Report: Toyota Acquiring Own Sources Of Rare-Earth Metals

The Nikkei reports that Toyota Tsusho Corp., a Toyota-affiliated trading house, will start importing rare-earth elements from Vietnam and India, giving the Toyota Motor Corp. group independent sources of these key materials for the production of hybrid cars.

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Dynamotive Fast-Pyrolysis Plant To Be Built in China

Canada-based Dynamotive Energy Systems Corporation has entered into a commercial agreement to support the development of a plant based on its advanced fast-pyrolysis technology in China. This will be the first Dynamotive plant to be built outside Canada.

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Ford Considering Sale of Volvo

Ford Motor Company will “re-evaluate strategic options” for Volvo Car Corporation, including the possible sale of the Sweden-based premium automaker.

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Coulomb Technologies Expands US Reseller Program for EV Infrastructure

Coulomb Technologies has expanded its reseller program to 28 US states. Resellers throughout the United States are tapped with building the infrastructure rollout for extended range electric vehicles (EREV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and all battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

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Air New Zealand Postponing Biofuel Flight to Early January

In the aftermath of last week’s crash of a Air New Zealand-owned Airbus A320, and the loss of four Air New Zealand employees who were on board, the airline is postponing its biofuel test flight which was due to take place on Wednesday 3 December, and also the pre-flight briefing on Tuesday 2 December, to early January 2009. (Earlier post.)

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BNSF Completes Third Rail Line through Cajon Pass

BNSF Railway recently completed construction of a third main rail line through Cajon Pass in Southern California that will increase capacity on BNSF’s Chicago to Los Angeles Transcontinental (Transcon) route from 100 to 150 trains a day. The $90 million project adds almost 16 miles of third main track to BNSF’s route into the Los Angeles Basin.

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Suzuki Launches New Minivehicle in Japan; To Use CVTs Across Minivehicle Lineup

Suzuki Motor Corporation introduced the new Alto Lapin minivehicle for the Japan domestic market. The redesigned vehicle with 2WD and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) offers 24.5 km/L fuel economy (57.6 mpg US, 4.1 L/100km) on the 10-15 cycle.

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Mitsubishi Chemical Group To Boost Li-ion Anode Material Output Capacity 70%, Enter Separators Market

Nikkei. Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. will spend ¥ 1 billion (US$10.5 million) to raise production capacity of lithium-ion anode materials by roughly 70% by next fall.

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Beijing Won’t Restrict Private Car Purchases to Ease Traffic, Pollution

Beijing will not restrict the purchase of private cars as proposed by some residents to help ease traffic jams and stem pollution, according to Wang Haiping, deputy head of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform. He said it would be an irresponsible move while China is trying to boost domestic consumption to offset impacts from the global financial crisis.

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Suzuki to Lease MIO Methanol Fuel-Cell Mobility Scooter to Shizuoka Prefecture

Suzuki Motor Corporation will lease its MIO fuel-cell mobility scooter to the Shizuoka prefectural government for a collaborative trial from 28 November.

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Ineos Cuts European Biodiesel Plant Plans

FT. Ineos has cancelled plans to build four biodiesel plants in Europe. In a statement, the company said that it remained committed to biofuels but was cutting back on “all non-essential growth capital expenditure” in the face of the “continued and prolonged global economic downturn”.

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Hy9 to Provide Membrane Technology to ExxonMobil for On-Board Reformer Project

MHT. Hy9 Corp., a producer of membrane and fuel processing systems, will provide membrane technology for ExxonMobil’s on-board fuel cell reformer project. (Earlier post.)

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New Rifts on Wilkins Ice Shelf

New rifts have developed on the Wilkins Ice Shelf that could lead to the opening of the ice bridge that has been preventing the ice shelf from disintegrating and breaking away from the Antarctic Peninsula, according to the European Space Agency.

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Opel Flextreme EREV Wins red dot design award

GM’s Opel Flextreme extended range electric vehicle concept car (earlier post) has received the prestigious red dot award in a ceremony in Singapore.

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Volvo Launches Two E85 Models in Thailand

Volvo Car Thailand introduced the Volvo C30 1.8F (Flexifuel, E85) and Thailand’s first and only locally produced Flexifuel car, the Volvo S80 2.5FT.

