July, 2013

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Alabama, Mississippi to assess oil sands resources in their states

Green Car Congress

'Alabama and Mississippi are forming a partnership to further study the oil sands resources in the two states, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant announced on Saturday while speaking to the Southern States Energy Board. The State of Alabama has the third largest oil sands resource in the United States, which may extend into the State of Mississippi.

Oil-Sands 379
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Hey Google! Lets Reinvent Detroit Together Using Our Creative Greenius Before The Opportunivors Scavenge It

Creative Greenius

'One of the houses Power House Productions is transforming in Detroit – and none too soon. photo by Galliani (c). I went to Detroit last month and found myself in neighborhoods that looked like they had been attacked by enemy forces, had lost their battle and had now surrendered and in most part been abandoned. The house above looks good to what I’m talking about.

Google 281
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It's Official: General Motors Now Sees Tesla As A Threat

Green Car Reports

'"History is littered with big companies that ignored innovation that was coming their way because you didn’t know where you could be disrupted." General Motors will be hoping those words, from vice chairman Steve Girksy as the automaker begins to study electric upstart Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA], don''t become too prophetic. They''re a clear.

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Shane Turpin, Eric Bostrom, Kenyon Kluge, top of electric riders at Laguna Seca

National Green Transportation

'Shane Turpin and Eric Bostrom, both riding for Team Icon Brammo, has taken the top spots in the qualifying round of the eRoadRacing World Cup electric motorcycle race at Laguna Seca on Saturday. That means they, and 3rd place.

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How serious is Norway about climate change? So much that its streetlights self-dim

emissions global warming Norway climate change carbon dioxide youtube lighting

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Volvo Mean Green hybrid truck beats Porsche sports car in acceleration test

Green Cars News

'Volvo’s amazing mean green hybrid truck is once again setting records, this time beating a Porsche sports car in an acceleration test on the famous Nürburgring race track in Germany. As part of the ADAC Grand Prix 2013 (which ran July 12-14, 2013), the Volvo Mean Green Truck, with its whop[.].

Volvo 71
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Renault makes public its lifecycle study of Fluence ICE vs Fluence EV

Green Car Congress

'Renault’s comparison of the carbon footprint of EV and ICE vehicles over production, operation and end of life. The EV footprint (Fluence Z.E.) is shown with both UK and French grid mixes. Click to enlarge. Renault recently made public the findings of an internal study, published first in October 2011, detailing and comparing the lifecycle assessments (LCAs) of the battery-electric and two internal combustion engined versions (gasoline and diesel) of the Renault Fluence.

Li-ion 364

More Trending

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International consortium launches government-supported study on hydrogen vehicle refueling infrastructure in France

Green Car Congress

'Twenty founding partner members of the “Mobility Hydrogen France” (Mobilité Hydrogène France, MHF) consortium are combining their forces and expertise to produce an economically competitive and supported deployment plan for a private and public hydrogen refueling infrastructure in France between 2015 and 2030, including an analysis of cost-effectiveness.

France 334
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Chevrolet Spark EV: speedy, smooth and quiet; the importance of motor control

Green Car Congress

'The Spark EV. Click to enlarge. Chevrolet is hosting a series of media drives this week for the production version of its new Spark EV ( earlier post ). Featuring a GM-developed 105 kW electric motor that pushes out 400 lb-ft (542 N·m) of torque and a 21 kWh pack that supports an estimated 82-mile (132 km) range, the Spark EV is a speedy (0-60 mph in 7.6 seconds); efficient (combined city/highway 119 MPGe); affordable (as low as $17,495 in California net after Federal and state rebates);

Chevrolet 325
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BRUSA supplies complete drivetrain for E-FORCE 18-t electric truck

Green Car Congress

'The E-Force truck for Feldschlösschen. Click to enlarge. BRUSA Elektronik AG is to supply the main drivetrain components such as motors, inverters and chargers for the E-FORCE, Switzerland’s first all-electric 18-tonne truck. The E-FORCE truck was jointly developed by EFORCE ONE AG and Designwerk GmbH for use in short-haul services and the national distribution of goods.

