The Energy Blog

REVA Electric Car

India's REVA Electric Car Co. has experienced a sales growth of 25% in the past four months due to higher fuel prices and greater awareness and acceptance among consumers for electric cars.  The company was founded in 1994 and started selling its cars in May 2001.  According to its website "REVA is all set to become the largest manufacturer of EVs in the world."

REVA, a two door hatchback, seating two adults and two children, is designed to be a city car.  It has an onboard charger, requiring 7 hours for a full charge and 2.5 hours for an 80% charge.  The full charge has a range of 80 km (48 miles) and the 80 % charge has a range of 65 km (39 miles).  Top speed is 65 km/hr (39 mph).  The cars are 2.6 m (8.6 ft) long and 1.3 m (4.3 ft) wide.

All three models are equipped with a 13 kw (peak) motor.  Eight 6-Volt EV tubular type lead acid batteries are located under the front seat.  Regenerative braking extends the range.  The standard model has only basic features including tubeless tires. The REVA AC adds air conditioning  and a AM/FM radio.  The Classe has a remote controlled air conditioner/heater that can pre-cool the car while being charged or parked. It also is equipped with a high performance AM/FM cassette stereo, central locking, body colored bumpers, and two-tone leather seats.

Chemical: Triazole, Fuel Cell Breakthrough?

Researchers have identified a chemical, triazole, that could allow PEM fuel cells to operate more efficiently.  Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells are the the most promising fuel cells for portable use such as automobiles.  A team lead by Dr. Meilin Liu, a professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech, has discovered that a chemical called triazole is significantly more effective than similar chemicals researchers have explored to increase conductivity and reduce moisture dependence in polymer membranes.

A fuel cell essentially produces electricity by converting the chemicals, hydrogen and oxygen, into water. Proton exchange membranes used in fuel cells are a specially treated material that looks a lot like plastic wrap. It allows protons to pass through it virtually unimpeded, while electrons are blocked. The membrane is the key to building a better fuel cell.

Replacing water in the membrane with triazole has several positive effects:

• Previously membranes needed to operate at temperatures below 100 °C, usually about 80 °C, in order to retain the moisture needed to conduct protons.  Replacing the water in the membrane with triazole allows the fuel cell to operate at higher temperatures and thus more efficiently.
• The conductivity of the membrane is increased.
• The triazole-containing membranes operating at 120 °C eliminated the need for a water management system and dramatically reduced the cost and complexity of the membrane cooling system.
• The higher operating temperature, allows the use of lower purity hydrogen.  When operationg at lower temperatures; expensive, very high purity hydrogen, without traces of carbon monoxide, is required to prevent poisoning of the very sensitive catalyst required at these conditions.

While they have pushed their polymer fuel cells to 120 degrees Celsius with triazole, Liu’s team is looking into better polymers to get those temperatures even higher, he said.

Resources:

"Chemical Could Revolutionize Polymer Fuel Cells", Georgia Institute of Technology news release, 8/24/05
"Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC)", FUEL CELL TODAY, Fuel Cell Types

Technocrati tags: fuel cells, triazole, hydrogen

Shell Invests in Choren BTL Technology

Carbo-V is the patented biomass gasification process of CHOREN Industries that is used to produce SunDiesel. Shell Deutschland Oil Gmbh recently purchased an equity interest in CHOREN. The combination of Shell’s SMDS (Shell Middle Distillate Synthesis) Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis process with the Carbo-V gasification process may be a winning combination in BTL processes. CHOREN is planning to build a commercial 15,000 tonnes per year (4,620,000 US gallons/yr) plant using these technologies.

The Carbo-V’s three step biomass gasification process produces syngas without the tars and other impurities usually associated with biomass gasification. The Shell Middle Distillate Synthesis (SMDS) technology is the low-temperature, cobalt catalyst based FT process that they use for production of synthetic oil liquids. FT liquids are very clean, sulfur free and aromatic free; that meet the most stringent environmental standards.

Coal to Liquids (CTL) update

The Gilberton, PA coal-to-liquids (CTL) plant was advanced by the 2005 energy bill and Syntroleum Corporation and Linc Energy have signed a memorandum of agreement to pursue the development of a CTL project in Australia.

Gilberton CTL Plant

Funding for the Gilberton, PA was considerably eased by language in the 2005 energy bill.  Under provisions of the energy bill, Waste Management and Processors Inc. (WMPI) will be able to use a $100 million federal grant to secure loan guarantees for its planned coal-to-oil plant in Gilberton. 

