The Energy Blog

FutureGen Scrapped, CCS to be Demonstrated on Multiple Clean Coal Power Plants

From a DOE announcement:

DOE announced a restructured approach to its FutureGen project that aims to demonstrate cutting-edge carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology at multiple commercial-scale Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) clean coal power plants.

Under this strategy, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will join industry in its efforts to build IGCC plants by providing funding for the addition of CCS technology to multiple plants that will be operational by 2015.  This approach builds on technological research and development advancements in IGCC and CCS technology achieved over the past five years and is expected to at least double the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered compared to the concept announced in 2003.  . . .

The Department today issued a Request for Information (RFI) that seeks industry’s input by March 3, 2008, on the costs and feasibility associated with building clean coal facilities that achieve the intended goals of FutureGen.  Following this period and consideration of industry comment, DOE intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement – or competitive solicitation – to provide federal funding under cooperative agreements to equip IGCC (or other clean coal technology) commercial power plants that generate at least 300 megawatts, with CCS technology aimed at accelerating near-term technology deployment.  . . .

Under this plan, DOE’s investment would provide funding for no more than the CCS component of the power plant – not the entire plant construction, compared with the FutureGen concept announced in 2003 where the federal government would incur 74% of rising costs.  This would allow for commercial operation of IGCC power plants equipped with CCS technology to begin as soon as the plants are commissioned, between 2015 and 2016.  . . .

The four sites – two in Illinois and two in Texas – evaluated in the Department’s Environmental Impact Statement issued in November 2007, including the site announced by the FutureGen Alliance in December 2007, Mattoon, IL, may be eligible to host a commercial-scale IGCC plant with CCS technology.

I think this approach is much better than the original, provided it does not delay the demonstration of CCS and the following legislation to require CCS, or equivalent technology, on future coal fired plants.

Do We Need Yucca Mountain?

The referenced post, by the World Nuclear Association, presents one view on the need for Yucca Mountain and nuclear fuel recycling as stated by NEG.

Would Yucca Mountain, the nation’s planned repository 90 miles outside Las Vegas, be expected to store the nuclear waste?

Not necessarily, came the answer.

The chief executive of the firm submitting the first nuclear power application in nearly 30 years for a pair of plants in south Texas said that as far as he’s concerned, the waste can stay on the company’s 12,200-acre site for the next century.

“There’s plenty of room to store our own waste,” said David Crane, president and chiefs.executive of NEG Energy Inc.

Later he told reporters: “Whether Yucca Mountain happens or not plays no part in our calculation.”

. . . more

This scenario could not be applied to everyone, but it is in effect what is happening to U.S. waste now. What do you think the answer is? and I don't mean to stop building nuclear plants or too use more conservation efforts. In my opinion they are the best solution, in the interim, until renewable power can provide all the incremental power needed to meet our incremental power needs and to replace aging coal plants. Disposal of waste is by far the greatest question facing nuclear plants.

Hydrogen From "E. Coli"

A professor in Texas A&M University's chemical engineering department envisions "E. coli" as a future source of energy, helping to power our cars, homes and more.

By genetically modifying the bacteria, Thomas Wood, a professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, has "tweaked" a strain of E. coli so that it produces substantial amounts of hydrogen. Specifically, Wood's strain produces 140 times more hydrogen than is created in a naturally occurring process, according to an article in "Microbial Biotechnology," detailing his research. . . .

As might be expected, the cost of building an entirely new pipeline to transport hydrogen is a significant deterrent in the utilization of hydrogen-based fuel cell technology. In addition, there is also increased risk when transporting hydrogen.

The solution, Wood believes, is converting hydrogen on site.

If this process works out it might change my view on hydrogen.  How about a little fermentor in your house or at the local "hydrogen station?"  Of course there is the other little problem about fuel cell costs.

Big Business Says Addressing Climate Change 'Rates Very Low on Agenda'

Poll of 500 major firms reveals that only one in 10 regard global warming as a priority

The Independent -- Global warming ranks far down the concerns of the world's biggest companies, despite world leaders' hopes that they will pioneer solutions to the impending climate crisis, a startling survey will reveal this week.

Nearly nine in 10 of them do not rate it as a priority, says the study, which canvassed more than 500 big businesses in Britain, the US, Germany, Japan, India and China. Nearly twice as many see climate change as imposing costs on their business as those who believe it presents an opportunity to make money. And the report's publishers believe that big business will concentrate even less on climate change as the world economy deteriorates. . . . more

Maybe this should not be surprising, as the motive for profit is basic to big business.  This survey seems to say that all the publicity garnered about climate change has little effect on big business. This confirms that voluntary measures are largely unsuccessful, few want to take a position that might cause them to lose a competitive advantage.  The conclusion to me is that governments must impose some limitations on discharges that lead to global warming and they must be done in harmony throughout the world, which is the opposite of President Bush's policy.

Seadog Wave Pump Exceeds Epectations

Independent Natural Resources Inc's. ( INRI^TM) SEADOG^TM wave pump is a form of wave power that has been around for a while that I hadn't heard of. It seems to me to have several advantages over other forms of wave power, being simpler than most, consuming no external power and having no electrical cables connecting it to the shore.

