Green Car Congress

Conference: Nanotechnology Holds Promise for Energy Breakthroughs

Nanotechnology holds promise for necessary breakthroughs in a number of critical energy sectors, including solar cells, thermoelectric conversion and transport, hydrogen storage, and electrochemical conversion and storage (i.e., batteries, capacitors and fuel cells), according to scientists participating in the first Energy Nanotechnology International Conference (ENIC2006) held June 26-28 at MIT.

The technical conference included invited and contributed presentations from academia and industry. Among the speakers were Michael Graetzel, professor at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, and MIT Institute Professor Mildred Dresselhaus.

Solar. Researchers described a number of approaches to developing solar photon conversion systems that have an appropriate combination of high efficiency and low capital cost.

MIT’s Vladimir Bulovic, for one, said that nanotechnologies such as nanodots and nanorods are potentially disruptive technologies in the solar field. Bulovic is fabricating quantum dot photovoltaics using a microcontact printing process.

I think we’ll see the peaking of oil and natural gas sooner than most of those in the fossil fuel industry think. By 2035 photovoltaics could produce about 10 percent of the world’s electricity and play a major role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

—David Carlson, chief scientist at BP Solar

Thermoelectrics. Thermoelectric devices are able to increase the efficiency of current technology and processes by transforming typical waste heat in combustion processes into electrical energy without the production of any environmentally harmful by-products.

There is a strong incentive to develop novel thermoelectric materials for power generation with a vastly improved thermoelectric performance. Nanomaterials have a role to play in meeting this challenge because of expectations for enhanced power factor and greatly reduced thermal conductivity in suitably chosen systems. Therefore general, convenient synthetic routes to bulk nanostructured materials, designed to be thermodynamically stable and thus practically permanent, are needed.

—Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, Michigan State University

Hydrogen. Mildred Dresselhaus gave a plenary talk titled “Addressing Grand Energy Challenges Through Advanced Materials” in which she focused on the large gap between present science/technology knowhow and the requirements in efficiency/cost for a sustainable hydrogen economy.

The hydrogen initiative involves an effort to greatly increase our capability to produce hydrogen using renewable energy sources such as photons from the sun and water from the oceans, since hydrogen is an energy carrier and not a fuel found on our planet.

The hydrogen storage problem has been identified as the most challenging since neither liquid hydrogen nor solid hydrogen have enough energy density to meet the DOE requirements for hydrogen storage for automotive applications.

The third element of the hydrogen initiative involves the development of fuel cells with a much enhanced performance and lower cost, that would come about through the development of more effective catalysts in the anode and cathode of the fuel cell and more efficient membranes operating at elevated temperatures allowing proton flow but inhibiting hydrogen gas flow.

For each of the three components of the hydrogen initiative, hydrogen production, storage and utilization, it appears that the special properties of materials at the nanoscale can be utilized to enhance performance in a way that cannot be done with bulk materials.

—Mildred Dresselhaus, MIT

Energy storage. Speakers in this track focused on fuel cells, batteries and supercapacitors.

Many significant efforts are being made to identify and utilize new energy sources, to increase production of existing sources, to increase conversion and storage efficiency, and, equally important, to reduce pollution. However, incremental improvement will not be sufficient. What is needed are new approaches.

At the same time, we are entering an exciting era where we now have the technology to engineer materials on a nanometer scale, i.e. at dimensions comparable to the size of individual atoms and molecules. But what does nanotechnology have to do with the world’s massive energy needs? In my keynote address, I will explore nanotechnology as an “outside the box” technology that has the potential to “re-invent” (transform) some long-known but little-used technologies to the point that they may offer significant improvement over the accepted ways of converting and storing energy.

One such transformation would be to use capacitors rather than batteries for regenerative energy storage. Ridiculous? Perhaps not. In MIT’s Laboratory for Electromagnetic and Electronic Systems (LEES), we are exploring a nanostructured ultracapacitor electrode that has the potential to increase a capacitor’s energy storage density to equal that of a chemical battery.

Another technology that we are exploring is the use of nanostructured emissive coatings and filters to significantly increase the efficiency of direct thermophotovoltaic (TPV) generation of electricity from heat.

—Joel Schindall, MIT

There is widespread effort and excitement in new materials for storing and releasing lithium or hydrogen. New materials are needed if rechargeable batteries and fuel cell systems are to be more competitive in the transportation sector, for example.

—Brent Fultz, California Institute of Technology

The conference was organized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Nanotechnology Institute. Manuscripts submitted to the conference will be published in a future issue of the ASME Journal of Heat Transfer.

Resources:

• Energy Nanotechnology International Conference (ENIC2006)

ORNL: Single Wide-Base Truck Tires Improve Fuel Economy

Replacing the standard two thinner tires per wheel with a single wide-base tire improves the fuel efficiency of heavy-duty tractor-trailer trucks and allows them to be made to run with more stability, according to studies by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Interstate tests by ORNL’s National Transportation Research Center show gas mileage increased nearly 3% with use of wider single tires on tractor-trailers. Bill Knee, who headed the study, said the change also allows widening of the trailer frame by six inches, providing a much more stable configuration.

We noticed that there was about a 2.9% fuel saving in using the new generation single wide tires over the standard dual tires. These trucks do 125,000 miles per year on the average. They currently get five miles per gallon. You can see there is a considerable amount of savings dollar-wise that can be realized through tires like this.

—Bill Knee

With those figures, a 3% improvement in fuel economy would reduce fuel consumption by about 728 gallons per year per truck.

The wide base tires improve fuel efficiency by decreasing weight and rolling resistance. Knee said tire formulation and the design of the tire are likely contributors to the fuel savings.

The fuel economy tests were conducted along a route from Western Michigan to Portland, Ore., that involved many types of terrain, varying weather conditions and different levels of congestion.

A 2005 study by the EPA on single wide truck tires and aerodynamic devices singly and in combination on Class 8 vehicles using a test track found improvements in fuel economy ranging from 3 to 18%—and, surprisingly, NO_x reductions ranging from 9 to 45%.

ORNL will conduct additional testing of five instrumented trucks over a 12-month period beginning this fall. Lessons learned from these types of studies are preliminary to further efforts to develop a heavy truck of the future that will be more energy-efficient and stable than conventional trucks. The research is funded by DOE’s Office of FreedomCar and Vehicle Technologies.

Resources:

• ORNL Heavy Vehicle Safety Research Center (HVSRC)

• EPA: Effect of Single Wide Tires and Trailer Aerodynamics on Fuel Economy and NOx Emissions of Class 8 Line-Haul Tractor-Trailers

• Single Wide-Base Tires (SmartWay)

• Wheels and Tires

Forecast: German Gasoline and Diesel Consumption to Drop Combined 25% by 2025

Forecast German domestic consumption of petroleum fuels. Click to enlarge.