Supplies 324
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GM’s vehicle electrification roadmap; little focus on conventional hybrids

Green Car Congress

'In a post on GM’s FastLane blog, Pam Fletcher, Global Chief Engineer for Volt and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Powertrains, runs through GM’s current vehicle electrification options for consumers: the eAssist light electrification system; the extended range electric vehicle system for the Volt and the Cadillac ELR; and the battery-electric system of the Chevy Spark EV.

Hybrid 322
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Faurecia and Accenture partner on products and services for connected and autonomous vehicles

Brief

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Nikkei: Honda’s next-gen Fit Hybrid to overtake Toyota Aqua in fuel economy

Green Car Congress

'The Nikkei reports that the hybrid version of Honda’s next-generation Fit, powered by a newly developed engine and electric motor, is capable of delivering fuel economy of about 36 km/l of gasoline (84.7 mpg US, or 2.8 l/100 km) in tests based on the JC08. The current version of the Fit offers 26.4 km/l (62.1 mpg US, 3.8 l/100 km). This would edge past Toyota Motor’s Aqua subcompact, the Nikkei noted.

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EIA: world energy consumption to grow 56% 2010-2040, CO2 up 46%; use of liquid fuels in transportation up 38%

Green Car Congress

'World energy consumption by fuel type, 2010-2040. Source: IEO2013. Click to enlarge. The US Energy Information Administration’s (EIA’s) International Energy Outlook 2013 (IEO2013) projects that world energy consumption will grow by 56% between 2010 and 2040, from 524 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) to 820 quadrillion Btu. Most of this growth will come from non-OECD (non-Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries, where demand is driven by strong populat

2010 317
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UC Berkeley leading project investigating partial fuel stratification and microwave-assisted sparkplugs for LTC engines

Green Car Congress

'The LTC research project has three proposed components. Click to enlarge. The University of California Berkeley is partnering with MIT, Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Labs and Ricardo to investigate the the use of partial fuel stratification (PFS) in compression-ignition (CI) engines as well as the combination of PFS and microwave-assisted spark plug (µWASP) technology in spark-ignition (SI) engines to enable Low Temperature Combustion (LTC) engines to operate over th

Engine 314
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BRUSA electric drive components now available in 750-volt versions; targeted for commercial and very high performance

Green Car Congress

'BRUSA 750V electric drive components. Click to enlarge. BRUSA Elektronik AG is now offering its proven electric-drive components—including motor, controller, power electronics, battery pack and chargers—in 750-volt versions. The new 750-volt products are suited for use in commercial vehicles and applications demanding very high output performance.

Volt 312
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ExxonMobil announces 6th oil discovery offshore Guyana with Ranger-1; Guyana may move from non-producer to regional powerhouse

Oil

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ITM Power reports its estimated cost of producing hydrogen via electrolysis down significantly from last year

Green Car Congress

'ITM Power has provided an update on the cost structure of hydrogen generated by its HFuel electrolysis platform. The new estimated cost —US$4.13/kg after capital amortization—incorporates efficiency improvements, cost reduction of its HGas platform and data provided by Hyundai for the ix35 fuel cell electric vehicle ( earlier post ). ITM Power projects hydrogen cost at £4.19/kg (US$6.44/kg), a 32.7% reduction from last year’s £6.23/kg (US$9.57/kg), within a 10-year capital amortizat

Hydrogen 311
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European Commission launches new $1.8-billion fuel cell and hydrogen research initiative

Green Car Congress

'The European Commission is launching a second phase of the first Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH) Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) set up in 2008. The new Fuel Cells & Hydrogen 2 Initiative—with a proposed combined 50:50 EU-industry budget of €1.4 billion (US$1.8 billion)—will continue to develop a portfolio of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies to the point of market introduction.

Hydrogen 305
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New diesel Volkswagen Golf GTD heading for the US; first driving impressions

Green Car Congress

'New Golf GTD. Click to enlarge. Volkswagen has introduced a new version of the Golf GTD (“Gran Turismo Diesel”) in Europe, and plans to bring it to the US market, reportedly likely for the 2016 model year. The latest GTD is based on the seventh-generation Golf ( earlier post ), and thus, on the strategic MQB (modular transverse matrix) platform. ( Earlier post.

