The Energy Blog

Georgia Tech: CCS from Vehicles with Carbon Recyle = Zero Emission Car

Georgia Tech abridged press release:

The Georgia Tech team’s goal is to create a sustainable transportation system that uses a liquid fuel and traps the carbon emission in the vehicle for later processing at a fueling station. The carbon would then be shuttled back to a processing plant where it could be transformed into liquid fuel. Currently, Georgia Tech researchers are developing a fuel processing device to separate the carbon and store it in the vehicle in liquid form.

Georgia Tech’s near-future strategy involves capturing carbon emissions from conventional (fossil) liquid hydrocarbon-fueled vehicles with an onboard fuel processor designed to separate the hydrogen in the fuel from the carbon. Hydrogen is then used to power the vehicle, while the carbon is stored on board the vehicle in a liquid form until it is disposed at a refueling station. It is then transported to a centralized site to be sequestered in a permanent location currently under investigation by scientists, such as geological formations, under the oceans or in solid carbonate form.

In the long-term strategy, the carbon dioxide will be recycled forming a closed-loop system, involving synthesis of high energy density liquid fuel suitable for the transportation sector.

Georgia Tech settled on a hydrogen-fueled vehicle for its carbon capture plan because pure hydrogen produces no carbon emissions when it is used as a fuel to power the vehicle. The fuel processor produces the hydrogen on-board the vehicle from the hydrocarbon fuel without introducing air into the process, resulting in an enriched carbon byproduct that can be captured with minimal energetic penalty. Traditional combustion systems, including current gasoline-powered automobiles, have a combustion process that combines fuel and air — leaving the carbon dioxide emissions highly diluted and very difficult to capture.

Cheap Cars Mean Higher Gas Prices

The introduction of cheap cars in China and India may accelerate the increase of price of gasoline in the rest of the world.  That is the essence of a CNNMoney article that points to projection that India will be have annual sales of 3 million light vehicles and China roughly 17 million units by 2015.  The 2 billion-plus combined populations of India and China could one day dwarf the 300 million potential car buyers in the U.S.

Even though these small, cheap cars get high milage they are for the most part being sold as the first car that an individual owns, therefore over a few years, the sheer volume of these cars adds tremendously to the world's requirements for gasoline.

India's Tata Nano and the Chinese Chery QQ are the cars that are sparking this revolution. TheTata Nano, a two-cylinder, four-person sedan that gets 50 miles per gallon and is priced at $2,500 while China's Chery QQ, is a  five door, 4 passenger vehicle, with a 3 cylinder, 0.8 liter engine and starts at about $3.700.

BorgWarner Dual-Clutch Transmission Design for Small Cars

From BorgWarner press release:

BorgWarner (NYSE: BWA) is revolutionizing the transmission market. A new new dual-clutch transmission for developing markets and small cars is in the final development stages at BorgWarner.

Working in conjunction with several Asian automakers, BorgWarner will be providing patent-pending dual-clutch transmission architecture that delivers fuel efficiency in an affordable package ideal for the growing small car demand in developing markets.

"Drivers in developing markets like China and India are looking for the ease of using an automatic transmission in an affordable vehicle," said Dr. Bernd Matthes, President and General Manager, BorgWarner Transmission Systems. "Up until now, the complexity and cost of automatic transmissions made it impractical to package this option in smaller cars. With BorgWarner's new design, we can deliver the responsive, fuel-efficient, fun-to drive characteristics of a dual-clutch transmission in a smaller, more affordable package. The unique architecture of our compact dual-clutch transmission is expected to expand the use of automatic transmissions in emerging markets. Test results with this transmission indicate a 13% fuel efficiency improvement, better top-end speed and a significant improvement in acceleration over automatic transmissions currently in production."

Ford Focus Econetic Launched at Frankfort Motor Show

Ford of Europe is offering its customers ultra-low CO2 alternatives for selected car lines with the launch of a new range of Ford ECOnetic models at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show.

These cars will use a combination of the latest common-rail diesel powertrains together with other carefully-selected features engineered to reduce CO2 emissions to the absolute minimum.

The first to be launched by the end of 2007 will be the new Ford Focus ECOnetic, which promises to deliver best-in-class CO2 emissions for conventional powertrain technology at just 115g/km.

"Although all models in our current European portfolio are highly competitive in terms of CO2, we do know that more and more car buyers seek the lowest possible emissions as a key reason for purchase, and that they have an increasing range of such vehicles to choose from in the market," said John Fleming, Ford of Europe President and CEO.

Maxwell to Develop Capacitors for Mercedes

Ultracapacitors' Rapid Charge/Discharge Capabilities Boost Acceleration and Increase Braking Energy Recuperation Efficiency, Reducing Fuel Consumption and Emissions

Maxwell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL) announced today that it has been awarded a contract by Mercedes Car Group to design and produce ultracapacitors for an advanced engineering hybrid-electric drive train program incorporating a braking energy recuperation system that enables it to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

David Schramm, Maxwell's president and chief executive officer, said that the contract provides for funding from Mercedes to develop a new BOOSTCAP(R) ultracapacitor cell specifically designed to meet the energy storage and power delivery requirements of one of Mercedes' torque assist and recuperative braking systems. . . . more

Toray Develops Carbon Fiber Plastics for Auto Platforms

Toray Industries Inc. has developed a technology with Nissan Motor Co. and others that will enable automakers to slash vehicle weight by using a lighter material to build car platforms, The Nikkei learned Thursday.

The technology speeds up the resin molding process, enabling carbon fiber to be mass-produced for automotive use. Unlike conventional steel platforms that can weigh about 300kg for a luxury passenger car, carbon fiber plastics, which combine carbon fiber and resins, will help cut platform weight to roughly 150kg.

This will allow automakers to reduce the overall weight of their vehicles , which average around 1.5 tons, by 10 per cent, resulting in a 4-5 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency.  . . .

Because carbon fiber would still be somewhat costly, Toray plans to initially market its technology for use in luxury vehicles. It predicts that the cost will eventually fall to a level similar to conventional steel platforms.

Ships Becoming Largest Source of Emissions

According to Europa, in the EU ships are fast becoming the biggest source of air pollution.  Unless more action is taken they are set to emit more than all land sources combined by 2020.

A 2003 study found that large ships generate 30 percent of global nitrogen emissions and 16 percent of sulfur emissions from all petroleum sources. Despite the fact that ships are more energy efficient than other forms of commercial transportation, marine engines operate on extremely dirty fuels. Most large ships use the dirtiest and least expensive diesel available, bunker oil.

Shipping is a small contributor to the world total CO2 emissions (1.8% of world total CO2 emissions in 1996)

How About 1902.7 mpg?

Students from the across the U.S. and Canada competed in the first Shell Eco-marathon(TM) Americas. Shell challenged the engineering students to drive their vehicles the farthest distance using the least amount of fuel, either conventional or alternative. While all of the teams accomplished impressive fuel economy figures, team Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, in the internal combustion division, won the grand prize with an astonishing 1902.7 miles per gallon.

