Green Car Congress

APRIL 13, 2012

President Obama has issued an Executive Order establishing an interagency working group to coordinate Administration policy efforts to support “safe and responsible” development of unconventional domestic natural gas and associated infrastructure. This would include coordination of policies on fracking. In 2011, natural gas provided 25 percent of the energy consumed in the United States.

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Electric Cars are for Girls

APRIL 13, 2012

Sunday, Sept. 9 2012 at The Pavilions in Toronto. "Fall 2012 marks the fourth EV Fest, a show devoted to showing OEM and Personally converted Electric Vehicles, Hybrids, Plug-in Hybrids, eBikes, Electric Scooters, Trikes, EV components and supplies.

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2012 Electric Vehicles Vehicles Personal 229

Green Car Reports

APRIL 10, 2012

Toyota's Prius has become such a significant figurehead for hybrids that Toyota has turned the Prius name into a burgeoning range of models. First to join the regular Prius was the 2012 Toyota Prius V, a hybrid wagon, and most recently we've got to know the 2012 Toyota Prius C, a Yaris-sized hybrid subcompact offering some impressive economy and.

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Prius Toyota Hybrid 2012 163

Green Cars News

APRIL 13, 2012

So, it’s finally here: the hybrid Toyota Prius that will now do what people have expected the Prius to do all along. Available to order now, the Prius Plug-in arrive in showrooms on 9 July, to give extended electric running of nearly 15 miles instead of 15 seconds without the whining petrol engine kicking in [.].

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Prius Plug-in Toyota Plug 62

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 11, 2012

Conventional thermal decomposition production of lime (left) versus STEP direct solar conversion of calcium carbonate to calcium oxide (right). Click to enlarge. A team at George Washington University has demonstrated a new solar process that can produce lime (CaO) for cement without any emission of carbon dioxide, and at lower projected cost than the existing cement industry process.

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Solar Emissions CO2 Carbon 285

Green Car Congress

APRIL 12, 2012

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that between 1980 and 2010, global consumption of dry natural gas rose from 53 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) to 113 Tcf. Although consumption in North America saw the slowest regional growth in percentage terms (29%) from 1980 to 2010, the region accounted for more than 25% of the world’s natural gas consumption during all years in the period.

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2010 Gas Global North America 283

Green Car Congress

APRIL 12, 2012

The California Energy Commission approved funding of $2,604,000 to help bring more buses and trucks powered by natural gas to the state’s highways. The awards are expected to support the purchase of more than 125 new natural gas vehicles; funding comes from the Commission’s Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program. The Energy Commission previously awarded approximately $29 million to help buyers afford new, alternative-fueled passenger vehicles, buses, and trucks.

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Gas California Energy Vehicles 262

Green Car Congress

APRIL 13, 2012

The ratio between the spot prices of crude oil and natural gas has been generally increasing since January 2009, but it has climbed rapidly in recent months, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). The crude oil-to-natural gas spot price ratio has implications for production and consumption. Crude oil to natural gas price ratio.

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Oil Gas Price Oil Prices 255

Green Car Congress

APRIL 9, 2012

Hybrid supercapacitor electrodes from xGnP. Source: Lawrence Drzal. Click to enlarge. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) recently selected XG Sciences, a spin-off company from Michigan State University, to develop ultrahigh-energy ultracapacitors for use in space energy storage systems. XG Sciences supplies exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGnP) that can be formulated into inks and pastes for fabrication of electrodes for ultracapacitors, batteries, and fuel cells.

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Energy Energy Storage 2010 Michigan 250

Green Car Congress

APRIL 10, 2012

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a $5-million payment to Western Plains Energy, LLC to support the construction of a biogas anaerobic digester in Oakley, KS. The completed project will utilize waste energy resources from a local cattle feedlot to replace almost 90% of the fossil fuels currently used by Western Plains Energy at its Oakley, KS, ethanol plant, which produces 50 million gallons of ethanol annually.

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Kansas Waste 2008 Production 247

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 7, 2012

Wireless charging elements. Click to enlarge. The US Department of Energy will award up to $12 million of Federal funding under a new funding opportunity ( DE-FOA-0000667 ) to develop wireless chargers for Grid-connected Electric Drive Vehicles (GCEDVs). The maximum individual award under the FOA is $8 million; the floor is $2 million. DOE anticipates making approximately two to four awards under the announcement.

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Plug-in Plug Charging Vehicles 247

Green Car Congress

APRIL 12, 2012

Ford Motor Company is partnering with Dow Automotive Systems, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, to research the use of advanced carbon fiber composites in high-volume vehicles. Dow Automotive Systems and Ford have signed a joint development agreement that will see researchers from the two companies collaborate on several fronts. The development teams will focus on establishing an economical source of automotive-grade carbon fiber and develop component manufacturing methods for high-vo

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Carbon Fiber Carbon Ford Vehicles 247

Green Car Congress

APRIL 12, 2012

The Hertz Corporation is introducing compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles to its fleet in the US. Hertz will begin renting eight CNG Honda Civics and two CNG GMC Yukons at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City early next month. All vehicles will include NeverLost GPS units to assist renters in mapping local CNG refueling stations. Oklahoma City is serving as a pilot program for Hertz’s CNG airport rentals program.

