Green Car Congress

Hydrogenics awarded contract by US Hybrid Corporation for 5 HyPM HD fuel cell modules

2012-01-28T05:30:00-08:00

Hydrogenics Corporation has received orders for the delivery of five new generation HyPM HD Series Fuel Cell Power Modules from US Hybrid. US Hybrid specializes in the design and manufacture of power conversion systems for medium and heavy duty electric, hybrid and fuel cell commercial buses and trucks.

The power modules will be used in a dump truck, a step van and several buses. The vehicles are part of a government funded program managed by the High Technology Development Corporation's Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies and will be deployed for a variety of end users in Hawaii.

This sale establishes the first order of the new generation of HyPM HD series product which was formally launched in November 2011.

Ballard signs MOU with Tata Motors to power clean fuel cell bus demonstrations in India

2012-01-28T04:59:00-08:00

Ballard Power Systems signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Tata Motors (India) for 12 FCvelocity-1100 fuel cell stacks. These stacks are expected to power zero-emission buses planned for demonstration in various Indian cities. Delivery to Tata Motors is planned for 2012 and 2013, in-line with Tata’s plans.

Tata Motors, one of the world’s largest bus OEMs, displayed the first fuel cell bus built in India at Auto Expo 2012 in New Delhi earlier this month. The bus is powered with a Ballard FCvelocity-1100 fuel cell stack, previously delivered to Tata Motors in 2011.

Ballard FCvelocity-1100 fuel cell stacks are based on a design suited for use in heavy duty vehicles.

California Air Resources Board unanimously adopts Advanced Clean Cars Package

2012-01-27T13:58:31-08:00

ACC combines three sets of regulations to reduce emissions from light-duty vehicles and build the market for advanced zero emission vehicles. Source: ARB. Click to enlarge.

In a unanimous vote on Friday, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) adopted the Advanced Clean Cars (ACC) regulatory package (earlier post), launching California into another round of major automotive regulations for model years 2015-2025 that are designed to deliver cleaner air, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to help build the future market for battery-electric and fuel-cell electric vehicles.

“This package of regulations is both visionary and absolutely feasible,” said Mary Nichols, ARB Chairman, at the opening of the hearing on the rules on Thursday. “The goal is to accelerate a transition already in process and to make sure it succeeds. This marks a new chapter in the history of ARB.”

This program will make the cleanest cars and the new technologies commonplace. The Advanced Clean Cars package will help clean our air, help us fight climate change, and perhaps most important for average citizens, save thousands of dollars over the life of the vehicles. It also gives use the ability to brag that we are the clean car capital of the world.
—Mary Nichols

The Advanced Clean Cars program has been in development over the past three years and comprises three main packages of regulations, formulated as amendments to existing regulatory programs:

LEV III combines the control of soot and smog-causing pollutants (down to a SULEV level) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into a single coordinated package of requirements for model years 2017 through 2025.

On the criteria pollutants side, LEV III reduces fleet average emissions of new passenger cars (PCs), light-duty trucks (LDTs) and medium-duty passenger vehicles (MDPVs) to super ultra-low-emission vehicle (SULEV) levels by 2025.

The replacement of separate NMOG and oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) standards with combined NMOG plus NO_x standards. The combined ROG+NO_x standard will decline from 0.100 for passenger cars and light-duty trucks and 0.119 for light-duty trucks and medium duty passenger vehicles in 2015 to 0.030 for all vehicle categories by 2030.

Life durability requirements are increased from 120,000 miles to 150,000 miles.

The regulation also reduces the PM standard to 0.001 gram per mile, phasing in to 100% compliance by 2028 for all light-duty vehicles. (The stringency of the PM standard was a topic of some discussion during the Board meeting, bute the Board chose to run with the regulation as proposed by staff, and monitor and review the level (and compliance technologies), especially given data anticipated from current European efforts to regulate particle number instead of mass.)
The new regulation also implements zero fuel evaporative emission standards for PCs and LDTs, and more stringent evaporative standards for medium-duty vehicles (MDVs).
The greenhouse gas standard approved today builds on California’s first-in-the-nation standard that was later incorporated in 2010 by the federal government as part of a national program. The new rules strengthen the greenhouse gas standard for 2017 models and beyond. They were developed in tandem with the federal government over the past three years, including a joint fact-finding process with shared engineering and technical studies.