The SEADOG^TM pump captures ocean-wave energy to pump large volumes of seawater, consuming no fuel or electricity. The pump uses buoyancy to convert wave energy to mechanical energy. The main components of the  pump include a buoyancy chamber (the lower cage in the picture, buoyancy block (yellow object), piston assembly (center of upper chamber), piston shaft, piston cylinder, and intake and exhaust valves.  When positioned in the water the buoyancy block (filled with air) floats within the buoyancy chamber, moving up and down in relation to the ocean waves and swells. The buoyancy block is connected to the piston shaft which in-turn moves the piston assembly through the piston cylinder.

As the buoyancy block moves down in the trough of a wave it draws the piston downward through the piston cylinder.  The downward movement draws water into the piston cylinder through the intake valve filling the piston cylinder chamber. As the next wave lifts the buoyancy block the water within the piston cylinder is under pressure and is expelled through the exhaust valve (into the air in the picture). Each cycle of the buoyancy block rising and falling, drawing in and expelling water, is called a stroke. Each stroke of the piston causes the water to be pumped from the piston cylinder in a regular manner.

GM-Volt.com Reaches Major Milestone: Waitlist for Chevy Volt Climbs to 10,000

GM-Volt.com claims to be the definitive source of real-time news, information, and discussion about the General Motors Chevrolet Volt plug-in vehicle and related topics. 

A key component of the site is the Chevy Volt waiting list. People who are interested in purchasing the car are signing up. Even though the expected production date is November 2010, as of 1/26/2008, the waiting list passed the major milestone of 10,000 prospective buyers.

This is not an official waiting list, but the names on the unofficial waiting list, on GM-Volt.com, will be given to GM when the time is right.

Ice Loss in Antartica Nearly Matches That of Greenland

Via Biopact -- Ice loss in Antarctica increased by 75 percent in the last 10 years due to a speed-up in the flow of its glaciers and is now nearly as great as that observed in Greenland, according to a new, comprehensive study by UC Irvine and NASA scientists.

. . .  the losses, which were primarily concentrated in West Antarctica’s Pine Island Bay sector and the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, are caused by ongoing and past acceleration of glaciers into the sea. This is mostly a result of warmer ocean waters, which bathe the buttressing floating sections of glaciers, causing them to thin or collapse.

. . .  the increased contribution of Antarctica to global sea level rise indicated by the study warrants closer monitoring.  . . . more

Shell CEO Presents Two Scenarios For the Future of Energy

The chief executive of Shell has posted this article on Shell's new energy scenarios. I was made aware of it by The Oil Drum, who first posted it at http://www.theoildrum.com/node/3548 and I thought it was worth repeating for your comments. They had a large number, 153, of mostly very insightful comments at the time of this posting. 

The article supports the peak oil theory, as I envision it. They defined it as the time that easy accessible oil will no longer be able to keep up with demand, their estimate being 2015.  I interpret that as meaning that heavy oil, as in the tar sands of Canada and the heavy oil in Venezuela, and oil shale are not significant sources of oil by 2015 and that their addition will cause significant increases in the price of oil which will have an effect on demand. The exact date is not that important, but it is meaningful that they predict a relatively near date, within the next 10 years.

They also predict that A growing number of cars are powered by electricity and hydrogen.  I think they underemphasize this important factor in reducing our consumption of oil, and believe that hydrogen will not play that important a role. I think a very aggressive development of PHEVs, EVs and biofuels combined with North Americas' (USA, Mexico and Canada) remaining reserves of oil should be able to supply all our needs to power our vehicles and have some expensive oil left over to export to other countries before 2100, hopefully by 2050.

The statements that more nuclear power will be required and that carbon capture and sequesteration (CCS) must be required on coal powered power plants in all developed countries are right in line with my thinking.  In the interim period, until renewable power can replace all aging nuclear and coal powered plants, these power sources will be required, no matter how much power is saved by increased efficiency in the home and in industry. From the economic point of view nuclear power has the clear advantage over coal when CCS is required on coal plants. However there is opposition to nuclear in some quarters and will be as long as the threats of proliferation and problems with waste disposal remain issues.  To me the ideal situation would be thorium fueled plants with fuel recycling.  However it will be a very long time before there is any consensus on that.

The complete text of the article, as appears on the Shell website, is given below. The bold facing is mine.

Two Energy Futures

* By Jeroen van der Veer

By 2100, the world’s energy system will be radically different from today’s. Renewable energy like solar, wind, hydroelectricity, and biofuels will make up a large share of the energy mix, and nuclear energy, too, will have a place. Humans will have found ways of dealing with air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. New technologies will have reduced the amount of energy needed to power buildings and vehicles.

Wal-Mart in Discussion on Possibility of Selling HEVs and PHEVs

(Bloomberg) -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Chief Executive Officer H. Lee Scott said he held talks with automakers on the possibility of selling gasoline-electric hybrid cars and plug-in automobiles at the retailer's stores.

" Maybe there isn't room for Wal-Mart in this right now, but something tells me that there may be some role for us in the future."

-- H. Lee Scott

Don't hold your breath until this happens, but it would revolutionize how cars are sold, their pricing and bring these cars to the attention of the general public.