In its just-released annual forecast to the German petroleum industry, the MWV (the Association of the German Petroleum Industry: Mineralölwirtschaftsverband), estimates that domestic consumption of gasoline and diesel will drop a combined 25.4% from 54.9 million tonnes of fuel consumed in 2004 to 39.6 million tonnes in 2025.

The drop for gasoline is more precipitous, as diesel is steadily gaining marketshare in Germany. From 25 million tonnes in 2004, MWV projects that gasoline consumption will drop 41.9% to 13.6 million tonnes by 2025. Diesel consumption increases from 2004’s 29.9 million tonnes until tipping over after 2010 to drop down to 26 million tonnes by 2025 (-12.5% from 2004).

Driving the forecast decrease in consumption are projected increases in new car fuel efficiency combined with an ongoing shift to diesel, increased usage of biofuels, a shrinking population, and reduced use compelled by high prices. MWV develops its forecast as part of the results of a survey of its membership, which includes German refineries and fueling station operators.

With the decrease in consumption, carbon dioxide emissions from road traffic would fall by 30% to 113 million tonnes a year, according to the MWV.

The decrease in domestic consumption will lead to increased net exports of car fuels from Germany, according to the MWV.

Resources:

• MWV-Prognose 2025 für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland

• MWV: CO2-Emissionen des Straßenverkehrs sinken bis 2025 um 30 Prozent

Ford to Establish Hybrid Development Center in Sweden; Volvo Cars to Invest $1.4 Billion in Environmental R&D

Ford Motor, through its subsidiary Volvo Cars, announced it will establish a development center for hybrid systems in Gothenburg, Sweden, to serve Ford’s Premier Automotive Group and Ford of Europe business units.

In a related announcement, Volvo said that it will invest SEK 10 billion (US$1.4 billion) in environmental R&D to improve fuel economy and tailpipe emissions of its global fleet.

Hybrid development center. The hybrid development center will have overall responsibility for the application of hybrid systems into Volvo Cars vehicles globally as well as for ensuring Ford of Europe and brands from Ford’s Premier Automotive Group are able to apply core hybrid systems into their own product plans.

The center will be staffed initially by a mix of 20 leading engineers from both Volvo Cars and other brands from the Ford Motor Company group.

Part of a global initiative by Ford Motor Company to speed the introduction of more fuel-efficient vehicles, the new hybrid development center will build on the experience and expertise that Volvo Cars has built up over many years in developing advanced environmental technology systems, including some of the early hybrid systems, that eventually made their way into the world’s first hybrid SUV, the Ford Escape.

We are very pleased that Ford Motor Company has decided to establish a development-center for hybrid technology in Gothenburg. This shows a strong belief in Volvo Cars and our ability to deliver results in future advanced technologies and underline the fact that Sweden has all the pre-requisites for research and development excellence.

“The hybrid cars of tomorrow will be more sophisticated and much further developed compared with what we see on the road today. And it is likely that we will find high-performance hybrids running on diesels and renewable fuels.

—Fredrik Arp, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation

The center’s location will ensure that hybrid technology development at Ford Motor Company takes into account different market trends and customer preferences in regions around the world. While the new center will be located in Gothenburg, each brand within Ford European operations will be responsible for applying new technologies to their own product portfolios.

The team at the new hybrid center will also work closely with Ford’s hybrid development team in Detroit, Michigan, to ensure optimum global alignment and economies of scale.

Environmental R&D. In a linked announcement, Volvo Cars announced the investment of SEK 10 billion (US$1.4 billion) in environmental research and development. The aim is to reduce the total fuel economy and tailpipe emissions of the global Volvo Cars fleet.

The investment initiative will focus primarily on:

1. The development and deployment of cleaner, more efficient diesel engines, hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles;

2. The use of light, strong materials like magnesium, aluminium and lighter high-strength steel; and

3. The introduction of smaller vehicles, while continuing to meet customer expectations for safety in Volvo Cars.

At the Challenge Bibendum 2004, Volvo introduced the 3CC electric concept car, a 3-seater prototype electric vehicle powered by a lithium-ion battery. (Earlier post). At the Challenge Bibendum 2006, Volvo introduced the Multi-Fuel, an extremely clean engine offering high performance, which can run on five fuels (bio-methane; bio-ethanol; natural gas; gasoline and hythane, a mixture consisting of 10 percent hydrogen gas and 90 percent methane gas). (Earlier post.)

Previously, we were able to solve several major environmental problems ourselves with the help of skilled engineers and advanced technology. Today however, our biggest environmental problems—increased carbon dioxide emissions and climate change—require much more than just technical solutions from individual car manufacturers.

All of society has to be involved: decision-makers the world over must pursue sustainable policies, the production and distribution of renewable energy must be improved and last but not least, consumers must to an ever-increasing extent dare—and want—to invest in environmental technology.

Volvo Cars will be an active partner in the highly complex challenge facing society. Our role is to be a premium supplier of sustainable mobility solutions.

—Fredrik Arp

The Volvo Car Corporation, with its head office in Gothenburg, Sweden, has been a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company since 1999. Volvo has approximately 27,000 employees around the world.

GM India to Introduce Minicar in 2007; CNG and Diesel Variants of Optra

Coming to India? The Chevrolet Matiz/Spark minicar.

The Hindu. GM will launch a minicar in India during the first half of 2007, according to GM India President and Managing Director Rajeev Chaba.

The minicar—rumored to be the Chevrolet Spark (earlier post)—will be produced at the Halol facility, and benefit from the excise tax cut announced for small cars in India.

“By the end of this year, we will touch an overall production capacity of 85,000 units per annum [at Halol]. Our current sales target for the year being 45,000-50,000 units, we will utilize the additional capacity for the small car,” he added. Asked how the company plans to meet the additional capacity requirement once the mini car rolls out, he said, “We are looking for, and still deciding on the alternative capacity. But at the moment we cannot give a definite answer.”

GM introduced the third-generation Chevrolet Matiz/Spark minicar, manufactured by GM Daewoo in Korea, in 2005.

The new Matiz/Spark features a new 796-cc, three-cylinder gasoline engine that delivers 38 kW (52 hp) of power and a maximum 71.5 Nm (52.7 lb-ft) of torque. Top-speed of the five door model is 135 km/h (84 mph) with 0–100 km/h acceleration of 21.9 seconds.

The European version (Matiz) consumes 5.2 liters/100km combined cycle (45 mpg US) and emits 127 g CO₂/km.

According to Chaba, GM will also launch a CNG variant of its premium sedan, Optra, next month and plans to introduce a diesel variant by the first quarter of next year.

The 1.6- and 1.8-liter Optra is based on a platform from GM Daewoo and is manufactured domestically by GM India at the Halol, Gujarat facility.