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Report: China to Put 60,000 New Energy Vehicles Into Trials in 11 Cities

Gasgoo. China will put 60,000 new-energy vehicles—including fuel-cell vehicles, hybrid-electric vehicles, and battery-electric vehicles—into trials in 11 cities over the next few years to support the development of a fuel-efficient, alternative-energy auto industry, according to a report in sina.com.

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Total Lithium-Ion Battery Sales Forecast To Double By 2012 to US$13.1B

Nikkei. Market researcher Fuji-Keizai Co. forecasts that global sales of rechargeable batteries for all applications will surge 43% from 2007 to ¥3.61 trillion (US$37.9 billion) in 2012, led by a doubling of lithium-ion battery sales.

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2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season One of the Most Active in 64 Years

The 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially comes to a close on Sunday, marking the end of a season that produced a record number of consecutive storms to strike the United States and ranks as one of the more active seasons in the 64 years since comprehensive records began, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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American Honda Introduces New Micro CHP Deluxe System; More Electric Power

American Honda Motor Company, Inc. introduced its all-new Micro-sized Combined Heat and Power (MCHP) Deluxe cogeneration unit last week at the US Green Building Council’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts.

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IndyCar Series Partners with APEX-Brasil as Official Ethanol Supplier

The IndyCar Series—which has been using ethanol since 2006—has made APEX-Brasil the official ethanol supplier to the IndyCar Series beginning with the 2009 season.

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New 1,000km Rail Line for Coal Transport from Inner Mongolia

China Daily. Next year, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region will start the construction of a 1,000-km (621-mile) rail line to transport coal to ease the country’s coal transportation bottlenecks. The new line is expected to transport 200 million tons of coal annually; the project is in line with the government’s policy to boost domestic demand.

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Opel Presents Fuel Cell Vehicle Test Fleet with Nine Business Partners in Berlin

Opel has launched the European component of GM’s biggest-ever test program for fuel cell vehicles. Nine companies will be the first to operate the GM/Opel HydroGen4 zero emission vehicles in the Berlin area: ADAC, Allianz, Coca-Cola, Hilton, Linde, Schindler, Axel Springer, Total and Veolia.

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Neste Oil to Introduce NExBTL Heating Oil in January

Starting in January 2009, Neste Oil will introduce heating oil containing 2% NExBTL fuel. Neste will gradually increase the blend component to 10% by 2016. NExBTL is a process for the production of renewable synthetic diesel via the high-pressure hydrogenation of fatty acids. (Earlier post.)

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Texas Governor Strongly Urges US EPA Against Regulating GHGs

Texas Governor Rick Perry strongly urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) against passing a proposed framework for regulating greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) due to what he called its devastating implications for Texas’ economy and energy industry.

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CAC Files Brief In Support of California’s Efforts to Enforce GHG Standards for LDVs

The Constitutional Accountability Center (CAC) filed a brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit on behalf of a coalition of State and local government organizations to support California’s efforts to enforce its first-in-the-nation greenhouse gas emissions standards for light duty vehicles (LDVs).

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SAIC Motor to Invest US$293M in Hybrid and Electric Drive Vehicles

Reuters. SAIC Motor Corp, China’s biggest automaker, plans to set up a venture with its state-owned parent that will invest 2 billion yuan ($293 million) to develop clean-energy cars.

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Toyota To Cut Output 20% At French Plant From January

Nikkei. Toyota Motor Corp. will cut production at its French factory by 20% from January through March, following similar moves in the US, Britain and Turkey.

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ZAP Introduces 4-Wheel Low-Speed Electric Truck

ZAP has introduced a four-wheel electric truck to its line-up, the ZAP Truck XL.

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Saft and ABB Develop New High Voltage Li-ion Battery System for Grid Stabilization

Saft and ABB have developed a new high voltage Li-ion battery system designed to improve the stability of power distribution grids. The new system combines dynamic energy storage provided by Saft’s 5.2 kV battery, which will help respond to disruptions in the grid, with ABB’s SVC (Static Var Compensation) Light technology for dynamic voltage control.

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VeraSun Receives Non-Binding Indication of Interest For Purchase of Substantially All of Its Assets

VeraSun Energy Corporation, one of the US’ largest ethanol producers, recently received a non-binding unsolicited indication of interest with respect to the purchase of substantially all of its assets. The company intends to pursue this indication of interest to its conclusion and evaluate other proposals it may receive in accordance with its obligations as a debtor in possession under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.