Johnson Controls, Partner to Open Lithium-ion Battery Factory in France

Johnson Controls Inc. (NYSE:JCI) and its French joint venture partner, Saft, soon will open their first factory to build lithium-ion batteries for a plug-in version of a Mercedes-Benz sedan.

The company also is making batteries for Dodge Sprinters that are being tested in Los Angeles and New York. 

The company announced last year that it is engaged in development work with multiple automakers for hybrid batteries for hybrid electric cars and plug-in vehicles, including the plug-in Saturn Vue under development by General Motors.

The new Johnson Controls-Saft factory in Nersac, France, will open this month. That factory will begin production this year of lithium-ion batteries that will be supplied to Daimler AG for its Mercedes S-Class 400 hybrid. . . . more

In another announcement Johnson Controls said its lithium-ion battery would last 10 years and that it would take up one-third less space and weigh 50 percent less than nickel-metal hydride batteries.

This is just what the LI-ion business needs, as the demand for these batteries will soon outstrip the supply.

FYI: Alberta to Cut Projected Emissions by 50 per cent Under New Climate Change Plan

Alberta will cut projected greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050 as part of a long-term climate change plan that focuses on carbon capture and storage, consumer incentives and greener energy production.

Research indicates new and next generation technologies will deliver the majority of the new plan’s reductions – about 70 per cent of the 200 megatonne-reduction by 2050.  . . . more

A large part of Alberta's emissions come from oil-sands development and the majority of  the reductions should come from this sector.

GM Forms New Organization for Hybrids, Plug-ins and Advanced Batteries

General Motors has formed a new engineering organization especially dedicated to implementing hybrid and extended- range electric vehicles (E-REV) and advanced battery technology. The global team will be led by Robert Kruse, executive director of vehicle engineering for hybrids, electric vehicle and batteries.

"The future of automotive transportation will be based on electrification of our vehicles," "By having a vehicle engineering team in place and focused on delivering the technical aspects of hybrids and E-REVs, we can accelerate these programs and get them into production quickly and efficiently."

-- Jim Queen, GM group vice president of Global Engineering

GM's newest vehicle engineering team will develop vehicles using a variety of propulsion systems including gas-electric hybrids and GM's innovative E-Flex architecture. Vehicles that will be engineered by this team include the production E-REVs based on E-Flex architectures; Chevrolet Tahoe and Silverado 2 Mode; Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid; Saturn Vue 2 Mode Plug-in; Saturn Vue and Aura Hybrid; GMC Yukon and Sierra 2 Mode; and the Cadillac Escalade 2 Mode.

This should be great news for the affected technologies.  GM seems to be recognizing the importance of these technologies.  The Volt is not mentioned, I believe they already have a separate organization for it. It uses a different and hopefully more advanced technology, which is quite far along in development. It seems they want some common design elements in the mentioned vehicles.  I hope this is a step foreword and not just a bureaucracy for the sake of the media.

FYI: Renault Nissan Considers Using A123Systems Batteries in Addition to Their Own

The Wall Street Jounal reports that Renault and its partner Nissan Motor Co., which this week announced a major commitment to develop battery-powered cars, are considering using lithium-ion batteries both from their in-house team and the American battery start-up A123 Systems.

"In some markets we will use Nissan-NEC battery technology and in others we are thinking about adopting technology from A123 Systems," one person said.

One is their partnership with former SAP AG executive Shai Agassi that aims to set up a network for charging ...

FYI: Zap and China Youngman Automotive Issue RFP for Two Passenger Electric Vehicle

Officials from ZAP (OTCBB: ZAAP) and China Youngman Automotive Group announced their Joint Venture Company has initiated the RFQ (Request For Quotation) process for a vehicle project called the ZAP Alias™.

The Joint Venture Company targets the Alias to retail at a price of $30,000 in a two-passenger vehicle with a top-speed of over 100 miles per hour and a range of at least 150 miles per charge. The goal is to bring an affordable, highway capable electric vehicle to market quickly to capitalize on surging interest for electric car technologies.

FYI: New Path to Produce Butanol

A team of researchers headed by an environmental engineer at Washington University in St. Louis has developed a new techniques to produce butanol, a biofuel superior to ethanol.

It can be derived from lignocellulosic materials, which are plant biomass parts that range from woody stems and straw to agricultural residues, corn fiber and husks, all containing in large part cellulose and some lignin.

Butanol is considered to be a better biofuel than ethanol because it's less corrosive and has a higher caloric value, giving it a higher energy value.

The lignocellulosic biomass is placed into digesters comprised of a selected mixed culture of thousands of different microbes to convert the biomass into butyrate.

From there, the material is sent back to Peoria where another collaborator converts the butyrate to butanol using fermenters.

Raytheon Sells RF/CF Technology for Extracting Oil From Shale to Schlumberger

Raytheon has sold its technology to extract oil from shale and tar sands to Schlumberger, a leading oilfield services company.

In order to create new momentum for extracting oil from shale, Raytheon utilized one of its many intellectual property reserves (radio frequency, or RF, technology).

