Hyperion Unveils Design of its Small Modular Nuclear Reactor, the Hyperion Power Module
21 November 2009
At the recent Annual Winter Conference of the American Nuclear Society in Washington, and simultaneously at the “Powering Toward 2020” conference in London, England, Hyperion Power Generation Inc. revealed the design for the first version of its Hyperion Power Module (HPM), a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) that it intends to have licensed and manufactured at facilities in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
The HPM is a compact (approx. 1.5m wide x 2.5m tall), sealed and self-contained, simple-to-operate nuclear power reactor, euphemistically referred to by the company as a “fission battery”. Over its 7-10 year operational life, the HPM will deliver 70 MW of thermal energy, or approximately 25 MWe. Each module will cost $50 million; initial deliveries, slated to begin in the second half of 2013, are being scheduled, the company says.
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EPA Reports Fifth Consecutive Annual Increase in US New Vehicle Fuel Economy; Up 9% Since 2004, Back to Levels of Early 1980s
20 November 2009
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| Adjusted CO2 emissions and adjusted fuel economy by model year. Source: EPA. Click to enlarge. |
For the fifth consecutive year, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reporting an increase in new vehicle fuel efficiency with a corresponding decrease in average carbon dioxide emissions for new US cars and light duty trucks. This marks the first time that data for CO2 emissions are included in the annual report, Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 through 2009.
For 2008, the last year for which EPA has final data from automakers, the average fuel economy value was 21.0 mpg US (11.2 L/100km). EPA projects a small improvement in 2009, based on pre-model year sales estimates provided to EPA by automakers, to 21.1 mpg (11.1 L/100km). The projected fleetwide average real world MY2009 light-duty vehicle CO2 emissions level is 422 grams per mile (g/mi); the fleetwide average MY2008 value is 424 g/mi.
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Delft Researchers Create New Metabolic Pathway in Yeast to Boost Ethanol Yield from Biomass Waste
20 November 2009
Researchers from Delft University of Technology have engineered the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to increase ethanol yield from biomass waste by eliminating production of glycerol (glycerol production is essential to reoxidize NADH produced in biosynthetic processes), reoxidizing NADH instead by the reduction of acetic acid to ethanol. A paper on their work was published online 13 November in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Significant amounts of acetic acid are released upon hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass—a pre-treatment for fermentation—and, in fact, acetic acid is studied as an inhibitor of yeast metabolism in lignocellulosic hydrolysates, the authors note. This new metabolic engineering strategy is thus a triple win, says principal researcher Jack Pronk: “no glycerol formation, higher ethanol yields and consumption of toxic acetate”.
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Study Concludes That Class 8 Truck Fuel Consumption Could Be Reduced By Up to 50% By 2017 Using Existing and Emerging Technologies; Current Payback Requirements Could Forestall Implementation
20 November 2009
A new study released today by the Northeast States Center for a Clean Air Future (NESCCAF) and the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) found that fuel consumption of Class 8 trucks and the resultant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be reduced up to 50% with the adoption of current and developing technologies and new operational measures by 2017.
However, the study also concluded that given the current short payback period for investment demanded by the trucking industry, a number of the technologies that could enable such savings would not be adopted, absent regulation or a longer payback period.
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Russia Moves To Rein In Gas Flaring, Mandating 95% Gas Capture by 2012; Signals About-Face On Climate Change
19 November 2009
by Jack Rosebro
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| A view of Russian gas flaring based on satellite observations. Source: US NOAA and the World Bank-led Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership. (Video) Click to enlarge. |
The Russian government has ordered oil companies to take steps to
capture up to 95% of the natural gases associated with petroleum
extraction, in a bid to recover the “billions of rubles” worth of
natural gas that is emitted into the atmosphere every year via gas
flaring, according to the Kremlin.
During his 12 November address to the Russian parliament, President
Dmitry Medvedev presented gas flaring as one of the country’s more
egregious examples of wasted energy resources. “The government has
discussed the issue on many occasions, and has promised to put an end
to this disgrace. We really do need to take quick and decisive action,
and no objections from the [oil] production companies should be
accepted”, Medvedev stated.
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DOE AVTA Completes 1M Miles of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Testing
19 November 2009
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| PHEVs and demonstration locations. Source: INL. Click to enlarge. |
The US Department of Energy (DOE), through its Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity (AVTA) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), has completed 1 million miles of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) testing.
