--------------------------------
Dec 23, 2009Panasonic Home Lithium Storage Battery Can Power Your House For a Week
Panasonic’s new home battery could store a week’s-worth of electricity
Panasonic Corp., which recently made a successful
takeover bid for Sanyo Electric Co.,
plans to market a lithium-ion storage cell for home use around fiscal 2011.
http://green.venturebeat.com/2009/12/24/panasonics-new-home-battery-could-store-a-weeks-worth-of-electricity/
Panasonic’s new home battery could store a week’s-worth of electricity
Panasonic Corp., which recently made a successful
takeover bid for Sanyo Electric Co.,
plans to market a lithium-ion storage cell for home use around fiscal 2011.
http://green.venturebeat.com/2009/12/24/panasonics-new-home-battery-could-store-a-weeks-worth-of-electricity/
http://gizmodo.com/5433066/panasonic-delivering-a-lithium-storage-battery-that-can-power-your-home-for-a-week
------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------
ATOM ^
NEAT VIDEO ON LITHIUM
NEAT VIDEO --JANUARY 209 LA AUTO SHOW ARGUING ABOUT ELECTRIC.. VOLT
LOOK, TAKE SOME TIME AND LOOK AT THE
VARIOUS "EV" VIDEO AND VOLT VIDEOS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/01/chevrolet-volt-battery-production/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail
January 7, 2010
GM Fires Up Its ChevroletVolt Battery Factory
Three years to the day after unveiling the Chevrolet Volt concept car, General Motors has started building the battery packs that will power the range-extended electric car — which may cost less than expected.
The first of the thousands of 16-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery packs the General will need for the cars rolled off the assembly line today. The packs, which use more than 200 cells apiece, are being assembled Detroit, making GM the first automaker to make lithium-ion packs in the United States.
“This is an important milestone for GM and a critical step in bringing the Chevrolet Volt to market,” said company chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre.
The Volt is slated to roll off an assembly line in Detroit by the end of the year, and for the first time GM said the car may carry a sticker price less than the $40,000 everyone’s expected it to cost.Read More http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/01/chevrolet-volt-battery-production/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail#ixzz0c6Fr0OSv
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/01/chevrolet-volt-battery-production/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail
January 7, 2010
GM Fires Up Its ChevroletVolt Battery Factory
Three years to the day after unveiling the Chevrolet Volt concept car, General Motors has started building the battery packs that will power the range-extended electric car — which may cost less than expected.The first of the thousands of 16-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery packs the General will need for the cars rolled off the assembly line today. The packs, which use more than 200 cells apiece, are being assembled Detroit, making GM the first automaker to make lithium-ion packs in the United States.
“This is an important milestone for GM and a critical step in bringing the Chevrolet Volt to market,” said company chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre.
The Volt is slated to roll off an assembly line in Detroit by the end of the year, and for the first time GM said the car may carry a sticker price less than the $40,000 everyone’s expected it to cost.Read More http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/01/chevrolet-volt-battery-production/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail#ixzz0c6Fr0OSv
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.gizmag.com/nanoscale-supercapacitor/11297/
New Nanoscale supercapacitor can store 100 times more energy
March 22, 2009
The Maryland/KAIST research team’s new devices are electrostatic nanocapacitors which increase the energy storage density of such devices by a factor of 100 over that of commercially available devices without sacrificing the high power they traditionally characteristically offer. Current commercial supercapacitors range from 0.5 to 30 wh/kg, while the research is in its early stages, if they reach their claim of a 100 increase that will result in 3000 wh/kg. For comparison, a conventional lead-acid battery is typically 30 to 40 wh/kg and modern lithium-ion batteries are about 160 wh/kg. In automobile applications gasoline contains around 12,000 wh/kg, which operates at 15% tank-to-wheel efficiency giving an effective energy density of 1800 wh/kg
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sony invests 100 billion yen for EV batteries
http://www.automotiveworld.com/news/components/79726-japan-sony-to-enter-ev-battery-market
Japan:
Sony to enter EV battery market
Monday, November 30, 2009, AutomotiveWorld.com
According to a report in the Mainichi Daily News, Sony Corporation has revealed plans to start manufacturing high-capacity lithium-ion batteries, with a view to becoming a supplier to the global EV market.