California State Polytechnic University student Kevin Fang drove the wining car to victory in the marathon held at the CA Speedway in Fontana, CA, Saturday, April 14, 2007. Los Altos Academy of Engineering (Hacienda Heights, CA) won the hydrogen division at 1038 miles per gallon.

"The innovative ideas and the exchange of information taking place at the Shell Eco-marathon demonstrate the approach necessary to address today's energy challenges. There's not one answer; we must have a broad spectrum of economically, socially and environmentally viable energy solutions to meet the future's mobility demands" said David Sexton, president of Shell Oil Products U.S.

Teams were comprised of about eight students working together to build prototype vehicles with three or four wheels using conventional fuels or alternative fuels or energy sources such as liquid petroleum gas, biofuels, compressed natural gas, hydrogen or solar. This years challenge brought eighteen conventional fuel-powered entries, one hydrogen-powered entry and one solar-powered entry.

0-60 mph in 1.5 Seconds on Bike Powered by A123 Batteries

In a blatant, but still revealing, advertising gimmick A123Systems, made this announcement today.

April 5, 2007 – A123Systems today announced that The KillaCycle, the world’s quickest electric motorcycle and the official world record holder in the ¼ mile drag, broke the world record again using its lithium-ion batteries. The official record for any electric vehicle worldwide in the ¼ mile is set now at an elapsed time of 8.16 seconds.  Further, The KillaCycle holds the top speed record for the ¼ mile, at a blistering 156mph.

Powered by 990 A123Systems Nanophosphate cells™, The KillaCycle set the new world record for the fourth time in two days at the All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA) event at the Firebird Speedway in Chandler, AZ on Saturday, March 31, 2007.  Weighing just over 165 pounds, the A123Systems battery pack delivers over 350 horsepower to the motorcycle drivetrain and holds 7.5 kWh of energy. With the A123Systems battery pack, The KillaCycle goes from 0 to 60mph in under 1.5 seconds.

Quantum Delivers More Hydrogen Hybrids

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc., (Nasdaq: QTWW) announced that it has shipped eleven hydrogen-fueled Prius hybrid vehicles to Miljobil Grenland AS, a participant and vehicle provider to the Norwegian Hydrogen Highway (HyNor).

The Hydrogen Hybrid package for the Prius includes Quantum's electronic multi-point hydrogen injection system, turbocharger and intercooler, Quantum's compressed hydrogen fuel storage module and hydrogen fuel delivery system, and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) crashworthy design and validation. The eleven vehicles in this shipment were equipped with an extended range package, which was engineered by Quantum to provide additional hydrogen storage capacity and a resulting 30 percent increase in vehicle driving range between refueling. In addition to performing in specified starting conditions and meeting certain drivability specifications, these vehicles were designed to meet European safety standards, including the successful completion of crash testing to verify the safety of the converted vehicles.

The Norwegian government, industry participants, and the organizations participating in a joint effort called HyNor plan on creating a "Hydrogen Highway" between the capital, Oslo, and western Norway's port of Stavanger.

As part of the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (AQMD) program to develop and demonstrate hydrogen hybrid vehicles in Southern California Quantum is supplying 30 Prius hybrids; five of them have been delivered to the City of Santa Monica, California and five to the City of Burbank, California.

A Car That Runs on Air is Coming to India

Tata Motors, India largest automotive company, on Feb. 5, 2007 announced that it has signed an agreement with Moteur Development International (MDI) of France, inventors of the car, to develop a car that runs on compressed air, thus making it very economical to run and be almost totally pollution free. This article in Rediff India Abroad and the MDI website gives further details.

The air engine has 4 two-stage pistons, i.e. 8 compression and/or expansion chambers on one crankshaft. The pistons work in two stages: one motor stage and one intermediate stage of compression/expansion. They have two functions: to compress ambient air and refill the storage tanks; and to make successive expansions (reheating air with ambient thermal energy) thereby approaching isothermic expansion. It has injection similar to normal engines, but uses a special crankshaft and pistons, which remain at top dead center for about 70 degrees of the crankshaft's cycle; this allows more power to be developed in the engine. The engine is powered by compressed air, stored in a carbon-fiber tank containing 90 cubic meters (3178 cubic feet) of air at 30 MPa (4500 psi).

The expansion of this air pushes the pistons and creates movement.  The atmospheric temperature is used to re-heat the engine and increase the range.

New MPG Estimating Method Reduces MPG Estimates Compared to Old Method

EPA recently revised methods for estimating vehicle fuel economy to better represent current driving styles and conditions. The new methods—which apply to model year 2008 and later vehicles—include the city and highway tests used for previous models along with additional tests to represent:

• Faster Speeds and Acceleration
• Air Conditioner Use
• Colder Outside Temperatures

MPG estimates will also be adjusted downward to account for factors that are difficult to replicate in a laboratory, such as wind and road surface resistance.

EPA has a MPG comparison tool at its website that allows you to obtain mpg estimates for pre-2008 cars using the new method alongside the milage estimate using the old method.

According to CNN: "the Toyota Prius, the nation's best-selling hybrid model and the most fuel-efficient, is estimated to see its mileage rating drop 20 percent to 48 mpg in the city from the old estimate of 60 mpg. Its estimated highway mileage should fall almost 12 percent to 45 mpg from the current 51 mpg. The combined mileage estimate will fall about 16 percent to 46 mpg.

The Prius will remain the best-mileage car in the country even with the new formula. The big drop is not a surprise; Toyota has been saying publicly for years that it believed the EPA estimates were too high for hybrids."

Americans Want Fuel Efficient Cars, But Have Few Choices

New research from the Civil Society Institute (CSI)/40MPG.org and a national opinion poll conducted for CSI by Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) indicates that only two out of 113 vehicles made internationally that achieve a combined gas mileage of at least 40 miles per gallon (mpg) are available in the U.S. and that U.S. consumers want action by Congress to increase U.S. fuel efficiency standards now.

In an update of its own December 2005 research, CSI/40MPG.org found that the number of vehicles sold in the U.S. that achieve combined gas mileage of at least 40 mpg has dropped from five in 2005 to just two, the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic Hybrid. In 2007, while the ranks of such vehicles available overseas -- but not sold in the U.S. -- rose from 86 to 113 in the same time period. Adding insult to injury, nearly two thirds (74 or 65 percent) of the 113 highly fuel-efficient car models that are unavailable to American consumers are either made by U.S. auto manufacturers (e.g., Ford and GM) or foreign manufacturers with substantial U.S. sales operations (e.g., Volkswagen, Nissan and Toyota). See the full CSI/40MPG.org table “fuel-efficient car gap” for the complete list of vehicles.

