October, 2010

article thumbnail

Forecast: Algae-Based Biofuels Production to Reach 61M Gallons per Year by 2020

Green Car Congress

According to a new report from Pike Research, algae biofuels production will grow rapidly over the next decade, reaching 61 million gallons per year and a market value of $1.3 billion by 2020. While barely a drop in the bucket for biofuels, Pike says, this represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 72%, roughly on par with early development in the biodiesel industry.

2020 319
article thumbnail

Creative Greenius Loves Hermosa Beach Sharrows & You Should Too

Creative Greenius

Members of the newly formed South Bay Bicycle Coalition are happy with the Hermosa Beach "sharrows," which allow bicyclists to use a lane of traffic on Hermosa Avenue. The group hopes to see more South Bay cities install such bicycle-friendly facilities. (Steve McCrank, Daily Breeze Staff Photographer). I’ve written before about the sharrows Hermosa Beach painted on Hermosa Ave earlier this year and how much I like them.

article thumbnail

Next-Gen Mazda2 Will Return 70 MPG, Without An Electric Motor

Green Car Reports

The U.S. is just getting its first taste of the funky Mazda2, a car that has helped rewrite the rulebook on affordable hatchbacks by showing that cheap doesn’t have to mean drab and boring to drive. However, the next-generation of Mazda’s global small car is currently in the works and is set for debut in Japan as early as the first.

MPG 152
article thumbnail

Electric Car Drives 375 Miles at 55 mph, Recharges In 6 Minutes

All Cars Electric

We all know that battery packs are the weakest link in electric vehicles. Not only are they heavy and expensive, but they take a long time to recharge and on average can only provide around 100 miles per charge. A German-based company has changed all that with a new vehicle capable of driving up to 375 miles at moderate highway speeds.

Recharge 111
article thumbnail

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

emissions global warming Norway climate change carbon dioxide youtube lighting

article thumbnail

Chip Yates (SWIGZ.COM Racing) unveils electric superbike motorcycle

National Green Transportation

This week battery component makers from around the world are meeting in San Jose at The Battery Show. Among boths from companies that make Anodes and Cathodes is a highly advanced electric superbike motorcycle made by Chip Yates and his SWIGZ.COM Racing team. Chip Yates is a pro motorcycle racer and engineer. He and his team have been working on their motorcycle for over a year, tantalizing us with teaser shots and data the whole time.

article thumbnail

Earn a Masters Degree in – electric vehicles

Green Cars News

If you’re a regular reader of TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk you probably already consider yourself an expert on the subject of electric vehicles. However, do you think you would be good enough to earn a Masters Degree in the subject? Believe it or not, that could actually be a possibility after The Renault Foundation and ParisTech developed a [.]. Tags: Electric cars Green cars Latest news Renault Electric Vehicle Masters Degree electric vehicles Masters Course ParisTech Renault Foundation Sustainabl

More Trending

article thumbnail

Continental Supplying Maxwell Ultracapacitor Booster Modules to PSA for Second-Generation Start-Stop Systems

Green Car Congress

Supercapacitor energy storage unit for the E-Booster Click to enlarge. Continental AG is supplying Maxwell Technologies ultracapacitor-based booster systems to PSA Peugeot Citroën for its second-generation e-HDi Start-Stop Systems. PSA plans to sell around one million vehicles equipped with the new E-Booster micro-hybrid technology e-HDi over the next three years.

Supplies 286
article thumbnail

Renault Foundation and ParisTech Develop Masters Course in EVs

Green Car Congress

The Renault Foundation and ParisTech have, in partnership with the Sustainable Mobility Institute, developed a program dedicated to new forms of mobility and electric vehicles in particular. The new Masters course, lasting sixteen months, includes four phases. After a three-month period covering the main issues in sustainable mobility, students choose one of the following options: mastering electric vehicle energy: electro-mechanical conversions, static conversions and storage; or. electric vehi

article thumbnail

DOE releases Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program Plan (2010 Draft) for public comment

Green Car Congress

The roles for hydrogen and fuel cells in the energy mix. Source: DOE. Click to enlarge. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has released a draft version of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program Plan, which outlines the strategy, activities, and plans of DOE’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program. It is initially published as a draft to solicit feedback from relevant stakeholders, with a final version to be published in FY 2011.