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 10, 2012

With two weeks to go until the opening of the Beijing International Auto Show, Hond Motor (China) Investment outlined its mid-term business strategy for China, covering both the Honda and Acura brands. Overall, Honda will introduce more than 10 new and full-model-change Honda models during the 3-year period from 2013 to 2015, and is targeting a doubling of 2011 unit sales in 2015.

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Honda China Acura Hybrid 244

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 9, 2012

Polk’s assessment of hybrid loyalty by quarter. Data: Polk. Click to enlarge. While the selection of hybrid models in the US has more than doubled since 2007, only 35% of hybrid vehicle owners choose to purchase a hybrid again when returning to market in 2011, according to recent analysis by Polk. If repurchase behavior among the high-volume audience of Toyota Prius owners isn’t factored in, hybrid loyalty drops to less than 25%.

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Hybrid Buy San Diego Los Angeles 244

Green Car Congress

APRIL 10, 2012

Bloomberg reports that Qatar Airways Ltd. plans to take up to a 10% stake in alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) fuel company Byogy Renewables Inc., coupled with an off-take agreement. ( Earlier post.) In March, Byogy announced a joint venture with Qatar Airways as well as other partnerships including a feedstock agreement with Brazilian sugar cane ethanol producer Itapecuru Bioenergia and fuel off-take terms with Brazil’s Azul Airways.

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Qatar Companies Renewable Convert 240

Green Car Congress

APRIL 10, 2012

The United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC (USABC), an organization whose members are Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Company and General Motors, has awarded a $5.48-million lithium-ion battery technology development contract to Johnson Controls Inc. USABC awarded the contract to continue Johnson Controls’ development of lithium-ion battery technology for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) applications to meet USABC goals for low-cost, long-life, high-power and high energy vehicle syst

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Li-ion PHEV Lithium Ion Milwaukee 240

Green Car Congress

APRIL 13, 2012

Copper nanoparticles (NPs) are attractive catalysts for chemical reactions including the reduction of CO 2 to methane or methanol. However, copper is easily oxidized; as a result, the metal is unstable, which can significantly slow its reaction with carbon dioxide and produce unwanted byproducts such as carbon monoxide and formic acid. For NPs, this can be greatly accelerated because of the high surface-to-volume ratios, and thus can deteriorate catalyst lifetime.

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MIT Engine Energy CO2 239

Green Car Congress

APRIL 11, 2012

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) has issued the $30-million “Advanced Management and Protection of Energy-storage Devices” (AMPED) funding opportunity announcement ( DE-FOA-0000675 ). ( Earlier post.) Awards for selected projects may vary between $250,000 and $10 million. The objective of AMPED is to identify high-impact concepts for providing diagnostic, prognostic, and control capabilities to significantly increase performance and accelerate

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Energy Storage Energy Batteries Battery 239

Green Car Congress

APRIL 12, 2012

System framework for M-tech Labo. Click to enlarge. Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Mitsubishi Electric) have completed the development and begun the operation of M-tech Labo, a smart grid demonstration system consisting of a 20 kW photovoltaic system, 5 electrically-dischargeable electric vehicles (EVs) and 80 kWh of used rechargeable batteries collected from EVs.

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Mitsubishi Grid Companies Batteries 236

Green Car Congress

APRIL 9, 2012

IBM is working with ZSE on the charging stations between Vienna and Bratislava s part of the VIBRATe e-mobility project. Click to enlarge. IBM has teamed with Západoslovenská energetika, a.s. (ZSE), the largest distributor and supplier of electricity in Slovakia, on a smart energy “feasibility” study that will help prepare the capital city Bratislava for electric vehicles (EVs).

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Slovakia Green Energy Grid Grid 236

Green Car Congress

APRIL 7, 2012

Nonox Ltd. , developer of an advanced emulsion to combustion cavitation technology has concluded an agreement with Wholesome Foods, Inc. for implementation of Nonox technology aboard WFI’s entire truck fleet and for bio-fuel production. By implementing Nonox emulsion combustion units fleet-wide, WFI plans to reduce fuel consumption, as exemplified by tests reporting daily fuel savings of 10% - 15% along with varying reduction of NO x , SO x , and CO 2 with PM up to 90%.

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Fuel Water Emissions Diesel 236

Green Car Congress

APRIL 7, 2012

Omnitek Engineering Corporation, a developer of natural gas engines and diesel-to-natural gas conversion systems, has entered into a definitive agreement with investors for a private placement of common stock and warrants to raise approximately $5.0 million in gross proceeds. Under the terms of the financing, the company will issue shares of common stock at a price of $2.12 and warrants to a group of investors at an exercise price of $3.88, with a five-year term.

