Johnson Controls will fund two multi-year research projects at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison) aimed at enhancing the fuel efficiency of start-stop and next-generation battery-electric vehicles. Dr. Thomas Jahns, Grainger Professor of Power Electronics and Electrical Machines at UW–Madison, and Dr. Deyang Qu, Johnson Controls endowed professor at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UW–Milwaukee), will supervise the project. MORE

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin led by Dr. Jim Dumesic report the conversion of the hemicellulose fraction of lignocellulosic biomass to furfural and levulinic acid using biphasic reactors with alkylphenol solvents in a new paper in the journal ChemSusChem. MORE

The fast chargers are available in California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, North and South Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. BMW and Nissan are partnering to offer public DC Fast charging at 120 locations across 19 states in an effort to support Nissan LEAF and BMW i3 customers and to promote increased adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) nationwide. MORE

and Enbridge Energy Partners have received shipper support for a $7-billion investment in their Canadian and US mainline system running from Edmonton, Alberta to Superior, Wisconsin. Enbridge Inc. MORE

Johnson Controls is partnering with the University of Wisconsin-Madison to establish a new battery laboratory at the Wisconsin Energy Institute on the campus. The company’s donation to the facility includes advanced battery testing technology, which will allow students, faculty and engineers to study and to optimize energy storage systems. The research is intended to enable manufacturers to build systems that utilize battery power more efficiently. MORE

The following centers were selected based on an open competition using outside peer review: The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, led by the University of Wisconsin-Madison in partnership with Michigan State University; The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, led by DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory; The Joint BioEnergy Institute, led by DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; and. MORE

The company has manufacturing, distribution, and engineering facilities in Troy, Michigan; Oshkosh, Wisconsin; Chicago, Illinois; Saint-Étienne, France; Osasco, Brazil; and Pune, India. Wrightspeed Inc., MORE

Researchers from the Harbin Institute of Technology, with colleagues from the Beijing University of Technology and the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, have synthesized tin chalcogenide (SnSe 0.5 MORE

States currently covered by the new tool are Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, Wisconsin. Consumers in seven US Midwest states seeking information about plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles now have access to a new-vehicle purchase guidance tool created by Argonne National Laboratory. The tool was created as a part of an innovative clean-vehicle program recently launched in the Midwest. MORE

The University of Wisconsin is offering an Internet-delivered Master of Engineering in Engine Systems (MEES). The MEES program incorporates the latest in research from the UW Engine Research Center. Courses provide skills including: Understanding how legislative drivers for emissions, safety, noise, and more directly impact engine design. Comparatively assessing alternative fuels and engines. Integrating engine design with various manufacturing processes. MORE

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) and colleagues have engineered a new strain of the yeast S. cerevisiae that is more resistant to the toxic effects of ionic liquids (ILs) used to generate sugars from lignocellulose. As a result, their xylose-converting strain consumed glucose and xylose faster and produced more ethanol than the wild type strain. MORE

Tags: Green credentials Latest news Alberta to Wisconsin pipeline Canadian oil sands David Jacobsen environmental concerns Green cars Whole Foods MORE

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is in charge of licensing the technology. MORE

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have investigated blending the benefits of reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) and gasoline compression ignition (GCI) using QuantLogic’s novel adaptive dual-fuel injector which is capable of direct injecting both gasoline and diesel fuel in a single cycle. To perform the optimizations, the team used the University of Wisconsin Engine Research Center KIVA code coupled with a multiobjective genetic algorithm. MORE

A University of Wisconsin-Madison research team has developed a chemical process for the hydrolysis of biomass into sugars for subsequent processing into fuels and chemicals that delivers sugar yields approaching those of enzymatic hydrolysis. In an open-access paper published in the 9 March issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , they report that the process leads to a nearly 90% yield of glucose from cellulose and 70-80% yield of sugars from untreated corn stover. MORE

Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced up to $36 million to fund six small-scale projects in California, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin. Yesterday U.S. The new program is meant to advance technology improvements and MORE

A team from the University of Wisconsin and General Motors has found that high-speed gasoline direct injection compression ignition (GDICI) operation in the low temperature combustion (LTC) regime in a light-duty diesel engine is feasible. GDICI is one of the approaches under investigation further to reduce NO x and PM emissions from diesel engines. MORE

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin, led by Dr. James Dumesic, have developed a process to convert aqueous solutions of ?-valerolactone MORE

Last February, D3MAX, LLC announced the completion and shipment of its pilot plant employing the patented D3MAX cellulosic ethanol technology to Ace Ethanol, LLC, in Stanley, Wisconsin. D3MAX has signed a contract with AdvanceBio Systems, LLC for a full-scale D3MAX design integrated with the Ace Ethanol plant in Stanley, Wisconsin. MORE

Members from two of the EcoCAR Challenge teams —NC State and the University of Wisconsin—will participate in a webchat today at 3pm ET. EcoCAR webchat with Wisconsin and North Carolina State Universities. The EcoCAR Challenge is a college engineering competition sponsored by GM and the US Department of Energy. MORE

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is seeking commercial partners for a novel, cost-effective method developed by University of Wisconsin, Madison researchers for producing furan derivatives such as hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), furfural, levulinic acid (LA) or γ-valerolactone (GVL) from biomass using alkylphenols as solvents. MORE

University of Wisconsin-Madison; Integrated High Pressure SOFC and Premixed Compression Ignition Engine System – $1,012,000. The University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) team will develop a hybrid system using a solid oxide fuel cell stack and a plug-and-play, turbocharged internal combustion that uses premixed compression ignition (PCI) to boost efficiency. MORE