Raytheon’s solution combines RF with critical fluids (CF) processes of small business partner CF Technologies in Hyde Park, Mass. The RF/CF combination uniformly heats buried shale rock, separates the petroleum from the shale, and directs the liberated oil so that it may flow into tanks for extraction. The method is more economical and environmentally responsible than older oil shale extraction techniques as it uses far less power, does not severely disrupt the landscape or leave behind residue that can enter groundwater supplies.

According to the press release the arrangement between the two companies comes as demand for the world’s finite oil supplies continues to increase, the price per barrel is near record highs, and government and industry are looking for new sources of oil to lessen dependency on foreign suppliers.

If successfully harvested, shale could provide a long-term source of reliable, affordable and secure oil. Federal officials estimate that this resource — much of which is locked in a 16,000-acre formation beneath federal land in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming — could yield enough oil to meet U.S. demand at current levels for more than 250 years.

FYI: Record High Capacity Methane Storage Material Found

Science Now reports the development of a new type of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), called PCN-14, that has a high surface area of over 2000 m2/g. Laboratory studies show that the compound, composed of clusters of nano-sized cages, has a methane storage capacity 28 percent higher than the DOE target, enough to allow vehicles to travel 483 kilometers (300 miles) between fill-ups, a record high for methane-storage materials, the researchers say.

FYI: Huckabay Ridge Now Producing Renewable Natural Gas from Manure at Full Capacity

Biopact reports that Environmental Power Corporation (Nasdaq: EPG), announced that its Huckabay Ridge facility in Stephenville, Texas, has achieved full-capacity production levels of pipeline-quality renewable natural gas (RNG(R)) and has now moved into full-scale commercial operation. The facility generates methane-rich biogas from manure and other agricultural waste, conditions the biogas to natural gas standards and distributes RNG(R) via a commercial pipeline. Huckabay Ridge is expected to produce approximately 635,000 MMBtus of RNG(R) per year -- the equivalent of over 4.6 million gallons of heating oil.  . . .

In Europe, upgraded biogas is already being fed into the natural gas grid routinely and on a growing scale, but for the U.S. this is a first.
more

Renault-Nissan and Project Better Place to Supply Israel with Recharging Grid and Electric Vehicles

Renault-Nissan Alliance and Project Better Place aim to create a breakthrough with electric vehicles in Israel. This comes in response to the Israeli State's challenge to migrate the country's transportation infrastructure to renewable sources of energy. The Israeli government would provide tax incentives to customers, Renault would supply the electric vehicles, and Project Better Place would construct and operate an Electric Recharge Grid across the entire country. Electric vehicles will be available for customers in 2011.

According to the New York Times, Renault (EPA: RNO) will offer a small number of electric models of existing vehicles, like the Megane sedan, at prices roughly comparable to gasoline models. The vehicles will run on pure electricity for all functions. The objective of zero emissions will be achieved, while at the same time offering driving performances similar to a 1.6 liter gasoline engine. Renault's electric vehicles will be equipped with lithium-ion batteries, ensuring greater driving range and longevity.

"Dozens of electric cars will go on the roads for thorough testing this year. There's already an operational prototype. I've driven it, and it goes from 0 to 100 kmh in 7.5 seconds. In other words, there's a product and it's one of the fastest cars on the road." 

Shai Agassi, CEO A Better Place, Globes Online Feb. 22, 2008

FYI: Safeway Converts Fleet to BioDiesel

Safeway Inc. (NYSE:SWY), one of the nation’s leading retailers embracing environmentally friendly initiatives throughout its business operations, announced today that it has converted its entire California and U.S. truck fleet to cleaner-burning biodiesel fuel.

The biodiesel initiative makes Safeway one of the first major retailers in the United States to convert its entire fleet of more than 1,000 trucks to cleaner-burning biodiesel fuel. The decision by Safeway will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 75 million pounds annually, the equivalent of taking nearly 7,500 passenger vehicles off the road each year.  . . . more

FYI: Marcellus Black Shale Natural Gas Reservoir Could Dramatically Boost U.S. Production

Natural gas distributed throughout the Marcellus black shale in northern Appalachia could conservatively boost proven U.S. reserves by trillions of cubic feet if gas production companies employ horizontal drilling techniques, according to a Penn State and State University of New York, Fredonia, team. . . .

Terry Engelder, professor of geosciences, at Penn State, working with Gary Lash, professor of geoscience, SUNY Fredonia, has conservatively estimated that the Marcellus shale contains 168 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in place and optimistically suggests that the amounts could be as high as 516 trillion cubic feet. . . .

The U.S. currently produces roughly 30 trillion cubic feet of gas a year, and these numbers are dropping. According to Engelder, the technology exists to recover 50 trillion cubic feet of gas from the Marcellus, thus keeping the U.S. production up. If this recovery is realized, the Marcellus reservoir would be considered a Super Giant gas field. . . . more

FYI: UltraBattery Sets New Standard for HEVs

The odometer of a low emission hybrid electric test vehicle reached 100,000 miles as the car circled a track in the UK using the power of an advanced CSIRO battery system.

The UltraBattery combines a supercapacitor and a lead acid battery in a single unit, creating a hybrid car battery that lasts longer, costs less and is more powerful than current technologies used in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). . . .

