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Berkeley Lab scientists generate low-cost, hybrid thermoelectric materials

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Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have constructed a low-cost, nanoscale composite hybrid thermoelectric material by wrapping a polymer that conducts electricity around a nanorod of tellurium—a metal coupled with cadmium in today’s most cost-effective solar cells. Earlier post.)

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ARPA-E awards U-M $1.9M to develop advanced low-cost high-efficiency engine; boosting, highly dilute combustion and 48V system

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million to a project to develop a high-efficiency engine system that integrates a compact micro-hybrid configuration of a supercharger with an electric waste heat recovery system and employs high rates of recirculated exhaust gases. If we improve the responsiveness of small engines, then we can push for more efficient cars at low cost.

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ARPA-E awarding $30M to 12 hybrid solar projects; conversion and storage

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Under the FOCUS program, projects will develop advanced solar converters that turn sunlight into electricity for immediate use, while also producing heat that can be stored at low cost for later use as well as innovative storage systems that accept both heat and electricity from variable solar sources. b) Hybrid storage system.

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

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The flywheel-hybrid system bolts directly onto the automatic transmission. 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. Tags: Batteries Heavy-duty Hybrids.

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New ORNL non-precious metal catalyst shows promise as low-cost component for low-temperature exhaust aftertreatment

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However, in addition to their high cost, PGM catalysts struggle with CO oxidation at low temperatures (<200 °C) due to inhibition by hydrocarbons in exhaust streams. As we make engines more efficient, less wasted heat exits the engine into the exhaust system where catalysts clean up the pollutant emissions.

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Gen 2 low-cost flywheel-based Torotrak KERS for buses en route to production in mid-2016

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The KERS captures the kinetic energy that is normally wasted when the bus is braking and stores it in a steel and carbon fibre flywheel weighing 8.5kg and spinning at up to 30,000 rpm.

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ALABC: 48V mild hybrids can meet emission targets with CO2 reductions of 15-20%

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Current mild-hybrid vehicle projects, in partnership with Ford and Hyundai/Kia, that utilize advanced 48V lead-carbon batteries, can reduce CO 2 emissions by 15-20%, according to the latest data from the Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC), presented at the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference (25-28 January, Mainz).

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