Sony currently manufactures just compact lithium-ion batteries, but plans to spend around ¥100bn (US$1.16bn) in the next few years to set up a high-volume production system for high-capacity batteries, according to Sony executive deputy president Hiroshi ------
lithium-ion battery production for EVs is still a relatively new phenomenon," the Mainichi Daily News quotes Yoshioka as saying. "And while we are considered late in entering the market, we still have plenty of chances to have our case heard."
Sony currently manufactures 41 million compact lithium-ion batteries for laptop computers and mobile/cell phones every month at six factories in Japan and abroad. Last August, it spent ¥40bn to reinforce its production capacity at two domestic plants, with plans to increase production to 74 million batteries a month by the end of October.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/energy/tags/electric+vehicle/
October 15, 2009
Flow Batteries For Fast Electric Car Charging
New batteries could make recharging EVs much faster.
By Kevin Bullis
Electric vehicles can take hours to recharge, making cross-country road trips a challenge. But researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology in Germany say they've got a potential solution: flow batteries.
This type of battery uses two electrolytes rather than the solid electrodes used in lithium ion batteries. Recharging them is as fast as pumping out depleted electrolytes and replacing them with fresh ones--it wouldn't take longer than refilling a gas tank. One of the problems with flow batteries, thoug
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=22306
Battery Makers Tackle the Grid
Along with Electric Cars
The U.S. Department of Energy is funding the development of advanced lithium- ion battery technology for energy-storage applications after showering hundreds of millions of dollars on providers of the same technology for use in electric vehicles.
Some companies, including A123 Systems Inc. (AONE) and Ener1 Inc. (HEV), have been on the receiving end of cost-sharing grants of both DOE programs.
Under the $620 million awards for smart-grid demonstration and energy storage projects announced last month, these companies and other lithium-ion battery technology developers will work with utilities to deploy batteries at a utility scale to manage peak demand and smooth power fluctuations from renewable sources such as wind and solar.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=avzivLuxhSmI
Nissan Electric Car Battery May Be Ready by 2015, Nikkei Says
http://www.gizmag.com/nanoscale-supercapacitor/11297/
New Nanoscale supercapacitor can store 100 times more energy
March 22, 2009The Maryland/KAIST research team’s new devices are electrostatic nanocapacitors which increase the energy storage density of such devices by a factor of 100 over that of commercially available devices without sacrificing the high power they traditionally characteristically offer. Current commercial supercapacitors range from 0.5 to 30 wh/kg, while the research is in its early stages, if they reach their claim of a 100 increase that will result in 3000 wh/kg. For comparison, a conventional lead-acid battery is typically 30 to 40 wh/kg and modern lithium-ion batteries are about 160 wh/kg. In automobile applications gasoline contains around 12,000 wh/kg, which operates at 15% tank-to-wheel efficiency giving an effective energy density of 1800 wh/kg
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sony invests 100 billion yen for EV batteries
http://www.automotiveworld.com/news/components/79726-japan-sony-to-enter-ev-battery-market
Japan:Sony to enter EV battery market
Monday, November 30, 2009, AutomotiveWorld.com
According to a report in the Mainichi Daily News, Sony Corporation has revealed plans to start manufacturing high-capacity lithium-ion batteries, with a view to becoming a supplier to the global EV market.
Sony currently manufactures just compact lithium-ion batteries, but plans to spend around ¥100bn (US$1.16bn) in the next few years to set up a high-volume production system for high-capacity batteries, according to Sony executive deputy president Hiroshi ------
lithium-ion battery production for EVs is still a relatively new phenomenon," the Mainichi Daily News quotes Yoshioka as saying. "And while we are considered late in entering the market, we still have plenty of chances to have our case heard."