“Previous tests show the UltraBattery has a life cycle that is at least four times longer and produces 50 per cent more power than conventional battery systems. It’s also about 70 per cent cheaper than the batteries currently used in HEVs,” said David Lamb, Low Emissions Transport Leader, Energy Transformed Flagship, CISRO, Australia.  . . . more

Also see: UltraBattery: no ordinary battery

Acconia Windpower Opens U.S. Production Facility

Acconia Windpower, a Spanish producer of wind turbines, announced that it has opened a $23 million wind turbine generator production plant in West Branch Iowa. The 200,190 sq. ft. facility was constructed in seven months.

The plant is scheduled to produce 200 wind turbines in 2008, with plans to increase to 400 turbines per year in the future. The facility will supply turbines primarily for Acciona Energy wind farms throughout North America and will utilize proprietary technology to produce its AWP 1.5-77 models.  (This model is believed to be part of the AW 1500 series, in particular the AW-77/1500-CII (1,500 kW, 77 meters diameter), which is available in classes I, II and III, with rotors between 70 and 82 meters in diameter and tubular steel towers of 80 and 60 meters high, more details here) The blades will most likely be produced at a facility in Lumber (Navarra, Spain) which is scheduled to open this year.

The new plant at West Branch is Acciona’s fourth wind turbine plant to be installed, with two plants currently operational in Spain and one in China. Acciona’s West Branch plant will increase the company’s total production capacity up to 2,280 MW a year. Acconia, as of Sept 30,2007, had 3 windparks in the U.S. with a total power of 141 MW.

ACCIONA Energy, the parent company to Acconia Windpower, is a world leader in renewables with a strong presence in eight sectors. It is the first developer of windparks in the world with more than 5,300 MW installed in twelve countries. The company recently launched Nevada Solar One^TM, the largest solar thermal power plant (64 MW) built in the world in the last 17 years, has installed more than 40 MW of photovoltaic and 29 MW of solar hot water power in Spain, and owns three biomass plants (33 MW) and 19 small hydro power stations (59 MW). In the field of biofuels, the company produces biodiesel from vegetable oil and biotethanol from wine-surplus alcohol.

Raser Technologies, Merrill Lynch Agree to a 155 MW Geothermal Financing Program

Raser Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: RZ) announced that it has entered into an agreement with Merrill Lynch for the structuring and financing of up to 155 megawatts (MW) of Raser’s geothermal power plants, including a commitment letter from Merrill Lynch to provide funding for the construction of Raser’s first geothermal power plant.

The plant, using PureCycle® geothermal technology from UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company, is designed to produce 10.5 MW of electrical power with zero emissions.

This agreement provides the required up-front capital to complete their initial projects and keep them on pace to fulfill their goal to initiate the development of 100 MW per year for the first three years of their geothermal power production effort, and 150 MW each year thereafter.

The PureCycle geothermal system results from more than six years of research and development work involving UTC Power, United Technologies Research Center and the U.S. Department of Energy.

The organic Rankine cycle-based power system is an advanced binary cycle system that is driven by a simple evaporation process and is entirely enclosed, which means it produces no emissions. The only byproduct is electricity, and the system’s “fuel” -- geothermal hot water -- is a renewable resource.

30 mgy Algal Biodiesel Refinery to be Built in Arizona

PetroSun, Inc. (PINK: PSUD) announced that its subsidiary, PetroSun BioFuels Refining, has entered into a joint venture to construct and operate a biodiesel refinery near Coolidge, Arizona. The feedstock for the refinery will be algal oil produced by PetroSun BioFuels at company owned and operated algae farms to be located in Arizona.

The refinery will have an annual production capacity of thirty million gallons and will produce 100% renewable biodiesel. PetroSun BioFuels will process the residual algae biomass into ethanol.

Petrosun claims that Independent studies have demonstrated that algae is capable of producing in excess of 30 times more oil per acre than corn and soybean crops.

In a Feb 2, 2007 announcement PetroSun, Inc.'s field testing of the cultivation of algae for biodiesel production has progressed to the final stage prior to the construction of a commercial cultivation facility. This final stage will consist of producing adequate algae paste to test the output and economics of several biodiesel refinery manufacturers now under consideration by Algae Biofuels, a wholly owned subsidiary of PetroSun, which will own and operate the production and refinery facilities.

Firefly's First Battery for Plug-in Hybrids Presented to Sen. Dick Durbin

The first Firefly Energy battery aimed at the plug-in hybrid market was mounted on a plaque presented to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., on Friday January 11. This was the company's way of thanking Durbin for helping get federal funds for research into the high-tech batteries being developed at Firefly since the companies start-up in 2003.

Firefly co-founder Mil Ovan said Firefly planned to send samples of hybrid batteries to the Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago this spring for testing.

Ovan said the company now employs 45 people, up from three when the firm was spun off from Caterpillar five years ago.

Firefly has two similar, but different, technologies using Microcell Technology™, designated as the 3D and 3D². Their breakthrough foam electrode structure results in a redistribution of most of the electrolyte (the biggest “resistor” in a lead acid battery) into the pores of the foam plate, in closer proximity to the lead chemistry. The 3D cell architecture involves replacing the conventional lead metal-based negative plate with a foam electrode.  The 3D² battery uses the porous material for both the negative and positive plates, replacing up to 70% of the lead utilized in traditional lead-acid batteries. 