With the federal guarantees, John W. Rich, president of WMPI, is "100% optimistic" about getting the financing to build the plant.  "There are about a dozen banks interested.  This is something all the banks would be interested in.  It's the government saying to the banks, 'don't worry about the loan."  "Now, we're talking about the spring of next year" for groundbreaking, with completion in another 30 months, Rich said about the plant.  The money already has been approved by the U.S. Department of Energy as a Clean Coal Power Initiative grant, according to U.S. Sens. Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum. 

While the technology has been used in Germany and South Africa, Rich's plant would be the first in the United States.

Syntroleum Corporation/Link Energy Memorandum of Agreement

Syntroleum Corporation, Tulsa, OK, USA, has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Australian-based Linc Energy to pursue the development of a coal-to-liquids (CTL) project using the Syntroleum(R) Process in Queensland, Australia. The agreement, combines Syntroleum's unique air-based Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technology with Linc Energy's underground coal gasification (UCG) expertise. The agreement is part of Linc Energy's ongoing Chinchilla Project which also includes early development of an integrated a power plant. 

The UCG process utilized at the Chinchilla facility is similar to commercial techniques used in Russia for over 30 years. It involves injecting air and steam into an underground coal seam through a series of boreholes and igniting the coal in-situ. The coal seam is gasified and hot product gas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide, or synthesis gas) is produced via a second series of boreholes.  The UCG syngas, undergoes sulfur removal and additional conditioning at the surface.  The syngas is similar to that obtained from conventional surface coal gasification systems, but production is achieved at a much lower cost.

"They have produced commercial volumes of nitrogen-diluted syngas which we believe have the characteristics uniquely suitable for Syntroleum's air-based FT process," said Ken Roberts, senior vice-president of business development at Syntroleum.  The synthesis gas flows into a reactor, where in a reaction based on F-T chemistry and containing a proprietary catalyst developed by Syntroleum, the gas is converted into synthetic hydrocarbons commonly referred to as "synthetic crude oil."

Further discussion of CTL can be found at About Coal Liquefaction.

Resources:

"Rich project receives boost", The Republican & Herald, 8/3/05   
"Syntroleum and Linc Energy Plan to Integrate Air-Based Fischer-Tropsch Technology with Underground Coal Gasification", Syntroleum press release, 8/15/05

Technocrati tags:

Biodiesel Costs Reduced $0.40 per Gallon by Glycol Production

The U of Missouri (MU) has developed a process for converting glycerin, a byproduct of biodiesel production, to popylene glycol, a nontoxic antifreeze.  This technology can reduce the cost of biodiesel production by as much as $0.40 per gallon of biodiesel said Glen Suppes, inventor of the process and chief science officer of the MU-based Renewable Alternatives. 

Currently, ethylene glycol is prominently used in vehicular antifreeze and is both toxic and made from petroleum. Suppes said the new propylene glycol product will meet every performance standard, is made from domestic soybeans and is nontoxic.

Right now, Renewable Alternatives is licensing this technology to three biodiesel plants, with a fourth one in the works.

This could be a good step in decreasing the cost of biodiesel and providing a non-petroleum chemical.  Reducing the cost of biodiesel is a big deal if it is ever to compete, on its own, with petroleum diesel.  The real problem with US biodiesel is that it is primarily made from soybeans.  At least we could make it from canola (rapeseed) which would double the yield per acre and decrease its cost. We do not have enough land to produce enough biodiesel from soybeans to have a real impact on reducing our dependence on oil.  Diesel from algae, the UW process or gasification/Fischer-Tropsch processes need to be developed for biodiesel to have a real impact.

theWatt and Green Trust Sustainability & Renewable Energy have had previous posts on this subject, but I thought I should put in my two cents worth.

Resouce:  "Chemical Engineering Professor Develops New  Biodiesel Process",  Research at MU news release, 8/12/05

Technocrati tags: biodiesel, propolyne glycol, renewable energy

11 MW Solar Tower Project in Spain Announced

Building of the first solar tower that will generate electricity commercially was announced by Solucar Energia, SA in Spain.  The 11 MW power tower, called PS-10, under construction near Seville will be Europe's largest solar plant.  The field surrounding the tower will consist of 624 large mirrors built on computer controlled pedestals to focus the sunlight on the top of a 330 foot tower, generating steam to make electricity.  The control system will synchronize the movement of all the mirrors relative to the sun's position in order to maximize the plants performance. The plant will benefit greatly from last year's royal decree that will allow it to sell power for up to three times the normal rate. The plant is scheduled to be operational by July 2006.

Further information on solar towers can be found in this previous post.

