Novozymes and Inbicon Sign Agreement for Further Enzyme and Process Development

Inbicon and Novozymes have signed an agreement to further develop and optimize the process and the enzymes for converting wheat straw to ethanol and byproducts (biopellets and molasses). Novozymes already provides enzymes to Inbicon’s new bio-refinery that opened its doors earlier this week. (Earlier post.)

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Researchers Find Particles From Car Brakes Harm Lung Cells

Particles released by car brake pads have been shown to harm lung cells in vitro. Researchers writing in BioMed Central’s open access journal Particle and Fibre Toxicology found that heavy braking, as in an emergency stop, caused the most damage, but normal breaking and even close proximity to a disengaged brake resulted in potentially dangerous cellular stress.

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Total Signs Research Agreement with MIT to Develop New Stationary Batteries for Solar Power; Smaller-Scale Version of All-Liquid Metal Battery Work Supported by ARPA-E

Total has signed a research agreement with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to develop new stationary batteries that are designed to enable the storage of solar power. This agreement valued at $4 million over five years is part of the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI), which Total joined as a member in November 2008.

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Silicon Valley Power Uses 3M’s ACCR to Raise Transmission Capacity Without Tower Construction

Silicon Valley Power (SVP), the Santa Clara, CA, municipal electric utility, has selected the light-weight 3M Aluminum Conductor Composite Reinforced (3M ACCR) to boost transmission capacity on an existing line without having to enlarge the towers or the right of way. This is SVP’s second installation of ACCR.

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Inauguration Ceremony for Inbicon Biomass Biorefinery in Denmark

Denmark’s Prince Joachim inaugurated the Inbicon biomass biorefinery in Kalundborg, Denmark, where ethanol will be produced from straw. In addition to bioethanol, the plant will also produce lignin biopellets and C₅ molasses. The biopellets can be used as fuel at CPH plants, and the C₅ molasses can be used for animal feed. Inbicon is a subsidiary of DONG Energy.

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EPA, CARB certify Volvo Trucks North America’s Near-Zero Emissions Diesel Engines for 2010

Volvo Trucks North America’s D11 and D13 engines have been certified by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board as meeting upcoming 2010 diesel emissions standards, the most stringent in the world.

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Continental AG Opens Asia HQ and R&D Center in Shanghai

The international automotive supplier Continental AG has opened its new Asia Headquarters and R&D Center in Shanghai’s Yangpu district, China. The Center aims to provide increased localization and advanced technical support to customers in the Chinese market.

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ZeaChem Begins Construction of Cellulosic Biorefinery; Combined Biochemical and Thermochemical Process to Produce Ethanol

ZeaChem Inc. has begun construction of its semi-works scale facility. The facility will have capacity to produce 250,000 gallons of biofuel per year. ZeaChem’s process combines the outputs of two traditional ethanol production pathways (fermentation of sugars and gasification of biomass) into a third catalytically-driven step—hydrogenation—to produce ethanol. (Earlier post.)

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North American Debuts for Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTEC, F-Cell at LA Auto show

The diesel-powered E350 BlueTEC and hydrogen fuel-cell-powered F-Cell will be making their North American debuts at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. Mercedes-Benz will also introduce its first hybrid SUV, the two-mode ML450 HYBRID, to the West Coast.

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Iran Khodro Unveils First National Diesel Engine for Passenger Cars

Iran Khodro Powertrain Co. (IPCO) unveiled its first national diesel engine for passenger cars.

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US Crude Oil Production Continues at Four-Year Highs

US crude oil production for October averaged 5.36 million barrels per day, continuing at levels not seen since 2005, according to the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) Monthly Statistical Report.

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BMW Two-Mode ActiveHybrid X6 on Sale in US 5 Dec at $89,725 MSRP; 18 mpg US Combined

The BMW ActiveHybrid X6 (earlier post) will arrive in US showrooms right on the heels of its North American debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show. The Sports Active Coupe featuring two-model hybrid technology will be available beginning 5 December 2009 with a base MSRP of $89,725, including destination and handling.

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CleanFUEL USA Introduces New Liquid Propane Injection System for GM 6.0L Engine

CleanFUEL USA, a leading supplier of alternative fuel infrastructure and propane engine systems has introduced its latest Liquid Propane Injection (LPI) system for the General Motors (GM) 6.0-liter engine. The new engine system will be available the first quarter of 2010 and the company is now taking orders to meet the increased demand for greener fleet vehicles, as the Department of Energy (DOE) starts to award stimulus funds this December.