Toyota to Reign in 2007

According to Autopia, for the first time ever, the top selling car company in the world won't be headquartered in the U.S. While GM and Ford are cutting production, Toyota will zoom past GM and produce 9.42 million vehicles across the globe in 2007. GM plans to build 9.181 million vehicles this year. (According to the BBC analysts do not expect GM to increase production significantly in 2007). .... more from Autopia

Toyota becoming number one in the auto industry is not only a blow to GM but to America who has been the leader in car sales for 81 years according to one source.  The two rival car giants are now going in opposite directions, with Toyota expecting to add a half million in vehicle sales in 2007, while GM and other American car companies are closing plants and laying off workers. Toyota's rise would also be a victory for its unique corporate culture, the so-called Toyota Way, which is based on an obsession with craftsmanship and constant improvement.  It is also a victory for keeping in touch with consumer demands, especially more energy efficient cars, which until this year, perhaps too late, American car companies have chose to ignore, instead offering its gas guzzling models.

Subcompacts Show Significant Sales Gain

USA Today - Led by the Toyota Yaris, the Honda Fit and the Nissan Versa (shown) -- small, front-wheel-drive, fuel-efficient subcompacts -- sales of the low-price end of the small-car market are up 42.2% through November compared with a year ago. That's in an overall new vehicle market down 2.5%.

They're selling in an average 29 days, less than half the time it normally takes to sell a vehicle, Power Information Network says. The three stars of the category, Fit, Yaris and Versa, sell in less than two weeks.

Despite the dramatic growth in their sales, the low-price small cars are only about 2% of U.S. new vehicle sales. ... more

Active Drag Reduction Saves Fuel

Green Car Congress reports that researchers at the University of Stuttgart have succeeded, using  computer simulations, in developing a method for stabilizing active drag reduction for the airfoils of commercial airliners. They claim their approach could lead to fuel economy gains of 10-15%.

Range is limited by aerodynamic drag and even a modest reduction of the drag provides significant fuel savings. Recent advances in electronics and control technologies make active boundary layer control possible.

Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel Available Oct. 15, 2006

On Sunday, October 15, operators of more than eight million diesel-powered trucks and buses in the U.S. will be able to fill up with a new, Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel (ULSD)that is 97 percent cleaner than the old formulation it replaces.

Cleaner diesel fuel will immediately cut soot emissions from any diesel vehicle by 10 percent. But when combined with a new generation of engines hitting the road in January, it will enable emission reductions of up to 95 percent, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Diesel Technology Forum (DTF).

Diesel trucks move 94 percent of the nation's goods -- more than 18 million tons of freight each day. Half a million diesel buses take 14 million people to work and school. The new fuel opens the door for auto companies to begin offering cleaner diesel cars that deliver greater fuel economy.

A new 2007 diesel truck will emit just one-sixtieth the soot exhaust of one produced in 1988. And thanks to the new fuel, owners of existing diesel vehicles will have the option to install new emission controls that can reduce soot emissions by more than 90 percent.

Beginning on January 1st, 2007, new trucks' engines will have state-of-the-art emissions filters in place so technologically advanced that they will only be able to run on the new clean fuel. The new filters will capture and eliminate harmful emissions. The clean fuel, coupled with the new filters on every new truck, will work in concert to ensure that all new diesel rigs pass the "white handkerchief test," eliminating 98 percent of emissions and any hint of the smoke associated with diesels of the past.

Further information can be found here and here.

Small Cars Sales Continue to Increase

From USA Today:

Small-car sales could set a record this year ...This year will see the highest percentage of small cars, compacts and subcompacts sold since at least 1987, predicts consultants AutoPacific. Small cars will account for 31.5% of the total passenger car market, up a percentage point from last year. Market share will keep climbing through 2010, AutoPacific says. ...

Small cars and CUVs are going to rule," says George Pipas, market analyst for Ford Motor. That's bittersweet news for Detroit, he adds, because 72% of small cars sold are foreign makes. Small cars are also notorious for delivering slim profits.

The big reason behind the small-car shift is no surprise: gasoline prices. ... The sales pace may dampen somewhat with the retreat in gas prices, but AutoPacific says the drop-off won't be enough to change its estimates.

Build it Yourself Microcar

Jory Squibb, Camden, Maine, built the Moonbeam, which cruises at 40 mph and gets 100 mpg.  The "Microcar" was made from a 1987 Honda Elite 150 motorscooter in excellent condition for most of the running gear, controls and instruments. Additional parts were from a 1984 Elite 125, the frame and body were fabricated by Jory. It cost $2339 in materials and 1000 hours of labor.

The best cruising speed is 35-40 mph with occasional times of 45. The car goes 53 MPH on the level, but Jory finds that speed worrisome. Fuel economy has been tested many times.  On economy runs at a steady 40 MPH, it gets 105 to 106 MPG.  Around town, it's usually 80-85 MPG.

Honda to Produce Bioethanol Cars

According to the Daily Yomiur Online Honda Motor Co. is to mass-produce flex-fuel  compact cars that can run on 100 bioethanol, becoming the first Japanese automaker to do so. The company will first start producing and selling the vehicles in Brazil, the top nation in the world in terms of the use of bioethanol in automobiles.

Of the 65,000 or so Civic and Fit models produced in the company's plant in Brazil, the company will switch production of about 30,000 to bioethanol cars.

This announcement is complimentary to their announcement earlier this week that they are developing a process to produce cellulosic ethanol.

Thanks for tip from Green Car Congress

The BMW Hydrogen 7

BMW Press release (edited): BMW today announced the introduction of the new BMW Hydrogen 7, the world's first hydrogen-drive luxury performance automobile. The car will be built in a limited series in Europe and driven in the US and other countries by selected users in 2007. It is equipped with an internal combustion engine capable of either on hydrogen or on gasoline and based on the BMW 7 Series.

With all the comforts and amenities of a non-hydrogen 7 Series, the Hydrogen 7 is powered by a 260 hp twelve-cylinder engine and accelerates from 0-62.1 mph in 9.5 seconds. Top speed is limited electronically to 143 mph. The car also features a dual-mode power unit -- controlled at the touch of a button -- that can switch quickly and conveniently from hydrogen to conventional premium gasoline.

Postal Scooters Use Li-ion Batteries

De Post-La Poste, the national postal company of Belgium, and Oxygen, an Italian manufacturer of light electric vehicles, have signed a two-year contract for the supply of lithium-ion battery powered scooters. The first set of 50 Oxygen scooters will be tested by the Belgian post operator over the next six months, after which La Poste will decide on the further integration of the "Postscooter" within the La Poste fleet.

The Oxygen scooters are the only electric scooters in the market featuring the latest technologies, such as Valence Technology's (Nasdaq:VLNC - News) Saphion® Lithium-Ion rechargeable batteries , earlier post, brushless motor, electronic engine control and regenerative braking system to recharge the battery.

The "Postscooter" has been specifically designed to perform heavy duties and to make frequent stops. The scooters can perform the same tasks as traditional scooters without polluting the environment or making noise and at considerable cost savings over fuel.

The Oxygen scooters a cargo box that can be custom designed to store a variety of commodities, such as parcels, and travel a range of up to 150 kilometers (approximately 100 miles).

Fuel-Efficiency Drives Toyota Gains

The LA Times reported that as U.S. gasoline prices trickled downward in August, auto buyers continued to shift their buying to more efficient vehicles.