Resource:  "Spain to Build an 11-Megawatt Solar Power Tower", EERE News, 8/24/05

Technocrati tags: solar power, solar tower, renewable energy

About Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells

Thin-film amorphous Silicon (a-Si) solar cells are gaining momentum in the market place.  Amorphous Silicon cells use layers of a-Si only a few micrometers thick, attached to an inexpensive backing such as glass, flexible plastic, or stainless steel.  This means that they use less than 1% of the raw material (silicon) compared standard crystalline Silicon (c-Si) cells, leading to a significant cost saving.  Production of these cells is therefore less subject to the high prices of silicon caused by recent shortages.  The flexible backing allows them to be formed to fit applications, allows for the bending inherent when used in building materials, such as roofing, and prevents breakage during shipping and handling at the installation site.

Amorphous solar cells absorbs light more efficiently than c-Si, but they do not convert sunlight quite as efficiently, they require considerably less energy to produce, and are superior to crystalline cells in terms of the time required to recover the energy cost of manufacture.  Amorphous materials, by definition, lack a crystalline structure and can be created by melting and then rapid cooling a crystalline substance as is done with a plasma vapor deposition process.

Amorphous silicon is gradually degraded, by exposure to light, by a phenomena called the Staebler-Wronski Effect (SWE).  SWE effects the power output of a-Si modules by as much as 10%. This light induced degradation is reduced by depositing the layers of the cell using high hydrogen dilution and by making combinations (alloys) of different types of cells.  Because of SWE, a-Si cells are rated in the stabilized condition, which occurs after about 100 hours exposure to light.

The Electric Car's Not Dead

Electric cars with a range of 125, 155, and 250 miles have been announced by three Asian car makers.  The longer ranges than previous models make them more practical and they should appeal to a larger market.  They are also good news for The Energy Revolution as electric cars, to the extent that they are used, reduce the consumption of liquid transportation fuels, switching it to electrical energy, which does not rely on these fuels that are becoming in short supply.

Subaru plans a car, the R1e, to be released in Japan as early as 2009, with 125 mile range, using lithium-ion batteries, that can be recharged to 90% of capacity in 5 minutes.

Mitsubishi Motors has plans to release a mini-vehicle in 2008.  The car, called the Mieve, has a 155 mile range, a 90 mph top speed, powered by lithium-ion batteries, will have a recharge time of 4 hours and be priced under $18,300.  This appears to be a smaller car, with a earlier delivery date than the car I described in a previous post, although their quite a few similarities or they may have modified their plans.

Chinese battery maker Byd, worlds second largest manufacturer of  rechargeable batteries for cell phones, bought out a Chinese automaker and claims it has developed an EV with a range of 250 miles on lithium-ion batteries, and a top speed of 75mph.  It is building a 200,000 unit plant in western China and is planning to export world-wide.

These cars have enough range for most commuters and all use lithium-ion batteries, indicating that this battery is catching on and should be the standard for hybrids and electrics within five years.  The quick charging Subaru makes it as easy as filling up for gas. Because all of these cars are quite small they may have a hard time in American markets, but who knows what $3.00 or higher gas prices will do to consumer tastes. 

Resources:

"The Electric Car's Not Dead; Asian Companies Strive for Breakthrough", Edmunds/Inside Line, 8/19/05
"Subaru Joins Electric Car Race with R1e", treehugger, 8/21/05
"Mitsubishi, TEPCO To Team Up On Electric Car", Terra Daily, 8/18/05
"Battery firm bids for leading role in auto Industry", People's Daily Online, 2/4/04

Technocrati tag: electric vehicles

Sky High Wind Power

Wind power at 30,000 feet is what the start-up Sky WindPower is proposing.  They would use clusters of Flying Electric Generators (FEGs), on the end of a current carrying tether, in the jet stream at 15,000 to 30,000 feet.  The company has done wind tunnel tests and low altitude tests to prove their idea.  They are hoping to build a 200 kw model, flying at 15,000 ft, somewhere in a remote area of the U.S.

They envision a commercial FEG will have four or eight rotors each generating 2.5 MW.  Clusters of FEG's could provide as much power as need for a given site.

The FEG would fly up into the sky, with its rotors powered by electricity off the grid, pulling up its tether.  Once it at its desired altitude it would change the pitch on its rotors and start generating power from the wind.  GPS technology would be used to assure that the rotorcraft stays within a few feet both horizontally and vertically of where it is programed to be and a computer would control the rotorcraft's attitude, i.e. pitch, roll and yaw. 

Venezuela's New Refineries One Bright Spot in Oil price Crises

High oil prices, declining oil production - these subjects seem to monopolize thepetroleum/peak oil headlines.  One small piece of good news is Venezuela's recent announcement that they plan on building three new oil refineries. 

Venezuela president Chavez said the state oil company, PDVSA, plans on building three new oil refineries in coming years and that his government would be willing to discuss establishing a new OPEC price band for world oil prices.  Two new refineries will have a capacity of 50,000 barrels a day each, and a third would process as much as 400,000 barrels a day.  "We also plan to expand other refineries such as the ones in Puerto La Cruz, and El Palito so they can process heavy crude," Chavez said.