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The Linde Group and Algenol Biofuels To Cooperate in CO2 and O2 Management for Biofuel Production from Algae

The Linde Group and the US company Algenol Biofuels LLC have agreed to collaborate in a joint development project to identify the optimum management of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and oxygen (O₂) for Algenol’s algae and photobioreactor technology. (Earlier post.)

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Daimler Launches car2go Car Sharing in North America

In a joint partnership with the City of Austin, Daimler launched its car2go pilot project in North America. (Earlier post.) Austin becomes the official headquarters of car2go North America LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler. The first pilot phase starts with 200 smart fortwo vehicles and a defined group of users. At some point in 2010, the number of cars will be increased and car2go will be made accessible to all Austin residents and students.

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GE and Shenhua to Create Joint Venture for Advanced Coal Gasification and Coal Technology Solutions in China

As one of a series of GE agreements signed in China this week (earlier post), GE and Shenhua Group Corporation have agreed to a framework for an industrial coal gasification joint venture which would combine GE’s expertise in gasification and cleaner power generation technologies with Shenhua’s expertise in building and operating coal gasification and coal-fired power generation facilities, to progress advanced coal technology solutions in China.

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GE and China Ministry of Railways Sign Strategic MOU to Advance High-Speed Rail Opportunities in the US

GE and China’s Ministry of Railways signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly advance high-speed rail (HSR) opportunities in the United States. This collaboration will allow GE Transportation to be the first US locomotive manufacturer to more effectively compete for high-speed rail projects against global competitors.

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Using Ozone-Generated Bubbles to Remove Oil Sheen and Contaminants from Water

A University of Utah engineer has developed an inexpensive new method to remove oil sheen by repeatedly pressurizing and depressurizing ozone gas, creating microscopic bubbles that attack the oil so it can be removed by sand filters.

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Ford of Europe Commissions Two Giant Wind Turbines at Genk Plant

Ford of Europe has put two giant wind turbines, each with a height of 150 meters, into service at the Ford Genk plant in Belgium. Installed by local energy company, Electrabel, each unit has an output of 2MW of power. The wind turbines will deliver a significant part of the electrical power needed in the Genk Plant, production home of the Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy models.

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Pratt & Whitney and Saudi Arabian Airlines Expand EcoPower Engine Wash Service Network to Middle East and North Africa; Up to 1.2% Savings in Fuel Burn

Pratt & Whitney and Saudi Arabian Airlines signed an agreement expanding Pratt & Whitney’s EcoPower engine wash service network to The Middle East / North Africa. The agreement provides for Saudi Arabian Airlines to wash its own engines and provide engine wash services to other commercial airlines that fly within the Kingdom.

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GE Capital to Provide Up to £170m to Jaguar Land Rover

GE Capital signed an agreement with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the UK-based subsidiary of Indian group Tata Motors, to provide a working capital facility of up to £170 million (US$286 million), available for a five-year term.

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Umicore to Build Battery Recycling Plant in Belgium

Umicore will build an industrial scale recycling facility for end-of-life rechargeable batteries in Hoboken, Belgium. The investment will enable Umicore to deal with the expected growth in the availability of end-of-life Lithium-ion, Lithium-Polymer and Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable batteries.

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Westport Enters Tier 1 Development Supplier Agreement with Volvo for Natural Gas Fuel Systems

Westport Innovations Inc. has entered a Tier 1 Development Supplier Agreement with Volvo for its heavy duty natural gas engines and associated supply chain. Westport will supply its Westport HD technology and work together with the Gothenburg, Sweden engine manufacturer to qualify appropriate suppliers consistent with Volvo volume and quality expectations. The new natural gas engines are expected to meet future European emission requirements.

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Toshiba Expects to Sign Up 5 Automakers for its SCiB Li-on Battery

In an interview with the Financial Times, Shoshi Kawatsu, general manager of Toshiba’s Super Charge Battery (SCiB) division, said that the company expects to sign up about five car companies as customers for its new SCiB lithium-ion battery (earlier post).

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Linc Energy Limited Continues And Expands Its MOU With BP Australia to Supply Synthetic Diesel from UCG

Linc Energy Limited has extended its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with BP Australia Pty Ltd. This MOU allows for BP Australia to be the first customer to purchase a minimum of 14,000 barrels per day of diesel to be produced via Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) and subsequent Gas to Liquids (GTL) processing at Linc Energy’s first production plant to be commissioned in South Australia.

