Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
Over the past few years it seems like I’ve talked about hydrogen fuel cells ad nauseam. I’ve spoken about fuel cells that are being developed with platinum nanowires, carbon, nitrogen, iron, doped nanotubes, mushroom enzymes, polymers, plastics, nickel, hydrazine hydrate and other enzymes. What I’ve neglected to talk about over time, however, is how researchers and manufacturers are supposed to test hydrogen fuel cells so that they may keep improving the size, weight, durability, life cycle and materials used. A company called FuelCon has developed an advanced testing system for the proton conductivity of fuel cells. According to FuelCon , “With the ‘TrueXessory-PCM Proton Conductivity Measurement’ market launch FuelCon provides a testing system for the development of more efficient fuel cell membranes. The new product allows highly reproducible in-plane measurements of the proton conductivity of PEM and DMFC membranes under defined humidification and temperatures up to 200°C. Designed as a tabletop system, complex hardware like a complete test station including gas supply is not required.” One of the problems that fuel cells for hydrogen cars have had in the past is a short life ..
Nov 20, 2009 (3 days ago)
With the introduction of a single bacterial gene into yeast, researchers have achieved three improvements in bioethanol production from agricultural waste material: \'More ethanol, less acetate and elimination of the major by-product glycerol\'
Nov 20, 2009 (3 days ago)
Filed under: EV/Plug-in , Hydrogen , AutoblogGreen Exclusive , Green Daily , Greenlings Understanding electric and plug-in vehicles requires a slightly different knowledge set than what mechanics and drivers have needed to know for decades. One of the most obvious new concepts is the large battery pack and electric motor added to the car. The capacity values of these devices are be written using kW (kilowatt) and kWh (kilowatt hours), but don\'t think that a 90 kW motor is anything like a 90 kWh battery pack. That little h makes a big difference. Exactly what is the difference? Well, that\'s what we investigate in this week\'s Greenlings . Follow us after the jump to learn more. [Sources: Idaho National Lab ] Photo by Vince Alongi . Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0 . Continue reading Greenlings: What\'s the difference between kW and kWh? Greenlings: What\'s the difference between kW and kWh? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments
Nov 19, 2009 (3 days ago)
Filed under: Hybrid , Hydrogen , Mercedes Benz , LA Auto Show 2010 Mercedes Benz ML450 hybrid - click above for high-res image gallery The new Mercedes-Benz ML450 is available for lease starting this week here in the U.S., but it will be making its auto show debut in production form in Los Angeles the week after next. The two-mode hybrid provides similar performance to the V8 powered ML550 but with a 46 percent boost in fuel efficiency. Also on tap for LA will be the new generation F-Cell. This is the latest iteration of the hydrogen fuel cell-powered B-Class that Mercedes will be putting into low volume series production. It is equipped with the latest generation of the fuel cell stack that has increased efficiency and improved cold weather performance. Mercedes claims the new F-Cell can run up to 240 miles on a fill-up, the equivalent of 86.6 mpg on gasoline. Mercedes will be leasing 200 F-Cells to customers in Europe and the U.S. starting in 2010. Finally, the new SLS AMG will be shown for the first time at a U.S. show. While the car on display will be the ridiculously fast gasoline-powered version, Mercedes has promised a battery electric version of the SLS in the next few yea..
Nov 19, 2009 (3 days ago)
I’ve talked a few times before about the Vision Industries Tyrano Truck that is a combination of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (HFCV-PHEV). A month ago I talked about how the hydrogen powered Tyrano was making a public appearance before California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in Sacramento. Well, now there will be a high profile test of the H2 Tyrano Truck drivetrain technology by FedEx Freight. Of course, FedEx Freight is a well-known brand for regional and long-haul less-than-truckload (LTL) services. And LTL simply means the smaller trucks, not the long-haul tractor trailers one sees occasionally upon the highways. Vision Industries will reconfigure a FedEx Freight LTL truck with its Tyrano technology and the vehicle will be tested for one year and then evaluated for the operational sustainability of the HFCV-PHEV technology. According to FedEx Freight CEO Douglas G. Duncan, “It is our goal to be involved in projects such as this to further the advancement of alternative fuels that both reduce our dependence on foreign oil and are good for the environment. We are excited about technological advancements we see today in transportation and l..