Sony currently manufactures 41 million compact lithium-ion batteries for laptop computers and mobile/cell phones every month at six factories in Japan and abroad. Last August, it spent ¥40bn to reinforce its production capacity at two domestic plants, with plans to increase production to 74 million batteries a month by the end of October.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/energy/tags/electric+vehicle/
October 15, 2009
Flow Batteries For Fast Electric Car Charging
New batteries could make recharging EVs much faster.
By Kevin Bullis
Electric vehicles can take hours to recharge, making cross-country road trips a challenge. But researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology in Germany say they've got a potential solution: flow batteries.
This type of battery uses two electrolytes rather than the solid electrodes used in lithium ion batteries. Recharging them is as fast as pumping out depleted electrolytes and replacing them with fresh ones--it wouldn't take longer than refilling a gas tank. One of the problems with flow batteries, thoug
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=22306
Battery Makers Tackle the Grid
Along with Electric Cars
The U.S. Department of Energy is funding the development of advanced lithium- ion battery technology for energy-storage applications after showering hundreds of millions of dollars on providers of the same technology for use in electric vehicles.
Some companies, including A123 Systems Inc. (AONE) and Ener1 Inc. (HEV), have been on the receiving end of cost-sharing grants of both DOE programs.
Under the $620 million awards for smart-grid demonstration and energy storage projects announced last month, these companies and other lithium-ion battery technology developers will work with utilities to deploy batteries at a utility scale to manage peak demand and smooth power fluctuations from renewable sources such as wind and solar.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=avzivLuxhSmI
Nissan Electric Car Battery May Be Ready by 2015, Nikkei SaysNov. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Nissan Motor Co. is developing a lithium ion battery for electric vehicles that can store electricity at double the current capacity, the Nikkei newspaper reported, without saying where it got the information. Nissan aims to equip electric cars with the battery by 2015, the paper reported.
The new battery will be able to power an electric vehicle for 300 kilometers (186 miles) on a single charge, about twice the distance currently possible, the newspaper said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Keiko Ujikane in Tokyo
The new battery will be able to power an electric vehicle for 300 kilometers (186 miles) on a single charge, about twice the distance currently possible, the newspaper said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Keiko Ujikane in Tokyo
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://detnews.com/article/20091125/AUTO01/911250329/Electric-cars--batteries-to-boost-U-S--grid
Washington -- Detroit Edison Co. and five partners will receive nearly $5 million in federal money to show how advanced batteries similar to those in electric vehicles can store energy for later use in the nation's electrical grid.
"We want to show that you can charge the batteries at noon, and shift the energy coming out of the battery to later use for consumers," said Hawk Asgeirsson, the manager of power system technologies at DTE.
DTE will lead the project; Michigan partners are A123 of Ann Arbor, Chrysler Group LLC of Auburn Hills and NextEnergy of Detroit.
http://detnews.com/article/20091125/AUTO01/911250329/Electric-cars--batteries-to-boost-U-S--grid
Washington -- Detroit Edison Co. and five partners will receive nearly $5 million in federal money to show how advanced batteries similar to those in electric vehicles can store energy for later use in the nation's electrical grid."We want to show that you can charge the batteries at noon, and shift the energy coming out of the battery to later use for consumers," said Hawk Asgeirsson, the manager of power system technologies at DTE.
DTE will lead the project; Michigan partners are A123 of Ann Arbor, Chrysler Group LLC of Auburn Hills and NextEnergy of Detroit.
Electric cars' batteries to boost U.S. grid
DTE, Chrysler will get federal aid for demonstration project
DTE, Chrysler will get federal aid for demonstration project
November 25. 2009-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.designnews.com/article/387964-Could_Car_Batteries_Back_up_Our_Electrical_Grid_.php
Could Car Batteries Back up Our Electrical Grid?