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November Poll Finds Only 37% of US Voters Attribute Climate Change to Human Activity

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 37% of US voters blame human activity for global warming—a one percentage point decrease from the October poll—while 47% blame global warming on planetary trends—an increase of one percentage point. Just 5% point to some other reason.

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3 Fuel Cell Cars from 3 OEMs Complete 1,137km Demonstration Run in Japan

Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles from Toyota (the FCHV-adv), Nissan (X-Trail FCV) and Honda (FCX Clarity) completed a 1,137 km (706.5 miles) demonstration run from Tokyo to Fukuoka to demonstrate that they can go as far as gasoline-powered cars on a single fueling.

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Diversified Energy Hits Gasifier Development Milestones in DOE-Sponsored Program

Diversified Energy Corporation has successfully completed several key milestones in an advanced gasification development program being sponsored by the US Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). The 24-month, $945,000 grant is focused on the design and demonstration of a one ton per day OmniGas gasifier to process biomass, coal, and blends thereof. (Earlier post.)

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Record High Temperatures Far Outpace Record Lows Across US Over Last Decade

Daily record high temperatures occurred twice as often as record lows over the last decade across the continental United States, new research shows. Results of the research, by authors at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colo., Climate Central, The Weather Channel, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has been accepted for publication in the American Geophysical Union journal Geophysical Research Letters.

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Mercedes-Benz to Launch ML450 HYBRID 4MATIC in US on 16 November

Mercedes-Benz will launch the ML450 HYBRID (earlier post) in the US on 16 November. Mercedes-Benz will offer the two-mode ML450 HYBRID as part of a special lease only option (no purchase) for a monthly lease price of $659 per month for 36 months and $549 per month for 60 months.

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Saft Confirms Location for Li-ion Battery Factory in Jacksonville, Florida

Following receipt of a $95 million grant from the US Department of Energy under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and successful negotiations between Saft, the state of Florida, and the city of Jacksonville, construction will soon begin in Jacksonville for a lithium-ion battery factory.

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Peugeot Begins Sales of its First Electrically-Assisted Bicycle

Peugeot teamed up with Ultra Motor on the development of its first electrically-assisted bicycle, now available through its European dealership network.

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SKF and Ricardo Cooperate in the Development of Future Automotive Energy-Efficient Solutions; SKF Provides Bearings to Ginetta-Zytek Hybrid

SKF and Ricardo have signed an agreement to develop energy efficient solutions to better serve the increasing customer demand from the automotive industry for increased fuel economy and reduced CO₂.

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Renault to Produce Electric Fluence in Bursa, Turkey

Renault will produce the electric version of Fluence (earlier post) at the OYAK-Renault Bursa plant in Turkey. Production will start in the first half of 2011.

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GM Reveals 2011 Buick Regal for US; Two Gasoline Direct-Injection I-4s for Sport Sedan

GM is revealing the 2011 Buick Regal sport sedan to customers in the Los Angeles area today. The new Regal, drawing on work on the award-winning Opel Insignia, will offer two gasoline direct-injection engines and is directly targeted at competitors such as the Acura TSX and Volvo S60.

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EADS-Led EU Project Focusing on Two Novel Reforming Technologies to Produce Hydrogen from Kerosene for Aviation Applications

EADS Deutschland GmbH is coordinating the recently-launched EU GreenAir project—an investigation of the production of hydrogen for aviation applications via efficient and low-emissions new technologies.

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Renault-Nissan Alliance Signs EV Partnership with Miyazaki Prefecture

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Miyazaki Prefecture signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to initiate a joint-study to implement all the necessary conditions for the mass introduction of electric vehicles, primarily focused on the following areas:

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Berkeley Lab and Peking University To Collaborate on Carbon Capture and Storage Research

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and China’s Peking University agreed on 12 November to jointly pursue the development of safe and effective carbon capture and storage techniques.

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Synthesis Energy Systems Launches U-GAS Technology Sub-Licensing Business

Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc. (SES) has executed a revised license agreement with the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) for its U-GAS technology rights. The revised agreement expands the rights and further defines the terms for SES to sub-license U-GAS to third parties for coal, coal and biomass mixtures, or 100% biomass projects.

