Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 15, 2009

In a speech at the Naval Energy Forum, US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus set out five energy targets for the department to meet over the course of the next decade, including the overall goal of half of the total energy consumption for ships, aircraft, tanks, vehicles, and shore installations coming from alternative sources by 2020. Another of the five goals is for the Department of the Navy to reduce petroleum use in its 50,000 strong commercial fleet by half by 2015.

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2020 Afghanistan Energy Mariner 308

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 2, 2009

Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion, Polo BlueMotion and Golf BlueMotion. Click to enlarge. Volkswagen will introduce the new generation of the Polo BlueMotion, Golf BlueMotion and Passat BlueMotion at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt in two weeks. All three Volkswagens are the most fuel-efficient models in their respective size classes, according to VW; all three are celebrating world premieres as production versions at the IAA; and all three can be ordered later this fall.

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MPG MPH Diesel Fuel Economy 307

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 1, 2009

The US Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) recently awarded Lockheed Martin an $8.12 million contract to further develop Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) technology, which the leverages ocean’s natural thermal gradient between warmer water at the ocean’s surface and colder water below to produce renewable and reliable power. In geographical areas with warm surface water and cold deep water, the temperature difference can be leveraged to drive a steam cycle that turns a turbine an

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Conversion Energy Water Renewable 306

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 22, 2009

An autonomous road train as envisioned by SARTRE. Click to enlarge. The new EU project SARTRE (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) project will develop and test technology for vehicles that can drive themselves in long road trains on motorways. This technology has the potential to improve traffic flow and journey times, offer greater comfort to drivers, reduce accidents, and improve fuel consumption and hence lower CO 2 emissions.

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Fuel Volvo Sweden Spain 304

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 26, 2009

Rendering of the Gen 2 series plug-in hybrid powertrain under development. Source: ALTe. Click to enlarge. A Bloomfield, Michigan startup is developing light- and medium-duty series plug-in hybrid electric vehicle powertrain systems—initially as conversions, but ultimately extending to an OEM basis. ALTe, LLC has initially targeted fleet applications—specifically, the New York Ford Crown Victoria taxi fleet—as the passenger car market does not drive enough miles per year to del

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Conversion Plug-in Plug Hybrid 301

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 28, 2009

The US Department of Energy will invest up to $366 million to establish and operate three new Energy Innovation Hubs focused on accelerating research and development in three key energy areas, one of which is developing an effective solar energy to chemical fuel conversion system—i.e., “Fuels from Sunlight” Each Hub, to be funded at up to $122 million over five years, will bring together a multidisciplinary team of researchers in an effort to speed research and shorten the path

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Solar Fuel Energy Water 299

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 15, 2009

Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Volkswagen Brand Technical Development, in front of the Volkswagen Concept Car L1 in Frankfurt. Click to enlarge. Volkswagen unveiled the L1, its second-generation one-liter class concept car, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The diesel-electric full-hybrid vehicle, weighing just 380 kilograms (838 lbs), offers an initial glimpse at how a future production version might appear.

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Diesel Concept Design Hybrid 296

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 11, 2009

by Jack Rosebro. Progressive deforestation in Rondonia, Brazil as seen in. satellite imagery; from left, 1975, 1989, and 2001. Sources: USGS. Landsat images via Google Earth. Click to enlarge. Through its philanthropic arm, Google.org, Google introduced an online suite of beta software that leverages cloud computing to track worldwide land-use changes such as deforestation.

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Google Climate Change Brazil 2006 294

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 23, 2009

Consumptive freshwater use for ethanol and petroleum gasoline production. Data: Wu, ANL/ESD/09-1. Click to enlarge. In the US, producing one gallon of ethanol from switchgrass consumes approximately the same net amount of water as does producing a gallon of gasoline from conventional crude or oil sands oil, according to a study by Argonne National Laboratory researchers presented at the 238 th national meeting of the American Chemical Society last week.