Nov 19, 2009 (4 days ago)
Most people would like to be able to charge their cell phones and other personal electronics quickly and not too often. A recent discovery made by engineers could lead to carbon nanotube-based supercapacitors that could do just this.
Nov 18, 2009 (4 days ago)
Industry leader Proton Energy Systems will be working with the Hydrogen Education Foundation (the charitable arm of the National Hydrogen Association) to deliver $1 million total in scholarships to high school seniors who pursue higher education in science or technology. I’ve talked about Proton Energy Systems before as one of the world leaders in building hydrogen generators for the scientific community as well as H2 refueling stations. Proton currently has about a dozen hydrogen fueling stations operating throughout the United States. The Proton Energy Scholarship program will make its awards to students based on “…academic performance, strength of application, commitment to further education in a science or technology related field, financial need and demonstrated leadership, work ethic and community involvement.” Applications are due by Feb. 10, 2010. According to Jeffrey Serfass, President of the Hydrogen Education Foundation, “We are thrilled that Proton chose the Hydrogen Education Foundation to administer this exciting new program. We look forward to identifying and awarding star students who will help us address the global energy and environmental challenges ahead.” More ..
Nov 18, 2009 (4 days ago)
Filed under: Emerging Technologies , Hydrogen Gephyrocapsa oceanica - Wikimedia Commons In recent years, algae has gotten a fair bit of attention for its potential use as a feedstock for producing biodiesel. While the net carbon output of algae sourced liquid fuels could be a huge boon to the environment, there is a possible path that could yield zero carbon emissions. Researchers at the University of Tennessee are working on a process to produce hydrogen from algae via photosynthesis. The process would separate a particle produced by the algae during photosynthesis. The particle would then produce hydrogen in the presence of light and a platinum catalyst. What makes this process different from previous efforts of this type is the strain of algae being used. The photosynthesis occurs at relatively high temperatures which often kill off the efficiency of the hydrogen generation process. The strain being tried by the Tennessee researchers is able to produce H 2 at temperatures up to 131 degrees F. According the research team, the hydrogen-photosynthesis process they have is 25 times more efficient than biofuel production. However, the process still requires a lot of development and ..
Nov 18, 2009 (5 days ago)
Following a most successful inaugural conference and exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand in October 2009, Renewable Energy World Asia moves to Singapore in 2010.
Renewable Energy World Asia, co-located with POWER-GEN Asia, is anticipated to receive around 7,000 power and renewable industry professionals, who will gather for three days to enjoy the industry\'s leading conference and experience the latest developments and ideas for the future of the Asian renewables sector.
Nov 17, 2009 (5 days ago)
Filed under: Hydrogen While hydrogen cars from Toyota, Nissan and Honda were driving the 707 miles from Tokyo to Osaka , another group of H 2 vehicles from the U.S. DOE\'s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was in California conducting a research test drive. The two Toyota Highlander FCHV-adv models proved they could go at least 431 miles per tank, which equals about 68 mpg . The SUVs \"mimic[ed] a typical commuter\'s drive, the route included high-speed highway driving, moderate highway driving, and stop-and-go traffic.\" Average speed was 30 mph. perhaps more importantly, the NREL team worked out a deal to bring Wind2H2 (pictured) back to the lab in 2010. Wind2H2, as the name implies, is a hydrogen fueling station that generates electricity from wind and the sun and then electrolyzes water to make hydrogen. More details available here and here . [Source: NREL ] Toyota FCHV-adv cruises in California, wind-powered hydrogen on the horizon originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Nov 17, 2009 (5 days ago)
Computer modeling is being used in an increasing numbers of cases in recent years to make predictions about different events and possible outcomes. NOAA uses computer modeling to predict the path and severity of hurricanes. A company called ESRI is currently using computer modeling to track and predict the outbreak of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) and to reduce greenhouse gases around the San Francisco area. A new computer modeling program of interest called STREET (or the Spatially & Temporally Resolved Energy & Environment Tool) developed by Shane Stephens-Romero of University of California, Irvine (UCI) predicts that in the year 2060, 75-percent of the drivers on the road will be driving hydrogen cars in the Los Angeles area. It also predicts that greenhouse gas emissions will be 60-percent lower than they are currently. According to Scott Samuelsen, director of the Advanced Power & Energy Program and the person who lead the development of UCI hydrogen fueling station that dispenses H2 (at both 5,000 and 10,000 psi), “The research is well positioned, considering the development of a hydrogen infrastructure is at the crossroads of global climate change, the future of the automobile..