The current California program constitutes a separate set of rules with minor variations due to separate legal structures but is designed to parallel the proposed federal joint rulemaking the Obama administration announced last summer. Once the proposed federal standards are adopted, they will be deemed sufficient for compliance in California. This responds to the desire for a streamlined set of rules for new cars and light trucks and creates a single national program for manufacturers that addresses both greenhouse gas and fuel economy standards.

The new standard drops greenhouse gas emissions to 166 grams per mile, a reduction of 34% compared to 2016 levels. This will be achieved through existing technologies, the use of stronger and lighter materials, and more efficient drivetrains and engines.
The modified Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) regulation—the “technology-forcing piece” of the package—requires minimum numbers of battery electric and fuel cell electric vehicles to be sold into California, with an anticipated target of 15.4% of new vehicles by 2025 (i.e., one in 7 new cars). Other advanced cars (such as hybrids) are relegated to LEV III.

The ZEV regulation will result in more than 1.4 million ZEVs on the road by 2025 in order to be on track to reach the 2050 greenhouse gas reduction goal. A transitional model—the plug-in hybrid car—will play a significant role over the next 20 years, but by mid-century, 87% of cars on the road will need to be full zero-emission vehicles to achieve climate goals, according to ARB.

The new ZEV regulation moves to a simplified scheme for credits based on zero emission range; for example, a 100-mile battery-electric vehicle receives 1.5 credits, while a 300-mile fuel-cell electric vehicle receives 3.5 credits.

There is a new category—BEV_x—for battery-electric vehicles with a small range-extender (i.e., a limp-home capacity, not a Volt-like capacity).

A special provision allows automakers who overcomply with the GHG fleet standard (under LEV III) to offset their ZEV requirements from 2018-2022. Manufacturers must overcomply by at least 2gCO₂e each year for all four years.

This provision also generated substantial discussion as it was feared that it would reduce the number of real ZEVs on the road.
The modified Clean Fuels Outlet (CFO) regulation is intended to assure ultra-clean fuels such as hydrogen are available to meet vehicle demands brought on by these amendments to the ZEV program.

The CFO regulation required the construction of alternative fuel outlets for a particular fuel when there are 20,000 alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) using that fuel. The modified CFO adds a 10,000-vehicle activation trigger that would apply to an air basin before the statewide trigger of 20,000 is reached. The lower trigger complements auto manufacturers’ early commercialization plans to marketing FCVs in regional clusters.

Since the trigger is activated by automakers’ projections, the regulation assigns a penalty for undercompliance, if ARB can prove that the automakers knowingly falsified the report.

As an alternative to the CFO,automakers, industrial gas suppliers, NGOs and the state are negotiating a Memorandum of Agreement to support up to 100 stations. If the MOA succeeds, the requirement to build stations is zero, and the CFO sunsets for hydrogen. If the MOA process fails, CFO requirements are in force.

The regulation requires evaluation of EV charging infrastructure needs by the end of 2014.

Resources

EPA finds that both biodiesel and renewable diesel from palm oil fail to meet GHG reduction threshold for RFS program

2012-01-27T11:51:03-08:00

Simplified palm oil biofuel lifecycle system diagram. Source: EPA. Click to enlarge.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has conducted lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) analyses on biodiesel and renewable diesel produced from palm oil and estimated GHG emission reductions of 17% (81 (kgCO₂e/mmBtu) and 11% (87 (kgCO₂e/mmBtu) respectively for these biofuels compared to the statutory baseline (97 (kgCO₂e/mmBtu) petroleum-based diesel fuel used in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program.

Consequently, neither palm oil-based biofuel qualifies as meeting the minimum 20% greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction performance threshold required for renewable fuel under the RFS program. EPA has published a Notice of Data Availability (NODA) on this to provide an opportunity to comment on the analyses.

Palm oil lifecycle GHG emissions summary. Source: EPA. Click to enlarge.

