Latest Energy News
Green Car Congress - July 29 2010 10:04:34 AM
The US Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA-2010-1) soliciting a variety of basic and applied technology research proposals to advance the state of the art in the high-speed rail and intercity passenger service area. Estimated... Mike... read more...
Ocean Power Technologies Wins £1.5 Million Award in UK To Spur Development of Higher Output PowerBuoy
Green Car Congress - July 29 2010 09:34:45 AM
Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. UK-based subsidiary, Ocean Power Technologies, Ltd, has been awarded a £1.5 million (approximately $2.3 million) grant from the South West of England Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) for the development of its next-generation 500kW PowerBuoy wave power... ... read more...
TRW Forecasts Electric Park Brakes on 1 in 5 European Passenger Cars by 2015
Green Car Congress - July 29 2010 09:05:17 AM
TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. is forecasting—based on vehicle manufacturer data—that Electric Park Brake (EPB) technology will be standard on one in five of all European-built vehicles by 2015. Its projections also show that approximately half of the mid- to larger-sized... ... read more...
Capstone to Demonstrate Heavy-Duty Hybrid Electric Drive System with Major US Truck OEM
Green Car Congress - July 29 2010 05:40:00 AM
Capstone HEV truck solution. Source: Capstone. Click to enlarge. Capstone Turbine Corporation has initiated a demonstration project with a major US manufacturer of Class 5 through Class 8 heavy duty trucks that will utilize a Capstone 65 kW microturbine as... Mike Millikin... read more...
New Nexteer Polyamide Rack Bearing Improves Feel and Noise of EPS Systems
Green Car Congress - July 29 2010 05:15:00 AM
Nexteer’s eccentric rack bearing reduces EPS systems’ noise and friction, important factors in a vehicle’s perceived quality. Click to enlarge. Electric power steering specialist Nexteer Automotive has developed a polyamide eccentric rack bearing that has superior NVH (noise, vibration and... ... read more...
CORE BioFuel Engages RECAT Technologies to Pilot Biomass-to-Gasoline Production Reactors
Green Car Congress - July 29 2010 05:13:00 AM
CORE BioFuel Inc., a Canadian biofuel company that is commercializing an advanced biomass-to-gasoline production process (earlier post), has engaged RECAT Technologies to complete a pilot of gasoline production reactors. The MKS process is a thermochemical process combining gasification and catalyst... read more...
Study Finds Controlling Soot May Be Fastest Method to Reduce Arctic Ice Loss and Global Warming; Second-Leading Cause of Global Warming After CO2
Green Car Congress - July 29 2010 04:45:00 AM
Controlling soot from fossil fuels and solid biofuels may be a faster method of reducing Arctic ice loss and global warming than other options, including controlling CH4 or CO2, although all controls are needed, according to a new study by... Mike Millikin... read more...
Hybrid Organic Solar Cells Now More Efficient
Alt Energy Tech - July 29 2010 03:05:41 AM
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City of Ann Arbor Receives Four Hydraulic Hybrid Recycling Trucks; 30% Reduction in Fuel Consumption and Emissions
Green Car Congress - July 28 2010 07:41:42 PM
Eaton Corporation and the City of Ann Arbor announced the first deployment in Michigan of recycling trucks that utilize Eaton’s Hydraulic Launch Assist (HLA) hybrid power system. (Earlier post.) The four trucks, based on the Peterbilt Model 320 Hybrid with... Mike Millikin... read more...
Technology and Policy Program student named Switzer Environmental Fellow
MIT Energy News - July 28 2010 03:00:41 PM
Technology and Policy Program (TPP) graduate student Max Parness has been selected as a Switzer Environmental Fellow by the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation.This year, the Switzer Foundation awarded 21 fellowships for eme... read more...
Senate Energy Bill Contains $3.8B for Natural Gas Vehicle Conversion and Purchasing, $400M for Plug-in Vehicle Deployment
Green Car Congress - July 28 2010 02:11:30 PM
On Tuesday, US Senate Majority leader Harry Reid released the “Clean Energy Jobs 5 and Oil Company Accountability Act of 2010”—the latest version of the energy bill to emerge from the Senate. Division B of the bill outlines two major... Mike Millikin... read more...
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Sprout at Plug-in 2010
Green Car Congress - July 28 2010 11:01:47 AM
Blink residential unit. Source: Ecotality. Click to enlarge. With the market increasingly focusing on infrastructure to support the anticipated surge of plug-in vehicles produced and planned, electric vehicle supply equipment (charging stations)—including a new inductive charging system—appeared... read more...