The AVTA’s testing of PHEVs demonstrates PHEV concepts in real-world usage by using fleet and public drivers. The 1 million test miles and more than 26,000 charging events have been accumulated in on-road operations across the United States and Canada. More than 215 PHEVs, representing 12 different PHEV models—mostly conversions—have made up the PHEV test fleet to date.
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Embraer, GE, Azul and Amyris in Renewable Jet Fuel Evaluation Project
19 November 2009
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| Amyris engineers microbes to convert sugar to hydrocarbon fuels. Micrograph of fermentation fluids from production of Amyris Renewable Diesel (Nov 2007). Source: Amyris. Click to enlarge. |
Embraer, General Electric, and Amyris Biotechnologies, a synthetic biology company focused on developing renewable hydrocarbon biofuels (earlier post) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to evaluate the technical and sustainability aspects of Amyris’ No Compromise renewable jet fuel. The initiative can culminate in a demo flight, by early 2012, of an Embraer E-Jet using GE engines and belonging to Azul Linhas Aéreas.
This collaboration combines industry leadership in airframe and engine manufacturing, a new and committed airline, and next-generation jet fuel development and production. The goal is to accelerate the introduction of a renewable jet fuel that could significantly lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and provide a long-term sustainable alternative to
petroleum-derived jet fuel.
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Opel Revamping Corsa for 2010; Better Performance, Lower Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emissions
19 November 2009
The Opel Corsa is receiving a complete re-make for 2010, with major engineering changes, re-vamped powertrain line-up, chassis improvements and steering recalibration to give the Corsa better performance and greater fuel economy as well as comfort, handling and driving dynamics. The Corsa, which accounts for some 30% of Opel/Vauxhall total sales, is available in three-door and five-door variants.
Gasoline engine line-up. The new gasoline engine line-up for the Corsa fully complies with Euro 5 standards. All engines have been re-worked to offer more torque while featuring up to 13% lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Both the 1.2- and 1.4-liter Twinport variants are each available in two versions with different outputs. Every country selects and offers customers the variants that suit the needs of their region. Some may decide to go for optimal fuel efficiency; other may want to balance it with more performance.
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UK Government Soliciting Bids for £30M for Charging Points; New Office for Low Emission Vehicles
19 November 2009
The UK Government is soliciting bids for £30 million (US$50 million) in funding to support the installation of plug-in vehicle charging points on streets, car parks and in commercial, retail and leisure facilities. This initiative—called Plugged-In Places—will support the development of between three and six electric car cities and regions across the UK which will act as trailblazers for electric car technology. The experiences of these locations will inform the future development of a national charging infrastructure.
Funding will be made available to consortia in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland made up of local authorities, businesses, electricity distributors and suppliers and other organizations like the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs). The funds will be made available in two phases.
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Volvo Upgrades Hybrid System in Prototype Refuse Truck; Small-Scale Series Production Pushed Back to 2012 at the Earliest
19 November 2009
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| Updated Volvo hybrid refuse truck in London. Click to enlarge. |
After a year and a half of initial field testing, Volvo Trucks is releasing an upgraded hybrid refuse truck (earlier post) with new components and software. The new refuse truck will be tested by Veolia Environmental Services in central London.
The new truck is an upgraded version of the parallel hybrid trucks field-tested in Stockholm and Göteborg, Sweden, over the past eighteen months. It has two separate drivelines, one for diesel and one for electricity, which can be used either separately or together. The refuse truck promises up to 30% lower fuel consumption than a conventional model.
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POET Reduces Cellulosic Ethanol Production Cost from $4.13 to $2.35/Gallon in First Year of Pilot Operation; <$2.00/Gallon Target for Commercial Start
18 November 2009
Over the first year of operations of its pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in South Dakota (earlier post), POET has reduced its per gallon production cost from $4.13 to $2.35, exceeding its expectations. Cost reduction came via reductions in energy usage, enzyme costs, raw material requirements and capital expenses. The pilot plant uses corn cobs for feedstock.
The company’s goal is to be below $2 per gallon by the time of the commercial start-up of its Project LIBERTY (Launch of an Integrated Bio-refinery with Eco-sustainable and Renewable Technologies in Y2009) plant, a planned 25 million-gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol facility in Emmetsburg, Iowa. (Earlier post.)
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