These refineries will not make up for the loss of oil from depletion, in other parts of the world, during the time that they are built, but at least it is some slowing of the decline of oil production.  What will the refineries, already built, do to maintain their supply of oil?  Many of them couldn't handle the heavy oil that these refineries will use, a growing problem in many refineries, so maybe they just operate at lower capacity since they will have trouble finding crude.  And what is this about a new price band?  It surely can't be lower than the $50.00 - $60.00 price range that I last heard from OPEC.

The press certainly has caught on to the high prices of oil, and in some cases its relationship to declining oil production, as is evidenced by these headlines.  Read a few of these articles if you have missed them or just want to gain some insight into the current price crises.

Why Oil Prices Will Stay High
OPEC Reveals Global Light Sweet Crude Peaked
How much oil do we really have?
The twilight era of petroleum
Is Oil Heading for $100 a barrel
Wall Street giants see oil rising
En route to $75 oil
What keeps driving oil prices higher?
2005 oil outlook: Is this the year when demand outstrips supply?
How serious is peak oil?
5 bucks a gallon for gas? Expert sees it coming in 2006
Why are gas prices so high?

Reference:
"Venezuela will build three new oil refineries, President Chavez says", Canada.com, National Post, 8/19/05

Technocrati tags: oil refineries, peak oil, oil price crises

"Ideal" Nanotube Diodes have Future Solar Applications

GE Global Research has developed a 'perfect' carbon nanotube diode, which should allow development of smaller, faster electronic devices and more efficient solar systems. They describe the discovery as an ideal carbon nanotube diode that operates at the 'theoretical limit.  The ideal efficiency of the nanotubes gives them an advantage over other diodes where heat generation is a concern that often limits the use of small computer chips.  The tiny nanotubes photovoltaic effect has "broad implications for solar energy."  "The discovery of a photovoltaic effect in our nanotube device could lead to exciting breakthroughs in solar cells that make them more efficient and a more viable alternative in the mainstream energy market."  Products using this technology most likely will not be available for many years in the future.

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of the carbon nanotube diode is shown at left. The "hairline" running diagonally across the "black bar" in this photograph is the carbon nanotube, which is about 80,000 times smaller than a human hair.  A nanotube is about 1.4 nanometers in diameter compared to current microprocessor transistors which are in the 65 nanometer range.

This could rank as the most important discovery of the year, if not the decade.  Keep a watch out for this technology to appear in commercial products.

Resources:

"GE brings nanotech breakthrough to light" timesunion.com, 8/20/05
"GE Global Research Develops “Ideal” Carbon Nanotube Diode", GE Global Research Press Release, 8/18/05

Technocrati tags: nanotubes, nanotechnology, photovotaics, solar, diodes

The 25X Sunflower™ Concentrating Solar Module

The 25X Sunflower™ is modular concentrating solar system that utilizes 25 - 1' x1' mirrors that concentrate the sunlight by a factor of 25 and focus the light on a photovoltaic receiver which produces 200 watts of electricity.  The system is designed for flat-roofed, grid-tied commercial buildings and is planned to be available in North America by late 2005.  The module is a little over 5 feet square and 5 feet high as shown on this artists rendition on the companies website.

Each of the mirrors is separately aligned, to follow the sun, but are all attached to a single frame/mechanism and moved by just two motors. The receiver is a collection of photovoltaic cells that are wired together to produce electricity. It is cooled by fins that keep the cells operating within 30°C of ambient temperature at all times.

The company tested the Sunflower on its own rooftop in Pasadena and it is currently being tested at Arizona State University's Photovoltaic Testing Lab for UL approval prior to being released for sale and production late this year.

Plug-in Hybrids Equal Off Peak Power

Plug-in hybrids have an advantage that I hadn't thought of before. Plug-in hybrids or all electrics (perhaps to a lesser extent) are usually recharged at night and if they are adopted in a significant way they would go a long way towards balancing the load on electrical utilities.  Because of this the owners should be able to buy electricity at a lower rate during the off-peak period, much as many utilities give a lower rate for for water heater.  With the Internet, there are more alternatives available to regulate how the off peak electricity can be delivered and metered to your home.

I found this idea while I browsing through the Entropy Production Blog.  His posts go into great detail to explain potential savings of using off-peak power and the fact that if it is not used and everyone plugged there car in at 5 or 6 pm the plug-ins would cause an undesirable extra demand on the utilities.  His original post made on 8/8/05 can be found here and a follow up post made on 8/12 is here.

