URL:
Description:
A biodiesel production and delivery service in Northern California. They sell and deliver fuel, do fleet conversions, and sell related fueling equipment.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Sunday, December 9, 2007
RENEWABLES.com
URL:
Description:
Solar Design and Renewable Energy Products - Information, products, and services related to sustainable and renewable building design, solar energy, permaculture, and transportation.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Scientists discover record-breaking hydrogen storage materials for use in fuel cells
If the key critical issue for battery electric vehicles is the battery, the key critical issue for fuel cell vehicles is hydrogen storage. The quantity of hydrogen stored on board directly relates to the range you can drive the vehicle.
"Scientists at the University of Virginia have discovered a new class of hydrogen storage materials that could make the storage and transportation of energy much more efficient — and affordable — through higher-performing hydrogen fuel cells... Bellave S. Shivaram and Adam B. Phillips, the U.Va. physicists who invented the new materials, will present their finding today at the International Symposium on Materials Issues in a Hydrogen Economy"
One way of storing hydrogen is compressed in a high pressure tank. Even at high pressures like 10,000 psi a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle does not meet the 300 mile range and quick recharge requirements most people seem to believe vehicles should do. Another method for storing hydrogen is, rather than a high pressure tank, is to absorb the hydrogen into the crystal structure of a metal. The technique was, to my knowledge, invented by Energy Conversion Devices and derived from the design of the Nickel-Metal-Hydride battery, which they also invented.
“Most materials today absorb only 7 to 8 percent of hydrogen by weight, and only at cryogenic [extremely low] temperatures. Our materials absorb hydrogen up to 14 percent by weight at room temperature. By absorbing twice as much hydrogen, the new materials could help make the dream of a hydrogen economy come true.”
A New, Safer, and Cheaper Material For Storing Hydrogen: This is a large step that just begs for improvements and competitive thinking. I would say that 14% might be workable from a transport point of view for a storage medium, although every jump that includes a low pressure ambient temperature solution with recovery that is low power and not too terribly complex to be hugely beneficial. Another doubling to near 30% by weight would shift the hydrogen economy drive to hydrogen production as its last tough issue for mass adoption. I expect a race to start soon. A milestone of more than 50% by weight would change the fueling dynamic completely as the need for transport of hydrogen cooled and at high pressure would likely disappear.
Press release from U of Virginia: University of Virginia Scientists Discover Record-Breaking Hydrogen Storage Materials for Use in Fuel Cells
Nov. 9, 2007 — Scientists at the University of Virginia have discovered a new class of hydrogen storage materials that could make the storage and transportation of energy much more efficient — and affordable — through higher-performing hydrogen fuel cells.
Bellave S. Shivaram and Adam B. Phillips, the U.Va. physicists who invented the new materials, will present their finding at 8 p.m., Monday, Nov. 12, at the International Symposium on Materials Issues in a Hydrogen Economy at the Omni Hotel in Richmond, Va.
“In terms of hydrogen absorption, these materials could prove a world record,” Phillips said. “Most materials today absorb only 7 to 8 percent of hydrogen by weight, and only at cryogenic [extremely low] temperatures. Our materials absorb hydrogen up to 14 percent by weight at room temperature. By absorbing twice as much hydrogen, the new materials could help make the dream of a hydrogen economy come true.”
In the quest for alternative fuels, U.Va.’s new materials potentially could provide a highly affordable solution to energy storage and transportation problems with a wide variety of applications. They absorb a much higher percentage of hydrogen than predecessor materials while exhibiting faster kinetics at room temperature and much lower pressures, and are inexpensive and simple to produce.
“These materials are the next generation in hydrogen fuel storage materials, unlike any others we have seen before,” Shivaram said. “They have passed every litmus test that we have performed, and we believe they have the potential to have a large impact.”
The inventors believe the novel materials will translate to the marketplace and are working with the U.Va. Patent Foundation to patent their discovery.
“The U.Va. Patent Foundation is very excited to be working with a material that one day may be used by millions in everyday life,” said Chris Harris, senior licensing manager for the U.Va. Patent Foundation. “Dr. Phillips and Dr. Shivaram have made an incredible breakthrough in the area of hydrogen absorption.”
Phillips’s and Shivaram’s research was supported by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy.
About the University of Virginia Patent Foundation
The University of Virginia Patent Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that serves to promote the translation of U.Va. technologies to the global marketplace by evaluating, protecting and licensing intellectual property generated in the course of research at U.Va. The Patent Foundation reviews and evaluates over 150 inventions per year and has generated more than $75 million in licensing revenue since its formation in 1978. For more information about the Patent Foundation, its services or technology transfer, visit www.uvapf.org.
