Green Car Congress

JUNE 17, 2009

Volkswagen won the overall 2009 International Engine of the Year Award—the first time the company took the top award—with its 1.4-liter TSI Twincharger engine. ( Earlier post.). The unit is offered across much of the VW model range, including the Golf, Scirocco and Eos, and is used by Seat in the Ibiza Cupra. The turbocharged and supercharged 1.4-liter also won the 1-liter to 1.4-liter category and was voted Green Engine of the Year, beating both Toyota’s and Honda’s new electric-hybrid powerpla

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International Engine Green C1 252

Creative Greenius

JUNE 30, 2009

I attended today’s Bryan Cave Clean Tech Roundtable at the Broad Stage at Santa Monica College – thanks to my pal Donna Gentry. It was a terrific day spent on Renewable Energy and if you follow my Twitter feed you got some of the highlights during the three hour agenda. The agenda included: Bob Foster, Mayor of Long Beach; Jeremy Snyder, General Manager of Tesla Motors; Steve Westly, Former State Controller, Bobby Shriver from the Santa Monica City Council, John Chiang, the Californi

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Electric Cars are for Girls

JUNE 1, 2009

Paul Holmes discovered he could build an electric car for about $2000. In this interview, we'll talk about how he built his electric car.and why.

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Building Electric Cars 2000 Cars 200

Revenge of the Electric Car

JUNE 23, 2009

We’ve been waiting for several months to hear this good news. Three EV pioneers, Tesla, Nissan and Ford, are receiving loans from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program. Totaling $8 billion, the funds will be used to manufacture efficient vehicles and electric drive components. In Tesla’s case, they’ll receive a total of $465 million to set up their factory in Southern California for the production of their hot Model S.

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Nissan Ford Grant Bright Automotive 154

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Open Source Civic EV Kit

JUNE 25, 2009

After two days of running perfectly, I found yesterday morning that the amps were down and the FET had blown again. This really stumped me because I thought I had done everything to keep it cool and out of the switching region. After showing the system to the power supply EEs at work, they told me that any FET in a TO-220 case like the one I had would not handle a constant 8-amps for a long time.

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Installation Waste Charging Powered 100

Green Cars News

JUNE 19, 2009

Welcome to forward living? The new full hybrid RX 450h featuring 299 DIN hp and only 148g/km CO2. As Lexus themselves say: “Take the same route but a different journey. Experience the new RX 450h, the most advanced hybrid.&#. Tags: Lexus 450h rx.

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Creative Greenius

JUNE 11, 2009

Marilyn Lyon of the SBESC with your Creative Greenius at the PV Street Fair June 7. As our climate change crisis worsens and spins out of control with each passing day there’s no time to spare for those of us whose job it is to educate and motivate our fellow citizens to actions that cut our greenhouse gas emissions. I’m talking about committed environmental journalist/activists like myself who believe we have a responsibility to play more than a stenographers role in covering the s

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Electric Cars are for Girls

JUNE 20, 2009

Paul Holmes' DC Motor Controller: open source and do-it-yourself saves a lot of money!

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DC DIY Motor Motoring 181

Revenge of the Electric Car

JUNE 17, 2009

It’s happening. New production electric cars are being delivered at a rate of 100 per month. Teslas mostly, but the first BMW MINI E was also delivered last week, and we’ll have about 500 more of them on the road within the month. Back in 1999, when we were all a twitter about Y2K, there were about 5,000 production EVs on California roads with a few dozen more in both Arizona and Georgia.

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Mini E Arizona Georgia Oil 124

Green Car Congress

JUNE 6, 2009

The 2.4-liter X4V2 prototype was originally designed for an aviation application. Click to enlarge. Australia-based Revetec is designing what it calls the Controlled Combustion Engine (CCE)—a cam-drive gasoline spark-ignited internal combustion engine that is smaller, lighter, cleaner, less expensive to manufacture and that produces higher torque due to higher mechanical transfer than equivalent conventional engines.

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Engine Gasoline Production China 240

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 28, 2009

Researchers at Tsinghua University in China have shown that sugarcane juice is a good feedstock for biodiesel production, when used to support the growth of the alga Chlorella protothecoides by heterotrophic fermentation. In fermentation in a 5-liter bioreactor, algae using sugarcane juice hydrolysate (SCH) grew faster than algae using glucose. Conversion ratios of sugar/biomass and sugar/oil using SCH were 15.2 and 8.8% higher than that using glucose, respectively.

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Juice Oil Conversion Carbon 236

Green Car Congress

JUNE 2, 2009

The US Department of Energy has issued up to a $5-million Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0000103) to solicit laboratory-level R&D projects to develop novel technologies for producing hydrogen from coal. The program, which is an initiative supportive of the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Fuels/Hydrogen Program Area, is seeking applications in two areas: novel, non-precious metal hydrogen separation for use with coal-generated syngas; and general coal-based hydrogen pro

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Coal Hydrogen Grant Production 231

Green Car Congress

JUNE 27, 2009

As part of several technology demonstration projects under study, Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) has purchased six Coulomb Technologies electric vehicle charging stations from Carbon Day Automotive, Chicago, Ill. Electric cars and trucks charged at the stations will have their emissions offset through renewable energy. The project is the first of its kind in the United States.