Technocrati tags: hybrid cars, off-peak power

Cheney to Visit Oil Sands

VP Dick Cheney is going to Alberta next month and will visit the Canadian oil sands.  He is expected to tour one of the major oil sands projects in Fort McCray, meet Deputy Prime Minister Anne Malcolm speak to the Fraser Institute in Calgary and go hunting and fishing at an undisclosed site according to a August 17 article on the GLOBEANDMAIL.COM.

The oil sands have been receiving a lot of interest lately.  China, France, Germany and big oil all have been showing interest in the oil sands, touted as having the largest oil reserves outside of Saudi Arabia.

See the complete article here.

See this article and this article for a little more about the oil sands.  I will be having an in depth post about the oil sands sometime later this year.

Technocrati tags: oil sands, unconventional oil

About Dish/Engine Concentrating Solar Power

Dish/engine concentrating solar power uses a mirror in the shape of a dish to collect and concentrates the sun's heat onto a small area where a receiver is located.  The receiver transfers the sun's energy to a heat engine, usually a Stirling cycle engine, that converts the energy into power.  Of all the solar technologies that hve been demonstrated on a practical scale the solar dish has the highest efficiency, 30%.   The electricity needs of the entire U. S. could theoretically be met by such a system, in the desert, in an area 100 miles on a side. 

The six dish system, shown at left, was installed by Stirling Energy Systems (SES) at Sandia National Laboratories in early 2005, the largest array of dish/Stirling systems in the world. Each unit operates automatically. Without operator intervention or even on-site presence, it starts up each morning at dawn and operates throughout the day, tracking the sun and responding to clouds and wind as needed. Finally it shuts itself down at sunset. The system can be monitored and controlled over the Internet. Experimental models of the Stirling dish technology have undergone more than 26,000 hours of successful solar operation. The cost for each prototype unit is about $150,000. Once in production SES estimates that the cost could be reduced to less than $50,000 each, ($2.00 per watt) which would make the cost of electricity competitive with conventional fuel technologies.

Southern California Edison (SCE) and Stirling Energy Systems have announced an agreement that could result in construction of the world’s largest solar facility, capable of producing more electricity than all other U.S. solar projects combined.  The SCE-SES project represents the first major application of Stirling dish technology in the commercial electricity generation field.  Initially, Stirling would build a one-MW test facility using 40 of the company’s 37-foot-diameter dish assemblies.  Subsequently, a 20,000-dish array would be constructed near Victorville, Calif.  The 20-year power purchase agreement signed August 9, 2005, which is subject to California Public Utilities Commission approval, calls for development of a 500-megawatt (MW) solar project 70 miles northeast of Los Angeles using innovative Stirling dish technology.  The agreement includes an option to expand the project to 850 MW.

New Oil Drilling Apparatus

A less expensive, more reliable oil production technology that is safer and reduces environmental impact is being commercialized by Completion Concepts Inc., Katy, TX.  The apparatus could significantly increase production of heavy oil, an enormous resource that constitutes as much as half of the world’s oil-in-place.  Much of America’s heavy oil is produced via a costly steam injection enhanced oil recovery method to produce a crude oil grade that is lower in quality and thus sells for less.

The apparatus, called a Teleperfs", is a telescoping devices that is projected into the face of a formation, anchoring a well liner in place and providing entry ports for formation fluids.

Initially developed through a DOE funded Small Business Innovative Research grant and furthered by an industry consortium, Completion Concepts, Inc. devised a method for production of heavy oil that eliminates certain expenses and risks and offers a low-cost alternative for inhibiting production of sand in an oil well.  Read the complete announcement here.

Any technology that increases our oil consumption at lower cost will certainly be appreciated.  I assume it might find application in the Canadian tar sands and Venezuela besides the fields that were mentioned in California and Alaska.

Technocrati tags: heavy oil, oil technology, unconventional oil

New Mitsubishi Electric Car

An electric car with a range of 93 miles, using Lithium-ion batteries and having a top speed of 90 mph has been announced by Motors. The car, which is scheduled for sale in 2010, is driven by two motors on the rear wheels and will cost under $19,000.  Plans for sales overseas have not been decided.

Previous electric cars did not receive much popularity.  This one has considerably more range than former models, thanks to its Lithium-ion batteries which are just becoming available in mass production.  They are lighter and can store more energy per unit weight than NiMh batteries that are commonly used in hybrids.  With high prices of gasoline, a car like this makes sense for people that commute a relatively short distance or need a car that is primarily used to run around town.  It can be charged overnight by simply plugging it into an outlet at home at considerable savings over a gas powered car.