Research Suggests Food-Crop Yields Under Future Greenhouse-Gas Conditions Will Be 50% Lower than Expected

Five major food crops—maize, rice, sorghum, soybeans and wheat—grown in open-air trials under carbon-dioxide levels projected for the future are producing significantly less than those raised in earlier greenhouse and other enclosed test conditions. As a result, scientists are warning that global food supplies could be at risk without changes in production strategies.

The new findings are based on on-going open-air research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and results gleaned from five other temperate-climate locations around the world.

According to the analysis, published in the 30 June issue of the journal Science, crop yields are running at about 50% below conclusions drawn previously from enclosed test conditions.

This casts serious doubt on projections that rising CO₂ will fully offset losses due to climate change.

Results from the open-field experiments, using Free-Air Concentration Enrichment (FACE) technology “indicate a much smaller CO₂ fertilization effect on yield than currently assumed for C3 crops, such as rice, wheat and soybeans, and possibly little or no stimulation for C4 crops that include maize and sorghum,”according to Stephen P. Long, U. of I. plant biologist and crop scientist.

FACE technology, such as the SoyFACE project at Illinois, allows researchers to grow crops in open-air fields, with elevated levels of carbon dioxide simulating the composition of the atmosphere projected for the year 2050. SoyFACE has added a unique element by introducing surface-level ozone, which also is rising. Ozone is toxic to plants. SoyFACE is the first facility in the world to test both the effects of future ozone and CO₂ levels on crops in the open air. (Earlier post.)

Older, closed-condition studies occurred in greenhouses, controlled environmental chambers and transparent field chambers, in which carbon dioxide or ozone were easily retained and controlled.

By 2050 carbon dioxide levels may be about 1.5 times greater than the current 380 parts per million, while daytime ozone levels during the growing season could peak on average at 80 parts per billion (now 60 parts per billion).

Older studies, as reviewed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, suggest that increased soil temperature and decreased soil moisture, which would reduce crop yields, likely will be offset in C3 crops by the fertilization effect of rising CO₂, primarily because CO₂ increases photosynthesis and decreases crop water use.

Although more than 340 independent chamber studies have been analyzed to project yields under rising CO₂ levels, most plants grown in enclosures can differ greatly from those grown in farm fields, Long said. FACE has been the only technology that has tested effects in real-world situations, and, to date, for each crop tested yields have been “well below (about half) the value predicted from chambers,” the authors reported. The results encompassed grain yield, total biomass and effects on photosynthesis.

The FACE data came from experimental wheat and sorghum fields at Maricopa, Ariz.; grasslands at Eschikon, Switzerland; managed pasture at Bulls, New Zealand; rice at Shizukuishi, Japan; and soybean and corn crops at Illinois. In three key production measures, involving four crops, the authors wrote, just one of 12 factors scrutinized is not lower than chamber equivalents, Long said.

“The FACE experiments clearly show that much lower CO₂ fertilization factors should be used in model projections of future yields,” the researchers said. They also called for research to examine simultaneous changes in CO₂, O₃, temperature and soil moisture.

While projections to 2050 may be too far out for commercial considerations, they added, “it must not be seen as too far in the future for public sector research and development, given the long lead times that may be needed to avoid global food shortage.”

Long and four colleagues were co-authors: Elizabeth A. Ainsworth, professor of plant biology; Andrew D.B. Leakey, research fellow in the Institute of Genomic Biology at Illinois; Donald R. Ort, professor of plant biology and crops sciences; and Josef Nösberger, professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Science and Technology in Zurich. Long, Ainsworth and Ort also are affiliated with the Institute for Genomic Biology, and Ainsworth and Ort also are scientists in the USDA-ARS Photosynthesis Research Unit on the Illinois campus.

The Illinois Council for Food and Agricultural Research, Archer Daniels Midland Co., the USDA and U. of I. Experiment Station funded the research.

Resources:

• “Food for Thought: Lower-Than-Expected Crop Yield Stimulation with Rising CO₂ Concentrations”; Stephen P. Long, Elizabeth A. Ainsworth, Andrew D. B. Leakey, Josef Nösberger, Donald R. Ort; Science 30 June 2006: Vol. 312. no. 5782, pp. 1918 - 1921; DOI: 10.1126/science.1114722

2006 Solar Drag Race Results

Brooks cools off his solar panels. Click to enlarge.

Sunlight-propelled dragsters competed down a quarter-kilometer raceway in the second annual Solar Drag Race held in Wenatchee, Washington on June 24th.

Unlike other solar race events, solar drag racers do not use batteries or other pre-energized devices. The racers’ only fuel source is sunshine captured by the vehicle over the quarter-kilometer distance.

The CHS dragster.

Removing batteries from the vehicle and limiting the race to a short distance creates unique engineering challenges. While solar dragsters and cross-country solar racers both benefit from lightweight construction and high efficiency solar cells, solar drag racers do not use motor controllers, battery management systems, or expensive batteries.

Three racers participated this year; one in each of three categories: unlimited, college, and high school divisions. Randy Brooks with Brooks Solar won the unlimited division with a time of 57 seconds.

Central Washington University’s entry.

Chehalis High School in Western Washington came in second and Central Washington University came in third. Since Chehalis and Central Washington University were the only ones competing in their divisions (college and high school), they each won a $1,000 scholarship.

The college scholarships were provided by Renewable Energy Corporation (REC), the world’s largest dedicated producer of solar grade polysilicon for the photovoltaic industry.

Theoretically, a solar drag racer should be able to exceed 50 mph, according to Jim White, one of the two entrants in 2005. In order to achieve that kind of speed, the dragster will need a variable speed transmission, lightweight/high efficient solar cells, and sleek aerodynamics.

Randy Brooks used a variable speed transmission suggested by White.

I called it a cassette drive. The motor spins a small diameter shaft that unwinds a strap wrapped around the drive wheel. As the dragster progresses down the track the motor shaft diameter increases while the drive wheel shaft diameter decreases. At the end of the race the strap fully unwinds from the motor wheel, but by that time the race is over.

—Jim White

Although there were relatively few participants, the 2006 event grew by 50% from the 2005 event, in which there were but two. The organizers anticipate that the event will grow each year as awareness grows.

(A hat-tip and kudos to Jim White!)

Resources:

• Solar-Powered Drag Race website

New Process for the Efficient Production of a Chemical Intermediate (HMF) from Sugar; Building Blocks for Plastics and Fuels

Click to enlarge. Source: James Dumesic

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed an efficient process to make a chemical intermediate called HMF (hydroxymethylfurfural) from fructose from biomass. HMF can be converted into plastics, petroleum or diesel fuel extenders, or even into diesel fuel itself.

The two-phase process operates at high fructose concentrations (10 to 50 wt.%), achieves high yields (80% HMF selectivity at 90% fructose conversion), and delivers HMF in a separation-friendly solvent.

Prof. James Dumesic—a co-founder of Virent, a company which is commercializing the aqueous phase reforming technology he developed (earlier post)—and his research team reports on this work in the 30 June issue of the journal Science.