The shift gave Toyota Motor Corp. its 15th straight month of year-over-year growth on the strength of its fuel efficient fleet of small cars and utility vehicles, including gasoline-electric hybrids, industry data released Friday showed.

Toyota's 17% gain was the biggest among the top 10 automakers. It was followed by Hyundai Motor Co. of South Korea, which rose 6%; Hyundai affiliate Kia Motors Corp., 5.4%; and market leader General Motors Corp., 3.8%. 

Ford's 11.7% decline, led all automakers according to figures compiled by Autodata Inc. Other large carmakers that reported declines in August were DaimlerChrysler's U.S.-based Chrysler Group, down 4.2%; Honda Motor Co., 3.2%; and Nissan Motor Co., 2.7%.

Despite a 2.3% drop in sales of trucks from a year earlier, they continued to outsell cars with 51.6% of the market. That's a testament to the growing popularity of car-based crossover utility vehicles, such as GM's Chevrolet HHR and Toyota's RAV4, which are classified as trucks.

Houston, MS High School Wins Dell-Winston School Wins Solar Car Challenge

The Houston, Mississippi (population 4,079) Sundancer solar car team won the Dell-Winston School Solar Car Challenge open division championship trophy at Texas Motor Speedway for the sixth consecutive year. During the challenge’s four days and seven racing periods of three hours each, the Sundancer solar car traveled more than 619 miles (413 laps), at an averaged a speed of almost 30 mph, reached a top speed of approximately 60 mph and completed more laps than any of the 13 other cars competing in the race.

Ford Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine

Ford will be the first to deliver a hydrogen internal combustion engine powered vehicle to commercial customers later this year. The ICE will be used in E-450 shuttle buses later this year. Production of the supercharged, 235 hp, 6.8 liter hydrogen fueled V-10 engines has begun; the engine will be tested to same production standards as other Ford engines.

Advantages of hydrogen fueled engines include high efficiency, all-weather capability, and near zero emissions of regulated pollutants and greenhouse gases (CO2).

This engine is specially prepared to burn hydrogen as a fuel but is based on the same modular engine series that powers many Ford products.

American Energy Security Study

The American Energy Security Study (AESS) is the official name of the report referred to in the previous post. In a brief review of the executive summary I picked up the following items that give a little more background about the report.

The American Energy Security (AES) Study shows that the United States can eliminate dependence on oil imports entirely by 2030. It establishes a bold plan to replace approximately five percent of imported oil each year for 20 years, beginning in 2010 (see Figure 1 below). Assuming aggressive implementation beginning in 2007, under the SSEB American Energy Security initiatives domestic liquid fuels production and transportation efficiency savings begin gradually after 2010 and ramp up to produce most of the nation’s liquid fuels requirements by 2030.

To establish U.S. energy security and independence by 2030 all feasible supply and demand options must be aggressively pursued. There is no single answer:

• Transportation energy efficiency improvements are important but, by themselves, can contribute only a small portion of the required solution.
• Renewable biomass fuels are a critical part of the portfolio of required initiatives, but can produce less than one-fourth of the required liquid fuels.
• CTL, oil shale, and EOR will all contribute substantially, and all three technologies must be aggressively deployed.

The U.S. is endowed with the largest alternative oil resources in the world. This includes five hundred billion tons of coal (oil equivalent of approximately 750,000 billion barrels), the potential to sustain 1.3 billion tons of biomass collection/harvesting for liquid fuel production by 2030 (oil equivalent of approximately 4.5 million barrels per day to perpetuity), more than a trillion barrels of oil shale liquid fuels, and 80+ billion barrels of oil stranded in conventional reservoirs that are technically recoverable using CO2 injection and sequestration to enhance oil recovery. These resources rival estimated worldwide conventional oil resources of 1-2 trillion barrels.

Proposed Plan to End Oil Imports

American imports of oil could be eliminated by 2030, a new study claims, if the U.S. adopts an aggressive 20 year program of energy efficiency and commercialization of four already-demonstrated technologies for making transportation fuels.The New York Times reported on Saturday that the study sponsored by a nonprofit group of legislators and governors called the Southern States Energy Board, to be released on Monday, urges a crash program to meet fuel needs without imports. The study, authored by Roger Bezdek, claims that more than a million new jobs would be created and the deficit reduced by $600 billion.

The four technologies are:

1. Coal liquefication which would replace 29% of oil.
2. Use biomass to make syngas which would be converted to liquid fuels by a gasification-Fischer-Tropsch (FT) Process.
3. Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) using CO2 produced by the other processes which would also eliminate CO2 emmisions that cause global warming.
4. Production of oil from shale.

The study indicates that oil prices of $35 to $55 a barrel are necessary for these process to be competitive.

The study does not endorse corn ethanol, but it does anticipate the production of cellulosic ethanol, in a process which it points out is not yet commercial.

RE: The False Hope of Biofuels

The Sunday, July 2, edition of the Washington Post had a column titled "The False Hope of Biofuels" which had the basic premise that biofuels could only supply half of our transportation fuel needs by 2025 and that food supplies would be compromised if it did so.  I don't think that any responsible person has argued that we could supply more than 30% of our current transportation fuel requirements, rather a diversity of fuels and conservation methods, featuring plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, will be required to provide relief from our increasingly expensive oil supplies.

In the most authoritative report on this subject "Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply", an ORNL study determined that enough fuel could be produced from biomass to meet more than one-third of our current demand for transportation fuels in the U.S. by 2030. As far as the arguments about land usage, the land necessary for producing the biofuels includes currently unused marginal land on which switchgrass or similar crops could be grown, land that is currently idle, and cellulose products produced from forestry wastes and the like, that do not require any additional land usage, as well as a fraction of the land currently devoted to the production of food, which is currently used to produce food for export or to produce food that is bought by the government to subsidise farmers. This study did not include the very significant amount of fuel that could be made from municiple solid waste, or methane from landfills and animal wastes (manure).

The answer to our increasingly expensive fuels is a diversified utilization of several technologies, not just biofuels.  The combination of biofuels; vehicles that use less fuels, such as energy efficient hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs): those made by Toyota, the Honda Insight and Civic and the Ford Escape Escalade; more importantly plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs); all electric vehicles (EVs); fuels made by coal liquefaction; vehicles running on CNG; our remaining domestic supplies of oil; and gains in efficiency made possible by more widespread use of mass transportation are more than sufficient to supply our transportation needs for the foreseeable future, even after allowing for population growth and land needed for growing food crops.

Eaton, Webasto Announce No Idle Technologies

Eaton Corporation and Webasto have announced no idle or significant idle reduction technologies to improve fuel economy and emissions reductions during periods while trucks are parked.

With only limited options available until now, truckers have regularly idled their engines to run the factory-installed air conditioning if they wish to rest comfortably when summer temperatures rise.  But legislation in more than 20 states and Canada, plus increased pressure nationally from the EPA, is making that practice illegal.  In most cases, local laws prohibit the idling of diesel-fueled commercial motor vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds for more than five minutes when not engaged in work activities.  Additionally, city mayors of at least 225 major metropolitan areas nationwide have recently taken a pledge to adopt laws and policies (including anti-idling legislation) that support the goals of the Kyoto Protocol.