By sending current back to the grid, electric cars could serve as a backup to wind and solar
Charles J. Murray, senior technical editor -- Design News, November 9, 2009
In the quest to supply electricity for millions of future electric cars, engineers have stumbled upon the most unlikely of energy prospects — the car itself.
If that sounds like a bit of tangled logic to you, then you're not alone. The very idea leaves most intelligent people scratching their heads.
Still, the concept is being examined by auto companies, utilities, universities and industry consultants. And many believe the electric car battery could turn out to be one of the most important sources of current for ... well, the electric car battery.
"This is very doable," says David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.greencarcongress.com/
EnerDel to Develop Batteries for Series Hybrid XM1124 Humvee
5 November 2009
Automotive lithium-ion battery maker EnerDel, Inc. has received a $1.29 million contract to design and build high-performance lithium-ion battery systems for the hybrid version of the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Humvee), the XM1124 Humvee. The XM1124 is a series
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://cleantechnica.com/
Rice University Cooks Up Nanotube Stew November 3rd, 2009
Researchers at Rice University have announced the discovery of a new breakthrough method for producing carbon nanotubes in bulk fluids. Rice’s new nanotube “stew” could spur the inexpensive mass production of carbon nanotube-based products
Rice’s nanotube research was sponsored in party by U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy. Aside from their military application, carbon nanotubes have a practically unlimited potential for sustainable civilian products because of their strength, light weight, and electrical conductivity among other properties. Lightweight nanomaterials could boost the gas mileage in cars and airplanes, make thinner and more flexible solar cells, increase the efficiency of lithium-ion batteries (in combination with another new high tech material, graphene), and be used in artificial photosynthesis to generate hydrogen fuel.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.cleanbreak.ca/
The wonders of ionic liquids, and how they can dramatically raise the bar on energy storage
November 5th, 2009
Certainly a big mission, but after chatting with Cody Friesen, Arizona State professor and founder of Fluidic, I quickly realized it’s not mission impossible. And it gave me great hope that five or 10 years from now, whether it’s Fluidic or EEStor or Premium Power or some other company, the big breakthrough we’re looking for will happen. And that, my friends, is an exciting thing.
I urge you to read this story on MIT Technology Review, posted today, which explains what Fluidic is doing and why it may overcome many of the challenges that have dogged the commercial, mass-market introduction of rechargeable metal-air batteries
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EVs to get improved mileage
from redox flow batteries
October 13, 2009
German researchers say a new type of electric vehicle battery that runs on electrolyte fluid can be recharged as easily as refilling a petrol tank. When the redox flow rechargeable batteries are low, the discharged electrolyte fluid can simply be exchanged at the gas station for recharged fluid.
To fulfill the German Government’s ambitious plan of one million electric cars being sold in Germany by the year 2020, many motorists will still need convincing that electric cars won’t leave them “powerless” on the side of the road. The question of adequate on-board energy storage still requires some answers and, while lithium-ion batteries offer a possible solution, it takes hours to charge them – time that an automobile driver doesn’t have when on the road.--
They can therefore be recharged at the gas station in a few minutes – the discharged electrolyte is simply pumped out and replaced with recharged fluid,” says engineer Jens Noack from ICT. “The pumped-off electrolyte can be recharged at the gas station, for example, using a wind turbine or solar plant.”
The principle behind redox flow batteries is not something new – two fluid electrolytes containing metal ions flow through porous graphite felt electrodes, separated by a membrane that allows protons to pass through it. During this exchange of charge a current flows over the electrodes, which can be used by a battery-powered device.
While that may sound encouraging, until now redox flow batteries have had the disadvantage of storing much less energy than lithium-ion batteries – around a miserable 25km (15.5 miles) – which means the driver would have to recharge the batteries four times as often.--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/science/15batt.html
Pursuing a Battery So Electric Vehicles Can Go the Extra Miles
September 14, 2009
The interest in the as-yet-unproven technology was underscored this summer when I.B.M. said it had begun to pursue a tenfold improvement in battery storage, with hopes of reaching the goal before the end of the next decade.