Diesel 304
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Ford aggregate driver data show its PHEV owners operate in electric mode nearly 60% of the time

Green Car Congress

'Ford plug-in hybrid owners are operating in electric mode nearly 60% of the time, according to new aggregate data collected from Ford’s MyFord Mobile app. MyFord Mobile is available on Ford’s plug-in (PHEV) and battery-electric (BEV) vehicles, Fusion Energi, C-MAX Energi and Focus Electric, and is available for download both through the App Store and Google Play.

PHEV 299
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UK government committing additional $763M through 2020 to support electric vehicles

Green Car Congress

'The government of the UK is committing an additional £500 million (US$763 million) of additional capital investment by the end of the decade to support industry and consumers in the switch to electric vehicles. The government is already investing £400 million (US$611 million) to help the uptake of the new vehicles. The intended investment is outlined in a new transport plan from the Department of Transport, “ Action for Roads: A network for the 21 st century ”.

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Wärtsilä axial waterjets power world’s fastest high-speed ferry; fueled by LNG

Green Car Congress

'Wärtsilä’s axial waterjets power the Francisco , the world’s fastest high speed ferry—and the first fast ferry to utilize liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel. The vessel has successfully passed its sea trials and is now ready to commence commercial operations. The Francisco. Click to enlarge. In addition to two of its LJX1720SR axial waterjets, Wärtsilä has also supplied an advanced propulsion control system for the Francisco.

Uruguay 296
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Volkswagen of America bringing in downsized 1.8L EA888 engine to displace 2.5L; all vehicles E15 capable

Green Car Congress

'Technologies in the EA888 engine line. Click to enlarge. Among the important product changes for Volkswagen of America for the 2014 model year is the introduction of the EA888 1.8-liter turbocharged and direct-injection four-cylinder TSI engine, which will gradually replace the 2.5-liter five-cylinder naturally aspirated powerplant fitted to the Jetta, Beetle, and Passat models.

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TU/e student team unveils solar-powered family car for World Solar Challenge

Green Car Congress

'The Solar Team Eindhoven (STE) of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) presented the world’s first solar-powered family car. “ Stella ” is the first “energy-positive car” with room for four people, a trunk, intuitive steering and a range of 600 kilometers (373 miles). This is the car being entered by the student team in the Cruiser class of the World Solar Challenge that starts in Australia in October 2013.

Solar 296
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Keyera and Kinder Morgan to construct crude oil rail loading terminal in Edmonton

Green Car Congress

'Keyera Corp., a Canadian mid-stream company, and Kinder Morgan Energy Partners formed a 50-50 joint venture to build a crude oil rail loading facility in Edmonton, Alberta, called the Alberta Crude Terminal. When complete, the Alberta Crude Terminal will be able to accept crude oil streams handled at Kinder Morgan’s Edmonton Terminal for loading and delivery via rail to refineries anywhere in North America.

Oil 294
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Continental XL3 solenoid injector in production in 1.5L GDI engine; looking ahead to Euro 6c

Green Car Congress

'New generation XL3 injector for GDI engines goes into production. Click to enlarge. Continental’s new XL3 high-performance solenoid injector for gasoline direct injection systems is currently in volume production for a four-cylinder, 1.5-liter GDI engine. The XL3 solenoid injector provides enhanced linearity due to very fast opening and closing times and multi-stream spray geometry (max. of 8 holes) enables optimal adaptation to all engine-specific requirements.

Engine 294
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Ford says its own RWD hybrid system for pickups and SUVs to be ready “later this decade”

Green Car Congress

'Following the conclusion of a collaboration with Toyota ( earlier post ), Ford is moving forward with the development of a rear-wheel-drive hybrid system on its own; the company says that it will have the hybrid system ready “later this decade” on rear-wheel-drive Ford pickups and SUVs. The new hybrid system will be based on an all-new architecture.