Trying to understand how to use catalytic processes to make chemicals and fuel from biomass is a growing area. Instead of using the ancient solar energy locked up in fossil fuels, we are trying to take advantage of the carbon dioxide and modern solar energy that crop plants pick up.

—James Dumesic

The basic approach to this type of biofuel technology is the controlled removal of oxygen from carbohydrates to obtain oxygenated hydrocarbons. The controlled elimination of water from sugars has been studied extensively, and can provide HMF, levulinic acid, and other organic acids.

Although other researchers have previously converted fructose into HMF, Dumesic’s research group made a series of improvements that raised the HMF output and also made the HMF easier to extract.

The new process first dehydrates the fructose in the aqueous phase with the use of an acid catalyst (hydrochloric acid or an acidic ion-exchange resin) with dimethylsulfoxide and/or poly(1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone) added to suppress undesired side reactions.

The HMF product then moves to a solvent that carries it to a separate location, where it is extracted. Once made, HMF can be converted into plastics or diesel fuel.

Dumesic is also exploring methods to convert other sugars and even more complex carbohydrates into HMF and other chemical intermediates. In earlier work, Dumesic and his team had demonstrated the dehydration and hydrogenation of an aqueous stream of sorbitol to hexane.

This field of study is ripe for further rapid advances as the revolution in catalysis, computational modeling, and combinatorial chemistry will lead to a suite of catalytic systems that will facilitate the conversion of biomass polysaccarides to liquid alkanes and oxyalkanes for fuel applications.

—Ragauskas, et. al.

Resources:

• “Phase Modifiers Promote Efficient Production of Hydroxymethylfurfural from Fructose”; Yuriy Román-Leshkov, Juben N. Chheda, James A. Dumesic; Science 30 June 2006: Vol. 312. no. 5782, pp. 1933 - 1937; DOI: 10.1126/science.1126337

• “The Path Forward for Biofuels and Biomaterials”; Arthur J. Ragauskas, Charlotte K. Williams, Brian H. Davison, George Britovsek, John Cairney, Charles A. Eckert, William J. Frederick, Jr., Jason P. Hallett, David J. Leak, Charles L. Liotta, Jonathan R. Mielenz, Richard Murphy, Richard Templer, Timothy Tschaplinski; Science 27 January 2006:Vol. 311. no. 5760, pp. 484 - 489; DOI: 10.1126/science.1114736

• “Production of Liquid Alkanes by Aqueous-Phase Processing of Biomass-Derived Carbohydrates”; George W. Huber, Juben N. Chheda, Christopher J. Barrett, James A. Dumesic; Science 3 June 2005: Vol. 308. no. 5727, pp. 1446 - 1450; DOI: 10.1126/science.1111166

California and Sweden to Cooperate on Biomethane and Renewable Fuels

California and the Kingdom of Sweden have finalized a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate with one another and the industry to develop bioenergy, particularly biomethane.

Representatives from both governments signed the MOU in Stockholm this month identifying how the two states can benefit from enhanced information-sharing and interaction to develop bioenergy for transportation fuels and other uses.

Through strong cooperation between its industry and government, Sweden is showing the world how bioenergy can be developed in a cost-effective manner that benefits its economy and environment. This MOU will provide a basis for intensified collaboration between our states to help California develop a thriving bioenergy industry.

—Joe Desmond, Resources Agency Undersecretary for Energy Affairs

Sweden is a global leader in converting biowaste derived from agricultural material and residues into usable biomethane. The gas is used to generate electricity, residential heating, or as a transportation fuel. Biomass sources make up 45% of Sweden’s methane, and the country’s biomethane industry has been growing at an annual rate of around 20% over the last five years.

Officials signed the MOU after a tour of Swedish biomethane facilities by a delegation of California business and government leaders. Led by Desmond and California Energy Commissioner Jim Boyd, the delegation included leaders from the state’s dairy and ranching industries, a gas utility, as well as other key regulatory officials. The tour was organized by CALSTART in partnership with the Business Region Gothenburg.

Biomethane powers more than 8,000 transit buses, garbage trucks, and 10 different models of passenger cars in Sweden. The country has more than 25 biomethane production facilities and 65 filling stations.

Since biomethane is developed from methane sources that would normally release into the atmosphere it is considered one of the most climate-friendly fuels. Biomethane is 98% methane and easily meets the Swedish and California pipeline standards.

Biomethane is developed by heating up and breaking down biomaterials in a digester. Among the raw materials the Swedes feed their digesters are slaughterhouse waste, swine manure, and even grassy crops. The materials break down over a 20-day period and impurities are removed to produce the gas. In some cases, renewable biomethane is injected into Sweden’s natural gas pipeline network to augment supplies. The program is similar to the green energy program operated by some electric utilities in California.

Going forward, we will be working closely with Swedish and California government and industry officials to take concrete steps that help our biomethane industry grow. California is leading the nation in terms of using natural gas as a transportation fuel. We now want to enter the next phase where we expand upon that program and start utilizing biomethane.

—John Boesel, CALSTART President and CEO

CALSTART is a non-profit organization that works with the public and private sectors to develop advanced transportation technologies.

Resources:

• Memorandum of Understanding Between the State of California and the Kingdom of Sweden on Bioenergy

EIA: US Energy-Related CO2 Increases 0.1% in 2005; Transportation CO2 Increases 0.2%

Transportation is the leading source for energy-related CO2 emissions.

US energy-related emissions of CO₂ rose 0.1% from 2004 to 2005, increasing from 5,903 million metric tons (MMTCO₂) to 5,909 MMTCO₂ in 2005, according to an early estimate from the US Energy Information Administration.

Emissions from petroleum accounted for 43.75% of total energy-related CO₂ emissions in 2005. Although total emissions from petroleum fell 0.1%, (while emissions from coal increased by 1.4%) emissions from transportation edged up by 0.2% in 2005.

Average fleet fuel economy, passenger cars and light-duty trucks. Source: EIA

Declines in emissions from gasoline and jet fuel were offset by increases in distillate and residual fuel emissions.

In 1999, transportation-related CO₂ emissions overtook industrial emissions and remain the largest source of energy-related CO₂. Between 1990 and 2005, transportation CO₂ emissions grew 23.4% (1.4% per year) and accounted for 32.8% of all energy-related CO₂ emissions in 2005 (1,937 MMTCO₂).

Separately, Environmental Defense released a new report—Global Warming on the Road—that concludes that US cars and light trucks are responsible for 45% of the CO₂ emitted by automobiles around the world, even though America’s vehicles represent just 30% of the nearly 700 million cars in use worldwide.

The US share of CO₂ emissions is disproportionately higher because American vehicles are driven more each year and on average burn more fuel than cars in other countries.

Automakers vs. power companies. Click to enlarge.