Hydrogen 271
article thumbnail

Worldwide Prius Cumulative Sales Top 2M Mark; Toyota Reportedly Plans Two New Prius Variants for the US By End of 2012

Green Car Congress

Annual worldwide sales of the Prius to September 2010. Data: TMC. Click to enlarge. Worldwide cumulative sales of the Toyota Prius have passed the 2-million mark, with approximately 2,012,000 units sold as of the end of September, according to Toyota. Currently, the Prius is sold in more than 70 countries and regions. Worldwide Prius sales have been buoyed since 2009 by the introduction in Japan of a government subsidy for green cars that propelled Prius to be the top-selling car in Japan for 17

Prius 268
article thumbnail

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

Brief

article thumbnail

Daimler Trucks North America and Walmart develop hybrid-electric Class 8 Cascadia; enter long-term advanced engineering partnership

Green Car Congress

Hybrid electric Cascadia. Click to enlarge. Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) and Walmart have collaborated to build the first hybrid electric Freightliner Cascadia. This truck also marks the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership between DTNA and Walmart to develop innovative, green technologies. Developed based on a Walmart spec’d truck, the 72-inch raised-roof Detroit Diesel DD15-equipped Cascadia features a parallel hybrid system based on an electrically-driven second drive axl

article thumbnail

Contour Energy Systems Licenses MIT Carbon Nanotube Technology for Li-ion Battery Electrodes

Green Car Congress

Contour Energy Systems, Inc. has acquired a carbon nanotube technology that can significantly improve the power capability of lithium-ion batteries, through an exclusive technology licensing agreement with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). ( Earlier post.) Early findings from researchers at MIT confirm that using carbon nanotubes for battery electrodes can produce a ten-fold increase in the amount of power that can be delivered from a given weight of material when compared to a conven

Li-ion 257
article thumbnail

Volvo Cars starts development of fuel cell/on-board reformer range extending system for EVs

Green Car Congress

Volvo C30 DRIVe Electric. Click to enlarge. Backed by research support from the Swedish Energy Agency, Volvo Cars is initiating development of a fuel cell system that can extend an electric car’s operating range. The aim is to have two prototype chassis based on the Volvo C30 DRIVe Electric ready for testing in everyday traffic in 2012. Volvo Cars is working together with the company PowerCell Sweden AB on this project.

Volvo 253
article thumbnail

J.D. Power forecasts hybrid- and battery-electric vehicles will represent 7.3% of global auto sales in 2020

Green Car Congress

J.D. Power forecast of hybrid-, plug-in hybrid- and battery-electric vehicle global sales through 2020. Click to enlarge. A new report from J.D. Power and Associates estimates combined global sales of hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) will total 5.2 million units in 2020, or some 7.3% of the 70.9 million passenger vehicles forecasted to be sold worldwide by that year.

2020 250
article thumbnail

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

Oil

article thumbnail

Opbrid Introduces New Overhead Fast-Charging System for Buses; Leveraging Lithium Titanate (nLTO) Battery Technology for Rapid Charge Hybrids

Green Car Congress

The Bůsbaar rapid charger. Click to enlarge. Spain-based Opbrid Transporte Sostenible S.L. has introduced the Bůsbaar—an overhead, pantograph-based fast-charging station for buses. Based on technology from the European rail industry, and leveraging the rapid charge capability of nanotechnology Lithium Titanate (nLTO) technology batteries such as those from Altair Nano, the Bůsbaar is a high power (~250 kW) opportunity charging station that rapidly charges a bus at one or bot

article thumbnail

Life cycle study calculates Algenols algae-to-ethanol process can deliver 67% to 87% reduction in carbon footprint compared to gasoline

Green Car Congress

System components of cyanobacterial ethanol life cycle analysis. Credit: ACS, Luo et al. Click to enlarge. Algenol Biofuels’ Direct to Ethanol technology is based on an intracellular photosynthetic process in cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) that produces ethanol that is excreted through the cell walls, collected from closed photobioreactors as a dilute ethanol-in-water solution, and purified to fuel grade ethanol.