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Peugeot Begins Pre-Bookings for i0n EV

Peugeot has begun pre-bookings for the i0n, its i-MiEV-derived electric car developed in partnership with Mitsubishi. (Earlier post.) The company says that it has already signed letters of intent with nine companies and administrations projects for car sharing and large fleets in Europe.

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Government of Canada to Invest Up to C$77.75M in Saskatchewan Ethanol Plant

The Government of Canada will invest up to C$77.75 million (US$74.5 million) over seven years in Terra Grain Fuels’s (TGF) wheat ethanol facility to support the production of ethanol in Saskatchewan, sustain job creation and help stimulate the economy.

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Prickly Pears and Tree Tobacco for Ethanol Production in Semi-Arid Regions

The TBF (Technology-based Firm) Almeria Albaida Recursos Naturales y Medioambiente, S.A. (Spain), and the Cajamar Foundation are testing the feasibility of two crops adapted to extreme environmental conditions—prickly-pears and tree tobacco—for the production of bio-ethanol in semiarid areas where there is no competition for the use of raw materials for food purposes or for farmland.

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Dana Battery Cooling Technology for Electric Vehicles Debuts on Tesla Roadster Sport

Dana Holding Corporation has developed a Long heat exchanger designed to extend battery life in hybrid and electric vehicles. The technology recently made its debut on Tesla Motors’ 2010 all-electric Roadster Sport.

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NTT Group Retrofitting Fleet Vehicles with Stop-Start Device

The Nikkei reports that NTT Group companies have begun retrofitting their service vehicles with a stop-start device.

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Axion Signs $957,000 Contract for Construction of Railroad Bridges Made from Recycled Plastic

Axion International Holdings, Inc., a next-generation technology innovator utilizing recycled plastic for high-load industrial products, has signed a $957,000 contract for the construction of two railroad bridges designed from nearly 100% recycled plastics.

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Port of Houston Authority, Maersk Line and EPA Demonstrate Fuel Switching in the Gulf of Mexico

Maersk Line conducted the first “fuel switch” demonstration on a container ship in the Gulf of Mexico as the result of a partnership between the EPA, the Port of Houston Authority and Maersk Line. Maersk vessels have demonstrated the effectiveness of a fuel switch in more than 1,200 port calls on the US West Coast since March 2006.

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Clean-up Begins at Toxco Recycling Facility in British Columbia After Lithium Fire

Toxco, Inc., one of the most diverse battery recycling companies in operation, has begun clean-up operations following the 7 November explosions and fire at a lithium storage building near the town of Trail, about 600 kilometers east of Vancouver.

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First Sino-Foreign Joint Refining and Petrochemical Venture Begins Full Operation; Triples Capacity of Existing Refinery

China’s first integrated foreign joint venture refining and petrochemical facility has begun full commercial operation. Partners in the Fujian Integrated Refining and Ethylene Joint Venture Project are Sinopec (China Petroleum and Chemical Corp.), ExxonMobil, Saudi Aramco and the government of Fujian Province.

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Volkswagen Appoints Group Chief Officer for Electric Traction

The Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft has appointed Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann as the Group Chief Officer for Electric Traction with effect from 1 December 2009 and made him a General Representative. In the newly-created function of Group Chief Officer, he reports direct to the Chairman of the Board of Management, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn.

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Yangtze Basin to Face More Droughts, Floods and Storms

Temperatures across China’s Yangtze River Basin could increase from 1.5 to 2 °C (2.7 to 3.6 °F) over the next 50 years, while extreme weather events will also become more frequent, according to the largest river basin climate vulnerability assessment yet done. Some 400 million people depend upon the basin.

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Chang’an Acquires AVIC Units to Become 3rd Largest Automaker in China

Shanghai Daily. The state parent of China’s Chang’an Automobile Group is taking over five vehicle units of the Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) to create the third-largest automaker in China. SAIC and FAW Group hold the top two slots.

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Kansas Geological Survey Receives $5M Grant to Study CO2 Storage

The Kansas Geological Survey based at the University of Kansas has received a nearly $5 million grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to study the feasibility of storing carbon dioxide underground.

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Siemens Energy to Supply Advanced Coal Gasification Technology to Taylorville Energy Center; 50% CO2 Capture

Siemens Energy, Inc. has been chosen to provide the coal gasification technology for the Taylorville Energy Center (TEC), a 730-megawatt (gross) advanced coal generating plant being developed near Taylorville, Ill. TEC will be one of the first commercial-scale, coal gasification plants with carbon capture and storage (CCS) capability in the US. 

