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Newsletter n° 17/2009 - April 26 - May 2nd, 2009
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Summary
- Fusion Hybrid averages 81,5 mpg, sets world record with 1,445 miles on single tank of gas
- One thousand miles and counting: Fusion Hybrid breaks 1,000 miles on single tank, presses on
- New Way to Convert CO2 into Methanol
- F-CELL Roadster on the historic route of Bertha Benz
- Electric car that pumps energy back into grid
- Meeting between Italy and Japan on technologies and infrastructures for electric vehicles
- Photon Consulting Research Report
- Honda FCX Clarity wins 2009 World Green Car
- Volvo Motorsport - 16 consecutive racing seasons and technical innovation
- EVER Monaco 2009 challenges the crisis!
- Welcome to Lyon, France, May 11-12, for the Truck & Bus World Forum 2009!
- La lettre du Solar Event
Videos
- Electric Motor News Issue n° 8 - 2009
- Motor News Issue n° 8 - 2009
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New Way to Convert CO2 into Methanol
April 28, 2009. Scientists are continuously working on to find an alternative to fossil fuels.
We are familiar with the side effects of fossil fuels and its impact on environment. Right now the fossil fuels seem to be necessary evil we can't do without. Scientists want alternative fuels that have none of the ill effects of traditional fuels.
For a long time researchers are eying the carbon dioxide as an alternative fuel.
Because carbon dioxide emanation is a hotly-debated global issue. This gas is held responsible for greenhouse effect that in turn is causing irreversible climate change. Human beings are responsible for carbon dioxide emissions. This gas is produced when we use fossil fuels. This is not the exact figure but carbon dioxide's amount is increasing in earth's atmosphere by more than 30% since the industrial revolution. According to estimates of The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) the world requires to reduce the global carbon dioxide by 60% in order to stabilize it at present-day levels.
Scientific researches are focusing on solutions that reduce global warming.
Presently there is one popular term known as "green chemistry" which aims at minimizing or altogether eliminating the use of hazardous substances to prevent environmental pollution. Scientists at the Singapore-based Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) are striving to make the mass production of methanol more cost-effective. This will result in reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released in the earth's atmosphere. Scientists at the Singapore-based Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) have achieved an unparalleled feat by transforming carbon dioxide into methanol.
Methanol is a widely used form of industrial feedstock and clean-burning biofuel.
Their main achievement was using "organocatalysts" and making the whole process non-toxic to produce the more useful chemical compound. Professor Jackie Y. Ying who is IBN executive director of the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology shares his views, "We are innovating effective methods of generating clean energy using green chemistry and nanotechnology. In the face of environmental pollution, global warming and increasing demands on diminishing fossil fuel resources, we hope to provide a viable alternative energy option for industry, and effective sequestration and conversion of carbon dioxide."
At the IBN, scientists successfully made carbon dioxide react with a stable organo catalyst called N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC). This reaction took place under mild conditions in dry air. Siti Nurhanna Riduan who is the senior lab officer at IBN explained about the experiment, "NHCs have shown tremendous potential for activating and fixing carbon dioxide. Our work can contribute towards transforming excess carbon dioxide in the environment into useful products, such as methanol."
Further they used a combination of silica and hydrogen known as hydrosilane.
Hydrosilane is added to the NHC-activated carbon dioxide, which is converted into methanol through hydrolysis. Dr Yugen Zhang who is the IBN team leader and principal research scientist elaborates about the intricacies of the chemical reaction, "Hydrosilane provides hydrogen, which bonds with carbon dioxide in a reduction reaction. This carbon dioxide reduction is efficiently catalyzed by NHCs even at room temperature. Methanol can be
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One thousand miles and counting:
Fusion Hybrid breaks 1,000 miles
on single tank, presses on
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid 1,000 Mile Challenge Car
The Ford Fusion Hybrid team has achieved more than 1,000 miles - over 47 continuous hours - on a single tank of gas, raising funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Passing the 1,000 mile mark at 9:08 a.m. this morning, the team will continue as their unmodified, regular production Fusion Hybrid has nearly one-third of a tank of fuel remaining
The most fuel-efficient, mid-sized sedan in America - the Fusion Hybrid - driven by a team of Ford hybrid engineers, a fuel efficiency expert and a NASCAR star, achieved more than 80 miles per gallon using Eco-Driving techniques
Source: Ford Motor Company
Washington, USA. April 27, 2009 - At 9:08 a.m. this morning, the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid team hit the 1,000-mile mark on a single tank of gas, and is continuing its ultimate fuel-efficiency challenge with nearly one-third of a tank of fuel remaining.