I.B.M. executives said the company was unlikely to enter the battery business directly but was aiming toward a partnership that would marry its hardware and systems design expertise with ultralight battery technology.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.thebigmoney.com/blogs/shifting-gears/2009/09/03/talking-gearheads-great-battery-debate
Talking Gearheads:
The Great Battery Debate
By Matthew DeBord
September 3, 2009
Jim Motavalli, who writes for the New York Times’ Wheels blog, and I have debated electric cars and the future of the auto industry. Now, as promised, we’re tackling batteries. Specifically, what the market for the kind of high-tech batteries that will power the cars of tomorrow will look like. As in the past, we have some agreements and disagreements. So check out our debate, which Jim has also posted at Mother Nature Network.
Jim Motavalli: When it comes to battery cars, Americans are beset by a phenomenon called “range anxiety.” It’s the fear—perhaps irrational, say studies, since most people travel 40 miles or less in their daily commutes—that they’ll get stranded by a vehicle that can do no more than 100 miles between charges. With present technology, battery packs would have to be very big indeed to propel the average sedan 300 miles—about what people expect from their gas cars today. Will we get learn to live with range anxiety?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://earth2tech.com/2009/09/01/beyond-lithium-what-the-rare-earth-squeeze-means-for-hybrid-cars/
Beyond Lithium: What the Rare Earth Squeeze Means for Hybrid Cars
REE, used in fiber-optic telecom cables, military gear, computers and other technologies, aren’t actually as uncommon as the name implies. Some of them are about as abundant as industrial metals like nickel, copper, zinc and lead. For comparison, the two least abundant REE (thulium and lutetium) are almost 200 times more common than gold. But the problem is it’s rare for these metals to become concentrated in deposits that are easy to tap, and as a result, most of the world’s supply comes from just a few sites.
The U.S. has some of the largest known deposits of REE (pdf download), but since the 1990s it’s been importing most of its REE from China, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. T
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.reuters.com/article/earth2Tech/idUS11037805620090903
Eyeing Battery Afterlife,
Nissan Holds Tight to LEAF Leasing
http://www.designnews.com/article/387964-Could_Car_Batteries_Back_up_Our_Electrical_Grid_.php
Could Car Batteries Back up Our Electrical Grid?By sending current back to the grid, electric cars could serve as a backup to wind and solar
Charles J. Murray, senior technical editor -- Design News, November 9, 2009
In the quest to supply electricity for millions of future electric cars, engineers have stumbled upon the most unlikely of energy prospects — the car itself.
If that sounds like a bit of tangled logic to you, then you're not alone. The very idea leaves most intelligent people scratching their heads.
Still, the concept is being examined by auto companies, utilities, universities and industry consultants. And many believe the electric car battery could turn out to be one of the most important sources of current for ... well, the electric car battery.
"This is very doable," says David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.greencarcongress.com/
EnerDel to Develop Batteries for Series Hybrid XM1124 Humvee5 November 2009
Automotive lithium-ion battery maker EnerDel, Inc. has received a $1.29 million contract to design and build high-performance lithium-ion battery systems for the hybrid version of the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Humvee), the XM1124 Humvee. The XM1124 is a series
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://cleantechnica.com/
Rice University Cooks Up Nanotube Stew November 3rd, 2009Researchers at Rice University have announced the discovery of a new breakthrough method for producing carbon nanotubes in bulk fluids. Rice’s new nanotube “stew” could spur the inexpensive mass production of carbon nanotube-based products
Rice’s nanotube research was sponsored in party by U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy. Aside from their military application, carbon nanotubes have a practically unlimited potential for sustainable civilian products because of their strength, light weight, and electrical conductivity among other properties. Lightweight nanomaterials could boost the gas mileage in cars and airplanes, make thinner and more flexible solar cells, increase the efficiency of lithium-ion batteries (in combination with another new high tech material, graphene), and be used in artificial photosynthesis to generate hydrogen fuel.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.cleanbreak.ca/
The wonders of ionic liquids, and how they can dramatically raise the bar on energy storage
November 5th, 2009
Certainly a big mission, but after chatting with Cody Friesen, Arizona State professor and founder of Fluidic, I quickly realized it’s not mission impossible. And it gave me great hope that five or 10 years from now, whether it’s Fluidic or EEStor or Premium Power or some other company, the big breakthrough we’re looking for will happen. And that, my friends, is an exciting thing.