The Clean Air Act (CAA), as amended by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), CAA requires a 20% reduction in lifecycle GHG emissions for renewable fuel produced at new facilities (those constructed after EISA enactment), a 50% reduction for biomass-based diesel or advanced biofuel, and a 60% reduction for cellulosic biofuel.

In developing the final rule, EPA focused its lifecycle analysis on fuels anticipated to contribute relatively large volumes of renewable fuel by 2022, but indicated that it would continue to examine several additional pathways not analyzed for the final rule, including those from palm oil, and would complete this process through a supplemental rulemaking process.

In the lifecycle assessment for palm oil fuels, EPA utilized models developed for the final RFS2 rule. These models take into account energy and emissions inputs for fuel and feedstock production, distribution, and use, as well as economic models that predict changes in agricultural markets. EPA used the same general approach to estimate global land use change GHG emissions from using palm oil as a feedstock as it used to analyze other biofuel pathways.

However, EPA also undertook a more detailed assessment of Malaysia and Indonesia—where close to 90% of world palm oil is currently produced—based on a number of factors, including the scale of the palm oil industry in the region and the availability of new data on palm oil land use.

The analysis considered past trends to determine likely areas of future palm expansion and classified these areas according to both their land cover and their soil type. EPA found that palm oil production produces wastewater effluent that eventually decomposes, creating methane, a GHG with a high global warming potential. Another key factor in the lifecycle GHG profile is the expected expansion of palm plantations onto land with carbon-rich peat soils which would lead to significant releases of GHGs to the atmosphere.

Resources

NODA Docket Materials

BioJet forms strategic alliance with Council of Energy Resource Tribes (CERT); envisioning up to $1B in joint projects over 10 years

2012-01-27T09:55:59-08:00

The Council of Energy Resource Tribes (CERT) and BioJet International have formed a strategic business relationship. The two expect to conclude a Memorandum of Agreement in the next 60 days to define the terms of their participation.

We envision the scope of our business relationship broadly with CERT to include at least $1 billion worth of joint projects over a ten year period locating feedstock generation and refining operations to provide biofuels for commercial airlines and ground transportation at key locations throughout the western United States.
—Mitch Hawkins, Chairman and CEO of BioJet

CERT comprises of 57 sovereign Native American tribes as members. CERT members collectively own and manage more than 30% of the coal west of the Mississippi; 40% of domestic uranium; and 10% of known national oil and gas reserves in the United States. CERT members also manage millions of acres of agricultural lands from which feedstock for biofuels may be grown.

BioJet International is a supply chain integrator in renewable jet fuel and related co-products which include green diesel for the aviation and related commercial transportation sectors. BioJet last year received a funding facility commitment of $1.2 billion to capitalize its supply chain projects program which include feedstock and refining projects as well as investments and related strategic acquisitions. (Earlier post.)

Rhodia and Avantium to jointly develop bio-based polyamides; applications include automotive

2012-01-27T06:54:47-08:00

Specialty chemical company Rhodia, member of the Solvay Group, and Avantium, which spun off from Shell in 2000 to develop furan-based biofuels and biomaterials (earlier post), have entered into a partnership to jointly develop a range of new bio-based polyamides targeting a variety of applications.

This partnership expands and completes the previously announced development agreement in the field of bio-based engineering plastics between Solvay and Avantium. (Earlier post.)

In the frame of this joint development, the companies will explore the market potential of polyamide compositions on the basis of YXY building blocks. Produced from renewable and bio-based feedstock, these compositions are expected to exhibit superior environmental profile and at the same time to deliver applicative performances at a competitive cost.

Rhodia will test these new polyamides for fibers and engineering applications in various areas such as consumer goods, automotive and electronic materials. Rhodia and Avantium have entered into a multi-year, exclusive collaboration towards commercialization of these new polyamides.

YXY (pronounced icksy) is Avantium’s brand name of a family of green building blocks for making materials and fuels that can compete on both price and performance with oil-based alternatives, and which have a superior environmental footprint. Based on Avantium’s patented catalytic technology to convert biomass into furanic building blocks, YXY can be implemented in existing chemical production assets.