Read the full story "Mitsubishi unveils electric car for 2010", MSNBC

Technocrati tag: electric cars

About Thin Film PV Solar Part 2

Silicon-free thin-film photovoltaic solar cells are now commercially available in early production runs.  These differ from the next generation thin film cell described in a previous post in that they are applied to the substrate by a sputtering process that was developed in the semiconductor industry and is been adapted for use in producing solar cells, rather than by adapting a printing process as is being done in the next generation of thin-film cells.  Silicon-free solar cells could easily gain momentum from the current world wide shortage of silicon.  These cells are currently applied to a stainless steel substrate, although there is indication that they could be applied to a plastic substrate in the future.  These may well be the low cost cells for the next few years until the potential of silicon-free, thin-film cells produced by printing can be evaluated.

The two companies that I have researched both use Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide (CIGS) cells.  CIGS cells are very efficient having higher efficiency than the crystalline Silicon cells now in common use.  CIGS cells are very stable showing little if any degradation over their long life.  Cells have been in the field for 17 years and exposed to the rigors of space with very stable performance.  Life expectancy is projected to be 20-30 years, among the longest if not the longest of all cell types. This material exhibits "self-healing" properties that may correct for very small manufacturing defects and operational damage which may help explain their long life span.  No toxic materials are used in the manufacturing process unlike some other silicon-free cell materials.

The claim of the companies in this business is that the manufacturing process being used is the key element in being able to produce low cost solar cells.  They use a continuous roll-to-roll vacuum process in which the solar cell material is sputtered on the moving substrate.  The cell material can be applied in layers with each layer having different properties that can enhance the cells performance. Similar process are used in the architectural glass industry, in producing hard drives, making optical filters and in making flat-panel displays.

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Energy

"The Transportation Energy Data Book: Edition 24 is a statistical compendium ... containing data that represents an assembly and display of statistics and information that characterize transportation activity, and presents data on other factors that influence transportation energy use."

For instance, did you know that the energy intensity of intercity buses, in Btu per passenger-mile, was the lowest of all common modes of transportation?

Intercity buses	932
Commuter rail	2,714
Rail transit	3,268
Automobile	3,581
Certified air carriers	3,703
Transit Buses	4,127
Intercity Amtrak	4,830
Light truck	7,081
General aviation	37,492

In North America the refinery yield of gasoline was 41% (2003) and in OECD Europe it is 20.7% while diesel fuel was 23.4% in NA and 36.22% in OECD Europe.

The book goes on for 12 chapters and 3 appendixes with this sort of data.  I did not know about the book and came across it while searching for some statistics.  It is the sort of data that an energy geek like me thrives on.

The data book is published by DOE; you can get your free copy of the Transportation Energy Data Book here.

Technocrati tag: energy

How to Live Without Oil

New energy sources could make petroleum obsolete.  Automobile efficiency could be increased to 92 mpg, light truck mileage to 66 mpg.  This could be done with lightweight construction and hybrid vehicles.  Better aerodynamics and materials could greatly improve the efficiency of 18 wheelers and jetliners.  20% of fuel could be replaced with biofuels.

This would only require a $180 billion investment that starting in 2025 would save $155 billion every year.

Newsweek had the complete article at the above link in their 8/8/05 issue.

I believe they had the numbers to put this plan together.  When are market forces and our legislatures going to put it all together?  Maybe by 2025.  This article makes it sound so easy.  Wouldn't it be nice if we could just wave a magic wand. Even if all their assumptions were right, which I don't dispute, some of the technology would take until 2025 to be fully developed.  I hope the hybrid vehicle part comes true a lot sooner and that biofuels are ramped up by that date.  The general population and industry are going to have to have a bigger shock than we have had so far in convincing them that the oil shortage is permanent. 

Technocrati tags: energy policy, peak oil

About Thin Film Potovoltaic Solar Power

Thin film photovoltaic solar cells represent the most promising technology for significantly reducing the cost of solar electrical systems.  This technology has the potential to provide low cost solar power by using non-silicon solar cells, low cost plastic substrates and  through currently available, high volume and inexpensive manufacturing techniques.  Traditional silicon cell manufacturers have been constrained by the shortage of silicon (previous post), high prices of silicon and the difficulty of processing it.

DayStar commercially sells non-silicon thin film Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide (CIGS) cells that are deposited, rather than printed, on a stainless foil.  See this post for a discussion of CIGS cells deposited on a stainless stainless foil.  Thin film amorphous (not crystalline) silicon cells made with a roll to roll process on a stainless substrate are available commercially from Iowa Thin Film Technologies and Ovonics.  This post is not concerned with these cells, but rather the silicon-free thin cells printed on plastic substrates that are currently under development.