The 1,000-mile mark was achieved with the Fusion Hybrid 1,000-Mile Challenge team leader and NASCAR driver, Carl Edwards, behind the wheel. Other team members include world-record breaking hypermiler Wayne Gerdes and several Ford hybrid engineers.
The 1,000-Mile Challenge started at 8:15 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, from Mount Vernon, Va., and is expected to end on Tuesday, April 28 in Washington, D.C. A regular production version of the Fusion Hybrid - the most fuel efficient mid-sized sedan in America - delivered over 80 miles per gallon over the course of 47 hours of continuous driving. The team will continue to drive until the fuel tank is depleted.
The vehicle is being put to the test to demonstrate Ford's commitment to be the best, or amongst the best, in fuel economy in every vehicle segment in which it competes and to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in the process.
As part of the event, the team is conducting clinics for media and customers in the Fusion Hybrid, providing interviews and vehicle demonstrations on how simple techniques can make a significant difference to real world fuel economy numbers.
Mileage-maximizing techniques that the Ford team used and recommend to consumers include:
Slowing down and maintaining even throttle pressure;
Gradually accelerating and smoothly braking;
Maintaining a safe distance between vehicles and anticipating traffic conditions;
Coasting up to red lights and stop signs to avoid fuel waste and brake wear;
Minimize use of heater and air conditioning to reduce the load on the engine;
Close windows at high speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag;
Applying the "Pulse and Glide" technique while maintaining the flow of traffic;
Minimize excessive engine workload by using the vehicle's kinetic forward motion to climb hills, and use downhill momentum to build speed; and
Avoiding bumps and potholes that can reduce momentum
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Electric car that pumps
energy back into grid
Source: Autoblitz. By Adam Bennett
April 24, 2009. Australian engineers have developed a plug-in hybrid electric car that not only generates power but can pump it back into the grid, potentially reducing running costs.
In coming years, car giants Toyota and General Motors will mass produce plug-in hybrid cars, but researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have gone one step better, developing what they call the vehicle-to-grid (V2G) prototype.
Taking a standard 2006 Toyota Prius, engineers at UTS converted it to plug-in, and then installed additional batteries in the back so it can store electricity, which can then be transferred back into the power grid.
UTS is the first in Australia to develop the V2G technology, and one of the first in the world.
"The vehicle-to-grid technology this car presents could do for the automotive industry and the electricity industry what the personal computer did for computing, and what the mobile phone did for telecommunications," UTS research project director Chris Dunstan said.
"The extra batteries can store energy at off-peak times and feed power back into the grid at times of peak demand.
"On a large scale, this could level out peaks and troughs in power supply across regions."
Mr Dunstan said the running cost of a plug-in hybrid was about a quarter that of a petrol car, or the equivalent of 40 cents a litre using a renewable energy source.
And if energy companies were to compensate motorists for pumping electricity back into the grid, they could potentially save even more money.
Based on a 30km commute, the UTS prototype, dubbed Switch, would cost as little as 50 cents a day to charge with off-peak power.
The prototype would save up to 2.8 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year.
Mr Dunstan could not predict how long it would take before a V2G car came on the market, saying no manufacturer yet had plans to develop such a vehicle.
The success of the V2G car would rely on the support of energy companies, whose willingness to buy back the unused electricity would be critical.