The cars and light trucks from each of the Big Three automakers—GM, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler—emit more carbon dioxide than the nation’s largest electric utility, American Electric Power (AEP), with its nearly 60 large coal-fired power plants and 36,000 megawatts of generating capacity, according to the report.

The report details, by automaker and vehicle type, the greenhouse gas contributions from the auto sector.

Surprisingly, given the popularity of SUVs, small cars (compacts and subcompacts) still accounted for the greatest portion of carbon emitted as of 2004 (25%)—a testament to how long today’s vehicles remain on the road. SUVs—with a 21% carbon share in the entire fleet and a 34% carbon share among new vehicles only—are close to moving into first place.

The report examines the three factors behind greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles: amount of driving, fuel economy, and the carbon content of motor fuel.

Reducing global warming on the road is a shared responsibility. By underscoring the magnitude of emissions from America’s automobiles, this report shows that all actors—automakers, fuel providers, consumers, and various levels of government—can help solve the problem by addressing those aspects of CO₂ emissions they can control.

—John DeCicco, author of the report and senior fellow at Environmental Defense

Resources:

• US Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Energy Sources 2005 Flash Estimate

• Global Warming on the Road

Shell, MAN and Connexxion Planning World’s Largest Hydrogen Public Transport Project

A new MAN H2ICE Bus for HyFleet:CUTE

Shell Hydrogen B.V., MAN Truck & Bus Company N.V., and Connexxion Holding N.V. are working towards creating the world’s largest hydrogen-fueled public transport operation in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The project aims to have the largest hydrogen bus fleet operational in a single region before the end of the decade.

In a Memorandum of Understanding signed today, Shell Hydrogen and its partners agreed to conduct an in-depth economic and technical study of the project and to seek additional stakeholders, before making a possible investment decision in 2007.

Under the proposed scheme, Connexxion, one of the main Dutch public transport companies, will operate more than 20 hydrogen internal combustions engine buses manufactured by the bus builder MAN Nutzfahrzeuge and its subsidiary NEOMAN Bus. The buses will be fueled from a Shell combined gasoline-hydrogen service station—the first in the Netherlands. The station is expected to be built and the buses operational by 2009. The same service station will also sell conventional fuels to the public.

The five-year project will evaluate public reaction as well as the reliability and economics of using hydrogen to fuel public transport in major urban areas. It will also help to establish technical standards for operating hydrogen fuel outlets.

The Rotterdam project follows a successful three-year trial in Amsterdam, where Shell Hydrogen together with partners worked on the infrastructure and operation of three fuel-cell hydrogen buses. In addition to being the country’s second largest city and one of the main ports in Europe, Rotterdam offers an opportunity to capitalize on a well-developed existing hydrogen infrastructure for industrial applications.

MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG and NEOMAN Bus GmbH are members of the HyFLEET: CUTE project that began earlier this year. (Earlier post.) MAN will supply a total of 14 two-axle MAN Lion’s City buses with hydrogen combustion engines to the Berlin Transport Authority (Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe—BVG), where they will be tested in practical operation until the end of the project in early 2009. The first buses arrived at BVG on 1 June.

For the HyFleet:CUTE project, MAN is deploying two configurations of hydrogen combustion engines—reflecting second- and third-generation development—with identical displacement (12.8 liters), bore and stroke. The first engine (H 2876 UH, representing the second generation) is naturally aspirated with external mix formation, and uses sequential port injection at 5 bar with lambda <1. It produces power output of 150 kW and torque of 750 Nm.

The second engine (H 2876 LUH 01, representing the third generation) is turbo-charged with direct injection (internal mixture formation) at 10 bar. The engine has a rated output of 200 kW and torque of 1,000 Nm.

Both engines achieve emissions well below all EU exhaust-gas limits fixed for the future:

• NO_x: 0.2 g/kWh (Euro 5 = 2.00)
• HC: 0.04 g/kWh (Euro 5 = 0.46)
• PM: 0.005 g/kWh (Euro 5 = 0.02)

Emissions of carbon monoxide are below the level of detection (all figures according to the European Stationary Cycle ESC).

To prevent incandescent explosion, backfiring into the intake pipe and knocking in the naturally-aspirated version, MAN reduced the compression ratio to 8.5 : 1 and uses sequential multi-point hydrogen port injection using electromagnetically actuated valves.

Through slight oversaturation of the fuel/air mixture with hydrogen it was possible to minimize the emissions of NO_x in a downstream catalytic converter. This patented process reduces NO_x, for example, by more than 95%.

Whereas the first generation of the hydrogen engine (used in earlier trials in Berlin) was controlled by the Bosch Motronic M 3.3, the latest variant uses the ME7-GAS1, which is also used in natural-gas engines. The exhaust manifold is water-cooled because of the high combustion temperatures.

The turbo-charged, third-generation engine is based on the current D 2876 generation of diesel engines. The main innovation are special valves that allow the direct injection of hydrogen into the cylinder at a low pressure of about 10 bar to prevent backfiring.

Exhaust-gas turbocharging increases the amount of air in the engine, which in turn permits operation in lean-mix conditions. The aim is to achieve lambda values above 2, which will lead to low NO_x emissions. This again means that exhaust-gas cleaning will not be necessary.

The lean mixture also makes it possible to raise the compression ratio to 12 : 1; in this way and with partial dethrottling in partial load mode considerable consumption advantages can be achieved compared with the naturally-aspirated engine.

Depending on the pressurized storage system used, the operating ranges can be up to 300 km (186 miles), another figure that makes bus operation on scheduled routes a realistic proposition.

MAN hydrogen-fired internal-combustion engines
	H 2876 UH	H 2876 LUH 01
Design	Horizontal, in-line 6-cylinder engine
Displacement / bore / stroke	12.816 liters / 128 mm /166 mm
Valves per cylinder	2	4
Process	4-stroke Otto, naturally aspirated, external mixture formation, quantify regulation, spark ignition	4-stroke modified Otto, exhaust-gas turbocharging with inter-cooling, internal mixture formation, spark ignition
Mixture formation	Sequential port injection, lambda < 1	Direct injection into combustion chamber, lean-burn operation
Injection pressure	5 bar	10 bar
Engine control	Bosch Motronic ME7-GAS1
Compression ratio	8.5 : 1	12 : 1
Rated output	150 kW (204 hp)	200 kW (272 hp)
Max. torque	760 Nm (561 lb-ft)	1,000 Nm (738 lb-ft)
Exhaust treatment	Reduction catalytic converter	None
Best efficiency	30%	40%

Resources:

• MVV Consulting: Experiences from using hydrogen in public transport

Ford Backing Off 2010 Hybrids Target

The Detroit Free Press reports that an internal e-mail sent from Ford Motor Co. chairman and CEO Bill Ford to employees backs off of his pledge last year that the company would build 250,000 hybrids a year by 2010.