I urge you to read this story on MIT Technology Review, posted today, which explains what Fluidic is doing and why it may overcome many of the challenges that have dogged the commercial, mass-market introduction of rechargeable metal-air batteries
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EVs to get improved mileage
from redox flow batteries
October 13, 2009
German researchers say a new type of electric vehicle battery that runs on electrolyte fluid can be recharged as easily as refilling a petrol tank. When the redox flow rechargeable batteries are low, the discharged electrolyte fluid can simply be exchanged at the gas station for recharged fluid.
To fulfill the German Government’s ambitious plan of one million electric cars being sold in Germany by the year 2020, many motorists will still need convincing that electric cars won’t leave them “powerless” on the side of the road. The question of adequate on-board energy storage still requires some answers and, while lithium-ion batteries offer a possible solution, it takes hours to charge them – time that an automobile driver doesn’t have when on the road.--
They can therefore be recharged at the gas station in a few minutes – the discharged electrolyte is simply pumped out and replaced with recharged fluid,” says engineer Jens Noack from ICT. “The pumped-off electrolyte can be recharged at the gas station, for example, using a wind turbine or solar plant.”
The principle behind redox flow batteries is not something new – two fluid electrolytes containing metal ions flow through porous graphite felt electrodes, separated by a membrane that allows protons to pass through it. During this exchange of charge a current flows over the electrodes, which can be used by a battery-powered device.
While that may sound encouraging, until now redox flow batteries have had the disadvantage of storing much less energy than lithium-ion batteries – around a miserable 25km (15.5 miles) – which means the driver would have to recharge the batteries four times as often.--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/science/15batt.html
Pursuing a Battery So Electric Vehicles Can Go the Extra Miles
September 14, 2009
The interest in the as-yet-unproven technology was underscored this summer when I.B.M. said it had begun to pursue a tenfold improvement in battery storage, with hopes of reaching the goal before the end of the next decade.
I.B.M. executives said the company was unlikely to enter the battery business directly but was aiming toward a partnership that would marry its hardware and systems design expertise with ultralight battery technology.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.thebigmoney.com/blogs/shifting-gears/2009/09/03/talking-gearheads-great-battery-debate
Talking Gearheads:
The Great Battery Debate
By Matthew DeBord
September 3, 2009
Jim Motavalli, who writes for the New York Times’ Wheels blog, and I have debated electric cars and the future of the auto industry. Now, as promised, we’re tackling batteries. Specifically, what the market for the kind of high-tech batteries that will power the cars of tomorrow will look like. As in the past, we have some agreements and disagreements. So check out our debate, which Jim has also posted at Mother Nature Network.
Jim Motavalli: When it comes to battery cars, Americans are beset by a phenomenon called “range anxiety.” It’s the fear—perhaps irrational, say studies, since most people travel 40 miles or less in their daily commutes—that they’ll get stranded by a vehicle that can do no more than 100 miles between charges. With present technology, battery packs would have to be very big indeed to propel the average sedan 300 miles—about what people expect from their gas cars today. Will we get learn to live with range anxiety?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://earth2tech.com/2009/09/01/beyond-lithium-what-the-rare-earth-squeeze-means-for-hybrid-cars/
Beyond Lithium: What the Rare Earth Squeeze Means for Hybrid CarsREE, used in fiber-optic telecom cables, military gear, computers and other technologies, aren’t actually as uncommon as the name implies. Some of them are about as abundant as industrial metals like nickel, copper, zinc and lead. For comparison, the two least abundant REE (thulium and lutetium) are almost 200 times more common than gold. But the problem is it’s rare for these metals to become concentrated in deposits that are easy to tap, and as a result, most of the world’s supply comes from just a few sites.