The next generation thin-film cells are based on non-silicon semiconductors, which can absorb the same amount of sunlight as crystalline Silicon but in layers that are at least two orders of magnitude thinner.  These thin film photovoltaic cells consist of layers of a semiconductor material such as CIGS, Copper Indium diSelenide (CIS) or Cadmium Telluride (CdTe), and applied to a low-cost substrate, such as plastic. The economic benefit of thin film PV cells is that they use much less semiconductor material than the crystalline silicon cells, a lower cost substrate and can use much less costly manufacturing methods.

The cost of solar electricity is not simply determined by obtaining the maximum efficiency of converting sunlight to power.  The lowest cost is obtained by optimizing the watts obtained per square foot, the product cost per square foot, the lifetime, and the installation costs.  This means that the manufacturing cost and the cost of raw materials become very important.

Thin film cell manufacturers do not talk about price of their products as the products are generally not available to the consumer market, except in some specialized applications. The Konarka web site  states "that its cells are cost-effective (1/3 of traditional solar)". (I would interpret that as being between $2.00 and $3.00 per watt)  By comparison DayStar is planning on having lower cost, higher volume continuous production facilities operating by the end of 2006 which should reduce their costs to about $2.00 per watt.  They also project that in full scale production they can reduce costs to $1.00 per watt.  Based on sales of $18 million for 5.6 MW of panels for the quarter ending June, 30, 2005 Ovonics amorphous silicone panels cost about $3.25 per watt.

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle

The layman's explanation of the nuclear fuel cycle from uranium mining, to enrichment, to reactors to reprocessing, to uranium bombs and to plutonium bombs.  This cool site by BBC news on-line is well illustrated and provides a good introduction to how atomic energy works.

Technocrati tags: atomic energy, nuclear fuel, enrichment

Solar Light Bulbs

Solar powered LED lighting is energy efficient, has a long life, can be housed in a waterproof case, requires no external power source, requires no maintenance for up to five years, is very easy to install and is suitable for use in remote locations away from the power grid.  Carmanah Technologies, Canadian manufacturer of these lights, has more than 250,000 installations in 110 countries and has supplied the lighting for the Khawr 'Abd Allah Waterway in Iraq and the Bagram airfield in Afghanistan (above).

The lights consists of light emitting diodes, a solar photovoltaic system, and battery all housed in a durable, waterproof polycarbonate case.  They will survive extended exposure to the environment, extreme swings in ambient temperature from -40°F to 176°F (-40°C to +80°C), shock, heavy vibration and UV degradation.

Colusa Biomas Ethanol Process

The CGBY process for producing ethanol from cellulosic materials is one of the new processes being developed which could enable production of quantities of ethanol in far excess of the quantities possible from corn.  Such processes are necessary if we are to make any progress in decreasing our dependence on imported oil.

Colusa Biomas Energy Corporation (CBGY) holds a patent on an acid pretreatment hydrolysis process, shown below, which first uses acid to convert the rice straw into 5-Carbon sugars and a silica/lignin streams.  The silica/lignin stream is then hydrolyzed into cellulose.  The cellulose and 5-C sugars are fermented to produce ethanol. The process is initially being developed for making ethanol from rice straw.  Disposal of rice straw in California, where Colusa is loacated, is a problem in that it was traditionally disposed of by burning which now has been banned by state law. The sequence of the process is as follows:

• Rice straw/hulls pass through a shredder.
• Shredded material is exposed to steam where the fibers are expanded and dilute sulfuric acid is added to the material.
• The material then passes to the first extractor where it flows counter currently to more acid solution.
• C-5 sugars are removed in the extractor leaving a Silica/Lignin extract.
• The C-5 sugars are fermented and distilled into ethanol.
• The lignin-silicate extract from the first extractor flows counter currently to caustic (NaOH) in a second extractor.
• This process places the silica and the lignin in solution.
• The caustic  converts a portion of the lignin into cellulose.
• The remaining lignin-silicate solution is removed from the second extractor and flows through a ultrafiltration system where the silicate solution is separated from the lignin solution resulting in a concentrating lignin solution which is used for fuel and a silica/sodium oxide byproduct.
• The hydrolyzed lignin, now cellulose, from the second extractor is fermented and and distilled into ethanol.
• The lignin fuel that was separated by the ultrafiltration system is used to provide energy for the operation of the plant.

Plastics from Corn

As oil depletes chemicals that are made from oil become more costly and scarce.  Many of these chemicals or similar chemicals can be made from biomass.  One such chemical is polylactic acid made by NatureWorks LLC, located in Blair, Nebraska and owned by Cargill.  Polylactic acid (PLA) is made from corn and its petrochemical competitors are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene.