"If there is not the demand from the electricity industry to provide this power back in at a reasonable price and a rate that makes sense for consumers, then there is no point in pursuing the technology," Mr Dunstan said.
"We want to get the electricity industry excited about this technology. We want to demonstrate that it is entirely practical."
NSW Environment Minister Carmel Tebbutt admitted V2G was a long way from becoming widespread, but said Switch would become part of her department's car fleet for a trial period.
The Department of Environment and Climate Change helped fund the vehicle.
She admitted a financial incentive, such as a feed-in tariff, would be necessary to create demand from motorists for the new technology.
The NSW government will introduce such a tariff for households generating solar power by the middle of this year.
"You could envisage a world in the future where many people have these cars and there is an opportunity to say 'tomorrow we need everyone to feed their cars back into the grid', and that will help us address a power need on that particular day," she said.
"There would obviously need to be a financial incentive for people to do that, but we're a long way away from that at the moment."
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Photon Consulting Research Report
We are very excited to announce the launch of PHOTON Consulting's newest research report, "The True Cost of Solar Power: Race to $1/Watt."
In the face of the current macroeconomic and financial market turmoil, solar companies are racing to reduce costs.
The True Cost of Solar Power: Race to $1/Watt analyzes the solar supply chain step by step to show how cost will determine the winners and losers of this macroeconomic downturn, and which companies will be the first to reach parity with conventional electricity.
The Race to $1/Watt is the sector's most ambitious study of cost to date, providing a detailed look at the cost structures and benchmarks that matter most for the solar industry.
The full executive summary is available for download from http://www.photon-consulting.com/the_true_cost_of_solar_power_race_to_1w.php
The True Cost of Solar Power: Race to $1/Watt is available to order from https://www.photon-consulting.com
If you have any questions please contact us at info@photon-consulting.com
Michael Rogol
PHOTON Consulting LLC.
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Honda FCX Clarity
wins 2009 World Green Car
Honda's FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car has been announced as the World Green Car at the New York International Auto Show.
April 15, 2009.The FCX Clarity was chosen from an initial entry list of 22 contenders nominated by 59 World Car jurors from 25 countries throughout the world.
This is the second time Honda has won the award with the Civic Hybrid receiving the same honour in 2006.
The award coincides with Honda's announcement of a new hydrogen research department at its European R&D facility in Offenbach, Germany. This new centre will be tasked with evaluating hydrogen technology in European conditions and working with a range of stakeholders to assist in the development of an appropriate refuelling infrastructure.
On receiving news of the award, Honda Motor Europe Senior Vice President, Ken Keir commented: "This accolade celebrates Honda's long standing commitment to hydrogen fuel cell technology and alternative energy research. We are honoured to have received such a prestigious accolade for our ground breaking zero tailpipe emission vehicle. By building a dedicated hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and putting it into limited production, we are showing our commitment as the world's largest engine manufacturer to tackling important issues like emissions and energy sustainability. The FCX is part of a wide ranging research project which is taking place in real world conditions with real customers."
To be eligible for the 2009 World Green Car* award, a vehicle had to be available in at least one major market during 2008. The vehicle or the green technology could be in production or an experimental prototype with potential near-future application.
Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and the use of advanced power plant technology (beyond minor engine modifications), aimed at increasing the vehicle's environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration for judging.
The 59 member jury chose the Honda FCX Clarity, the Mitsubishi iMiEV, and the Toyota iQ as the top three finalists for the 2009 World Green Car award.
Jurors felt that: "The FCX Clarity is an utterly real, hydrogen-fuelled luxury sedan that provides the amenities people expect in a premium car with 430 km range, fuel consumption of about 3.3 litres/100 km equivalent and zero tailpipe emissions. While there is only so much the automotive industry can do when it comes to this technology - governments need to come onboard to help create a true refuelling infrastructure - Honda must be credited for taking a bold step in leasing FCX Clarity to customers in California for US$600 per month. There's still a long way to go before fuel-cell cars will become a commercial success, but hats off to Honda for continuing to advance this expensive technology during a time when every cent counts.."