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GM’s Sales in China Surpass 1.5 Million Units

On 10 November, General Motors and its joint ventures in China surpassed 1.5 million units in sales for 2009. For the first 10 months of 2009, GM’s domestic sales in China totaled 1,459,460 units. This was a rise of 59.8% from the first 10 months of 2008 and a new record for the period.

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Report: Cadillac Converj EREV Headed for Production

The Detroit News reported that GM has decided to produce the Cadillac Converj, an extended range electric vehicle derived from the Voltec platform. Cadillac included the Converj concept car at the 2009 North American International Auto Show. (Earlier post.) A production date has not been set, according to the report.

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Antonov Chinese 6-Speed Transmission JV Formally Incorporated

The formal incorporation of the joint venture in China between Antonov, the UK transmission specialist and Chonqing Landai Industry Co Ltd for the production of the Antonov TX6 automatic transmission has been completed and a certificate of incorporation has been issued by the Chinese authorities. (Earlier post.)

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Quantum Ships Q-Force Diesel Hybrids to US Army TARDEC

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. is developing and shipping diesel hybrid vehicles to the US Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) National Automotive Center (NAC), with funding support through the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), and project administration through Alion.

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FedEx Express Orders 51 Azure Dynamics Hybrid Electric Delivery Vans, Establishes First All-Hybrid Facility

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., will purchase 51 additional gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles from Azure Dynamics Corporation. The FedEx fleet of hybrid electric and electric vehicles will total 325 when all 51 hybrid step-vans are delivered during November and December of 2009.

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Coulomb Technologies Signs Exclusive Distributor for Charging Stations for Australia

Coulomb Technologies has signed ChargePoint Pty Ltd to an exclusive distribution agreement for its charging stations in Australia.

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Shell Sells its Shares in BTL Company CHOREN

Shell Deutschland Oil GmbH has sold its shares in CHOREN Industries GmbH to all the remaining CHOREN shareholders, a syndicate consisting primarily of Hamburg-based entrepreneurs as well as the carmakers Daimler AG and Volkswagen AG. Shell had acquired a minority stake in CHOREN in 2005. (Earlier post.)

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Renault to Produce the Electric Version of Kangoo in Maubeuge, France

Renault has decided to produce the future electric, zero-emission version of its Kangoo Express LCV at M.C.A. (Maubeuge Carrosserie Automobile), in northern France, starting in the first half of 2011.

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NEC To Hike Output Capacity Of Lithium Battery Electrodes for AESC

Nikkei. NEC Corp. and NEC Tokin Corp. plan to increase production of lithium-ion battery electrodes, with all output to be sold to Automotive Energy Supply Corp., a joint venture between Nissan Motor Co. and the NEC group.

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Moller International Develops Damage-Resistant Carbon-Fiber Fan Blades for Skycar and Neuera

Moller International has successfully developed and tested a damage-resistant, carbon-fiber blade technology that increases durability for the ducted fans used in its Skycar and Neuera VTOL aircraft product lines. (Earlier post.)

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Chrysler Disbands ENVI Electric Vehicle Group; Function Absorbed into Traditional Line Organization

Reuters reports that Chrysler has disbanded its ENVI team, formed in 2007 to bring electric-drive vehicles and related advanced-propulsion technologies to market. (Earlier post.) At the North American International Auto Show in January 2009, Chrysler had introduced two new EV concepts and updates on three earlier EV concepts developed by the ENVI group. (Earlier post.)

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Global Power Company AES Raises $1.58B Through Stock Sale to China Investment Corp; Approx. 15% Stake

Global power company AES Corporation entered a binding stock purchase agreement with a wholly owned investment subsidiary of China Investment Corporation (CIC) to raise $1.58 billion of new equity to fund growth opportunities and extend its global leadership in the power sector.

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Dow Video on Partnership with Algenol for CO2-to-Ethanol

Dow has posted a short video clip outlining its partnership with Algenol Biofuels to build a pilot-scale algae-based integrated biorefinery that will produce ethanol, located at Dow’s Freeport, Texas site. (Earlier post.)

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ABB and Fincantieri to Collaborate on Shore Power Systems

ABB, a leading power and automation technology group, and Fincantieri, the Italian merchant and naval shipbuilder, have signed an agreement to collaborate on the construction, marketing and supply of high-voltage shore connection (HVSC) systems to provide electricity to vessels in port.