See their Technical White Paper for more details on their technology.

It is speculated that batteries using the 3D² technology, which is lighter in weight and has higher energy density, will be required to meet the needs of the PHEV market.  If so, this is the first public indication of the status of that technology. Their website, in a 2006 statement, says:

. . . we hope to be making batteries for this (automotive) important application. We have no plans however to offer individual batteries to the general public for at least the next two years.

Firefly is already producing 3D batteries for trucks and for mobile lawn equipment.

Brighter LED Lights Could Replace Household Light Bulbs Within Three Years

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), already used in electrical equipment such as computers and mobile phones, are several times more energy efficient than standard light-bulbs. However, because of their structure and material, much of the light in standard LEDs becomes trapped, reducing the brightness of the light and making them unsuitable as the main lighting source in the home.

Now researchers at the University of Glasgow believe that, by making microscopic holes on the surface of the LEDs, they have found a way of introducing a new generation of LEDs into households that are brighter and use even less power than standard energy efficient light-bulbs.  . . . more

FYI: Silicon Nonowires Convert Waste Heat to Electricity

Energy now lost as heat during the production of electricity could be harnessed through the use of silicon nanowires synthesized via a technique developed by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) at Berkeley. The far-ranging potential applications of this technology include DOE’s hydrogen fuel cell-powered “Freedom CAR,” and personal power-jackets that could use heat from the human body to recharge cell-phones and other electronic devices.

“Thermoelectric materials, which have the ability to convert heat into electricity, potentially could be used to capture much of the low-grade waste heat now being lost and convert it into electricity,” said Arun Majumdar, a mechanical engineer and materials scientist with joint appointments at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley  . . . more

GM Invests in Coskata, Who Claims it Can Produce Ethanol for $1.00/gallon

General Motors is investing in Coskata, a start-up biofuels company that says it can produce ethanol from a wide range of feedstocks for less than $1.00 per gal, compared with a wholesale selling price of more than $2.00 per gal today. GM will receive the first ethanol from Coskata’s pilot plant in the fourth quarter of 2008. Acccording to Chemical & Engineering News the first commercial-scale plant will be running in 2011, making 50 million to 100 million gal of ethanol (per year).

Coskata’s process is feedstock flexible, and enables the use of cost-effective, locally abundant materials to achieve the lowest ethanol production cost targets in the industry. This groundbreaking approach addresses many of the constraints lodged against current renewable energy options, including environmental, transportation and land use concerns.

Using patented microorganisms and transformative bioreactor designs, Their process can turn virtually any carbon-based feedstock, including biomass, municipal solid waste, bagasse and other agricultural waste into ethanol, making production a possibility in almost any geography. The three steps of the process are:

1. Incoming material converted to synthesis gas (gasification)
2. Fermentation of synthesis gas into ethanol (bio-fermentation)
3. Separation and recovery of ethanol (separations)

EEStor, Lockheed Martin to Collaborate on Military and Homeland Security Applications

After quite a period of silence, there is some news on EEStor today. Maybe the company is for real and we will finally get some more meaningful information. Working with Lockheed Martin certainly gives them some credability. It looks like the company is about a year behind on its initial production schedule. Several previous posts on EEStor can be found in the energy storage category. The bold emphasis in the press release is mine.

The entire lockheed Martin press release:

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has signed an exclusive international rights agreement to integrate and market Electrical Energy Storage Units (EESU) from EEStor, Inc., for military and homeland security applications.  Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

EEStor, based in Cedar Park, TX, is developing a ceramic battery chemistry that could provide 10 times the energy density of lead acid batteries at 1/10th the weight and volume.  As envisioned, EESUs will be a fully “green” technology that will be half the price per stored watt-hour than traditional battery technologies.

“Lockheed Martin has a wide range of innovative energy solutions for federal, state and regional energy applications,” said Glenn Miller, vice president of Technical Operations and Applied Research at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.  “The EEStor energy storage technology provides potential solutions for the demanding requirements for energy in military and homeland defense applications.”

EESUs are planned as nontoxic, non-hazardous and non-explosive.  Since the EESU design is based on ultra-capacitor architecture, it will allow for flexible packaging and rapid charge/discharge capabilities.  EESUs will be ideally suited for a wide range of power management initiatives that could lead to energy independence for the Warfighter.

FYI: Switchgrass yields five times more energy than it takes to grow it

Results from the five-year study highlights the prairie grass' potential as a biomass fuel source that yields significantly more energy than is consumed in production and conversion into cellulosic ethanol, said Ken Vogel, a U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service geneticist in UNL's agronomy and horticulture department.  . . . more

EPA Recognizes Innovative Landfill Gas Projects

Landfill gas is the natural by-product of the decomposition of solid waste in landfills and is comprised primarily of carbon dioxide and methane. By preventing emissions of methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) through the development of landfill gas energy projects, the Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) helps businesses, states, energy providers, and communities protect the environment and build a sustainable future.