At its current state of development PLA is competitive with oil at $33 a barrel and as production increases and more experience is gained, it will go down in price.  PLA is biodegradable and can be fabricated on the same machinery as petrochemical plastics.  It starts to biodegrade after about 8 months on the store shelf; in a 140 F landfill it degrades within weeks into water and carbon dioxide.  Conventional plastics do not biodegrade and are filling up our landfills, roadsides and oceans with billions of pounds of debris.  Disposable plastic cups,"paper" plates and beverage bottles are a natural for this material.

Over 120 customers use NatureWorks PLA including: Biota bottled water,  Wild Oates for all of its deli packaging, Del Monte for fruit and vegetable containers, Sony Walkmans for some of its parts, Versace is making apparel out of PLA fibers, and McDonald's in Europe is using it for cold cups.

Now that we have these plastics from biomass, what is next?  BASF has a starch based polymer and DuPont is developing a corn based polymer called Sorona.  I will be looking for more articles on other biochemicals. I wonder if the demand for this combined with the demand for corn ethanol will ever have an effect on the price of corn.  PLA is made by a fermentation process as is ethanol.  It could be made from any lignocellulosic material and could take advantage of the same enzymes that are being developed for producing ethanol.

Resources:

NatureWorks LLC website
"Plastic Fantastic", Forbes, March 28, 2005, pp 108-111
"One Word of Advice: Now It's Corn", Wall Street Journal Online, October 12, 2004

Technocrati tags: biochemicals

Wind-Gas Hybrid Mitigates Wind Intermittency

A proposed offshore project, known as the Ormonde project, in the UK would combine the installation of a 108 MW wind farm with 93 MW of natural gas generation.  The wind turbines would provide electricity when the winds are blowing and any shortage of power can be made up by the gas generator during calm weather.  The system could thus mitigate the intermittency of the wind turbines.  Both systems could operate at the same time if needed, supplying 200 MW of electricity to provide for the most flexible needs of the grid.  Gas would be supplied from two small, previously undeveloped gas fields located near the platform, located 10 km off the coast of Barrow-in- Furness, Cumbria.  The project plans to begin generation of electricity in 2007.  For further information see the website of Eclipse Energy Company Limited, developers of the project.

Technocrati tags: wind, renewable energy

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.

Ethanol Production Gets a Boost

Cargill, Inc. announced this week that it's involved in a venture that would more than triple the company's ethanol production.  Cargill is one of three owners of a new venture, Demeter Enterprises, which plans to be producing 300 million gallons of ethanol by late 2006 or early 2007. Cargill and Demeter this week announced that the LLC will build three new 100-million gallon plants. They'll be located at Albion, Nebraska, Linden, Indiana and Bloomingburg, Ohio. The facilities will cost approximately $125 million each to construct.  No mention was made as to what technology woud be used or who would construct the plants.

Low ethanol prices compared to gasoline are helping build demand for the fuel. Ethanol prices are cheaper than gasoline.  Last week spot wholesale prices were running just over $1.50 a gallon for ethanol when gasoline was at about $2.13. Cargill's decision to expand began long before either this summer's cheap ethanol prices or last week's passage an energy bill that would require the nation to use 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2012.

Cargill currently produces about 120 million gallons of ethanol a year, in addition to what these new plants would produce.

Cargill has been criticized by some as profiteering and taking the side of big business in ethanol production, rather than keeping it a farmers cooperative industry.  While that may be true, ethanol is becoming big business and production plants are becoming larger and more sophisticated which requires leadership by a large organization.  Some farm coops, like those in milk, are huge by any standards and could well handle any industry. Somebody has to step up to the plate and take the lead.

Technocrati tags: ethanol, renewable energy, Cargill

About Concentrating Photovoltaic Solar Power

Concentrating Solar Photovoltaic Power (CSPP) is one of the most efficient and cost effective forms of solar energy, with costs expected to be reduced to $2,50-$3.00 per watt in a few years.  Flat plastic fresnel lens between the sun and a cell focus and concentrate the sunlight many times (up to 500 times) onto a small cell area thus reducing the cell area required to an amount approximately equal to the concentration ratio. The concentration decreases the required cell area while also increasing the cell efficiency.  One supplier, Amonix, Inc. of Torrance, Calif. is using multijunction cells with an efficiency of about 38%.  The main idea is to use very little of the expensive semiconducting PV material while collecting as much sunlight as possible.

CSPP's have both advantages and disadvantages compared with flat-plate PV arrays.  The main idea is to use very little of the expensive semiconducting PV material while collecting as much sunlight as possible. But because the lenses must be pointed at the sun, the use of concentrating collectors is limited to the sunniest parts of the country. Tracking of the sun is required to maintain the efficiency.  Some concentrating collectors are designed to be mounted on simple tracking devices, but most require sophisticated tracking devices, which limit their use to electric utilities, industries, and large buildings.