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US DOE Signs Cooperative Agreement for New Hydrogen Power Plant

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has signed a cooperative agreement with Hydrogen Energy California LLC (HECA) to build and demonstrate a hydrogen-powered electric generating facility, complete with carbon capture and storage, in Kern County, Calif. (Earlier post.)

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HUMMER H3 and H3T Updated With New Flex-Fuel V8

HUMMER has updated the 2010 HUMMER H3 and H3T midsize all-terrain vehicles with an available E85 Flex Fuel capable 5.3L V8 engine. HUMMER has committed to offer a biofuel powertrain in all body styles by 2010.

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Ocean Power Technologies Wins A$66.5M Award from Australian Government for 19MW Wave Power Project

Ocean Power Technologies (Australasia) Pty Ltd (OPTA), a subsidiary of Ocean Power Technologies, Inc., in partnership with Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd, has received a A$66.46 million (US$61 million) grant from the Federal Government of Australia to build a 19 MW wave power project off the coast of Victoria, Australia.

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Renault to Produce EV Based on Twizy ZE Concept in Spain

Renault, which already produces Mégane Hatchback, Mégane Estate, Modus and Grand Modus exclusively in Spain, has chosen to manufacture the future electric vehicle (EV) based on Twizy ZE Concept (earlier post) at Valladolid, 150 km north west of Madrid. Production will start in 2011.

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Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Commissions Compact Gasification Pilot Plant

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has commissioned of a compact gasification pilot plant in Illinois; the pilot plant is the first step toward global commercialization of the technology. (Earlier post.)

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KLM to Operate Demonstration Passenger Flight Using 50:50 Biofuel Blend

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will operate a demonstration commercial passenger flight with a 50:50 bio-kerosene blend—the first such with that blend. In October, Qatar Airways became the first airline to operate a commercial flight on a 50:50 blend with synthetic GTL Jet Fuel. (Earlier post.)

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Renault to Produce Future EV at Flins Plant in Paris Region

Renault will produce its future zero-emission electric city car at the Flins plant in the Paris region. Zoé Z.E. Concept, presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show (earlier post), is a forerunner of this new vehicle.

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Australian Researchers Achieving World-Leading Production Rates of Algae Oil in Open Ponds

Australian scientists say they are achieving the world’s best current production rates of oil from algae grown in open saline ponds. A joint A$3.3 million (US$3 million) project led by Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia, and involving the University of Adelaide in South Australia, has shown more than 12 months of consistent results at both universities.

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Report: Toyota To Set Up R&D Center in China

The Nikkei reports that Toyota Motor Corp. plans to build an R&D center in China as early as next year. Toyota would be the first Japanese automaker to establish a Chinese R&D center funded solely by itself.

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EPRI Initiative Aimed at Improving Transmission System Efficiency

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) disclosed plans for an industry-wide transmission efficiency demonstration collaborative that will identify technologies leading to greater efficiency in the bulk power system, an increase in system utilization and a reduction in line and equipment losses.

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Toyota to Withdraw from F1

Toyota Motor (TMC) plans to withdraw from the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1) at the end of the 2009 season. Toyota has engaged in F1 racing for eight seasons, competing in 140 races during that time.

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Volkswagen of America October Sales Up 7.2% Year-on-Year; Diesels Accounted for 24%

Volkswagen of America, Inc. reported October 2009 sales of 17,037 total units, representing a 7.2% (by volume) increase over October 2008. The Jetta, consistently Volkswagen’s top selling model, posted a 25% increase over October 2008 with 9,076 unit sales; Jetta TDI diesel sales accounted for 40% of total Jetta sedan and SportWagen sales, while sales of all TDI models accounted for 24% (4,008 units) of total October sales.

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SAIC to Spend 6B Yuan on New Energy Cars; Full Electric Vehicles by 2012

Xinhua. Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) Group plans to invest 6 billion yuan (US$879 million) to develop and produce new energy cars over the next two years, said group chairman Hu Maoyuan Tuesday.

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ROUSH Developing Two Propane-Fueled Mustang Drag Cars

ROUSH is developing two propane-fueled Mustang drag cars to run in the NMRA 2010 season.

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Verenium and Syngenta Close Research Collaboration

Verenium Corporation, a cellulosic ethanol developer and high-performance specialty enzyme company, announced the successful closure of previously defined programs under its joint research collaboration with Syngenta Participations AG of Switzerland. (Earlier post.)

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