Nissans US Roll-Out Plan for the LEAF
Green Car Congress - July 28 2010 09:46:29 AM
Nissan’s LEAF EV first will be available to consumers in December, in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Tennessee. These areas are home to The EV Project—the largest electric vehicle and infrastructure deployment yet undertaken. The EV Project is a result... Mike M... read more...
UK Consumers to Receive Up To £5,000 Towards Purchase of Ultra-Low Carbon Car
Green Car Congress - July 28 2010 09:37:15 AM
UK Transport Secretary Philip Hammond confirmed today that motorists will receive up to £5,000 (US$7,800) towards purchase of an ultra-low carbon car from January 2011. The consumer grant will reduce the up-front cost of eligible vehicles by 25%, capped at... Mike Millikin... read more...
Mitsubishi Fuso Introduces Double-Clutch Transmission for Truck
Green Car Congress - July 28 2010 09:12:52 AM
Mitsubishi Fuso has introduced a double-clutch transmission in commercial vehicles. Known as the "Duonic", this double-clutch transmission combines automated driving with the advantages of a manual transmission. The new double-clutch transmission for commercial vehicles drives like an automatic tran... read more...
US Departments of Energy and Defense Partner to Accelerate Energy Innovation
Green Car Congress - July 28 2010 08:55:06 AM
The US Departments of Energy (DOE) and Defense (DOD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to accelerate clean energy innovation and enhance national energy security. The MOU covers efforts in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy, water efficiency,... Mike ... read more...
9 Teams Advancing to Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Validation Stage
Green Car Congress - July 28 2010 06:30:00 AM
Nine Finalist teams in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE have made it through on-track testing at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) and now move into a Validation stage before prize money will be awarded this September. What began as a... Mike Millikin... read more...
Algae Technology Company OriginOil Announces Revenue from First Customer
Green Car Congress - July 28 2010 05:45:00 AM
OriginOil, Inc. recently notified Australia-based MBD Energy Limited that it is ready to ship a Quantum Fracturing System for algae, the first unit in a multi-phase commercialization program. (Earlier post.) The notification triggers a payment under a purchase order from... Mike... read more...
RheTech Introduces Biocomposite for Automotive, Consumer and Construction Applications
Green Car Congress - July 28 2010 05:02:00 AM
RheTech, Inc., a thermoplastics compounder, has launched a new product line of biocomposite materials. Called RheVision, the proprietary product is a sustainable alternative to traditional mineral- or glass-reinforced polypropylene. RheVision uses bio-fibers from waste materials (initially wood fibe... read more...
ClipperCreek and Silver Spring Join PGE and EPRI in EV Smart Charging Pilot
Green Car Congress - July 28 2010 04:49:00 AM
ClipperCreek, Inc., a producer of plug-in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and partner Silver Spring Networks, a provider of smart grid solutions, are participating in a plug-in electric vehicle (EV) pilot program sponsored by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)... ... read more...
Breakthrough in Thin-Film Solar Cells
Alt Energy Tech - July 28 2010 03:46:40 AM
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DOE Creates a New Energy Hub to Develop Fuels from Sunlight
Office of Energy Efficiency - July 28 2010 03:00:00 AM
DOE is backing a California research team with up to $122 million for establishing an energy innovation hub to develop a method of producing fuels from sunlight. Cal Tech will lead the team in partnership with DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and other California institutions.... read more...
DOE Announces $30 Million for Energy-Efficient Housing Partnerships
Office of Energy Efficiency - July 28 2010 03:00:00 AM
DOE has announced up to $30 million in funding for 15 research partnerships that aim to deliver innovative energy efficiency strategies to the residential housing market.... read more...
DOE and U.S. Department of Defense Announce Clean Energy Cooperation Agreement
Office of Energy Efficiency - July 28 2010 03:00:00 AM
DOE has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Defense aimed at accelerating clean energy innovation while strengthening energy security.... read more...
Maine Signs Ocean Energy Agreement with Nova Scotia
Office of Energy Efficiency - July 28 2010 03:00:00 AM
Maine has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nova Scotia, pledging to work cooperatively on renewable electricity from ocean tidal energy and offshore wind energy.... read more...
Unmanned Solar-Powered Aircraft Soars Nonstop for 14 Days
Office of Energy Efficiency - July 28 2010 03:00:00 AM
An unmanned solar-powered aircraft stayed aloft over an Arizona proving ground for 14 days, smashing records for such flights, according to its makers.... read more...