Carbon 246
article thumbnail

California ARB Certifies Chevrolet Volt as ULEV

Green Car Congress

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has certified the Chevrolet Volt as meeting California LEV-II ULEV (EPA Bin 4) emissions standards. For bi-, dual- or flex-fueled vehicles, the certification is based on the results testing with gasoline fuel—i.e, in this case, when the Volt’s range-extending engine is operating. Under California’s LEV-II, there are three sets of increasingly more stringent emission standards: LEV, ULEV, and SULEV.

Volt 244
article thumbnail

Transonic Combustion injection system shows 5-21% fuel consumption reduction compared to PFI engine; simultaneous reduction in NOx and PM at high EGR rates

Green Car Congress

Normalized fuel consumption reduction from TSCi over the mini-map operating points compared to production PFI SI engine. Click to enlarge. Engine testing of the Transonic Combustion injection-ignition system (TSCi, earlier post ) applied to a gasoline-fueled production passenger car engine (with a diesel engine architecture) has shown fuel consumption reduction in the range of 5% to 21% across a number of speed and load conditions compared to a production port fuel injection (PFI) spark-ignition

Engine 240
article thumbnail

Volvo posts first order for methane/diesel buses

Green Car Congress

Volvo has received its first order for buses that operate on both biogas (biomethane) and diesel, for 11 buses from Vårgårdabuss in Sweden, for putting in service in July 2011. It involves the Volvo 8500 intercity bus model. Using diesel technology increases environmental efficiency compared with current gas-operated buses, Volvo notes. A diesel engine is 30-40% more efficient than current gas-operated engines.

Volvo 240
article thumbnail

Pike Research forecasts accelerating hybrid locomotive sales from 2015-2020

Green Car Congress

Hybrid electric locomotive sales will have an increasing presence in global rail markets between 2015 and 2020, according to a new report from Pike Research. During that period, hybrid locomotive sales will increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.4% under a baseline forecast scenario, with annual unit sales of 109 locomotives by 2020.

2015 239
article thumbnail

Audi says A3 TDI performed flawlessly in extended drive on Rentech FT fuel

Green Car Congress

Audi reported that two Audi A3 TDI models running on Rentech, Inc. synthetic RenDiesel fuel—a Fischer-Tropsch fuel—flawlessly completed the 1,000-mile (1,600 km) ‘Eureka! Diesel Drives the Future’ tour spanning the length of California. ( Earlier post.). The results of the driver were promising, Audi said, demonstrating that RenDiesel synthetic fuel can operate for more than 1,000 miles with no noticeable differences in performance compared to traditional fuels; further research is p

Audi 239
article thumbnail

Daimler and Europcar to Launch car2go in Hamburg in 2011

Green Car Congress

smart car2go with solar roof. Click to enlarge. Daimler subsidiary car2go GmbH and Hamburg-based Europcar Autovermietung GmbH will launch the car2go mobility concept in Hamburg in spring 2011. Initially there will be 300 smart fortwo vehicles for the car2go scheme in the Hanseatic city. The cars being used are two-seater smart car2go edition models equipped with carsharing telematics and a solar roof.

2011 239
article thumbnail

First cargo ship in Pacific Northwest plugs into shore power at Port of Tacoma

Green Car Congress

Supported by an EPA grant worth nearly $1.5 million, two Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. (TOTE) cargo ships will now plug into electrical power and shut down diesel engines while docked during weekly calls at their Tacoma terminal. The $2.7 million shore power project will reduce diesel and greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% during TOTE’s 100 ship calls each year in Tacoma.

Plug-in 236
article thumbnail

Porsche delivering double-digit improvements in fuel economy across entire current model series

Green Car Congress

Porsche is consistently targeting improving fuel economy with each model change. Depending on the model, the savings achieved by all currently available model series in comparison with the corresponding predecessors lie in the double-digit percentage range while simultaneously offering significantly increased performance. With consumption reductions of 20 to 23% in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), the savings achieved by the new generation of Cayenne models are the highest.

article thumbnail

GE Introduces Residential Smart Grid-Compatible Electric Vehicle Charger

Green Car Congress

GE unveiled the residential GE WattStation electric vehicle charger. Following the announcement of the public charger in July ( earlier post ), the residential GE WattStation is designed to help accelerate the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles by decreasing time needed for vehicle charging and, using smart grid technology, allowing utility companies to manage the impact of electric vehicles on the local and regional grids.