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Water Gasoline Oil-Sands Production 292

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2009

Sample UDRI solid-state, rechargeable lithium-air batteries, and Dr. Binod Kumar. Click to enlarge. Engineers at the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) have developed a solid-state, rechargeable lithium-air battery. When fully developed, the battery could exceed specific energies of 1,000 Wh/kg in practical applications, the researchers wrote in a paper published online 13 November in the Journal of the Electrochemical Society.

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Lithium Air Recharge Li-ion Batteries 287

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 12, 2009

The REVA NXR. Click to enlarge. Northern Lights Energy ( NLE ), the initiator of the 2012 charging infrastructure project and provider of infrastructure and services for electric vehicles (EV) based in Iceland, has signed an agreement with Reva Electric Car Company to jointly develop the electric vehicle market in Iceland. NLE will have exclusive distribution rights for the NXR, the new model premiered by Reva at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, and consequent follow-up models, such as the

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REVA Iceland Light Electric Vehicles 284

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 18, 2009

The Ford PHEV charge settings user interface. Click to enlarge. Ford Motor Company has developed an intelligent vehicle-to-grid communications and control system for its plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that communicates directly with the electric grid. The new technology, which builds on Ford technologies such as SYNC, SmartGauge with EcoGuide and Ford Work Solutions—allows the vehicle operator to program when to recharge the vehicle, for how long and at what utility rate.

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Grid Plug-in Ford Plug 284

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 18, 2009

In Beijing, US President Barack Obama and China President Hu Jintao announced a package of seven measures to strengthen cooperation between the United States and China on clean energy, including: a Clean Energy Research Center; Electric Vehicles Initiative; Energy Efficiency Action Plan; Renewable Energy Partnership; 21 st Century Coal; Shale Gas Initiative; and Energy Cooperation Program.

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China Coal Electric Vehicles Energy 281

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 30, 2009

The reaction for carbon dioxide splitting into carbon monoxide with aromatic aldehydes as oxygen acceptors. Credit: ACS, Gu and Zhang. Click to enlarge. A team of researchers in Singapore have developed a process for the catalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to carbon monoxide (CO) under mild conditions, using aromatic aldehydes as reductants and N-Heterocyclic Carbenes (NHCs) as organocatalysts.

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CO2 Climate Change Carbon Singapore 281

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 9, 2009

The INEOS Bio waste-to-ethanol process, originally developed by BRI. Click to enlarge. INEOS Bio, a subsidiary of INEOS, the world’s third-largest chemicals company, has started a feasibility study for a plant in the UK to convert locally generated biodegradable household and commercial wastes into carbon neutral road transport fuel and clean electricity, using the INEOS Bio technology process. ( Earlier post.).

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Waste Climate Change Clean Cleaning 281

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 21, 2009

A Li-air cell. Source: Argonne. Click to enlarge. Argonne National Laboratory, which has contributed heavily to the research and development of Li-ion battery technology, is now pursuing research into Lithium-air batteries. Li-air batteries use a catalytic air cathode that converts oxygen to lithium peroxide; an electrolyte; and a lithium anode. Li-air batteries will have a capacity for energy storage that is five to 10 times greater than that of Li-ion batteries, which Argonne is characterizing

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Li-ion Lithium Air Energy Storage Kentucky 281

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 20, 2009

A new study released today by the Northeast States Center for a Clean Air Future (NESCCAF) and the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) found that fuel consumption of Class 8 trucks and the resultant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be reduced up to 50% with the adoption of current and developing technologies and new operational measures by 2017.

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2017 Fuel T600 Diesel 281

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 24, 2009

General Motors provided an image of the new Chevrolet Agile, a small car designed in Brazil and due to launch in that market in October. The 2010 Agile. Click to enlarge. The Agile is the first model of the Viva family; Project Viva represents a US$400 million investment by GM un Brazil and Argentina. The Agile is targeted for emerging markets such as Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay (Mercosur).