Renewable fuels company KiOR closes $75M loan

2012-01-27T06:33:43-08:00

Renewable fuels company KiOR, Inc. (earlier post) has closed a $75 million four-year term loan with a lender group comprising an affiliate of Vinod Khosla and two Canadian corporations owned by certain pension fund clients of Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo).

The additional capital de-risks KiOR’s near-term business plan, decreases KiOR’s dependency on volatile capital markets and allows additional front-end engineering work on our second facility.
—Fred Cannon, CEO

KiOR is a development-stage company commercializing a two-step catalytic pyrolysis technology platform to convert non-food biomass into gasoline, diesel and fuel oil blendstocks. KiOR’s blendstocks may be transported using existing distribution networks and are suitable for use in vehicles on the road today.

Chevrolet pioneers Ecologic auto environmental label

2012-01-27T04:00:00-08:00

Chevrolet announced its vehicles sold in the United States will have Ecologic environmental labels, starting with the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, that let customers see some of the environmental features of the vehicle relating to manufacturing, driving and recycling. Chevrolet is the first automotive brand to include a label of this kind on its vehicles.

The Ecologic labels will be located on the rear driver-side window of Sonics beginning in March. It will appear on 2013 Chevrolet vehicles later this year.

Ecologic label on a Sonic. Click to enlarge.

Each claim on the Chevrolet-created labels is audited by Two Tomorrows, an independent third-party sustainability agency that provides auditing and assurance services to companies for environmental initiatives.

The label communicates vehicle-specific features in the following areas:

Before the road: Environmental aspects related to vehicle manufacturing and assembly.
On the road: Fuel-saving features such as advanced engine technologies, aerodynamics, lighter weight components or low-rolling resistance tires.
After the road: How 85% by weight of the vehicle can be recycled at the end of its lifespan.

Chevrolet’s goal to invest millions in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other lower-carbon projects to reduce US emissions by up to 8 million metric tons demonstrates innovative corporate leadership. With this new labeling program, Chevrolet not only gives easy access to information customers want, it again shows its commitment to the environment.
—Eileen Claussen, president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES)

Team discovers new catalytic process to upgrade hydrocarbon by-products of sulfur-free diesel production from natural gas and biomass

2012-01-27T03:15:00-08:00

Researchers at the Cardiff Catalysis Institute (Cardiff University, UK) have found a potential catalytic route for upgrading by-products resulting from the production of sulfur-free diesel from natural gas and biomass. These byproducts, hydrocarbons such as decane and other low-value alkanes, currently have little practical use.

In the past, they note in a paper in Nature Chemistry, synthetic reactions starting from alkanes like decane have been fraught with difficulty. They tend either to over-dehydrogenate or to combust, depending on whether oxygen is present in the reaction. The Cardiff Catalysis Institute team reported the use of a mixed-metal catalyst to convert decane to a range of oxygenated aromatics.

The breakthrough came when the team fed a gas mixture of decane and air through an iron molybdate catalyst. At higher temperatures, the reaction formed water and decene, which is used in the production of detergents. At lower temperatures, however, the reaction took a different route to create oxygenated aromatic molecules. These included phthalic anhydride, used in the dyeing industry, and coumarin which helps in the production of anti-coagulant drugs.

This discovery breaks new ground as it implies the involvement of oxygen that has not yet made the full transition from its molecular form to its ionic form. This overturns a widely-held view that this type of oxygen was too reactive to form anything other than carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in reactions with hydrocarbons.

While the increased production of sulfur-free diesel has been a positive move, the glut of low value by-products will become a problem. We hope our new process will lead to less waste and the creation of more useful chemicals for a range of industries.
—Professor Stan Golunski, a member of the Institute team

Resources

Sivaram Pradhan, Jonathan K. Bartley, Donald Bethell, Albert F. Carley, Marco Conte, Stan Golunski, Matthew P. House, Robert L. Jenkins, Rhys Lloyd & Graham J. Hutchings (2012) Non-lattice surface oxygen species implicated in the catalytic partial oxidation of decane to oxygenated aromatics. Nature Chemistry 4, 134-139 doi: 10.1038/nchem.1245

Ford uses kenaf plant inside doors in the new Escape, saving weight and energy

2012-01-27T02:45:00-08:00

As part of its overall effort to make vehicles more sustainable, Ford is making the material inside the door—known as the bolster—in part from kenaf. Kenaf is a tropical plant that looks similar to bamboo and is related to cotton. The plant replaces oil-based materials inside the doors of the all-new Ford Escape.