Grid 236
article thumbnail

Construction starts on “Flybus” demonstrator; low-cost flywheel energy storage hybrid projects 20% savings in fuel consumption

Green Car Congress

The flywheel-hybrid system bolts directly onto the automatic transmission. Click to enlarge. Construction has begun on the first “Flybus” prototype vehicle, designed to demonstrate the viability of a cost-effective alternative to battery-hybrid buses by using flywheel energy storage. ( Earlier post.) The Flybus system could deliver up to 20% savings in fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions in stop-start city center operation.

article thumbnail

Researchers in Japan develop new titanium oxide Li-ion battery anode material with 28.5% more capacity than LTO

Green Car Congress

A team from Japan’s AIST and Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd. has developed a new titanium oxide material—H 2 Ti 12 O 25 —that exhibits 28.5% higher energy capacity than lithium titanate (Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 , LTO). Additionally, the team developed a synthesis method that can be used at a relatively low temperature of 200-300 °C. Charge-discharge curve of the new material vs.

Japan 231
article thumbnail

Toyota Motor and partners start NiMH battery-to-battery recycling in Japan

Green Car Congress

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), Toyota Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd. (Toyota Chemical Engineering), Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. (Sumitomo Metal Mining) and Primearth EV Energy Co., Ltd. (PEVE, formerly Panasonic EV Energy) have launched what they say is the first business to recycle nickel in used hybrid-vehicle nickel-metal-hydride batteries for use in new nickel-metal-hydride batteries.

article thumbnail

Sandia study finds the alcohol isopentanol appears to have a good potential as a HCCI fuel, either neat or in a blend with gasoline

Green Car Congress

A study of isopentanol—a five-carbon, long-chain alcohol (C 5 H 12 O)—by researchers at Sandia National Laboratories as a fuel for homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines found that isopentanol has superior physiochemical properties compared to ethanol and very similar HCCI combustion properties to gasoline. Results from the study suggest that isopentanol has a good potential as a HCCI fuel, either in neat form or in a blend with gasoline.

Gasoline 231
article thumbnail

Pollution Probe Report Finds That EVs Could Contribute Up to 37% of Torontos Annual GHG Reductions by 2030

Green Car Congress

Electric vehicles could contribute up to 37% of Toronto’s annual target for GHG emissions reductions by 2030, according to a new report released by Canada-based environmental NGO Pollution Probe. Higher reductions were associated with a greater proportion of commercial-duty electric vehicles within the vehicle mix. The report, “Unlocking the Electric Mobility Potential of Toronto: Moving Toward an Electric Mobility Master Plan for the City”, is the result of in-depth research,

Pollution 231
article thumbnail

Los Angeles Building Out New Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at Key Transit Locations

Green Car Congress

The California Energy Commission recently announced EV Connect, a provider of electric vehicle infrastructure solutions and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) will be conducting a pilot program to assess the integration of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) into the transportation network and consumer behavior and ridership patterns.

article thumbnail

Chinas Minister of Science and Technology Forecasts Annual Domestic EV Production Capacity to Reach 1M by 2020

Green Car Congress

Xinhua. China Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang said that the country’s annual production capacity for electric motor vehicles will reach 1 million units by 2020. While extolling new energy cars, Wan said promotion of public transportation would also help to ease the problems caused by expanding car ownership in China. Public transport should also be the top priority for use of new energy automobiles in China, he said.

2020 231
article thumbnail

Researchers Identify Enzyme That Breaks Down Chitin; May Lead to Cheaper Biofuels

Green Car Congress

Researchers from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB) have identified an enzyme that can help to break down recalcitrant crystalline polysaccharides such as cellulose and chitin. In a paper in the 8 Oct. issue of the journal Science , the team describes an enzyme that acts on the surface of crystalline chitin, where it introduces chain breaks and generates oxidized chain ends, thus promoting further degradation by chitinases.

article thumbnail

Audi initiates electromobility partnership with Tongji University; Audi Tongji Joint Lab

Green Car Congress

Audi has launched a partnership with Tongji University in Shanghai (TUS) centered on research, instruction and services dealing with electromobility. Audi has been cooperating with Tongji University Shanghai since January. Students at TUS work together with the car manufacturer on various technical projects as part of their coursework for a bachelor’s or master’s degree or doctorate.

Audi 225