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Gas-Electric Gas Electric Vehicles Charging 225

Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2009

Scientists at the University of Delaware are developing a new low-cost material for hydrogen storage—carbonized chicken feathers (CCFF)—that they say could meet the DOE requirements for hydrogen storage and are competitive with carbon nanotubes and metal hydrates at a tiny fraction of their cost. Their research was presented at ACS Green Chemistry Institute’s 13 th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference on 23 June.

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Hydrogen Carbon Delaware Universal 220

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 26, 2009

Infrared reflective glass is the more efficient—and costly—technology for reducing vehicle cabin temperature. Click to enlarge. The California Air Resources Board adopted a regulation that will require new cars sold in California starting in 2012 to have windows that reflect or absorb heat-producing rays from the sun. This will help keep cars cooler, increase their fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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California Climate Change Cars Solar 218

Green Car Congress

JUNE 14, 2009

Nikkei. Toyota Motor Corp. wants to expand the production capacity for the NiMH battery packs it uses in hybrids by 10%. The automaker is now seeking access to enough NiMH batteries to equip 1.1 million hybrid cars in 2010, or 10% more than was initially called for in its existing expansion plans. Panasonic EV Energy is capable of churning out roughly 700,000 NiMH battery packs a year.

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NiMH Toyota Production Batteries 218

Green Car Congress

JUNE 29, 2009

EPA has proposed revisions to the nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) air quality standard, the first adjustment since 1971. The proposed changes reflect the latest science on the health effects of exposure to NO 2 , which is formed by emissions from cars, trucks, buses, power plants, and industrial facilities and can lead to respiratory disease. These proposed standards—which add a one-hour NO 2 standard—and additional monitoring requirements will better protect public health by reducing people’s exposure

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EPA Standards Los Angeles 2010 210

Green Car Congress

JUNE 29, 2009

The Dow Chemical Company plans to work with Algenol Biofuels, Inc. to build and operate a pilot-scale algae-based integrated biorefinery that will produce ethanol, located at Dow’s Freeport, Texas site. Dow, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and Membrane Technology & Research, Inc. are contributing science, expertise, and technology to the project.

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Building Georgia Grant Carbon 210

Green Car Congress

JUNE 21, 2009

Travel on all roads and streets in the US in April 2009 increased by 0.6% to an estimated 249.5 billion miles, up 1.4 billion vehicle miles from April 2008, according to the latest Traffic Volume Trends report from the Federal Highway Administration. Total US Vehicle Miles Traveled by month. Data: FHA. Click to enlarge. Cumulative travel for 2009 is down by 1.1% (-10.0 billion vehicle miles), compared to the same period in 2008.

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Miles 2009 2008 Vehicles 210

Green Car Congress

JUNE 14, 2009

Cutaway of the Hyrban. Ultracapacitor bank is beneath the seat. Click to enlarge. UK-based Riversimple will unveil on Tuesday (16 June) its first production-intent car: a two seater hydrogen fuel cell urban car with composite bodyshell. Riversimple designed the Hyrban ( earier post ) to achieve 300 mpg (energy equivalent); the company calculates that the fuel cell car will have well-to-wheel CO 2 emissions of 31 g/km when fueled with hydrogen produced via steam methane reforming of natural gas.

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Hydrogen Fuel Companies Cars 210

Green Car Congress

JUNE 7, 2009

Researchers at Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) are developing a method to oxidize glycerin produced from vegetable oils as a by-product of biodiesel fuel production into D-glyceric acid at high efficiency using an acetic acid bacterium. Effective production of D-glyceric acid from highly concentrated glycerin produced as a by-product of biodiesel fuel.

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Low Cost Production Convert Oil 210

Green Car Congress

JUNE 25, 2009

The US federal government has set a goal—via Executive Order 13423—for federal agencies to use plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) as they become available at a reasonable cost. In response to a request from Representatives Henry Waxman (Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce); Edolphus Towns (Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform); and Darrell Issa (Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform), the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) examined the

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Plug-in Plug Fleet Alternative Fuels 207

Green Car Congress

JUNE 10, 2009

Poway, California-based Plug In Conversions Corp. (PICC) has completed a software upgrade to its 6.1 kWh NiMH plug-in hybrid (PHEV) conversion kit that enables all-electric mode driving at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour (until the battery pack is depleted) in a converted Prius. The software upgrade is based upon patented technology developed by Chicago-based Ewert Energy Systems , which has granted PICC exclusive rights for its use in Prius conversion kits.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 2, 2009

Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd (Tengzhong) and General Motors Corp. confirmed that the China-based industrial machinery group will acquire the rights to the premium off-road HUMMER brand, along with the existing senior management and operational team. GM had earlier announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the sale, without identifying the prospective buyer. ( Earlier post.).