The U.S. has some of the largest known deposits of REE (pdf download), but since the 1990s it’s been importing most of its REE from China, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. T
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.reuters.com/article/earth2Tech/idUS11037805620090903
Eyeing Battery Afterlife,Nissan Holds Tight to LEAF Leasing
Sep 3, 2009
Lithium-ion batteries have a limited number of charge cycles in electric vehicles, but once a car’s battery pack goes kaput, it can be recycled or find new life in less demanding applications — storing renewable energy generated during off-peak hours, for example.
At least that’s the theory.But until resale values for electric vehicles and secondary markets for batteries are proven with a few years of real-world performance, ratings from agencies like Automotive Lease Guide (ALG) and banks’ financing offers for cars such as the 2010 LEAF electric sedan from Nissan, may not reflect their actual value.
That’s what happened with the Toyota Prius and the earliest in-vehicle GPS systems, Ward’s Auto noted --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At least that’s the theory.But until resale values for electric vehicles and secondary markets for batteries are proven with a few years of real-world performance, ratings from agencies like Automotive Lease Guide (ALG) and banks’ financing offers for cars such as the 2010 LEAF electric sedan from Nissan, may not reflect their actual value.
That’s what happened with the Toyota Prius and the earliest in-vehicle GPS systems, Ward’s Auto noted --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.physorg.com/news170483982.html
Tokyo taxis to trial EV battery switch out system
August 26th, 2009
Tokyo taxis will be the first in the world to test new electric-car batteries that can be replaced in less time than it takes to fill up the petrol tankUp to four electric taxis will take part in the trial of the new technology, which enables a depleted battery to be replaced with a fully charged one in about a minute,
The vehicles, operated by Tokyo's largest taxi operator Nihon Kotsu, will run from the Roppongi Hills shopping and office complex in the Japanese capital from January next year, under a trial commissioned by the government.
The system, which removes the depleted battery from the underside of the vehicle and replaces it with another one, was designed to spare electric car users the hassle of waiting around while a battery is recharged.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=gears+to+make+electricity&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=
GEARS
dugnorth.com/blog/labels/gears.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.hydro-turbines.com/
Welcome to your source for Pico-Hydro, Micro-Hydro, and Mini-Hydro Turbines & Accessories
Tokyo taxis to trial EV battery switch out system
August 26th, 2009
Tokyo taxis will be the first in the world to test new electric-car batteries that can be replaced in less time than it takes to fill up the petrol tankUp to four electric taxis will take part in the trial of the new technology, which enables a depleted battery to be replaced with a fully charged one in about a minute,
The vehicles, operated by Tokyo's largest taxi operator Nihon Kotsu, will run from the Roppongi Hills shopping and office complex in the Japanese capital from January next year, under a trial commissioned by the government.