Article Reference:
Friday, November 30, 2007
Mapquest Gas Price & Alternative Fuel locator
Description:
The Mapquest gas price locator also includes listings for "alternative fuel" stations such as hydrogen or electricity or biodiesel or E-85 or CNG or LPG ... Really cool. But, hampered by very slow download times.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
New method for making diesel fuel uses vegetable oils
This news.com article claims that Galp Energia is working on a project to produce biodiesel using algae. They are supposedly being funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, specifically through DARPA. The program is said to be producing 6,500 barrels a day and they are based in Portugal and they have a business partner based in Italy.
I wasn't able to find any news on the DARPA site, though it's interesting that DARPA does have a biofuels research program. That biofuels research is geared to producing jet fuel.
I find it curious that DARPA is funding a non-U.S. company to develop this. Why go outside the U.S.? Isn't that a strategic liability to fund development of businesses and technologies outside the U.S.?
In any case the CNET News article does rightly point out that 6,500 barrels a day is a drop in the bucket compared to global oil usage. However I think this sort of thing is an important step in the overall development of biofuels, and always when developing a new technology it's best to do a pilot plant first to make sure it works as expected.
Quote:
The method, developed by UOP, a subsidiary of Honeywell, and Eni, the Italian energy company, adds hydrogen to oils derived from food crops to create a substitute that the companies describe as superior to ordinary diesel fuel.The long-term goal is to modify the process to use oil from algae or from jatropha, a hardy shrub from Central America whose oil has long been burned in lamps and used to make soap.
Using algae, jatropha or oilseed crops like canola as a source of diesel would reduce carbon dioxide buildup in the atmosphere from diesel engines by 50 percent to 70 percent, according to Jennifer Holmgren, director for renewable energy and chemicals at UOP. The company argues that its method produces a fuel superior to the standard biodiesel already being made in places like the American Midwest.
Article Reference:
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
How $100 Oil Could Help
How $100 Oil Could Help "As speculative fervor continues to test the $100 mark, fears that expensive oil could spur inflation and cripple consumer spending is spreading. Pricey oil—coupled with the subprime crash, shaky credit markets, Wall Street turbulence, tensions with Iran and a feeble dollar—could be the catalyst that topples the U.S. economy into recession." Okay... and I do hear a lot of people complaining about high gasoline prices. So the title of this article might seem astonishing.
"But doom and gloom is not the only upshot of $100 oil. In fact, many analysts see pricey oil as the jolt the economy needs to cut greenhouse gas emissions and foster more energy efficiency. That's because as oil gets costlier, the incentives rise for new investments in energy efficiency and renewable options." If you remember from high school economics there is this 'law' about supply and demand. A product with high demand but low supply like, say, Diamonds, will fetch a high price. A product with high demand but high supply like, say, Oil, will fetch a low price. But the picture of Oil as having a high supply is rapidly becoming false.
Supposedly, however, The Market offers us self corrective processes. Automatically as prices for a given product rise the people will find alternatives to that product. Hence expensive oil will, as the article says, be its own incentive for customers and businesses to seek alternatives whether it's greater efficiency or alternative fuels.
But the Market does not take into account all aspects of the problem. That is the price of Oil does not reflect the issues of environmental degradation or global warming or the mutual poisoning we are all experiencing. The Market only takes into account the price required to explore for oil, pump oil out of the ground, refine oil, ship refined products around the world, deliver it to refueling stations, etc. The price for oil doesn't even include the cost of the War On Terror which itself is most obviously a War to Secure Oil Supplies.
While I applaud high oil prices - because I know it's incentivizing my neighbors to begin thinking along the lines I've been pondering for years - I recognize that addressing the issue of high oil price is not going to address the entire problem.
Article Reference:
Monday, November 26, 2007
PowerGenix
URL:
Description:
PowerGenix is developing and manufacturing patented, nickel-zinc (NiZn) rechargeable batteries that are substantially smaller, lighter and more powerful than other rechargeable batteries on the market today. Our rechargeable Ni-Zn batteries are green and completely safe. Ni-Zn batteries contain no toxic materials, are easily recyclable and are non-combustible.
NiZn batteries lend themselves to numerous applications requiring a light-weight, rechargeable, high-discharge rate battery. Applications for our batteries that we are pursuing include power tools, hybrid electric vehicles, personal mobility devices such as scooters and wheel chairs, military and medical device applications, as well as consumer AA/AAA batteries.
This isn't the first company to develop NiZN batteries. The NiZN chemistry tends to have similar power density to NiMH or NiCD but the chemistry is environmentally safe. As they say: "Relatively abundant and readily recyclable, both Nickel and Zinc offer appealing characteristics for a variety of industrial uses. Independently, both have been used in a number of battery technologies over the years."
The prior company, Evercel, died a horrible death. Hopefully this company will do better.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)