The American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest announced the launch of Midwest EVOLVE , a three-year project to promote electric vehicles in seven Midwestern states: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota. MORE

The pilot facility will be installed at ACE Ethanol, LLC, in Stanley, Wisconsin, in late February. D3MAX announced the completion and shipment of its pilot plant employing the patented D3MAX cellulosic ethanol technology. MORE

A partnership has been formed between General Motors and the University of Wisconsin looking into high-speed petrol direct injection compression ignition operation in low temperature combustion of a light duty diesel engine. general motors Green cars Latest news compression ignition diesel engines direct injection GM University of Wisconsin MORE

The store will offer 36 new stations across 18 new locations before the end of the year – including an expansion across the states of Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin for the first [.]. Electric cars Green cars Latest news electric cars green cars Indiana Kohl's plug-in vehicles Texas USA WisconsinOne of the leading department stores in the USA – Kohl’s (logo, pictured) – is to extend its plug-in vehicle charging station initiative. MORE

In a paper presented at the 2013 SAE World Congress, a team from the University of Wisconsin reported a gross indicated thermal efficiency of Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) operation of near 60%, given optimized combustion management and thermodynamic conditions. MORE

The University of Wisconsin took the challenge to solve the problem of the higher ignition of petrol fuels: and[.]. Is it possible to have the best of both worlds? MORE

After receiving a US Department of Energy grant two years ago, Delphi and partners including Hyundai Technical Centre, Wisconsin Engine Research Consultants and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, set about developing a low temperate combustion system using petrol direct-injection compression ignition. MORE

It''s not news that the roads and bridges in many states are falling into disrepair. Much of the money to fund maintenance of this infrastructure comes from taxes on fuel, but that''s something that doesn''t apply to drivers of electric cars--and hybrid drivers pay less than others. RELATED: Why Electric-Car Owners Should Be Happy For New Colorado MORE

Wisconsin Engine Research Consultants (WERC, LLC) last week was awarded $1.5 WERC is a University of Wisconsin spinoff company created by Professors Rolf Reitz and Christopher Rutland to provide analysis and consulting services to the engine industry. Reitz says the grant will help commercialize reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) technology, for which the UW-Madison Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) has several patent applications pending. MORE

Enbridge constructed the remainder of the Line 67 Pipeline in the United States to its southern terminus at Superior, Wisconsin, pursuant to other local, state and federal permits. The Trump Administration has issued a Presidential Permit authorizing Enbridge to expand the Alberta Clipper (Line 67) pipeline that crosses the US-Canada border near Neche, ND, to a capacity of up to 888,889 barrels barrels per day. Earlier post.). MORE

This year’s University of Wisconsin Engine Research Center Symposium will address the impact of future regulations on engine technology. The symposium will focus on technologies in four areas (sessions): Combustion Technology; Fuels Technology; Aftertreatment Technology; and Modeling Technology. These are technologies that the automotive and engine industries will need to implement to meet future vehicle efficiency targets with low emissions. MORE

The US Department of Energy launched three Bioenergy Research Centers just over ten years ago ( earlier post ). MORE

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin Engine Research Center ( ERC ) led by Dr. Rolf Reitz are developing a dual-fuel compression-ignition engine low-temperature combustion (LTC) strategy called reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) ( Earlier post.) (Part 2 of a series on low-temperature combustion). In contrast to conventional diesel combustion, the highest temperature for RCCI combustion in center of chamber (adiabatic core). MORE

HEC) and Wisconsin Motors (WM) have signed an agreement to form Oxx Power Continental, a joint venture, to produce a wet-sleeve version of the Oxx Power 4.9L Wisconsin Motors intends to certify these engines on traditional fuels (gasoline, natural gas and propane) while HEC intends to use alternative fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, syngas, ethanol and methanol. To get started WM picked up 206 engine blocks from HEC and took them to Wisconsin for machining. MORE

The masterminds at the University of Wisconsin believe they could be on the verge of a significant engine technology breakthrough that could reduce fuel consumption and regulate emissions of both nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Tags: Green cars Latest news emissions engine technology fuel consumption reactivity controlled compression ignition University of Wisconsin MORE

The University of Wisconsin concept proposes the use of dual fuel tanks, with port fuel injection of gasoline and direct injection of diesel, with the in-cylinder mixing of the fuels. The dual-fuel PCCI strategy showed thermal efficiency of 53%. Source: Rolf Reitz. Click to enlarge. MORE

New University of Washington research indicates that even if Earth warmed enough to melt all polar sea ice, the ice could recover if the planet cooled again. A paper on the work is to be published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. MORE

is endowing a professorship, research labs and graduate studies in energy storage at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The lab will be housed in the new Wisconsin Energy Institute under construction on the UW-Madison campus. Johnson Controls, Inc. Between our scientists and the talented UW students, we expect groundbreaking projects to develop. MORE

The University of Wisconsin-Madison and ExxonMobil announced a two-year agreement to research the fundamental chemistry of converting biomass into transportation fuels. We are continuously investigating new ideas and technologies and we are looking forward to working with the team at the University of Wisconsin on this project. MORE

Odyne Systems, LLC has delivered seven trucks featuring the Odyne plug-in hybrid propulsion system to utilities and municipalities throughout Wisconsin. Communities and utilities receiving the new technology were partially funded under the Wisconsin Clean Transportation Program jointly administered through the Wisconsin State Energy Office and the US Department of Energy Wisconsin Clean Cities Program. The Richland Center unit of Wisconsin Public Power, Inc. MORE

has licensed yeast technology from the USDA Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) associated with the fermentation of C5 sugars, such as xylose, to ethanol. The USDA Forest Products Labs operates in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. EdeniQ, Inc. MORE