Solar Sailor: The Wind, Solar Hybrid Ferry

Two plug-in hybrid tourist ferries powered by the wind and sun, augmented a diesel engine, will carry visitors to San Francisco’s Alcatraz island under a contract between the National Park Service and ferry operator Hornblower Cruises and Events, who is purchasing the ferries from the Australian company Solar Sailor.  The hybrid vessels in the winning proposal by Hornblower were designed by Solar Sailor and modeled on the Solar Sailor ferry in service at Sydney, Australia (above).

The ferries will pollute less and get better mileage because they run on electricity much of the time. The new hybrid ferries will hold 600 passengers and capable of operating at 12 to 15 knots.

The ferries will have a large, rigid wing covered with solar panels that captures solar and wind power while also allowing sail navigation when conditions are right. In bad weather, the sail folds down flat above the deck like a roof.  Batteries allow the diesel engines to be turned off at port, which means no smells or emissions at the boarding ramp. The vessels can also be plugged into an onshore power outlet to recharge the batteries.

Maxwell Supercapacitor Production Boosted with Chinese Alliance

Maxwell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL) announced today that it has formed a manufacturing alliance with Belton Technology Group, a major Chinese manufacturer of precision components, flex circuits, circuit boards and other products, to support Maxwell’s forecasted growth to multi-million-unit annual volumes for its BOOSTCAP® ultracapacitors and multi-cell modules, driven by automotive, transportation and industrial electronics applications that are advancing toward high-volume production.

Dr. Richard Balanson, Maxwell’s president and chief executive officer, said that Maxwell will continue to produce its proprietary carbon powder electrode material internally and deliver it to Belton plants for assembly into finished ultracapacitor cells and modules.  “The worldwide ultracapacitor market is real, and the demand we foresee in 2007 and beyond requires large-scale production capabilities such as those Belton already has in place,” Balanson said.

Electric Brakes fo Future Cars

It is a little stretch to put this item on The Energy Blog, but the Electric Wedge Brake (EWB) would save weight and energy in future automobiles in adddition to revolutionizing braking systems.  Siemans VDO's EWB braking system makes possible a 12V brake-by-wire system.

The electric motors for the brakes obtain their energy from the turning wheels. The intelligently controlled wedge converts the kinetic energy of the vehicle directly into braking energy. As a result of its self-reinforcing action, the EWB is faster than today’s hydraulic brake and requires only one-tenth the energy to operate.

As shown in the illustration, the brake rotor (1) and the pad (2) are brought into contact with each other by electric motors (3, 4) using several roller screws (5) along wedge-shaped angled surfaces (6).  The wedge effect is automatically amplified as the result of the wheel's rotation allowing varying degrees of braking force to be generated with little effort.  This operation of the brake can be seen in this video of EWB operation.

Hydrogen Engine Center Unveils Mini Oxx Three Cylinder 2.4L Engine

Hydrogen Engine Center (HEC) (OTC BB: HYEG.OB) today unveiled the new Mini Oxx(TM) three cylinder 2.4L engine at Aviation Industry Expo in Las Vegas, Nev. The Mini Oxx(TM) is a compact version of HEC's Oxx Power(TM) six cylinder 4.9L engine. The Mini Oxx(TM) will produce approximately 65 horsepower. Many applications exist for the Mini Oxx(TM) including luggage tractors and other airport ground support equipment.

"Seventy-two of the 81 parts used in the six cylinder, 4.9L engine are the same for the new three cylinder Mini Oxx(TM) and are interchangeable," said Ted Hollinger, president of HEC.  The engines include the same essential technologies and can be converted to use hydrogen when it is available. HEC has targeted production of the Mini Oxx(TM) to begin in the first quarter of 2007.

Hydrogen Engine Center (HEC) engineers, manufactures and sells a family of low-emission industrial engines and generator sets built to run on gasoline and a variety of other alternative fuels, including hydrogen. HEC is located at 2502 East Poplar Street, Algona, IA 50511. Visit http://www.hydrogenenginecenter.com/ for more information

Solar Powered UAV

QinetiQ, Europe's largest science and technology organization, has completed the first flight trials of Zephyr - a High-Altitude, Long-Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that has a 12 meter (39 ft) wingspan but weighs just 27 kilograms (59 pounds).

The trials took place at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, USA. Two aircraft were flown for four and a half and six hours respectively, the maximum flight times permitted under range restrictions. The maximum altitude attained was 27,000 feet above sea level.

Scuderi Engine Claims Highest Efficiency

The Scuderi Group has recently received quite a bit of publicity about its efforts to develop the Scuderi Split-Cycle Engine – potentially the world’s most efficient internal combustion engine.

The engine achieves its improved performance by separating the functions of the four cycle engine into an intake/compression cylinder and a power/exhaust cylinder.  Gas is compressed in the compression cylinder and transferred to the power cylinder through a gas passage. The gas passage includes a set of valves, which maintain a precharged pressure through all four strokes of the cycle. These two cylinders perform their respective functions once per crankshaft revolution, while typically conventional engines require two revolutions of the crankshaft to perform these functions. As a result, the split-cycle design provides more flexibility in how engines are built. A video showing how the engine works can be found here. 

Zap Smart Car to be Available Soon

After a number of false starts ZAP (PCX:ZP) now claims it is about to start selling the Smart Car, the  fuel-efficient micro-car from Europe.  ZAP is preparing to distribute the cars along with other models through a dealer network it is forming in the U.S. that specializes in advanced automotive technologies.

According to the UK website/technical information, the 61 hp Smart fortwo which appears to be the car that is being sold in the US has the following fuel consumption, m/usg (l/100km):

• Urban                  38.6 (6.1) - 39.3 (6.0)
• Extra urban cycle  57.4 (4.1) - 58.7 (4.0)
• Combined cycle    49.0 (4.8) - 50.1 (4.7)

Some of the vital statistics for the Smart Car are:

PERFORMANCE

• Top speed: 85 mph
• Sequential 6-speed transmission
• Automatic or manual mode selectable
• Tank Capacity: 8.7 gallons

DIMENSIONS

• Weight: 1588 lbs
• Length: 8'2.5"
• Width: 4'11.5"
• Height: 5'

Additional features of the American Smart Car can be found at the Zap website.

Sleek Aptera Hybrid Designed for 330 mpg

Accelerated Composites is developing a two seat, three wheeled hybrid car that is projected to get 330 mpg.  The high mileage is made possible because the car is lightweight, weighing only 850 pounds and because it is  extremely aerodynamic, having the lowest drag coefficient of any mass produced car.  The company forecasts that the car will retail at $20 000.

The car named the Aptera TM, is made out of materials which give the car its incredibly light weight.  Over 90% of the automobile will be composed of composites, including the seat structure, swing, and upper and lower control arms.  The vehicle uses lightweight core throughout the sandwich panels, some of which use synthetic materials, while others are engineered natural products. Reinforcements used include carbon, glass and aramid (Kevlar) fibers.