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Nissan Cancels Participation in NAIAS

Detroit News. Nissan Motor has pulled out of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit in January to save cash.

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Siemens And USDA/ARS Partner to Cooperate on Pyrolysis Oil Research

Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. and the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) recently entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) that will improve the processes used to convert second generation, non-food-based, biofuel feedstocks, including perennial grasses, animal wastes and agricultural residues such as corn stover, into liquid bio-fuel intermediates, such as bio-oil (pyrolysis oil).

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Novozymes Inaugurates World’s Largest Enzyme Fermentation Facility in China

Novozymes inaugurated the newest expansion of its Hongda production facility in Taicang, China, making it the largest enzyme fermentation facility in the world. The expanded capacity will primarily focus on products for the bioethanol industry, with the expansion signaling an investment in both bioethanol and the expanding Chinese market.

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S. Korea to Increase Biodiesel Use

The government of South Korea has announced plans to gradually increase the biodiesel blend ratio from its current level of 1% to 3% by 2012. In an effort to meet these targets, the government has extended industry tax breaks and has taken steps to increase local feed stock production to minimize import dependency, according to a report by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

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GEM Launches MY 2009 EVs

Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) launched its 2009 MY line with a variety of option package that make customizing a GEM car easier, by combining the most popular options with new ones tailored to specific tastes.

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Cambodia Launches First Ethanol Plant

People’s Daily. Cambodia has opened its first ethanol factory, using cassava as feedstock.

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Ohio EPA Issues Final Permit for Baard Coal/Biomass-to-Liquids Plant

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has issued the third and final state environmental necessary to the Ohio River Clean Fuels (ORCF) project. Baard Energy will now proceed into final design and construction of the 53,000 barrel per day Coal/Biomass to Liquids plant (CBTL) at the Columbiana County Port Authority site in Wellsville, Ohio. (Earlier post.)

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Automotive X PRIZE Announces First Round of Registered Teams

The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE announced that 22 contenders have been elevated to Registered Team status in the $10-million competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles.

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USDA Invites Applications for Advanced Biorefinery Guaranteed Loans

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications for loan guarantees under the Biorefinery Assistance Program (Section 9003), authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, (the Farm Bill). The Biorefinery Assistance Program is designed to promote the development of new and emerging technologies for the production of advanced biofuels.

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China Discovers 23B Ton Ultra Large Coal Field

People’s Daily. Geological exploration teams have confirmed discovery of an ultra large coal field with a forecasted 23 billion tons of total reserve in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China. China currently has an estimated 126.2 billion short tons of recoverable coal reserves, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

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Drop in Global Auto Demand Triggers 25% Cut in BASF Capacity

C&EN. BASF, the world’s largest chemical firm, says it is temporarily shutting down 80 plants worldwide due to decreased demand from automakers and other customers.

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EnerDel Awarded Anode Development Phase Two Contract with DOD

Ener1, Inc.’s subsidiary EnerDel, maker of lithium-ion battery systems, has moved to phase two of a research and development contract with the US Department of Defense (DOD) to develop high-energy, high-performance batteries for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

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Kia Introduces Next-generation Borrego Fuel Cell Vehicle

Kia Motors unveiled the next-generation Kia Borrego (known as Mohave in some markets) fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) at the Los Angeles International Auto Show.

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Syntec Biofuel Launching Research Program to Produce Bio-butanol and Bio-propanol from Biomass

Syntec Biofuel Inc is launching a research program to develop catalysts and processes to optimize its production of bio-butanol and bio-propanol from biomass. This new R&D initiative is projected to be a three-year program and will run in parallel with Syntec’s current catalyst development work.

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Poll: US Consumers Eager for Hybrids, Unsure of Performance and Durability

A new survey conducted by Ruder Finn Insights, the in-house research division of Ruder Finn, Inc., reveals that hybrid vehicles are increasingly appealing to consumers despite diminishing prices at the pump, though many perceptions of hybrids are out-of-date and based on initial impressions formed nearly a decade ago.

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GM Prices Two-Mode Hybrid Pickups

GM has priced its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Two-Mode Hybrid pickup trucks starting at $38,995 and $39,365 respectively, including a $975 destination charge. The MSRP does not reflect a $2,200 federal tax credit. The Silverado and Sierra are the only hybrid pickup trucks on the market.