ENDS
Notes to Editors: *The World Green Car award was established in 2004 and is part of the overall World Car of the Year Awards program that is international in scope. It should not be confused with the Green Car of the Year® award handed out in the United States by Green Car Journal.Now in their sixth year, the annual World Car awards have become one of the world's most prestigious, credible and significant programs of its kind.
The awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale.
The awards are intended to complement, not compete, with existing national and regional Car of the Year programs.
The awards are administered by a non-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee of pre-eminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America. There is no affiliation with, nor are the awards in any way influenced by any publication, auto show, automaker, or other commercial enterprise.
The three green experts were in alphabetical order:Sam Abuelsamid (representing North America) is the technical editor of several 'green' web sites including GreenFuelsForecast.com, DieselForecast.com and HydrogenForecast.com. In 2006, he began writing for AutoblogGreen.com and Autoblog.com; becoming a full-time writer and photographer and editor in 2007.
Dean Slavnich (representing Europe) is editor of Engine Technology International (ETi) and its sister publication, Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology International (E&H), for the past four years. Engine Technology International is widely regarded as the most readable, passionate and informative publication currently produced on the subject of OE engine and powertrain design, development and manufacture. Tadashi Tateuchi (representing Asia) is the creator and chairman of the Japan Electric Vehicle (EV) Club. He was awarded the Environment Minister's medal in 1998. A juror on the Japan Car of the Year panel, he contributes regularly to Car Graphic magazine and the Japan Automobile Federation's monthly magazine.
They were asked to create a short-list of five finalists for review by the 59 jurors in their second round of voting in February. The ballots were then tabulated by the international accounting firm KPMG.Honda's FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car has been announced as the World Green Car at the New York International Auto Show.
The FCX Clarity was chosen from an initial entry list of 22 contenders nominated by 59 World Car jurors from 25 countries throughout the world.
This is the second time Honda has won the award with the Civic Hybrid receiving the same honour in 2006.
The award coincides with Honda's announcement of a new hydrogen research department at its European R&D facility in Offenbach, Germany. This new centre will be tasked with evaluating hydrogen technology in European conditions and working with a range of stakeholders to assist in the development of an appropriate refuelling infrastructure.
On receiving news of the award, Honda Motor Europe Senior Vice President, Ken Keir commented: "This accolade celebrates Honda's long standing commitment to hydrogen fuel cell technology and alternative energy research. We are honoured to have received such a prestigious accolade for our ground breaking zero tailpipe emission vehicle. By building a dedicated hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and putting it into limited production, we are showing our commitment as the world's largest engine manufacturer to tackling important issues like emissions and energy sustainability. The FCX is part of a wide ranging research project which is taking place in real world conditions with real customers."
To be eligible for the 2009 World Green Car* award, a vehicle had to be available in at least one major market during 2008. The vehicle or the green technology could be in production or an experimental prototype with potential near-future application.
Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and the use of advanced power plant technology (beyond minor engine modifications), aimed at increasing the vehicle's environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration for judging.
The 59 member jury chose the Honda FCX Clarity, the Mitsubishi iMiEV, and the Toyota iQ as the top three finalists for the 2009 World Green Car award.
Jurors felt that: "The FCX Clarity is an utterly real, hydrogen-fuelled luxury sedan that provides the amenities people expect in a premium car with 430 km range, fuel consumption of about 3.3 litres/100 km equivalent and zero tailpipe emissions. While there is only so much the automotive industry can do when it comes to this technology - governments need to come onboard to help create a true refuelling infrastructure - Honda must be credited for taking a bold step in leasing FCX Clarity to customers in California for US$600 per month. There's still a long way to go before fuel-cell cars will become a commercial success, but hats off to Honda for continuing to advance this expensive technology during a time when every cent counts.."
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