Safety is not compromised despite the sleek look of the artist rendering.  Its construction is based on the so-called driver-protection “crash box” that is typically used in Formula One motor racing.  The area between the crash box and the body is filled with foam as a crush zone for increased safety of the passengers.  The car, although technically classified as a motorcycle, will be equipped with air bags and seat belts.  Rubber bumpers, not evident on the rendering, are blended into the front and back of the body to prevent damage from incidental contact with cars and curbs.

Note on Flywheels in Transportation

I caused a little confusion on my post on flywheels by including their use in vehicles under the category of energy reuse, although that was a correct category.  A little further explanation is due however.

Flywheels have been used on engines since their inception and the technology for this application is quite mature.  A possible new application for energy storage has developed with the introduction of hybrid vehicles.  This is because batteries cannot absorb nearly all the power that is available from regenerative braking, the chemical reaction in a battery is much too slow for this.  More than 50% of this energy is wasted.  Flywheels and ultracapacitors can do this job much better.  Flywheels have been used on hybrid subway and hybrid light rail vehicles with success. Their use is being developed for use on hybrid delivery vehicles.  The ultracapacitor has been used on hybrid buses with very good success.  Both of these technologies are expensive and add to the cost of already expensive hybrid vehicles.  Where life-cycle costs are important, as in high mileage commercial vehicles, they can be justified.  One flywheel company is developing a flywheel system aimed at the personal vehicle market, and they are working with on low volume producer.  It is my opinion that flywheels are too heavy and too costly to be incorporated into automobiles with current or near term technology. 

On the other hand ultracapacitors are lightweight, in fact it is claimed that the combined weight and size of an ultracapacitor and battery are reduced compared to the current weight and size of a battery. This is because the ultracapacitor can take over the starting duty of the battery, reducing the size of the battery considerably. (An ultracapacitor with enough capacity for a few starts is state of the art and increases in functionality with decreasing temperature, the capacitor can be recharged in about 15 minutes of driving--ultracapacitors are starting to replace batteries for starting of diesel engines because of these properties) The life of the battery is also increased considerably due to less cycling and no deep discharges.  The cost of ultracapacitors can be reduced significantly with high volume production, so this looks like a much more suitable means of increasing the energy reuse in a car.

It seems to me that a very cost effective "mild hybrid" could be made by putting in an ultracapacitor combined with shutting off the engine when the vehicle is stopped.  If this would increase the mileage by 10 to 15% with little increase in cost it should be a no brainer.  So what is wrong with my reasoning or are the car companies just not motivated.

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More Proof of Global Warming

Dr Michael Coughlin, head of the National Climate Centre was reported as saying that the world is now hotter than any time since prehistoric times.  He is supported by research using gas trapped in Antarctic ice going back 650,000 years that found that current levels of carbon dioxide in the air are 27% higher than at any tiny time during that period.  This goes along with NASA's report that says that 2005 is the hottest year on record.

Effects that have been attributed to the warming include that the Artic sea ice dropped to its lowest level ever, the record hurricane season and an unprecedented drought that reduced the flow of the Amazon river to its lowest ever rate.  Canada and Australia had their hottest ever weather this year, while India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Algeria suffered heatwaves reaching 50C.

If this isn't strong enough proof that global warming is real, what do you need Mr President?  It certainly should be enough to convince you to take all possible measures to reduce global warming, which should include as its main point the reduction of burning of fossil fuels. The time required for any mitigating measures to have any impact is so great, that all stops have to be pulled out now.  Items that have been repeatedly indicated as being necessary include:

How GE Captures New Energy Markets

An article from Fortune magazine via the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, gives a comprehensive review of General Electrics activities in the energy market. In perhaps the broadest and largest corporate effort anywhere, GE spent $700 million in 2004 on clean-energy R&D--ranging from hydrogen production to solar cells, cleaner coal plants, and biofuels. Their wide variety of activities include:

• Their very successful wind turbine business has sold 5,500 turbines since 2002, with 1,600 to be installed this year.  They hope wind power will eventually supply 20% of U.S.'s total energy.
• They are developing hybrid electric locomotives that they have running on an eight mile long test track, which they will start selling in 2007.
• They have many hydrogen related projects including solid oxide fuel cells for stationary applications, ICE engines modified to run on hydrogen, gas stations that use electrolysis to generate hydrogen, methods of storing hydrogen in man-made nanoparticles or in metal hydrides and thermochemical methods of producing hydrogen.
• GE has been building new high temperature nuclear reactors in Europe and Asia.
• They have teamed with Exxon Mobil and Schlumberger to study how to sequester carbon dioxide.
• They are developing IGCC technology for producing electricity and hydrogen.
• GE is pursuing three ways of using solar cells: developing more efficient solar cells, developing electrochemical cells that produce hydrogen, reducing the size of thermal solar farms from hundreds of acres to tens of acres by improving concentrating solar system efficiency.  An example of their research in solar is the development of nanodiodes--whiskers 1/80,000th the thickness of a human hair--displaying a photovoltaic effect that converts sunlight into electricity.

John K. Reinker, who runs a team of about 60 scientists on hydrogen related subjects, is excited about the sheer scope of GE's energy R&D. "I don't think there is any other company in the world that is looking at so many energy technologies and as a result is able to understand which have the most probability of success." Thomas Edison, GE's original research scientist, would be proud.

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Steam Turbocharges BMW Engine

BMW Group Research and Engineering has demonstrated a new technology, referred to as the turbosteamer, which recovers heat normally wasted in an internal combustion engine and converts it to additional power.

Heat is recovered from both the exhaust gas and the cooling water to make steam, with the majority of the heat coming from the exhaust.  The steam is then expanded to produce the power which is input to the drive shaft of the engine.  A rather complex cycle with eight components and interconnecting piping, which is shown in the illustration, recovers the heat at various temperatures, superheats the steam and then runs it through two expanders and then uses water exiting the radiator to cool the condensers.  The water from the radiator is circulated through the system in a low temperature circuit, while the steam and steam condensate are circulated through a high temperature circuit with heat exchanged from one circuit to the other to maximize the efficiency.

BMW claims that more than 80% of the heat in the exhaust is recovered.

Testing to date has been in a test rig.  All of the components have been designed so that they will fit in the 3 series. In a test with a 1.8 liter engine, the turbosteamer system reduced fuel consumption by 15% while generating 14 additional horsepower and 20 addition Nm of torque.

Resource: BMW More Efficiency Instead of Power Loss, BMW press release via Autoblog, December 7, 2005

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Solatec Solar Panels for Hybrids

Solatec LLC(TM) announced that it is producing flexible, rooftop-mounted Solar Panels for Hybrid Vehicles, starting with a kit for the 2004-2006 Toyota Prius. A prototype (pictured) has been operating in the Northeast for several months under mixed driving conditions. With Solatec panels installed on the roof, the prototype SolaPrius(R) averages 55 MPG city and 62 MPG highway - an overall 10 percent improvement over the pre-installation numbers. All-season testing is in progress.