A stand of kenaf in the Texas Rio Grande Valley towers over a USDA ARS scientist. Photo by David Nance. Source: ARS. Click to enlarge.

The use of kenaf is anticipated to offset 300,000 pounds of oil-based resin per year in North America; use of this material reduces the weight of the door bolsters by 25%. Weight savings translate into fuel savings for drivers.

Kenaf oil is used in cosmetics and kenaf fiber is used as an alternative to wood in the production of paper. The upper leaves and shoots of the plant are edible.

The kenaf is combined with polypropylene in a 50-50 mixture inside the door of the Escape. International Automotive Components (IAC) manufactures the door bolsters in Greencastle, Ind.

The new Escape, which will be available to customers this spring, features several eco-friendly components in addition to the kenaf inside the doors. Materials that are recycled, renewable, and that reduce impact on the environment include soy foam in the seats and head restraints; plastic bottles and other post-consumer and post-industrial materials in the carpeting; climate control gaskets made from recycled tires; and more than 10 pounds of scrap cotton from the making of denim jeans.

Wide use of more environmentally friendly, recycled and recyclable materials complements the projected best-in-class fuel economy of the all-new Ford Escape, further boosting the vehicle’s environmentally responsible credentials. The new Escape meets the USCAR Vehicle Recycling Partnership goal that 85% of the vehicle is recyclable.

Berkeley Lab developing novel metal-organic framework materials for high-capacity hydrogen storage

2012-01-27T02:00:00-08:00

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is working to synthesize novel metal-organic framework materials with high hydrogen adsorption capacities sufficient to provide safe and cost-effective storage that could support a 300-mile (483-km) range on vehicles.

The US Department of Energy recently awarded Berkeley Lab a three-year, $2.1 million grant for the project, which will also include contributions by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and General Motors (GM). (Earlier post.) The grant was part of more than $7 million awarded by DOE last month for hydrogen storage technologies in fuel cell electric vehicles.

With these materials, we’re working on storing the hydrogen without the use of very high pressures, which will be safer and also more efficient without the significant compression energy losses.
—Jeffrey Long, project co-leader

Separately, Long is also using MOFs in a carbon capture project, in which the material would selectively absorb carbon dioxide over nitrogen. For the fuel cell project, the trick lies not in getting the MOF to select hydrogen out of a mixture but to store as much hydrogen as possible.

Long’s approach is to create frameworks with lightweight metal sites on the surface, making it attractive for hydrogen molecules to bind to the sites. So far Long has succeeded in more than doubling hydrogen capacity, but only at very low temperatures (around 77 Kelvin, or -321 °F).

It’s still very much basic research on how to create revolutionary new materials that would boost the capacity by a factor of four or five at room temperature. We have an idea of what kinds of frameworks we might make to do this.

Our approach has been to make some of the first metal-organic frameworks that have exposed metal cations on the surface. Now we need to figure out ways of synthesizing the materials so that instead of one hydrogen molecule we can get two or three or even four hydrogen molecules per metal site. Nobody’s done that.
—Jeffrey Long

Martin Head-Gordon, a Berkeley Lab computational chemist an co-leader, will work on theoretical understanding of MOFs so that he can try to predict their hydrogen storage properties and then instruct Long’s team as to what kind of material to synthesize.

The scientist at GM will aid in providing accurate high-pressure measurements. The NIST scientist is an expert in neutron diffraction and neutron spectroscopy, which will allow Long and his team to pinpoint where exactly the hydrogen is going and verify that it is binding to the metals.