The International Renewable Energy Agency Becomes an International Organization
Office of Energy Efficiency - July 28 2010 03:00:00 AM
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has become a chartered international organization 18 months after its founding. IRENA seeks to promote renewable energy use among its global member states.... read more...
Dresser Wayne Blender Pumps Receive Final UL Safety Certification
Green Car Congress - July 27 2010 06:13:03 PM
Growth Energy, the coalition of US ethanol supporters, along with Dresser Wayne announced that Underwriters Laboratory (UL) has issued certification to the dual hose ethanol blender available in Dresser Wayne Ovation eco fuel dispensers. This certification will help fuel retailers... ... read more...
DOE Selects Four Advanced Coal or Coal/Biomass Gasification Projects for Up To $5.9M in Funding to Test Membrane Separation Technology
Green Car Congress - July 27 2010 04:45:17 PM
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected four advanced coal gasification projects for funding of up to $5.9 million, with an addition $1.7 million of non-Federal cost sharing funds. The projects will test membrane technology to separate hydrogen and... Mike Millikin... read more...
Enterprise Rent-A-Car to Begin Offering Electric Vehicles in US
Green Car Congress - July 27 2010 03:34:44 PM
Enterprise Rent-A-Car will begin a phased introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) at select offices throughout its neighborhood network of more than 5,000 US locations. Delivery of 500 Nissan LEAFs will begin in January 2011 and will continue throughout the year.... Mike Milliki... read more...
Liquid Phase Methanol Process Licensed to Biofuel Producer
Green Car Congress - July 27 2010 12:39:21 PM
The Liquid Phase Methanol (LPMEOH) Process, funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and developed in collaboration with Air Products and Chemicals Inc., has been licensed to Woodland Biofuel Inc., which intends to use the technology to develop a... Mike Millikin... read more...
Buick Sells 100,000th LaCrosse in China
Green Car Congress - July 27 2010 12:10:52 PM
Less than a year after its launch in China, sales of the new Buick LaCrosse have reached 100,000 units. The LaCrosse is the fastest-growing member of China’s premium upper-medium sedan segment. In the first six months of 2010, the LaCrosse... Mike Millikin... read more...
Nissan to Warranty LEAF Battery for 8 Years, 100,000 Miles
Green Car Congress - July 27 2010 12:02:13 PM
Nissan will warranty the battery pack in its LEAF EV for 8 years and 100,000 miles, according to Carlos Tavares, executive vice president and a member of the Board of Directors of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., in his talk at... Mike Millikin... read more...
Chevrolet Volt MSRP Starts at $41,000, $33,500 Net of Full Federal Credit; 3-year Lease Program with Option to Buy
Green Car Congress - July 27 2010 12:01:00 PM
GM will introduce the Chevrolet Volt extended range electric vehicle with a starting MSRP of $41,000; after applying the Federal income tax credit of $7,500, the price drops to $33,500. Chevrolet will also offer a lease program on the Volt... Mike Millikin... read more...
Strong Global Sales for Chevrolet Cruze Prior to US Introduction; More Details on Its New Small-Displacement Engines
Green Car Congress - July 27 2010 11:43:12 AM
2011 Ecotec 1.4L I-4 VVT Turbo (LUJ) for Chevrolet Cruze. Click to enlarge. Internationally, customers have purchased 140,000 Chevrolet Cruze in the first six months of 2010 and a total of 270,000 since Cruze launched in the spring of 2009... Mike Millikin... read more...
PGE First to Receive Two Raser EREV Fleet Trucks by End of 2010
Green Car Congress - July 27 2010 09:15:20 AM
PG&E will receive two EREV (extended range electric vehicle) fleet trucks modified with Raser’s E-REV powertrain for initial testing and demonstration before the end of 2010. (Earlier post.) The extended range electric pick-up truck features a 40-mile all-electric range, with... ... read more...
Rosetta Green and Seambiotic Will Collaborate in the Development and Large-Scale Growth of Improved Algal Strains for the Biofuel Industry
Green Car Congress - July 27 2010 05:00:00 AM
Rosetta Green, a company applying microRNA technology to plants and algae for the cleantech and plant biotech industries (earlier post), and Seambiotic, a company specializing in the growth of algae at industrial scale (earlier post), have signed a collaboration agreement... Mik... read more...
Rosetta Green and Seambiotic Will Collaborate in the Development and Large-Scale Growth of Improved Algal Strains for the Biofuel Industry
Green Car Congress - July 27 2010 05:00:00 AM
Rosetta Green, a company applying microRNA technology to plants and algae for the cleantech and plant biotech industries (earlier post), and Seambiotic, a company specializing in the growth of algae at industrial scale (earlier post), have signed a collaboration agreement... Mik... read more...