Solatec's photovoltaic kit adds two flexible, conformal panels that charge the hybrid automobile's auxiliary battery through a proprietary charger/current-limiter system concealed behind interior trim panels. The self-adhesive, rooftop-mounted panels are only 0.6mm thick and cause no change in aerodynamic drag. The panels are rated for 30 watts at 18 volts.

Development of the hybrid vehicle solar panels came about as a side project of Solatec LLC's solar aircraft research, which uses the same high efficiency flexible photovoltaic panels to sustain the aircraft in flight. The same aircraft grade adhesive is used on both systems.

The $2,195 kits will be available nationwide through dealer franchises. Kits for other hybrid cars are presently in development and testing.

Solatec LLC is a Nevada company engaged in alternative energy research, development and manufacturing. Solatec's main areas of research currently include solar, wind power and geothermal energy.

There have been questions as to why this hasn't been done before.  The miles that have to be driven to recover the cost of the panels, like the miles to be driven to recover the additional cost of a hybrid are likely to be to high to justify the panels on an economic basis.  If your living in the desert (lots of sun), add a few more batteries (more cost) and only have to drive a few miles, you might be able to have the convenience of not having to buy gas very often.  But then an electric vehicle would make more sense.  But there are a lot of people, like me, who would like to have the newest technology, would like the environmental benefits of burning less hydrocarbons and see this as a way of developing technologies that will be necessary as our hydrocarbon fuels become depleted and much more costly.

Resources: New Solar Panels for Hybrid Cars Improve MPG, Press Release, November 6, 2005
Solatec LLC, Wells, NV, USA, Company website

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Stirling Engine Powers Drone

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has received a patent for a drone powered by a Stirling engine.  The Stirling engine, operating at about 800 C, uses temperature difference to activate its gas-filed pistons.  A parabolic mirror, which tracks the sun, would be used to heat a thermal battery consisting of lithium and lithium hydride.  Heat stored in the battery would then be used to heat the Stirling engines gas, while the cold air outside the plane would provide the cooling for the engine.

Obtaining the correct mixture of lithium hydride and lithium and the materials of construction used in the container for the battery are critical to successful operation of the battery.  According to the patent, lithium hydride has a higher density of energy storage of any known material, but is normally explosive above 700C. By adding a small amount of pure lithium the mixture becomes stable. Containment of the mixture is difficult due to the reactive nature of the lithium, but certain alloys that are described in the patent can be used.  The container must be designed for a very low permeation rate of hydrogen to prevent an excessive pressure from being built up in the container.  A gold coating applied to the inside walls of the container can be used to obtain the desired permeation rate.

This is just a patent now, but LLNL has many secret projects, this could be one of them.  The construction of the battery is extremely sophisticated, my description is much simplified. 

Resources:

Invention: Hot-air plane, New Scientist.com, November 29, 2005
Patent: Solar thermal aircraft, Charles L. Bennett, patent number 20050242232, November 3, 2005

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New Rules Coming for Fuel Economy

EPA is going to propose new regulations for testing vehicle fuel economy by the end of this year and wants the new tests in place by the 2008 model year.  The update will be the first major change to the EPA's fuel economy tests since 1985. The EPA tests vehicles to get the estimated city and highway fuel economy displayed on vehicle's window stickers.

EPA administrator Steve Johnson said he hasn't decided what the final proposal will look like but it will take into account more factors than the current test. People drive faster than they did in the 1980s, and road congestion has increased. Vehicles have more accessories like air conditioning, which use up vehicle power, and the EPA still conducts tests at 75 degrees, which doesn't take into account the effect of hot or cold weather on fuel economy.

We certainly need new and better mileage information to help us make an educated decision on what car to buy.  EPA does not establish CAFE standards, but this is where we really need new standards.  Legislation has been introduced to change these.  We will have to wait and see whether new CAFE standards can make it through congress now that the price of gasoline has become of more concern.  It will require some votes from republicans if it is to get through.  Its another time where letting your opinion be known could make a difference.

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Zap to Import Cars From Brazil

Automotive Pioneer ZAP (PCX: ZP) of Santa Rosa, California announced the first public showing of its latest vehicles, including the OBVIO! at the 47th Annual San Francisco International Auto Show, November 19-27 at The Moscone Center.

ZAP and OBVIO! have agreed to collaborate in the design and manufacture of high efficiency, high performance urban cars. OBVIO!, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, intends to manufacture two models for export to the USA the model 012, shown above, and the model 828.  ZAP will work closely with OBVIO! to ensure these advanced technology vehicles are fully compliant with United States regulatory requirements and will serve as the exclusive representative and distributor for OBVIO! in North America. The 828 is expected to be availble for delivery in the third quarter of 2006 and the 012 in the last quarter of 2007.

Under the terms of the agreement, ZAP is ordering 50,000 vehicles from OBVIO! during the three year period following initial delivery. Given the level of interest ZAP continues to receive from its dealer network coupled with the "greening" of the American market, the partners see growing market demand for fuel efficient cars. According to the Wall Street Journal, the potential market for small, fuel-efficient cars could be as high as one million vehicles per year.

Hydrogen Boost for Truckers

Some truckers are now using hydrogen, generated onboard, to supplement their fuel and get a 10-40% increase in fuel efficiency.  The Canadian Hydrogen Fuel Company (CHEC) is selling its hydrogen fuel injection (HFI) system to:

• Reduce fuel costs, a guaranteed 10% in fuel savings
• Improve torque and horsepower
• Decrease exhaust emissions by about 50%
• Reduces oil degradation by about 50% and
• Decrease engine maintenance requirements

HFI is an onboard generator of hydrogen and oxygen gases for internal combustion engines.  The gases are generated by electrolysis of distilled water. They are introduced into the air intake manifold of the truck where they are mixed with the incoming air. Introducing a small amount of hydrogen to an engine enhances the flame velocity and thus permits the engine to operate with a leaner air to fuel ratio than otherwise possible. The result, is that relatively small amounts of hydrogen can significantly decrease fuel consumption, dramatically increase horsepower and reduce exhaust emissions.  The company spent 8 years in R & D with extensive road tests before going into the market. They now have over 60 million miles of road use with the HFI. 

Are Very Small Cars in Your Future?

Have you ever heard of the Toyota Yaris (shown), Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Hyundai Accent, Suzuki Aerio, Kia Reo or the Chevrolet Aveo?  These are the very small cars that their builders are bringing out to compete with the Scion.  The cars are primarily aimed at the youth market, but could see quite a bit of sales for third cars or for retirees. The Aveo is the best selling car in the segment and is coming out with a redesigned model next year.  The Aveo starts at under $10,000 but most of these dirt-cheap and fuel-efficient cars will start at about $12,000.  Most of these cars are expected to get mileage in the 30-40 mpg range, and with small 4 cylinder engines their performance will not be spectacular.