The system, which removes the depleted battery from the underside of the vehicle and replaces it with another one, was designed to spare electric car users the hassle of waiting around while a battery is recharged.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=gears+to+make+electricity&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=
GEARS
dugnorth.com/blog/labels/gears.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.hydro-turbines.com/
Welcome to your source for Pico-Hydro, Micro-Hydro, and Mini-Hydro Turbines & Accessories
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.pixii.com/apparatus.htm
http://www.pixii.com/nollet1.jpg ^ A History of Generators
Underwater Generators
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=UNDER+WATER+GENERATORS&btnG=Search+Images&aq=f&oq=
www.jatsgreenpower.com/hydroelectric.html The AQUAIR UW Submersible Generator is a permanent-magnet low-speed high-output alternator sealed in an oil-filled waterproof housing. It is ideally suited for use as an alternative power source for remote cabins, >
BIG BOY GENERATOR industries and others
http://www.pixii.com/nollet1.jpg ^ A History of Generators
Underwater Generators
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=UNDER+WATER+GENERATORS&btnG=Search+Images&aq=f&oq=
www.jatsgreenpower.com/hydroelectric.html The AQUAIR UW Submersible Generator is a permanent-magnet low-speed high-output alternator sealed in an oil-filled waterproof housing. It is ideally suited for use as an alternative power source for remote cabins, >
BIG BOY GENERATOR industries and others
http://www.abb.com/product/seitp322/5f641f087db6118cc1256ddb0048752c.aspx?productLanguage=us&country=US
http://library.abb.com/global/scot/scot259.nsf/veritydisplay/3ef71c0808b4ebabc225708a002fa517/$File/120905_Proven%20technology%20for%20wind%20energy_lowres.pdf
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Large Picture of a Wind turbine generator
http://library.abb.com/global/scot/scot234.nsf/veritydisplay/f8587dfd89fbc7e7832575ba00225b8d/$File/WindTurbineGenerators_brochure_A4_lowres_ver06.pdf
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ABB supplies generators for both stall and pitch regulated wind turbines with outputs ranging from 55 kW to 5 MW and more.
Generator concepts can be divided into main two categories:Fixed speed generatorsThe traditional stall concept with the generator coupled to the grid.Doubly fed, semi-variable speed generatorsMainstream pitch concept with the rotor connected to the grid using a small converter.
http://www.abb.com/product/seitp322/5f641f087db6118cc1256ddb0048752c.aspx?productLanguage=us&country=US
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Catch a used generator or idea for a generator
Generators
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generators&btnG=Search+Images&aq=f&oq=
USED DC GENERATORS
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=used+dc+generators&btnG=Search+Images&aq=f&oq=
generators for home use
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generators+for+home+use&aq=0&oq=generators
generator diagrams
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generator+diagram&aq=7&oq=generat
generating electricity
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generating+electricity&aq=6&oq=generat
generating electricity diagram
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generating+electricity+diagram&aq=1&oq=generating+electri
generator images
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generators+images&btnG=Search+Images&aq=f&oq=
generators in power stations
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generators+in+power+stations&btnG=Search+Images&aq=f&oq=
http://library.abb.com/global/scot/scot259.nsf/veritydisplay/3ef71c0808b4ebabc225708a002fa517/$File/120905_Proven%20technology%20for%20wind%20energy_lowres.pdf
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Large Picture of a Wind turbine generator
http://library.abb.com/global/scot/scot234.nsf/veritydisplay/f8587dfd89fbc7e7832575ba00225b8d/$File/WindTurbineGenerators_brochure_A4_lowres_ver06.pdf
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ABB supplies generators for both stall and pitch regulated wind turbines with outputs ranging from 55 kW to 5 MW and more.
Generator concepts can be divided into main two categories:Fixed speed generatorsThe traditional stall concept with the generator coupled to the grid.Doubly fed, semi-variable speed generatorsMainstream pitch concept with the rotor connected to the grid using a small converter.
http://www.abb.com/product/seitp322/5f641f087db6118cc1256ddb0048752c.aspx?productLanguage=us&country=US
------------------------------------------------------
Catch a used generator or idea for a generator
Generators
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generators&btnG=Search+Images&aq=f&oq=
USED DC GENERATORS
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=used+dc+generators&btnG=Search+Images&aq=f&oq=
generators for home use
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generators+for+home+use&aq=0&oq=generators
generator diagrams
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generator+diagram&aq=7&oq=generat
generating electricity
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generating+electricity&aq=6&oq=generat
generating electricity diagram
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generating+electricity+diagram&aq=1&oq=generating+electri
generator images
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generators+images&btnG=Search+Images&aq=f&oq=
generators in power stations
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=generators+in+power+stations&btnG=Search+Images&aq=f&oq=
how to build a home hydorelectric units
gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=how+to+build+a+home+hydroelectric+unit&btnG=Search+Images&aq=
f&oq=
aircraft dc generators
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=aircraft+dc+generators&btnG=Search+Images&aq=f&oq=
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