Municipal solid waste landfills are the largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States, accounting for about 25 percent of these emissions in 2004. At the same time, methane emissions from landfills represent a lost opportunity to capture and use a significant energy resource.

Landfill gas (LFG) is created as solid waste decomposes in a landfill. This gas consists of about 50 percent methane (CH₄), the primary component of natural gas, about 50 percent carbon dioxide (CO₂), and a small amount of non-methane organic compounds. Methane is a greenhouse gas over 20 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.

Instead of allowing LFG to escape into the air, it can be captured, converted, and used as an energy source. Using LFG helps to reduce odors and other hazards associated with LFG emissions, and it helps prevent methane from migrating into the atmosphere and contributing to local smog and global climate change.

Deeya Energy, Would be Flow Battery Supplier, Raises $15 Million, Names President

Deeya Energy, which makes large flow batteries to provide backup power to industrial plants, raised $15 million in a second round of financing, to support the construction of its factory in India and its continued R&D activities. It also named Vic Mahadevan as president and CEO. The company earlier raised $7.5 million for product development and global market expansion.

The initial focus of the company is the Indian telecom infrastructure market. The company will initially ship to this market in the second quarter of 2008. In 2009, Deeya will expand to focus on the worldwide solar and wind markets also.

“Deeya’s current focus is to be the supplier of choice to telecom operators in India with our innovative flow battery solution for cell phone tower energy back-up applications. This will allow the telecom operators to expand their market rapidly by deep penetration into India’s villages with a cost effective and high performance energy storage platform.”

Vic Mahadevan, CEO of Deeya Energy.

Deeya’s also claims its products will for the first time ever commercialize peak-off-peak load shifting, a market estimated to be worth $10B for electricity consumers and worth $160B for electricity producers and distributors. In addition, its products will enable commercial energy storage in renewable energy and UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) industries, presently estimated at $5B, and inadequately served mostly by the Lead-Acid batteries and diesel generators.

Construction on First Westinghouse AP1000 to Begin in China in March

It has been announced that construction is to start on China's first Westinghouse AP1000 reactor in March. The first of four similar units, it could be online in 2013.

in July 2007 the Chinese ordered four AP1000's, two to be built at Sanmen and two at Haiyang. These are the first orders ever placed for Generation III+ reactors, with the potential to take China into a nuclear technology leadership role over the coming years.

Under a subcontract with Westinghouse, Doosan of Korea will supply reactor vessels, steam generators and integrated head assemblies for the four reactors.

The AP1000 technology is an "advanced passive" pressurized water reactor approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, but it has never been actually used in any operating power plant.

Biogas Could Replace All EU Natural Gas Imports From Russia**

Biopact reported that biogas can replace all EU Natural Gas imports:

Last year, the German Greens (Grüne) commissioned a report on the potential of biogas in Europe. The Öko-Instituts and the Institut für Energetik in Leipzig carried out the study and came to some startling conclusions: Germany alone can produce more biogas by 2020 than all of the EU's current natural gas imports from Russia.

The growing interest in the gaseous biofuel can be easily explained: it can be produced in a decentralised manner, it is highly efficient - yielding more than twice as much energy per hectare of energy crops than ethanol from similar crops - and it can be obtained in a straightforward way from a large variety of biomass resources (organic waste, manure, dedicated energy crops). What is more, the fuel has two highly efficient uses: as a gas for CNG-capable vehicles (taking you twice around the world on a hectare's worth of biogas) as well as a fuel that can be used for the cogeneration of power and heat.

** Headline revised 12:18 pm Jan. 9, 2008

Researchers Modify E. coli to Produce Biofuels

Biopact also reported that Researchers have modified E. coli to produce efficient higher-chain alcohol biofuels

Researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have developed a new method for producing next-generation biofuels by genetically modifying Escherichia coli bacteria to be an efficient biofuel synthesizer. The method could lead to the mass production of higher-chain alcohol-based biofuels like butanol and isobutanol, which are more efficient than ethanol. The technology has been licenced to Gevo Inc., a next-generation biofuel company supported by Khosla Ventures and the Virgin Green Fund.

Chinese "GreenGen" Power Plant with CCS

A little late in reporting, but still significant:

Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) became the only non-Chinese equity partner in "GreenGen," the first near-zero emissions coal-fueled power plant with carbon capture and storage (CCS) which is under development in China.  . . .

The US$1 billion GreenGen project will use advanced coal-based technologies to generate electricity for Chinese families and businesses using China's most abundant energy resource. It will be capable of hydrogen production and will advance carbon dioxide capture and storage, providing a clean energy prototype to address carbon dioxide concerns.  . . .

Led by managing partner China Huaneng Group, the GreenGen Company will design, develop and operate an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plant near Tianjin, southeast of Beijing. A 250-megawatt plant will be built in the initial phase, expanding to 650-megawatts in later phases.

Project design and review is complete, a site has been selected at the Lingang Industrial Park, and construction is expected to commence in early 2008, with the first phase of the plant expected on line by 2009. The project includes multiple phases for additional generation and carbon capture.  . .

