacity of 150MW and at an estimated overall value of US$890 million. Within the frame agreement, Solel's scope of supply for all three projects is estimated at around US$500 million.

For Solel, based in Israel, this marks the first turnkey power project to be delivered in Spain on a Build, Own and Operate (BOO) basis. The project also enables Solel to act as provider of solar energy in Europe for the first time.

The current price per kilowatt/hour for produced solar thermal electricity in Spanish electricity projects stands at 30 cents. The rate is subsidized by the Spanish Government for a period of 25 years in order to support & encourage the innovation and implementation of alternative domestic energy sources, environmentally friendly clean electricity and to support local electricity production.

Altairnano Reveals Battery Pack Details

Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (Nasdaq: ALTI), has produced and showcased their fast charge, long life, safe nano-Titanate batteries in Phoenix Motorcars’ zero emission, all electric, freeway ready, full sized sports utility truck (SUT) and sports utility vehicle (SUV) at the SEMA show. During the show, Altairnano gave numerous interviews on the performance of the nano-Titanate product technology and demonstrated the battery packs safety and fast charge performance.

Altairnano’s safe nano-Titanate battery packs allows the Phoenix vehicles to exceed all specifications for the State of California Type III ZEV. Altairnano offers two nano-Titanate battery pack configurations: a 35 KWh and a 70 KWh NanoSafe pack. The 35 KWh NanoSafe pack can be recharged in less than 10 minutes, with the appropriate battery charger and provides sufficient power and energy for a fleet vehicle to travel up to 130 miles. The 70 KWh NanoSafe pack can also be recharged in less than 10 minutes, with the appropriate battery charger and provides sufficient power and energy for a full sized SUV to travel up to 250 miles. Altairnano is on track to deliver ten 35 KWh NanoSafe battery packs in the fourth quarter to Phoenix Motorcars and is prepared to supply additional 35 KWh NanoSafe battery packs to support Phoenix upcoming SUT market introduction build in early 2007 and SUV 35 KWh and 70 KWh battery packs in the later part 2007.

FuelCell, Turbine Hybrid Pipeline Power Plant

FuelCell Energy, Inc. (NasdaqNM: FCEL), and Enbridge Inc. (NYSE: ENB) have announced initiating production of the first multi-megawatt hybrid product, generating ultra-clean electricity while recovering energy normally lost during natural gas pipeline operations.

The new product, the Direct FuelCell-Energy Recovery Generation(TM) (DFC-ERG(TM)) system, combines a 1.2 megawatt (MW) Direct FuelCell(R) (DFC(R)) power plant with a 1 MW unfired gas expansion turbine. Operating at natural gas pipeline letdown stations, the system generates 2.2 megawatts (MW) of ultra-clean electricity.

VeraSun, GS Agrifuels to Produce Biodiesel from Distillers Grains

VeraSun Energy Corporation (NYSE: VSE), the nation's second-largest ethanol producer, last week announced plans to produce biodiesel from oil extracted from dried distillers grains (DDG), a co-product of the ethanol production process. Similar announcements have been made by GSGF.PK).

Removing the oil from DDG both increases the value of the oil for fuel use, and enhances the resulting distillers grains as a livestock feed by concentrating protein and reducing fat content.

Biodiesel production grew to 150 million gallons in 2006 from 75 million gallons in 2005. The Energy Information Administration projects biodiesel demand will increase to more than one billion gallons by 2010 and double to two billion gallons by 2020.

VHTR Reactor Pursued in U.S. With Priority

The Department of Energy (DOE) is supporting research on several reactor concepts, priority is being given to the VHTR, a system compatible with advanced electricity and hydrogen electricity generation capabilities. The emphasis on VHTR reflects its potential for economically and safely producing electricity and hydrogen at high efficiency without emitting noxious gases.

Last month, the DOE announced awards of $8 million to three private companies to to perform engineering studies and develop a pre-conceptual design to guide research on the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP), a very high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor prototype.

Construction is scheduled to begin at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), a DOE-managed facility near Arco,Idaho, in 2016 and to be completed by 2021.

In addition to producing hydrogen, the reactor is expected to generate commercial quantities of electricity and to recycle radioactive fuel, reducing the amount of nuclear waste compared to that produced by current reactors.

VW Researchers Unveil New High-Temperature Fuel Cell

Volkswagen Research has developed a new and innovative type of high temperature fuel cell (HTFC) that means an affordable fuel cell-powered vehicle suitable for everyday use could be available as early as 2020.

This breakthrough is made possible thanks to a new, high temperature membrane and electrodes, which enable significantly more compact, cheaper and more efficient fuel cell systems. In the HTFC protons are exchanged via phosphoric acid. The acid has good electrolyte prperties, similar to water, but has a higher boiling point permitting higher temperature operation and simplifies the water management and humidification required in most PEM cells. On a special screen printing machine, the new electrodes, made of carbon fiber cloth are coated with a new type of paste, which makes the electrode impermeable to water and preventing dilution of the phosphoric acid.