Nov 17, 2009 (5 days ago)
Filed under: Hydrogen , Mercedes Benz Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid - click above for high-res image gallery Daimler this week unveiled the first of its new generation Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid transit buses. Thirty of these new buses will be going into service in 2010 with the first 10 going to Hamburg Germany where previous-generation fuel cell buses have already been in service for several years. The new buses use the latest iteration of Daimler\'s fuel cell drive system which consists of a modular stack design. By building the fuel cell stack in modules, it can be scaled for different applications with the same hardware used in the bus and the new series of B-class F-Cell cars. Twenty of the fuel cell B-Classes will also be going to Hamburg for use by the transit company. The combination of the new stack design and a hybrid configuration using lithium ion batteries allows the fuel cells to operate at a more constant output with the batteries taking care of the transient acceleration needs. The result is that fuel consumption is cut in half compared to the older buses and the new buses have a range of 155 miles. The bus deployment is part of the Clean Energy Pa..
Nov 17, 2009 (6 days ago)
Scientists have set a new world record with next-generation particle fuel for use in high temperature gas reactors (HTGRs).
Nov 17, 2009 (6 days ago)
Global hydrogen energy leader Proton Energy Systems announced today it is launching a $1 million scholarship program aimed at high school seniors across the nation. The Proton Energy Scholarship will recognize and award high school seniors who demonstrate outstanding achievement, excellence and promise in the field of science or technology, and who plan to pursue higher education in this field.
Nov 16, 2009 (6 days ago)
Currently, hydrogen fuel cells for the transportation industry lend themselves well to fleet vehicles, forklifts and buses. These vehicles have a central hydrogen refueling station and don’t stray too far from this station. Across the continents, hydrogen fuel cell buses are rolling out in higher numbers. Take for instance the two hydrogen fuel cells buses that are rolling out and being trialed in the Northeast of China. Last year I had talked about the Chinese opening the Beijing Hydrogen Park for the 2008 Olympics. China had rolled out 20 Volkswagen Passat Lingyu FCVs to showcase in this worldwide event. The hydrogen buses that China is piloting is a project between the University of Sunderland, UK and Shanghai Shen Li High Technology. Meanwhile, half a world away in Hamburg , Germany the Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid bus has made its debut on the streets. The bus uses two of the same fuel cell systems sas the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL cars plus it uses a more powerful lithium ion battery pack. The field trial of the Citaro hydrogen fuel cell buses are part of the European Union HyFLEET:CUTE plan. In addition, Hamburg will also receive by 2010, 20 more Daimler B-Class ..
Nov 16, 2009 (6 days ago)
Filed under: Hydrogen , Honda , Nissan , Toyota Toyota, Nissan and Honda all participated in a fuel cell demonstration run in Japan last week. The three automakers brought their most advanced hydrogen fuel cell vehicles out for the two-day trip from Tokyo to Fukuoka with an overnight stop in Osaka. The driving teams piloted a Honda FCX Clarity , a Nissan X-Trail FCV and a Toyota Highlander FCHV-adv . Back in 2007, a Toyota FCHV traveled from Osaka to Tokyo on one tank of H 2 . Over the course of the trip the three vehicles covered 706.5 miles and consumed 28.8 kg of hydrogen. That works out to an average of 73.6 miles / kg. One kg of hydrogen has roughly the energy equivalent of one gallon of gasoline, so the mileage works out to about 73-74 mpg. The drive was organized by the Japan Hydrogen and Fuel cell project. While all three of the automakers are developing plug-in battery electric vehicles, all three also continue to work on fuel cells. Both Toyota and Honda maintain that they feel hydrogen remains the best long term solution for full function vehicles. [Source: Japan Hydrogen and Fuel Cell project ] Fuel cell vehicles finish 707-mile demonstration run in Japan originally ap..
Nov 16, 2009 (7 days ago)
It\'s the year 2060, and 75 percent of drivers in the Greater Los Angeles area have hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that emit only water vapor. Look into Shane Stephens-Romero\'s crystal ball -- a computer model called STREET -- and find that air quality has significantly improved. Greenhouse gas emissions are more than 60 percent lower than in 2009, and levels of microscopic soot and ozone are about 15 percent and 10 percent lower, respectively.