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Financing Conversion Engine Diesel 236

Green Car Congress

APRIL 10, 2012

In a project ( DE-FC26-04NT42237 ) funded by the US Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has developed a high-pressure dry-solids feed pump that could make gasification economically competitive by improving efficiencies and introducing low-rank Western coal as a viable feedstock option. A rendering of the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne high pressure, dry-solids feed pump.

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Coal Emissions North Dakota Turkey 231

Green Car Congress

APRIL 9, 2012

Computer simulation of liquid spray from a test fuel injector. Click to enlarge. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has selected GE Global Research to participate in an incubator program that will use high-performance computing (HPC) in an effort to accelerate development of next-generation liquid fuel injectors. Global Research will collaborate with Arizona State University (ASU) and Cornell University on the project “Improving Models of Spray Breakup in Liquid Fuels Combustion”.

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Global Fuel Insight Sierra 231

Green Car Congress

APRIL 9, 2012

Molycorp, Inc. announced that its proven and probable reserves of rare earth minerals at its Mountain Pass, California facility have increased by 36%, according to a new independent estimate. ( Earlier post.) Rare earths and rare metals are critical inputs in existing and emerging applications including hybrid and electric vehicles and wind power turbines.

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Colorado 2010 Wind California 231

Green Car Congress

APRIL 7, 2012

Proterro, a startup delivering a non-crop-based, noncellulosic sugar, has successfully and consistently demonstrated high sucrose productivity from cyanobacteria in its own laboratory, as well as in the field at two independent greenhouse sites, according to Proterro CEO Kef Kasdin. At the three locations, two in the Midwest and one in Northern California, the Proterro modular photobioreactors yielded consistently high sucrose production, in two cases for more than three months of continuous ope

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Production Water Carbon 2008 231

Green Car Congress

APRIL 11, 2012

Clathrate hydrate formation and subsequent plugging of deep-sea oil and gas pipelines represent a significant bottleneck for deep-sea oil and gas operations. Researchers at MIT, led by associate professor of mechanical engineering Kripa Varanasi, say they have found a solution, described recently in the RSC journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics.

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MIT Oil Gas Chevron 225

Green Car Congress

APRIL 10, 2012

Six biofuel trade associations have filed a motion in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to intervene in support of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) 2012 final rule being challenged by the American Petroleum Institute (API). ( Earlier post.) The case is in the Fourth Circuit, District of Columbia, Nº 12-1139, American Petroleum Institute v.

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District of Columbia EPA Renewable 2012 225

Green Car Congress

APRIL 9, 2012

Smart grid spending will increase 17.4% globally (compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for hardware, software and services) from 2010 to 2015 while overall spending will reach nearly $46.4 billion worldwide in 2015, according to a new report from IDC Energy Insights. The Asia/Pacific region is forecast to experience the most growth in spending with a five-year CAGR of 33.7%.

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Insight Grid 2015 Energy 225

Green Car Congress

APRIL 7, 2012

Nikkei. Mazda Motor Corp. plans to convert by 2015 a plant that currently makes engine parts for commercial vehicles into a production site for parts used in fuel-efficient Skyactiv engines for light-duty vehicles. Mazda recently decided to exit the struggling commercial vehicle business. As a result, the Miyoshi site will switch to turning out parts used in low-fuel-consumption engines, for which production has been unable to keep up with demand.Mazda sees low fuel consumption as the key to exp

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Mazda Convert Commercial Engine 225

Green Car Congress

APRIL 13, 2012

Global-mean temperature change caused by car exhaust emitted from gasoline and diesel engines specified in the previous and upcoming European vehicle emission standards (EURO 3, 4, 5, and 6). The results are based on one-year pulse emissions in year zero, which would be emitted by an idealized 1000 km drive. Credit: ACS, Tanaka et al. Click to enlarge.

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Climate Gasoline Diesel Engine 223

Green Car Congress

APRIL 10, 2012

Coulomb Technologies has shipped more than 2,400 public and commercial charging stations for electric vehicles through its $37-million ChargePoint America program. Coulomb says it has seen strong demand in all 10 regions of the program and is finalizing the installation of charging stations within these regions. The ChargePoint America program is made possible by a $15-million matching grant funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Transportation Electrification Initiativ

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San Antonio America San Jose Commercial 218

Green Car Congress

APRIL 10, 2012

Brazil’s Embraer S.A. and Boeing have agreed to pursue several areas of cooperation, including commercial aircraft features that enhance safety and efficiency, research and technology and sustainable aviation biofuels. Boeing and Embraer have already engaged in other cooperative agreements. In July 2011 they announced plans to jointly fund an analysis of opportunities to produce sustainable aviation jet fuel from sugarcane.

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