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Chevrolet GM Paraguay Uruguay 280

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 18, 2009

In cooperation with eight partners, scientists from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are working on the development of highly efficient methods for hydrogen production from microalgae. The “H 2 from microalgae: With cell- and reactor design towards economically feasible production” (HydroMicPro) project is being coordinated by Professor Clemens Posten from the KIT Institute of Engineering in the Life Sciences and involves several universities, research institutions and com

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Hydrogen Kits Production Universal 278

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 6, 2009

Sustainable Value Margin—the ratio of Sustainable Value to sales—for each of the evaluated manufacturers. BMW and Toyota are consistent leaders in sustainable value. Click to enlarge. A survey of the sustainability performance of 17 of the world’s leading automakers has found a mixed pattern when it comes to the sustainability performance of most of the car manufacturers.

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Automobile Manufacturer Automobile BMW Manufacturer 278

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 9, 2009

BME’s AGATE process. Click to enlarge. Blue Marble Energy Corp.(BME), a company using unique bacterial consortia to produce specialty biochemicals from the anaerobic fermentation of a range of biomass feedstocks, and Bionavitas, an algae producer, formed a partnership in which Blue Marble Energy will produce high-margin biochemicals from microalgae supplied by Bionavitas.

Industrial 278

Industrial Industry San Diego Energy 278

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 25, 2009

Panasonic Corporation announced the development of two new 18650-type (18 mm in diameter, 65 mm in height) high-capacity lithium-ion battery cells for use in laptop computers and in energy applications including electric vehicles. The newly-developed high-capacity 3.4 Ah and 4.0 Ah lithium-ion battery cells have an improved nickel-based positive electrode (Panasonic’s proprietary positive electrode material based on LiNiO 2 , allowing for high capacity and durability).

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Li-ion Lithium Ion 2012 2013 277

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 27, 2009

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. will acquire in a stock-for-stock exchange all of the outstanding common shares of Schneider Power, a Canada-based wind and solar power generation company. Quantum, an advanced propulsion systems, energy storage technology, and alternative fuel vehicle company, provides the Q-drive system to Fisker. The transaction is expected to close in 2Q 2010.

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Solar Energy Power Powered 275

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 7, 2009

Toyota’s Prius was the top-seller in Japan in July, with 27,712 units sold—almost quadruple the 7,058 units sold in July 2008, according to data from the Japan Automotive Dealers Association. This marks the third month in a row that Prius was the top-selling car in Japan. For the first seven months of the year, Prius sales in Japan total 79,122 units.

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Prius Japan Honda Insight Scrappage 273

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 27, 2009

At the China International Industry Fair held earlier in November in Shanghai, SAIC Group displayed six models of new energy vehicles, which will serve the Expo 2010. Of those models, two made their premiere at the Fair. The models were the Shenchi Brand 4-seat battery-electric car; the Shenchi Brand 11-seat fuel cell vehicle; the Shanghai Brand fuel cell car; the Shanghai Brand hybrid; the Buick LaCrosse hybrid; and the UNDP fuel cell bus.

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2010 2012 Hybrid PHEV 272

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 22, 2009

The Nissan LEAF all-electric car will make its North American debut in Los Angeles on 13 Nov. The Los Angeles showing will be the first time people in the United States will be able to see the five-passenger, five-door, gasoline-free car, which is embarking on a nationwide tour. The Nissan LEAF Zero Emission Tour will make stops in 22 cities, in 11 states, the District of Columbia, and Vancouver, Canada, offering the opportunity for interested drivers, media, civic partners, businesses and unive

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Los Angeles Nissan Las Vegas District of Columbia 270

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 25, 2009

The US Department of Energy is awarding $620 million for projects around the country to demonstrate advanced Smart Grid technologies and integrated systems. These 32 demonstration projects, which include large-scale energy storage, smart meters, distribution and transmission system monitoring devices, plug-in vehicles, and a range of other smart technologies, will act as models for deploying integrated Smart Grid systems on a broader scale.

Energy Storage 270

Energy Storage Grid Energy Wind 270

Green Car Congress

JULY 3, 2009

Researchers at Ohio University have developed a new technology that accomplishes the direct conversion of urine and urea to pure hydrogen via electrochemical oxidation with an inexpensive nickel catalyst. Hydrogen production from urine. Credit: RSC. Click to enlarge. A report on the work led by Professor Gerardine G. Botte was published in Chemical Communications , a journal of the UK Royal Society of Chemistry.