Nov 13, 2009 (9 days ago)
There have been so many openings of hydrogen fueling stations in the past few years that now days I hardly take notice of another opening. But, the opening of the H2 fueling station in Copenhagen, Denmark has caught my attention and I’ll tell you why. Yesterday, Copenhagen opened its first hydrogen filling station, which gives Denmark a total now of 7 H2 filling stations. Why is this important? It is important because Denmark links the Scandinavian Hydrogen Highway system (including Norway, Sweden and Denmark) with the overall European Union Hydrogen Highway system that includes these 3 countries plus Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In fact, Denmark is the link between Sweden and Germany. Besides Copenhagen, there are hydrogen fueling stations in the other Danish cities of Arhus, Herning, Samso, Sydthy and 2 in Holstebro. Yesterday, Copenhagen also introduced 8 hydrogen cars including 2 working vehicles and 6 cars. According to Technology and Environment Mayor Klaus Bondam, “Today we are putting Copenhagen on the map as a champion of clean transport. Together with H2..
Nov 12, 2009 (10 days ago)
In the past I’ve talked about high temperature cracking of water to produce hydrogen at nuclear facilities. I’ve also talked about using algae to produce hydrogen. Now, two U. S. national laboratories are on a concurrent path to see who can produce the most H2 efficiently and cost-effectively. The Idaho National Laboratory ( INL ), who I have spoken of before, has developed a solid-oxide electrolysis cell the size of a CD and 150 microns in width to help with the nuclear high temperature cracking of water into hydrogen and oxygen. The creation of the new electrodes and electrolytes at INL are part of the High Temperature Electrolysis Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative. The new cells have an operating temperature of around 800 degrees C. Now, the other national laboratory making news headlines along with the University of Tennessee (UT) is the Oak Ridge National Laboratory ( ORNL ) in Knoxville, TN. The scientists and researchers there are developing high temperature photosynthesis of algae in order to create massive amounts of hydrogen. The team lead is university professor Barry Bruce. According to the UT press release, “A major benefit of Bruce\'s method is that it cuts out two key midd..
Nov 12, 2009 (11 days ago)
In the quest to make hydrogen as a clean alternative fuel source, researchers have been stymied about how to create usable hydrogen that is clean and sustainable without relying on an intensive, high-energy process that outweighs the benefits of not using petroleum to power vehicles. New findings however, show that photosynthesis may function as that clean, sustainable source of hydrogen.
Nov 11, 2009 (11 days ago)
Filed under: Hydrogen , GM General Motors fuel cell comparsion - click above to enlarge It\'s no secret that General Motors remains committed to hydrogen fuel cells as a long term solution to zero emissions transportation. In this cause, GM is in league with many of the largest automakers in the world including Toyota, Honda, Daimler, and Hyundai. Recently we ran an editorial refuting some reports (including one of our own) about the cost of GM\'s fuel cell system. Charlie Freese, GM\'s executive director of fuel cell activities , has written a post on the Fastlane blog that expands on some of what we said regarding the cost of the fuel cell system used in the Project Driveway Chevy Equinoxes. GM has revealed some of the specific details of the latest generation system compared to the four-year-old system used in the Equinox. Freese explains that the fuel cell system is now at a stage where the engineers are working diligently to reduce the cost and bring it to parity with more conventional systems, something that should happen in the next few years. Gallery: General Motors Generation V fuel cell stack Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc. [Source: GM Fastlane Blog ..
Nov 11, 2009 (11 days ago)
This is a story that has slipped under the radar of most mainstream news outlets and there are very few details about this event . But, Toyota, Nissan and Honda have decided that today they will take their fuel cell cars on a 1,100 kilometer (683 miles) fun run. The cars will leave Toyko and travel to Fukuoka and will demonstrate that their refueling range is similar that or exceed that of gasoline-powered cars. The cars participating in this run will be the Honda FCX Clarity , Toyota FCHV-adv , and Nissan X-Trail FCV . The Japanese fuel cell fun run started today after senior government officials and Toyota, Nissan and Honda executives held a ceremony at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Tokyo to mark the occasion. The fuel cell vehicles have hit the roadways today and are expected at the Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture on Thursday. Over the two-day journey the hydrogen cars will refuel twice and the drivers will stay overnight in Osaka. I’ve talked about the Japanese Hydrogen Highway before and especially the expansion of Japan’s hydrogen highway system. This event will help promote and prove to the Japanese people that the future of hydrogen cars is very, very close..