GM Establishing Global Battery Electric Vehicle Demo Fleets
Green Car Congress - July 27 2010 03:01:00 AM
Speaking at the “Electrification - Plugging into the Future Forum” today at the SAIC-GM Pavilion at World Expo 2010 Shanghai, GM Vice President of Global Vehicle Engineering Karl Stracke announced that GM is establishing battery electric vehicle demo fleets in... Mike Millik... read more...
GM Establishing Global Battery Electric Vehicle Demo Fleets
Green Car Congress - July 27 2010 03:01:00 AM
Speaking at the “Electrification - Plugging into the Future Forum” today at the SAIC-GM Pavilion at World Expo 2010 Shanghai, GM Vice President of Global Vehicle Engineering Karl Stracke announced that GM is establishing battery electric vehicle demo fleets in... Mike Millik... read more...
Economical Solar Panels to Yield More Energy
Alt Energy Tech - July 27 2010 02:13:49 AM
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GM Announcing Volt Pricing and Ordering Tomorrow; Video Web Chat with Volt Team at 4pm ET
Green Car Congress - July 26 2010 08:59:26 PM
Joel Ewanick, GM vice president of US marketing will announce pricing and ordering details for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt tomorrow (27 July) at the Plug-In 2010 conference in San Jose, Calif today at 12:00 PM ET. Following the announcement, GM... Mike Millikin... read more...
GM Announcing Volt Pricing and Ordering Tomorrow; Video Web Chat with Volt Team at 4pm ET
Green Car Congress - July 26 2010 08:59:26 PM
Joel Ewanick, GM vice president of US marketing will announce pricing and ordering details for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt tomorrow (27 July) at the Plug-In 2010 conference in San Jose, Calif today at 12:00 PM ET. Following the announcement, GM... Mike Millikin... read more...
EPRI / SCE Report Measures Consumers Interest in and Infrastructure Expectations for Plug-in Vehicles
Green Car Congress - July 26 2010 07:05:50 PM
Hybrid Owners have the highest interest in PHEVs. Source: EPRI/SCE. Click to enlarge. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Southern California Edison (SCE) designed and implemented a survey to characterize consumers’ perceptions of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and... ... read more...
EPRI / SCE Report Measures Consumers Interest in and Infrastructure Expectations for Plug-in Vehicles
Green Car Congress - July 26 2010 07:05:50 PM
Hybrid Owners have the highest interest in PHEVs. Source: EPRI/SCE. Click to enlarge. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Southern California Edison (SCE) designed and implemented a survey to characterize consumers’ perceptions of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and... ... read more...
Coulomb Technologies Announces Availability of Level II Residential Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles
Green Car Congress - July 26 2010 01:46:35 PM
Coulomb Technologies announced the availability of its residential charging stations for electric vehicles. The new CT500 Level II ChargePoint Networked Charging Station is a 7.2 kW single output station designed for residential and light commercial applications. The CT500 Level II... ... read more...
Coulomb Technologies Announces Availability of Level II Residential Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles
Green Car Congress - July 26 2010 01:46:35 PM
Coulomb Technologies announced the availability of its residential charging stations for electric vehicles. The new CT500 Level II ChargePoint Networked Charging Station is a 7.2 kW single output station designed for residential and light commercial applications. The CT500 Level II... ... read more...
Daimler Setting Up New smart Product Unit
Green Car Congress - July 26 2010 01:38:32 PM
Daimler AG will set up a new smart product unit within the Mercedes-Benz Cars division on 1 September 2010. This will enhance the framework for successful expansion of the brand and further development of the product portfolio, the company said.... Mike Millikin... read more...
Daimler Setting Up New smart Product Unit
Green Car Congress - July 26 2010 01:38:32 PM
Daimler AG will set up a new smart product unit within the Mercedes-Benz Cars division on 1 September 2010. This will enhance the framework for successful expansion of the brand and further development of the product portfolio, the company said.... Mike Millikin... read more...
UPS Sets New Automotive Goal to Improve Package Delivery Fleet Fuel Economy a Total of 20% from 2000 to 2020
Green Car Congress - July 26 2010 01:32:59 PM
UPS is targeting a 20% improvement in fuel economy for its US package delivery fleet from 2000 to 2020. Click to enlarge. UPS has set a new automotive goal to improve the miles per gallon (MPG) performance of its entire... Mike Millikin... read more...
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