In the email, Ford says that he didn’t forsee the evolution of other fuel technologies and that he didn’t want to “wed ourselves to a single technology.” A Ford spokesman confirmed the memo.

In an interview with the Free Press earlier this month, Ford expressed his desire to develop Earth-friendly technologies.

“We are pushing very hard on ethanol and on hybrids and on hydrogen, and we’re committed to that future,” he said. “Because ... it is clear to me that we are in a world of diminishing natural resources, so if we’re going to be successful in that world, we better put all our R&D muscle and future product development behind that, and we are.”

Ford, along with GM and Chrysler, just sent a letter to all Members of Congress pledging a doubling of flex-fuel vehicle production by 2010. (Earlier post.)

Today marked the launch of the “Midwest Ethanol Corridor”: a Ford/VeraSun Energy partnership to boost the availability of E85 pumps along I-55 in Illinois and I-70 in Missouri. The conversions of pumps to E85 will expand the fuels availability by approximately one third in the two states.

Ford currently offers four flexible fuel vehicles, the 2006 F-150, Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car and will produce up to 250,000 FFVs this year. In addition, Ford has also committed to double the number of biofuel-capable vehicles that it produces in the US by 2010.

Fiat Brazil Introduces Production Siena Tetrafuel and Prototype Electric Palio

Siena 1.4 Tetrafuel

Fiat Automòveis, the Brazilian arm of Fiat Auto, has launched the world’s first four-fueled production vehicle, the Siena 1.4 Tetrafuel. The TetraFuel, shown earlier at the 2006 Challenge Bibendum, operates on natural gas, gasoline, pure ethanol (E100) or gasohol (20% alcohol/gasoline blends). The company also introduced a prototype electric vehicle, the electric Palio.

(Volvo brought a prototype five-fuel vehicle to the Challenge Bibendum. The Volvo Multi-Fuel is optimized for running on bioethanol E85; methane in the form of either natural gas or bio-methane; gasoline; and a 10% Hythane blend (10% hydrogen, 90% natural gas). Earlier post.)

The Siena 1.4 Tetrafuel uses a single Electronic Control Unit (ECU), developed by Magneti Marelli, to select fuels automatically depending on conditions, with natural gas being the first choice. Magneti Marelli earlier developed the SFS (Software Flexfuel Sensor) used in flex-fuel cars.

When the ECU sensors detect a situation requiring extra torque or faster acceleration, it switches from natural gas to liquid fuel automatically, switching back to natural gas when the system detects that it is the fuel most convenient for that moment. The system also reverts to liquid fuels automatically if CNG levels drop below 10 bar.

A view of the Siena 1.4 Tetrafuel engine showing the natural gas common rail with pressure regulator.

Fiat Powertrain modified the 1.4-liter engine with an integrated injection manifold featuring a natural gas common rail with four injectors, new cylinder heads, tubes, valves, and injectors. The Tetrafuel Siena is also fitted with strengthened rear suspension and braking to accommodate the dual compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders (6.5 m³ storage per tank at 200 bar) fitted in the trunk.

The system also includes an electronic readout, with fuel indicators, temperature, a trip computer and error reporting. The system warns when liquid fuel levels drop below 4% of capacity, as a liquid fuel is required to cold-start the vehicle.

The new Fiat Siena 1.4 Tetrafuel hits showrooms in Brazil in July in the value of R$41,900 ($US18,900) for standard motorists and R$31,750 ($US14,300) for taxis.

Electric Palio

Electric Palio. Fiat Automòveis and Centro Ricerche Fiat (CRF) introduced the Electric Palio during the Brazil Classics Fiat Show. Other development partners include Itaipu Hidrelétrica and the Swiss company KWO.

The research prototype uses a 15 kW (20 hp) motor that develops 50 Nm (37 lb-ft) of torque, powered by a NiMH battery packint the trunk. The car has an estimated range of 120 km (75 miles) and a top speed of 105 kmh (65 mph).

Ricardo and Technology Management Collaborate on SOFC Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) Project

TMI’s radial flow cell.

Technology Management Inc. (TMI), a leading Cleveland-based developer of modular solid oxide fuel cell systems (SOFC), is collaborating with Ricardo to develop an integrated multi-fuel auxiliary power unit (APU) for heavy-duty trucks.

The APU could be used to power onboard electrical devices as an alternative to idling large diesel engines. These systems could be in mass production in the next five to 10 years.

To support their efforts, TMI and Ricardo have formed a consortium to help improve the manufacture of the fuel cell system, which has been awarded a $1 million grant through the Ohio Third Frontier Fuel Cell Program. Other key members of the consortium include Remy International and PET, Inc.

Ohio’s Edison Materials Technology Center, Inc. will provide administrative and contract management.

TMI has developed a sulfur-tolerant, integrated hot assembly (vaporizer-reformer-stack) SOFC using a proprietary reforming catalyst and anode composition. The sulfur-tolerant hot assembly permits the design of compact scalable systems packages capable of delivering electric power to a wide range of portable, mobile and stationary applications with varying fuel requirements.

After many years of evaluating various fuel cells for mobile APU applications, we determined that TMI’s solid oxide fuel cell technology has excellent potential for being integrated with the truck platform. Combined with Ricardo’s ability and experience in vehicle power systems, we are well-positioned to take the next step: development of a three-kilowatt APU ready to deploy on a truck operating on standard diesel fuel.

We have our challenges in terms of robustness and package space, but we are in a strong position since TMI’s fuel cell technology has already been demonstrated on distillate fuels with sulfur levels well above the new standards being adopted for 2007.

—Dr. Marc Wiseman, global product group director, Advanced Propulsion Systems for Ricardo

According to Wiseman, TMI has already demonstrated the capability in the laboratory to operate multiple complete systems producing up to 3kW of power. He also said that solid oxide fuel cells could prove to be cost-effective sources of electrical power generation, especially for trucks and military vehicles.

Ohio’s oldest independent fuel cell systems developer, Technology Management Inc. (TMI) was organized in 1990 for the purpose of product development and commercialization of a unique, low-cost, proprietary Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) system technology. TMI designs, builds and engineers for field tests completely freestanding kilowatt-class SOFC systems.

Early funding by the US Department of Defense for mobile military applications provide the basis for TMI’s current systems, which are modular, compact and field-maintainable. The systems operate on a variety of common fuels, including natural gas, propane, military JP-8 kerosene and renewable fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel and digester biogas.

Resources:

• TMI Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Portable Power Generation

• High Efficiency, Low Emissions, Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems for Multiple Applications

• Oxidation Behavior and In-Cell Performance of Developmental SOFC Interconnect Alloys

Russian President Opts for GEMs for the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg

GEMs for the G8 heading for St. Petersburg.

At the selection of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian government has purchased 30 four-passenger (e4) GEM electric vehicles for use during the upcoming G8 Summit. Each e4 is decorated with a participating country’s national flag and the official logo of the 2006 G8 Summit, to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia from 15-17 July.