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Hummer GM Purchase Dealers 207

Green Car Congress

JUNE 25, 2009

The new 3.0-liter gaosline engine combines turbocharging, direct fuel injection and VALVETRONIC for the first time. Click to enlarge. For its Technology Day 2009 in Germany, BMW focused on describing its work with aerodyanmics, engines and transmissions in the context of its EfficientDyanmics development strategy. The company presented the capabilities of its Aerodynamic Test Center and Aerolab; a new 3.0-liter gasoline unit combining turbocharging, direct fuel injection and VALVETRONIC fully-va

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BMW 2009 Engine Gasoline-Electric 199

Green Car Congress

JUNE 15, 2009

A battery management system is a key component of advanced automotive electric energy storage systems. Engineering firm Ricardo has developed a generic battery management system (BMS) for Li-ion batteries that is independent of cell size or chemistry. The effort is designed to help OEMs in response to the wide variety of cell-level Li-ion chemistries, with different cost, reliability, life, safety and availability factors.

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Design Li-ion Batteries Battery 199

Green Car Congress

JUNE 1, 2009

The US Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York, approved Chrysler LLC’s request to sell substantially all of its operations to Chrysler Group LLC, the new company formed in alliance with Fiat SpA. ( Earlier post.). Chrysler’s Mexican, Canadian and other international operations will also be acquired by Chrysler Group. As the Company announced previously on 30 April Bob Nardelli, who had been leading Chrysler since August 2007, will resign from Chrysler LLC on completion of the transactio

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Chrysler Companies New York 2007 199

Green Car Congress

JUNE 12, 2009

Basic rendering of an open rotor engine. Source: GE. Click to enlarge. Following several months refurbishing a special NASA test rig, GE Aviation and NASA this summer will begin a wind-tunnel test program to evaluate counter-rotating fan-blade systems for open rotor jet engine designs. ( Earlier post.). The testing will be conducted throughout 2009 and early 2010 at wind tunnel facilities at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

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Wind Engine Cleveland Ohio 191

Green Car Congress

JUNE 21, 2009

Among the proposals in the new US highway and transportation funding reauthorization bill, outlined by House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.) and Ranking Member John L. Mica (R-Fla.) in a press conference last week, is the linkage of transportation planning with greenhouse gas emissions reductions. If enacted, this would transform the current transportation planning process in the US.

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Transportation Gas 2009 Congress 186

Green Car Congress

JUNE 19, 2009

Adura Systems, Inc., the developer of the MESA (Modular, Electronic, Scalable Architecture) electric powertrain for medium and large vehicles ( earlier post ) is the recipient of Frost & Sullivan’s 2009 Technology Innovation of the Year Award. Adura’s MESA powertrain features patent-pending, highly modular systems electronics, an innovative intelligent control software platform and the industry’s first scalable, field installable energy storage system that can be configured, depending upon u

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2009 Energy Storage Miles Installation 186

Green Car Congress

JUNE 15, 2009

UQM Technologies, a developer of alternative energy technologies, during the last three months has received orders from US military customers totaling $2.77 million for propulsion systems, generators and funded engineering activities. The most recent order is a $750,000 Phase II Small Business Innovation Research contract from the US Navy to develop a high torque electro-magnetic actuator system.

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Texas Universal Motor Motoring 186

Green Car Congress

JUNE 11, 2009

Hybrid concept for the S 400 hybrid. Source: Daimler. Click to enlarge. Daimler’s S400 BlueHYBRID, which goes on sale this month, is the first series production passenger car featuring a traction lithium-ion battery pack. ( Earlier post.) At the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference 2009 in Long Beach, Dr. Uwe Wiedemann from Mercedes-Benz Cars/Development, Hybrid Systems & Components, presented an overview of the design of the system and components, with a particular emphasis on managing th

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Design Li-ion Hybrid Lithium Ion 186

Green Car Congress

JUNE 30, 2009

Rear view of the fuelcell hybrid switch locomotive. The dual Ballard fuel cell stacks are to the left (i.e., rear) of the switcher. Source: Vehicle Projects. Click to enlarge. BNSF Railway and Vehicle Projects Inc. of Denver/Golden, Colo., a developer of large fuelcell vehicles such as mine loaders and mine locomotives, unveiled an operational hydrogen fuelcell hybrid switch locomotive at BNSF’s Topeka System Maintenance Terminal. ( Earlier post.).

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Hydrogen Los Angeles Hybrid Vehicles 170

Green Car Congress

JUNE 28, 2009

An organic computing-based approach to traffic light control, might help solve the problem of controlling road traffic in congested areas and avoid traffic jams and gridlock, according to research published this month in the International Journal of Autonomous and Adaptive Communications Systems. The organic approach to traffic light control in urban areas presented by Holger Prothmann of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and colleagues there and at Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany, exh

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Light Environment Pollution Transportation 170