Conversion 270

Conversion Hydrogen Ohio Water 270

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 17, 2009

Fourteen major cities, members of the C40, announced the formation of the C40 Electric Vehicle Network at the Climate Summit for Mayors in Copenhagen. In collaboration with four vehicle manufacturers and the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), these cities will focus on four key areas necessary for becoming electric vehicle ready. Initial members of the C40 Electric Vehicle Network are : Bogota, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Copenhagen, Delhi, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Toronto

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Electric Vehicles Los Angeles Houston Chicago 268

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

Sanyo Li-ion systems for power storage (left) and light electric vehicle (right) applications. Click to enlarge. Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. has developed two new lithium-ion battery systems and will begin mass production of the new products in March 2010. Initial monthly production for each system will be 500 units. The Standard Battery System for Electric Motors (EVB-101) can be used to power light electric vehicles that are in the R&D or small-scale mass production stages.

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Li-ion Power Storage Light Electric Vehicles 268

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 11, 2009

A new report from Pike Research forecasts that the global natural gas vehicle (NGV) sector is poised for a new period of growth. The cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts that the number of NGVs on the road worldwide will grow to 17 million vehicles by 2015, up from 9.7 million in 2008. Globally, Pike Research forecasts that the NGV market will grow at a CAGR of 5.5% to reach just more than 3 million vehicles (including conversions) by 2015.

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2015 Gas Fleet Global 268

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 30, 2009

The 100-year global warming potentials (GWPs) for methane, CO, and NO x (per Tg N) as given in the AR4 and in this study when including no aerosol response; the direct radiative effect of aerosol responses; and the direct+indirect radiative effects of aerosol responses. Source: Shindell at al. Click to enlarge. New research by a team at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York suggests that gas-aerosol interactions can amplify the global warming impact of some greenhouse g

Climate Change 268

Climate Change Climate Ozone Pollution 268

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 20, 2009

Adjusted CO 2 emissions and adjusted fuel economy by model year. Source: EPA. Click to enlarge. For the fifth consecutive year, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reporting an increase in new vehicle fuel efficiency with a corresponding decrease in average carbon dioxide emissions for new US cars and light duty trucks. This marks the first time that data for CO 2 emissions are included in the annual report, Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy

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Fuel Economy 2004 Economy EPA 268

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 10, 2009

Daimler AG and leading energy companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Berlin, with the participation of the German Minister of Transport, Wolfgang Tiefensee, to evaluate and expand the setup of a hydrogen infrastructure in Germany to support the series production of fuel cell electric vehicles. In addition to Daimler, partners in the “H2 Mobility” initiative include EnBW, Linde, OMV, Shell, Total, Vattenfall and the NOW GmbH (National Organization Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technolog

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Germany Hydrogen Vehicles Stimulus Package 268

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2009

At the recent Annual Winter Conference of the American Nuclear Society in Washington, and simultaneously at the “Powering Toward 2020” conference in London, England, Hyperion Power Generation Inc. revealed the design for the first version of its Hyperion Power Module (HPM), a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) that it intends to have licensed and manufactured at facilities in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Design 265

Design Power Powered Concept 265

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 2, 2009

Volkswagen’s Up! Lite concept. Click to enlarge. Volkswagen staged the world premiere of the Up! Lite concept at the LA Auto Show. The new concept, based on Volkswagen’s New Small Family (the Up! models), incorporates a variation on the two-cylinder TDI hybrid powertrain from the L1 concept unveiled earlier this year at the Frankfurt Motor Show. ( Earlier post.).

MPG 265

MPG Concept Diesel Hybrid 265

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 9, 2009

Leading vehicle manufacturers in fuel cell technology—Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation/Opel, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, the alliance Renault SA and Nissan Motor Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation— issued a joint a Letter of Understanding (LoU) regarding the development and market introduction of fuel cell electric vehicles.

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2015 Commercial Fuel Hydrogen 265