This marks the second G8 Summit for GEM. The company also provided 38 vehicles for the 2004 G8 Summit in Sea Island, GA. Last year’s summit in Gleneagles, Scotland used cellulosic ethanol from Iogen to fuel the VIP Jaguar fleet.

Global Electric Motorcars, LLC, a DaimlerChrysler company headquartered in Fargo, ND, is the leading manufacturer of neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) in the world. More than 30,000 are in use across the United Sates and internationally.

The standard e4.

The e4 electric vehicles use a 5 hp (3.7 kW) motor (12 hp / 9 kW peak); have a top speed of 25 mph; can be driven on roadways posted up to 35 mph; and have a range of up to 30 miles. A regenerative braking system (RBS) improves battery and brake life, while increasing vehicle range. An onboard charger plugs into any 110-volt outlet for charging of the 72V lead-acid battery pack.

Global Electric Motorcars, LLC recently expanded its marketing internationally with the availability of GEM electric vehicles through new distributors in Western Europe.

First Hydrogen Fueling Station in New England Opens

The station while undergoing testing.

Congressman Bernie Sanders (I-VT), EVermont, and other local businesses gathered for the dedication of New England’s first hydrogen fueling station, located at the Department of Public Works in Burlington, Vermont.

The fueling station includes an Proton HOGEN H Series electrolyzer (12 kg/day, 40 kW at peak production capacity) with a combination of electrochemical and mechanical compression for on-site storage at 6,000 psi in high-pressure cylinders.

The hydrogen production and fueling station is located adjacent to a 65kW AOC wind turbine. The electrical output of the wind turbine and the electrical demands of the fueling station will be monitored and correlated via the fueling station control system.

Both systems will be connected through the utility grid, and part of the testing and data collection will include analysis of the optimal operation of the fueling station in relation to the output of the wind turbine and the other electrical demands at the adjacent facilities. (Earlier post.)

The hydrogen Prius.

The station, with its advanced PEM electrolysis stack, has been under development since April 2004, and supported by US$973,000 in funding from the Department of Energy. As part of the project, eVermont has acquired a hydrogen-fueled Prius hybrid—converted by Quantum—for testing.

This project is an important demonstration of the potential of “wind to wheels.” It provides a viable link between renewable energy and the transportation industry.

—Harold Garabedian, Project Manager of EVermont and Assistant Director of the Air Pollution Control Division at the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources

The current plan is to measure or calculate hydrogen output, power consumption, efficiency, wind turbine output, and seasonal/temperature related performance, as well as vehicle fill times, performance (km/kg), and maintenance requirements.

The team anticipates showing electrolyzer power supply efficiency improvements of 25-50% that could potentially decrease hydrogen fueling costs by up to $0.50/kg from current costs.

Resources:

• EVermont Renewable Hydrogen Fueling Station (May 2006)

DOE to Invest $170 Million for Solar Energy RDD&D

US Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel Bodman today announced $170 million over three years (from FY ’07-’09) for cost-shared, public-private partnerships to advance solar energy technology. This solicitation is part of the Solar America Initiative (SAI).

The SAI aims to bring down the cost of solar energy systems to make them competitive with conventional electricity sources in the US by 2015. The goal of the projects funded by the solicitation is to reduce photovoltaic (PV) costs from 13-22 cents/kWh today, to 9-18 cents/kWh by 2010, on track with the SAI goals.

The $170-million SAI Photovoltaic Systems R&D Technology Pathway Partnerships (TPP) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will focus on development, testing, demonstration, validation, and deployment of new PV components, systems and manufacturing equipment. TPPs will be industry-led and may include one or more companies, universities, national laboratories, and/or non-governmental organizations.

Because DOE is requiring that the industry-led teams match their awards dollar-for-dollar, a total investment of $340 million will be realized when the private cost share is included. The prime recipient of DOE awards under this FOA must be a US commercial entity with current or planned US manufacturing capacity. An applicant may be a prime recipient on one award, and may also participate as a sub-recipient partner on multiple awards.

The cost of PV-generated electricity has been reduced by more than 20% over the last five years and the US PV industry has doubled in size during that time, according to the DOE.

President Bush’s Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI) includes a 22% increase in funding for clean energy technology research at DOE. As part of the AEI, the President’s FY 2007 budget requests $148 million for the Solar America Initiative, a $65-million, 78% increase from FY 2006, to accelerate the development of semiconductor materials that convert sunlight directly to electricity.

The $170-million solicitation, subject to Congressional appropriations, will fund projects in each of the following categories:

• Systems-Class Projects. These larger projects will address multiple technology improvements in PV system and component design, integration, and installation. Teams will be expected to deliver full turnkey systems for testing, and will be expected to conduct pilot-scale manufacturing demonstrations. Per project, annual DOE funding will be up to $10 million per year plus a 50% minimum cost share, for a total project value of up to $20 million per year. Between four and ten selections are expected.

• Subsystems-Class Projects. These smaller projects will focus on fewer technology developments on specific components or manufacturing equipment. Teams will be expected to deliver new components for testing, and will be expected to conduct pilot-scale manufacturing demonstrations. Per project, annual DOE funding will be up to $4 million per year plus a 50% minimum cost share, for a total project value of up to $8 million per year. Between ten and 15 selections are expected.

Resources:

• Solar America Initiative

US Automakers Pledge to Double Output of Biofuel Vehicles by 2010

The three major US automakers—Chrysler, Ford and GM—today announced plans to double annual production of vehicles capable of running on renewable fuels to two million cars and trucks by 2010.

The pledge toward more flex-fuel vehicles that can use E85 ethanol or biodiesel came in a letter to all Members of Congress from Chrysler Group President and CEO, Tom LaSorda; Ford Motor Company Chairman and CEO, Bill Ford; and General Motors Chairman and CEO, Rick Wagoner.

We need business and government to work together to enhance the production, distribution and use of renewable biofuels. Our hope is that with this commitment, fuel providers will have even more incentive to produce ethanol and other biofuels and install pumps to distribute them.

Currently, there are more than 5 million flex fuel vehicles on the road and the three domestic automotive companies will add an additional million cars and trucks this year alone. If all of these vehicles were running on E85, they would displace more than 3.5 billion gallons of gasoline a year, according to the companies.

Vehicles alone will not get the job done. To capitalize on this commitment, Congress and the Administration need to continue to promote the production of biofuels, increase incentives for refueling infrastructure, and continue incentives for automakers to produce biofuel vehicles.

Eventually, we need to get to the point where most Americans have reasonable access to these fuels at a price that is competitive with gasoline. Without this alternative fuel infrastructure, the US could miss the opportunity to displace gasoline with homegrown and produced biofuels.

Currently, there are only about 700 E85 pumps among the nation’s 170,000 gas stations.

The three automakers have endorsed the Energy Future Coalition’s goal of getting 25% of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2025.

