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DOE to award up to $12M for technologies to produce renewable carbon fiber from biomass

Green Car Congress

The US Department of Energy (DOE) will award ( DE-FOA-0000996 ) up to $12 million in funding to advance the development of a cost-competitive pathway to produce high-performance carbon fiber for vehicle lightweighting from renewable non-food biomass. Reducing a vehicle’s weight by just 10% can improve fuel economy by 6% to 8%.

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American Le Mans exploring natural gas for Prototype Challenge Class

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based Patrick Racing to research and develop natural gas as an alternative fuel for the Series’ Prototype Challenge (PC) cars. IMSA/ALMS and Patrick Racing will identify development and testing opportunities for the source to power the Series’ PC cars, beginning as early as the 2013 season. Pat” Patrick.

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200,000 BMW i3 EVs produced in Leipzig over nearly 7 years

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With the start of production in 2013, the plant in Saxony became a pioneer and centr†e of excellence for sustainable mobility. The BMW i3 was the BMW Group’s first purely electrically powered large-scale serial model and also the company’s first vehicle with a passenger cell made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).

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Applied Nanotech awarded DOE contract to develop ultra-lightweight hydrogen fuel tanks; seeking 20% weight reduction

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recently was awarded $999,990 for a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) from the US Department of Energy to develop ultra-lightweight hydrogen fuel tanks using carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforcement. In addition to hydrogen storage vessels, this technology can also be used in compressed natural gas tanks.

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Researchers develop viable catalysts for reforming of heavy gas oil to hydrogen

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One approach to delivering hydrogen for the stacks in fuel cell vehicles is via the on-board reforming of hydrocarbon fuels; such an approach obviates the need for on-board hydrogen gas storage technology and leverages the existing liquid fuels infrastructure. Now, researchers in S. —Jeon et al. The LaCr 0.8 mol% compared to grain (23.3

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Ford introduces Lightweight Concept vehicle to showcase ongoing light-weighting and advanced materials work; nearly 25% weight reduction

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The Ford Lightweight Concept reduces the weight of a 2013 Fusion to that of a Ford Fiesta, resulting in a nearly 25% weight reduction. Advanced lightweight materials incorporated in the concept car include aluminum and advanced high-strength steel, magnesium and carbon fiber. 19” by 5” carbon fiber wheels.

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DOE launches Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative; awards $23.5M to 5 more manufacturing R&D projects

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The CEMI announcement was made at the ribbon cutting of the Department’s Carbon Fiber Technology Facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a new advanced manufacturing facility to reduce the cost of carbon fiber. The selected project recipients and DOE funding request are: Projects Selected for Award Negotiations in March 2013.