Ford 290
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Hokkaido Elec to invest in 60 MWh redox flow battery for grid storage

Green Car Congress

'The Nikkei reports that Hokkaido Electric Power Co. will invest in a 60,000 kWh vanadium redox flow battery from Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd. to bolster its grid capacity amid rapid growth in power generation using renewable energy. A redox battery is an electrochemical system that generates oxidation and reduction between two active materials, forming a redox system, on the surface of inactive electrodes (the electrodes themselves do not change).

Grid 287
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Univ. of Nottingham technology enables crops to take nitrogen from the air rather than from fertilizers

Green Car Congress

'Researchers at the University of Nottingham (UK) say they have developed a new technology—which entails putting nitrogen-fixing bacteria into the cells of plant roots— that would enable crops to take nitrogen from the air rather than from expensive and environmentally damaging fertilizers. Nitrogen fixation, the process by which nitrogen is converted to ammonia, is vital for plants to survive and grow.

Universal 281
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Ford tweaking calibrations to boost on-road fuel economy for MY2013 hybrids

Green Car Congress

'Ford is boosting the on-road fuel economy performance of its 2013 model year hybrid vehicles in the US and Canada. Starting in August, the company will make calibration updates for owners at dealerships designed to improve on-road fuel economy of the 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid, 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid and 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. New 2014 models will have the updated settings from the factory.

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GM to double models with 40 mpg highway or better by 2017; ongoing manufacturing efficiency improvements

Green Car Congress

'Describing its product goals and tracking progress toward its 2020 manufacturing priorities in its 2012 Sustainability Report , General Motors reaffirmed its commitment to further reduce the energy used and the environmental impacts of building and operating an automobile. GM has made three product commitments for 2017 related to its sustainability strategy: to have 500,000 vehicles on the road in the US with some form of electrification ( earlier post ); to double the number of US models that

GM 275
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Nissan providing six electric New Mobility Concepts for rental service in Japan

Green Car Congress

'Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. will offer six units of the electric Nissan New Mobility Concept ( earlier post ) for Japan’s first ultra-compact mobility rental car service in Teshima, Tonosho-cho, Shozu-gun, Kagawa prefecture as part of a pilot project for ultra-compact mobility to be conducted on the island. Nissan New Mobility Concept. Click to enlarge.

Nissan 268
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UPS sets 2017 goal of 1 billion alternative fuel miles

Green Car Congress

'UPS released its annual Sustainability Report announcing that while the total number of packages shipped in 2012 increased, the company reduced its total Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Environmental achievements included ground and air fuel savings, increased investments in alternative fuel vehicles, and retooled routes that shaved 12.1 million miles from ground deliveries.

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California Energy Commission holding two hydrogen workshops on infrastructure and fueling

Green Car Congress

'In August, the California Energy Commission (CEC) will hold two public workshops related to the use of hydrogen as a transportation fuel: one on infrastructure, the other on measurement and dispensing. On 12 August, CEC staff will host a public workshop on California’s hydrogen fuel infrastructure. This workshop has two major objectives: 1) to present the aggregated results of a “Hydrogen Fuel Infrastructure Survey” performed earlier and 2) to present the survey topics for stakeholder dis

Hydrogen 268
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GM, Honda to collaborate on next-generation fuel cell technologies; targeting commercial feasibility in 2020 time frame

Green Car Congress

'2011 Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle. Click to enlarge. In New York, General Motors and Honda announced a long-term, definitive master agreement to co-develop next-generation fuel cell system and hydrogen storage technologies, aiming for the 2020 time frame. ( Earlier post.) The collaboration expects to succeed by sharing expertise, economies of scale and common sourcing strategies.

Honda 268
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Nitrogen-doped graphene nanoplatelets offer high catalytic performance in fuel cells and solar cells; possible replacement for Pt

Green Car Congress

'Researchers in South Korea have developed a simple, low-cost and eco-friendly method of creating nitrogen-doped graphene nanoplatelets (NGnPs) with excellent catalytic performance in both dye-sensitized solar cells and fuel cells to replace conventional platinum (Pt)-based catalysts for energy conversion. A paper on the work, carried out at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), is published in Scientific Reports.

Solar 262