Resources:

• Letter to Members of Congress

• 25 x '25

City Engines In 30% HCNG Transit Bus Project

The 11-liter City Engine for HCNG

City Engines is undertaking an 18-month low-emissions bus program to be funded jointly by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority (LACMTA) and California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). The LACMTA is the largest single operator of natural gas fueled transit buses in the United States.

The program will include the re-powering and evaluation of four transit buses, two running on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and two running on a 30% Hydrogen, 70% Natural Gas (HCNG) blend. All four engines will employ the very low emissions lean burn HCNG and CNG technologies developed and patented by Collier Technologies Inc. over the past 13 years. City Engines is the exclusive licensee of those Collier technologies.

Hydrogen-CNG volumetric mixtures of 20% or less hydrogen are called Hythane; mixtures above 21% are patented and held by Collier Technologies, which has licensed it to City Engines. With a properly tuned and configured engine, vehicles can increase thermal efficiency while achieving extremely low emissions.

NOx vs torque for a 30% HCNG City Engine compared to an 8.1-liter John Deere engine.

The hydrogen in HCNG is a flame enhancer that promotes combustion with a large amount of charge dilution (lean burn or EGR). HCNG engines operate in lower-combustion temperature regimes that produce very low NO_x.

The new 30% HCNG 11-liter City Engine to be employed is based on a proven Doosan Infracore (Korea) short block engine design, with newly redesigned Collier/City Engines cylinder heads that support quiescent combustion and increased air flow. (Earlier post.)

The new engine configuration was demonstrated on a dynamometer in 2005, and proved its ability to more than meet the upcoming 2007 California CARB/EPA heavy-duty emissions standard. The direct drive engine produced NO_x emissions of 0.1 g/hp-hr across the engine’s entire operating range. The upcoming 2007 Standard calls for 0.2 g/hp-hr of NO_x. The emissions results were obtained at the exhaust, without the use or need of a three-way exhaust catalyst.

Part of the project will be certification of the engines to both existing and upcoming CARB/EPA emissions standards.

Subcontractors to City Engines will be Trillium USA, LLC, who will provide the HCNG fueling infrastructure for the demonstration; and Valley Power Systems Inc., who will provide installation and testing support, as well as future regional distribution services.

City Engines is also developing 8-liter and 5.9-liter HCNG engines.

Resources:

• City Engines: HCNG Is the Path to the Hydrogen Economy

NanoLogix to Build Hydrogen Bioreactor at Wastewater Plant

NanoLogix, a nanobiotechnology company engaged in the development and commercialization of technologies for the creation of hydrogen bioreactors, has signed an agreement for the construction and operation of a prototype hydrogen bioreactor at the City of Erie wastewater treatment plant.

This project will utilize the proprietary intellectual property of NanoLogix in conjunction with the participation of faculty members and students from Gannon University.

We are very enthusiastic about exploring the enormous potential for converting wastewater into hydrogen. The Erie Wastewater Treatment Plant treats between 30-40 million gallons per day from the sewer system. There are thousands of plants throughout America. Success in this arena could greatly alleviate American dependence upon foreign energy sources.

—Mitchell Felder, MD, CEO of NanoLogix

Originally founded in 1989 for the development of diagnostic kits for infectious diseases, NanoLogix (originally known as InfecTech) is diversifying into technologies for the biological production of alternative sources of fuel and the remediation of toxic materials.

In particular, it is ramping up its efforts for biohydrogen production. The company recently filed six more patent applications for greatly improving the efficiency of hydrogen bioreactors.

There are two basic approaches to the microbial production of hydrogen: fermentative and photosynthetic. Clostridia species, methanogens and archeabacteria are known fermentative producers of hydrogen, while purple sulfur bacteria and green algae are examples of photosynthetic producers.

For a bioconversion process to be commercially viable, the bacterial culture needs to remain healthy and thriving, while the stability and yield of the process must be commercially useful. NanoLogix is applying its patented bacterial culturing methods with Clostridia for hydrogen production. (Earlier post.)

In a natural fermentative process, some of the hydrogen produced by Clostridia would be used (inter-species transfer) by methane-producing bacteria (methanogens) in the inoculum. Reducing or eliminating the methanogens is one approach to increasing the ultimate yield of hydrogen. Researchers have found that heat treatment is one of the effective techniques for accomplishing that.

A Clostridium bacterium will form a bacterial spore in the presence of heat, and survive. The methanogens are non-spore-forming; the heat kills them. The application of the heat process thus effectively selects for the Clostridia population and so for production of hydrogen while eliminating the competing process of methanogenesis.

NanoLogix’ process is based on combining the bacterial production of hydrogen with excess industrial heat.

Last year, NanoLogix announced that a prototype bioreactor produced biogas consisting of 50% hydrogen by volume, without any trace of methane. In May 2006, the company announced that it has begun generating hydrogen at its first commercial scaled-up hydrogen bioreactor facility at a Welch Food’s plant in Pennsylvania.

Resources:

• State of the art of biological hydrogen production processes

DaimlerChrylser To Bring Next-Gen Smart Car to US in 1Q 2008

The current smart fortwo.

DaimlerChrysler will bring the successor to the smart fortwo to the US market in 1Q 2008, according to Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management DaimlerChrysler AG. The new smart will be distributed by international automotive retailer UnitedAuto Group (UAG), which will establish between 30 and 50 smart dealerships initially.

The successor to the smart fortwo will be available in US markets in three models. These will not initially include the diesel, although both diesel and a micro-hybrid are potential future products, according to UAG Chairman Roger Penske.

Following the success of the smart fortwo in Europe with more than 750,000 attracted customers and the increasing demand for affordable and fuel efficient small cars in the USA, we are now bringing this new kind of mobility to US cities. The time has never been better for this—and I am convinced that the smart fortwo as an innovative, ecological and agile city car will soon become just as familiar a sight on the streets of New York, Miami or Seattle, as it is today in Rome, Berlin or Paris.

—Dieter Zetsche

The announcement was expected, although DaimlerChrysler reportedly had considered cancelling the smart line. Earlier this year, DaimlerChrysler absorbed the smart organization into the Mercedes group, and decided to focus on the smart fortwo car, cancelling the planned production of the smart forfour. (Earlier post.)

DaimlerChrysler has sold 750,000 smart cars worldwide since their introduction in 1998. In Canada, 4,000 smarts were sold last year—a major increase above the target of 1,500 the company had set.

Pricing is not established, although Penske said he expects to sell the car below $15,000.

UnitedAuto Group is the second-largest auto dealer in the US and is based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. UAG operates 296 retail automotive franchises, representing 40 different brands, and 27 collision repair centers.

BP and Caltech to Explore Silicon Nanorod Solar Cells

BP and The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) are teaming up in a five-year program to explore the production of solar cells based on growing arrays of silicon nanorods rather than casting