Nov 11, 2009 (12 days ago)
Disruptive innovation hasn\'t been a driving force of the modern energy industry, but today it is becoming the norm. To celebrate the companies, business leaders and cutting edge state and local governments that are leading this new wave of innovation, RenewableEnergyWorld.com is rolling out its inaugural Excellence in Renewable Energy Awards -- and we want you to participate.
Nov 10, 2009 (12 days ago)
Not only is the hydrogen car industry being pressured by outside competition such as electric cars and those that run on biofuels, but there is competition within the hydrogen car industry itself. Many people are anxious to get going on building a supporting infrastructure to support hydrogen cars. Yet others balk at the idea, when the hydrogen production and distribution for cars has not been standardized yet. The positive aspect of standardization is that it speeds up the plan of getting from point A to point B more quickly. The negative aspect of standardization is picking technological winners at the expense of retarding growth of competition. Below is a list of competition within the hydrogen car industry itself at present, which will show why many companies are slow to commit to building out an H2 refueling infrastructure. • Hydrogen fuel cells versus H2 Internal Combustion Engines (H2ICE) • Compressed hydrogen gas versus a hydrogen rich chemical compound carrier • Use of hydrogen pipelines, trucks, tankers for transport versus hydrogen on demand at or near the pump • Hydrogen on demand inside or outside the vehicle • Centralized versus decentralized creation of hydrogen and..
Nov 10, 2009 (13 days ago)
Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. is pleased to announce results for the third quarter of 2009 for the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index (CEPGI) by the firm\'s Cleantech Group.
Nov 9, 2009 (13 days ago)
The first Czech hydrogen fueling station has opened its door for operation in Neratovice, central Bohemia. This adds one more H2 fueling station to the European Union Hydrogen Highway system. The Czech Republic borders Austria to the south and Germany to the west, which both have multiple hydrogen fueling stations. The new Czech H2 station expands the reach of the EU hydrogen highway system. After 3 years and $3 million Euros the station was finally completed by Linde Gas and the Czech Nuclear Research Institute. Annually the station has the capability of pumping six tons of hydrogen gas. The new hydrogen fueling station will be used at first to refuel the TriHyBus which runs on fuel cells, ultracapacitors and batteries. So, if you are in the area any time soon Czech it out and report back your findings.
Nov 9, 2009 (14 days ago)
Not even Franklin Delano Roosevelt could have imagined the scope and breadth of the current federal programs to stimulate the economy. Some of the new federal programs require standing in a different kind of line -- a line to obtain grants set aside for energy-related projects and, unlike the FDR programs, it appears to be the race goes to the swift.
Nov 5, 2009 (18 days ago)
Scientists are making progress toward development of an \"artificial leaf\" that mimics a real leaf\'s chemical magic with photosynthesis -- but instead converts sunlight and water into a liquid fuel such as methanol for cars and trucks.
Nov 4, 2009 (19 days ago)
New scientific discoveries are moving society toward the era of \"personalized solar energy,\" in which the focus of electricity production shifts from huge central generating stations to individuals in their own homes and communities.
Nov 3, 2009 (19 days ago)
Filed under: Emerging Technologies , EV/Plug-in , Hydrogen , Solar , Green Daily , USA One of the reasons that a vehicle powered by something other than gasoline is such a popular idea in the U.S. is that it helps us become less reliant on other countries for our transportation needs. To this end, biofuels and electric vehicles offer great potential to use local sources of energy in our vehicles. To get a handle on how much green electricity - wind, geothermal, solar, etc. - is available in the U.S., the Insitute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) has conducted a study on renewable energy potential and came away with some amazing figures. The Energy Self-Reliant States study found that 31 states have the potential to produce more renewable energy in-state than they currently use and that another ten could make more than 75 of the amount. The state with the worst potential, Kentucky, could still meet 24 percent of its electricity needs using renewable energy. The big problem with all of this potential is the cost of setting up the renewable energy production devices. Solar panels are not cheap, and wind farms have their own opponents. While no one expects Texas, for example, to make 53..