The Toyota Echo, to be replaced by the Yaris, got an overall gas mileage of 38, the Mini Cooper and the ScionXA and XB all got 30 mpg and the Aveo 28 mpg according to the April 2005 Consumer Reports.  I would hope there would be more in the upper 30's. It seems that cost, not mileage, is the main selling point.  Data is not out on several of these so maybe one will surprise me.  Hybrids and electrics seem to be the only way to go if real fuel conservation is your goal.  These cars may be making a comeback in the number of models available, but I wonder if that will turn into sufficient sales to keep them all on the market.

Reference: Small Cars Making a Big Comeback, CNN.com.AUTOS, November 9, 2005

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The Car that Makes its Own Fuel

Amnon Yogev, an retired Israeli professor from the Weizmann Institute and one of two founders of Engineuity, has invented a car that produces its own hydrogen fuel from light metals, such as magnesium or aluminum, eliminating all of the infrastructure required for making, transporting and storing hydrogen.  The inventor claims that when the cars become commercial, they will cost about the same as conventional cars and will be emission free.

A coil of the fuel - aluminum or magnesium - is fed into a device called a Metal-Steam combustor that will separate hydrogen out of water that is heated to a very high temperature.  The oxygen atoms will bond to the metal forming a metal oxide, freeing the hydrogen.  The hydrogen and the steam, which forms when the pressure in the 'fuel' line is reduced below that in the combustor, are sent to the engine where they are used to generate power.  My explanation: The steam will be superheated in the engine and returned to the Metal-Steam combustor to provide the heat needed to generate more hydrogen.  The waste metal oxide and remaining unoxidized metal would be removed from the combustor and collected for recycling at the fuel station where the coils of metal are purchased.

A drawback is that the amount of metal needed for fuel, to give the car the same range as a conventional car, weighs about three times as much as the gasoline it replaces.  The engine should be a minor modification of ICE's. They claim neither the purchase price or the running cost should be much different than conventional cars.  Engineuity plans on developing a prototype in three years if they are able to raise enough money from investors.

I don't believe its that simple.  Does it really work?  Can some of you bright young readers analyze the cycle and see if it can work?  How do you start the car?  Do you need a heater for the combustor and where do you get the energy to do that?  Can you produce some excess hydrogen and store it, that sounds expensive. How do you adjust the speed?  Somehow you must dump some of the heat produced in the engine I guess or can you throttle the hydrogen and design the combustor to take the high pressure that might result.  Can that be combined with the engine cooling system?  What is the response time of the system?  You have a volume in the combustor that might have to be heated and cooled to provide response.  What about the cost of the Metal-Steam combustor?  It must operate at a pretty high pressure and the pressure vessel then adds weight to the car.  I guess there is no exhaust system which saves a bit. I would think the price of the "feed metal" would go up with the price of energy, so there is not a great saving there, if any.  I have added some to the cycle description to clarify it, I hope I did it correctly.

Resource:  The Car That Makes its Own Fuel, IsraCast, October 24, 2005

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Hybrid Locomotives for Union Pacific

The Union Pacific Railroad has ordered 98 diesel-electric hybrid RailPower road switcher locomotives for use in Texas. The locomotives are estimated to provide fuel savings of 20% to 40% with reductions in NOx and particulates of about 80%.  The locomotives are designed to reduce fuel usage in road and branchline switching operations where locomotives use up to three times the amount consumed by yard switchers.  Union Pacific will apply its recent $81 million dollar award from the Texas Emmisions Reduction Plan towards the purchase of these locomotives.

The locomotives are powered by large banks of batteries connected to the hybrid power-train. When the batteries start to become depleted, the clean-burning diesel engine kicks in to power a generator to recharge the batteries. The hybrid locomotives are the world's largest and heaviest hybrid vehicles in production.

This order is for 80 triple-genset and 18 twin-genset RP series switchers.  In August Union Pacific purchased 10 hybrid yard switchers for use in California from Railpower.  In March, the Canadian Pacific Railway said it would buy as many as 35 hybrid locomotives from RailPower over a four-year period.

Hybrid technology is ideal for locomotives, due largely to the absence of weight constraints.  Switchers are deliberately designed to be heavy to gain maximum traction and they operate in an inefficient 'stop-go' manner that is hard on the large engines of conventional units. Unlike traditional switching locomotives, the hybrid switchers have very small diesel gensets, large banks of long-life, recyclable batteries, and do not idle.

Where Does The Energy Revolution Stand?

The Energy Revolution has met some major milestones In the six months since I have been writing this blog, in that there there have been several key developments relating to energy technology and policy which I would like to review and comment on. 

Transportation Fuels

My focus immediately became on transportation fuels, as I soon found out it was our most immediate concern. The development of technology and “roadmaps” that could lead to independence from foreign oil imports for the US and other countries have made significant progress in the last six months.  Although funding to accelerate usage of biofuels is totally inadequate, further evidence of the availability of potential resources is a major step.

• The refusal of congress to institute new mileage standards for passenger vehicles and light weight trucks is a major disappointment. Causes of this complacency include: 1) Congress is unconvinced of the urgency of the problem 2) Lobbyists that are opposed to these standards are much too influential and 3) Congress would rather let market forces create a demand for biofuels and hybrid vehicles rather than getting involved.
• Release of the Hirsch report which presented three scenarios for mitigating a decline in oil production. This report clearly indicates that if aggressive action to mitigate peak oil is not taken at least 10 years before it occurs we will face grave economic impact.  A must reading for all concerned about peak oil and the mitigation thereof.
• Record quantities of ethanol are being produced in Brazil with 40% of new cars sold capable of burning 100% ethanol and all gasoline sold contains at least 25% ethanol. The country is nearly independent of oil imports and is becoming a major exporter of ethanol. Brazil is a model in the use of renewable fuels for the rest of the world.  Please take note!
• Release of the Oak Ridge report stating that up to 30% of our liquid fuels could be produced from cellulosic materials.
• Announcement by DOE that enzymes have been developed that permit using any cellulosic material as a feedstock to the production of ethanol. This development makes possible meeting goals for producing 30% of our liquid fuels from cellulosic materials. This occurance was anticipated in the previously item and makes biofuels a major, realistic alternative.
• Announcement by CleanFuels that it was in the process of commercializing production of biodiesel from algae using smokestack emissions as fuel. This is significant in that it complementary, not competitive with other biodiesel production routes. At the same time the process also reduces CO2 and NOX emissions from power plants.  Though not nearly as far along in development as ethanol, algae biodiesel would make it possible to be the major biofuel.
• Increasing sales and announcement of hybrid vehicles, which is our main means of conservation of gasoline.
• Announcement by scientists at the University of Wisconsin that they had developed a process for producing Alkane based biodiesel from any carbonaceous material.
• A new Renewable Fuels Standard in the new Energy Bill requiring a doubling in the use of biofuels to 7.5 billion gallons a year by 2012.  Biomass was redefined to include any organic material grown for the purpose of being converted to energy.  This is not nearly a large enough program to allow ethanol and biodiesel to replace our oil imports in a timely manor, but it is a step in the right direction.