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Report: EU Carmaking Nations in Agreement on CO2 Regulations

Reuters reports that Europe’s four big automaking nations—Italy, Britain, France and Germany—have agreed to a proposed structure for regulations mandating reductions in CO₂ from cars.

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Valence to Provide Li-Ion Batteries to Brammo for Electric Motorcycle

Valence Technology, Inc. will provide its lithium phosphate batteries to Brammo for use in the Enertia all-electric motorcycle.

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Altairnano to Receive Additional $4M for Li-ion Battery Deployment for Naval Vessel

Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. and the United States Navy were granted an additional $4 million for the continued funding of a 2.5-Megawatt lithium-ion battery stationary power supply program. Total funds appropriated by Congress for Altairnano’s naval battery program now total $12.5 million. (Earlier post.)

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RTEV and Shuanghuan Automobile Form EV Partnership

RTEV (Ruff & Tuff Electric Vehicles) and Shuanghuan Automobile Company have formed a partnership to produce and market affordable all-electric cars for sale around the world.

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US Petroleum Deliveries Down 4% in October; YTD Rate of Decline Not Seen Since Early 1980s

Total domestic petroleum deliveries fell more than 4% in October compared with a year ago, contributing to a substantial year-to-date decline of more than 5% to 19.6 million barrels per day, according to the latest monthly statistical report from the American Petroleum Institute.

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Cellulosic Ethanol Company SunEthanol Raises $25 Million, Changes Name to Qteros

SunEthanol, the developer of consolidated bio-processing (CBP) technology based on the “Q Microbe” (Clostridium phytofermentans) (earlier post), has raised $25 million in Series B financing from a consortium including BP and Soros Fund Management LLC, and is changing its name effective immediately to Qteros. The new name refers to its Q Microbe technology.

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Ener1 and Kyushu Electric to Partner on Rapid Recharging Systems

Lithium-ion batterymaker Ener1, Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding with Kyushu Electric Power (KEPCO), the fourth-largest publicly traded power and utility company in Japan on working together to create and manufacture rapid recharging systems for electric vehicles.

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Nissan to Sell EVs in China in 2012

Bloomberg. Nissan plans to begin sales of electric vehicles in China by 2012.

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Coalition Calls for Phase Out of Ethanol Subsidies

A coalition of groups organized by the Food before Fuel campaign called on the incoming Obama Administration to repeal subsidies for ethanol.

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Ford Selling Part of its Stake in Mazda

Ford Motor Company is selling a portion of its stake in Mazda Motor Corp. Mazda and several of its strategic business partners will acquire the shares through market trading. As a result, the ratio of Ford’s ownership of Mazda stock will be reduced from 33.4% to just over 13%, with the new agreement allowing the two companies to continue their strategic relationship that spans nearly 30 years.

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California Governor Raises Renewable Portfolio Standard to 33% by 2020

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued an executive order (EO S-14-08) to streamline the state’s renewable energy project approval process and increase the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) for power generation to 33% by 2020.

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Michigan Governor Meets with Better Place in Israel

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm last week traveled to Israel on a jobs and investment mission, during which she met with Better Place Founder and CEO Shai Agassi in a discussion centered around electric vehicle infrastructure and what that might mean for Michigan and, to a greater extent, the US.

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ISE Corporation Completes $17.5M Equity Financing; Siemens Venture Capital as Lead

ISE Corporation, Siemens Venture Capital (SVC), Macquarie Clean Technology Fund (Macquarie) and DTE Energy Ventures, Inc. (DTE EV) completed a $17.5 million Series D equity investment in ISE, a supplier of advanced hybrid-electric drive systems and components for heavy-duty vehicles. This Series D preferred stock financing also includes additional investments from RockPort Capital Partners and NGP Energy Technology Partners, investors in ISE’s previous Series C and Series B preferred stock financings. The funds will be used to continue ISE’s growing sales to the transit bus marketplace in the US and Europe and the expansion of the company’s energy storage systems.

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Proton Energy Systems Lands $1.8M Contract for Hydrogen Base Fleet Fueling

The US Army’s Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) has awarded a $1.8 million contract to Proton Energy Systems to develop an advanced hydrogen fueling system capable of sustaining a military fleet of hydrogen-powered vehicles.

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