FYI: Compact Power to Develop Batteries for PHEV10s

The United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) announced that Compact Power, Inc. (CPI), has been awarded a contract to develop lithium-ion battery technology for 10-mile range PHEVs plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle (PHEV10) applications. The contract will be for a 27-month period, beginning in January of 2008, to develop batteries using high energy and high power manganese-spinel cathode chemistry. CPI’s contract is valued at $12.9 million, with $4.5 million funded through a cost share by the USABC.

The main advantages of LG Chem/CPI large format cells are:

1) Safer chemistry (without compromises in performance or life) – specifically LG Chem/CPI use manganese-based cathode chemistry with additives to improve calendar life under high temperature conditions.

2) Special high temperature separators (the membranes between the electrodes) – the semi-permeable insulating membranes separating the electrodes in LG Chem/CPI cells are mechanically and thermally far superior to commonly used separators in lithium-ion cells. This property enables LG Chem/CPI cells to withstand abuse situations such as internal shorts and overcharges without undergoing thermal runaway.

3) A safer laminated package – designed to be more forgiving than a metal can under abuse conditions and does not lead to explosions.

The work under this new contract is complimentary to the work CPI is doing with General Motors on the Volt/E-Flex development program.

more

FYI: LED Headlights This Year

OSRAM Opto Semiconductors has carried out pioneering work in the development of thin-film LEDs – supported by Fraunhofer researchers from Jena.  . . .  the efficiency and luminosity of LEDs have never yet been sufficient to achieve a major breakthrough. Now, thanks to new technologies for chip manufacturing, structural design (OSTAR) and beam shaping . . . the light output of the low-price, energy-saving LEDs has been vastly improved.  . . . The company took a major step forwards when it devised chip technology that permits the extraction of light in a single half sphere. A novel platform for the thin-film LEDs ensures efficient temperature management and allows all colors of LEDs to be combined. To use the light emitted by the LED chip as fully as possible, a special optic for the respective application is required and was accordingly designed and implemented by the Fraunhofer researchers. It consists of two parts: a primary and a secondary lens. The primary lens collects the light emitted by the LED close to the chip and combines it to form a beam. The secondary lens homogenizes the light beam.  . . . OSTAR modules will be made standard equipment in car headlamps as of 2008.  . . . more

FYI: Altairnano Ships $1 million Storage System

Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALTI), a leading manufacturer of lithium-titanate battery and energy storage products, announced today that it completed the manufacturing of battery packs to be used in a two (2) megawatt energy storage system ordered by the AES Corporation (NYSE: AES). The $1 million purchase initiated by AES was previously announced in August 2007. Altairnano expects the system to be connected to the grid and tested during the first quarter of 2008.  . . . more

SolarReserve Formed to Commercialize Solar Power Tower Technology Using Molten Salt Storage

A new company has entered the thermal solar field.  Per their press release:

Hamilton Sundstrand, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. [NYSE: UTX], and US Renewables Group have formed a new entity, SolarReserve, to commercialize the concentrated solar power tower technology and corresponding molten salt storage system developed by Rocketdyne. This renewable technology will enable utility-scale solar power generation. It is designed to meet a utility's needs with a single installation capable of producing up to 500 MW of peak power.

"Due to the unique ability of the product to store the energy it captures, this system will function like a conventional hydroelectric power plant, but with several advantages. We will have the capability to store the sun's energy and release it on demand. This product is more predictable than water reserves, the supply is free and inexhaustible, and the environmental impact is essentially zero."

Lee Bailey, managing director of US Renewables Group (USRG)

The technology was originally demonstrated in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy at the Solar Two facility in Barstow, Calif. The unique component of the HS Rocketdyne power tower is the central receiver. This high heat flux hardware represents a unique combination of liquid rocket engine heat transfer technology and molten salt handling expertise.

From the WSJ (link only good for 7 days):

Hamilton Sundstrand's Rocketdyne segment will provide heat-resistant pumps and other equipment, as well as the expertise in handling and storing salt that has been heated to more than 1,050 degrees Fahrenheit. . . .

According to the company, molten salt loses only about 1% of its heat during a day, making it possible to store energy for long periods of time. The salt is a mixture of sodium and potassium nitrate.

From CNET:

The technology is expected to be available within three or four years. A representative said the company expects to realize revenue of more than $1 billion in the next 10 years.

Happy New Year

It has been a good year for The Energy Blog and I hope each and everyone of you also had a good year. We passed several milestones and received some recognition throughout the year. Excuse me for bragging up our successes.

The number of visitors per month to The Energy Blog increased from about 70-75,000 at the beginning of the year to over 100,000 at the end of the year.  Our peak was 105,000 in November, with some trailing off in December due to the lower number of posts. Our advertising revenue increased significantly with Google's purchase of FeedBurner and their subsequent posting more mainstream ads at the end of the top post and in the feeds to the site.

We were recognized by the London Times as being one of the 50 best business blogs. The Cleantech Blog was the only other alternative energy/environmental blog that that was recognized by the Times. It was very surprising, I had no idea that the blog was under consideration.  They didn't even notify me, I read about it on the Cleantech Blog.

The Wall Street Journal started a new blog in their online edition, Energy Roundup. We were mentioned in their initial edition and have been mentioned several times since then.

Best wishes, happiness and good health in the new year,

Jim