California ARB hearing on Advanced Clean Cars regulation package carries over to Friday

2012-01-26T18:06:36-08:00

Thursday’s California Air Resources Board (ARB) hearing on the Advanced Clean Cars (ACC) regulation package (earlier post)—comprising LEV III for criteria and greenhouse gas emissions, modifications to the ZEV regulation for zero-emission vehicles, and modifications to the CFO (Clean Fuels Outlet) regulation to build a hydrogen fueling infrastructure in the state—is continuing over to Friday.

The Board heard its staff present the ACC package with modifications, and heard open public comment. In the Friday session, Board members will deliberate and question staff in trying to move the package forward.

We are here to consider another historical package of emission regulations. We are not just addressing various emissions from the car. I think we have finally gotten to the point where we are looking at the car as a unit, a holistic item, as a vehicle that uses fuel, not separate from the fuel. This is an important change in the whole philosophy of what we are doing and puts us on a path to achieve some very ambitious clean air and climate goals.

We are moving into a new era of electric and fuel cell vehicles, and we intend to put 1.4 million of the cleanest cars on our roads by 2025. This will ensure that the market for these vehicles will grow and be robust.
—Mary Nichols, ARB Chairman, at the opening of the hearing

Many of the public comments were supportive, with some organizations urging a more stringent version of the regulations, especially on restricting an option that would allow over-compliance by an automaker with greenhouse gas standards under LEV III to enable a reduction in the number of ZEV vehicles required from that automaker. There was also some concern expressed over the pacing of the more stringent PM regulations under LEV III as well.

Several small business organizations spoke out against the CFO regulations requiring the build-out of the hydrogen fueling infrastructure.

President Obama calls for push on natural gas vehicle adoption and new technology

2012-01-26T16:49:41-08:00

In remarks made at UPS in Las Vegas, Nevada, President Barack Obama urged getting more natural gas vehicles on the road. He said that while the federal government can lead by example, “we’ve got to help not only the federal government but also local governments upgrade their fleet. If more of these brown trucks are going green, more city buses should, too. There’s no reason why buses can’t go in the same direction.”

The President also called for new tax incentives to help companies (such as UPS) buy more clean trucks, and for continued government partnering with the private sector to develop up to five natural gas corridors along US highways.

These are highways that have natural gas fueling stations between cities, just like the one that folks at UPS, South Coast Air and Clean Energy Fuels are opening today between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. That’s a great start. So now one of these trucks can go from Long Beach all the way to Salt Lake City. And they’re going to be able to refuel along the way.

And finally, to keep America on the cutting edge of clean energy technology, I want my Energy Secretary, Steven Chu, to launch a new competition that encourages our country’s brightest scientists and engineers and entrepreneurs to discover new breakthroughs for natural gas vehicles.
—President Obama

Li-ion manufacturer Ener1 files pre-packaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy

2012-01-26T11:53:15-08:00

Li-ion manufacturer Ener1, Inc. has initiated a pre-packaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy case to implement a restructuring plan agreed on by its primary investors and lenders. Ener1 says the plan will significantly reduce its debt and provide up to $81 million to recapitalize itself to support its long-term business objectives and strategic plan.

In 2009, Ener1 subsidiary EnerDel received $118.5 million in federal grant funding under the stimulus package.

Ener1 filed its Chapter 11 case in US Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York, in which it is requesting that the Court confirm the pre-packaged Plan of Reorganization to implement the restructuring. The Company filed a proposed Disclosure Statement and Plan of Reorganization with the Court and anticipates completing the restructuring process in approximately 45 days.

None of Ener1’s foreign or domestic subsidiaries has initiated reorganization cases, and are not expected to be adversely impacted by the legal proceedings. The restructuring plan provides for the continued normal operation of the subsidiary businesses, including EnerDel, EnerFuel, NanoEner, Emerging Power and Ener1 Korea, all of which will honor their customer commitments and will continue to pay their suppliers for goods and services as usual. Ener1 said its operating subsidiaries do not plan to reduce employment levels as a direct result of the filing, although they will continue to monitor market conditions and make adjustments to the workforce as appropriate.

The pre-packaged restructuring plan provides for a restructuring of the long-term debt and the infusion of up to $81 million of equity funding, which will support the continued operation of Ener1’s subsidiaries and help ensure that the restructuring will not adversely impact their employees, customers and suppliers.

Of this amount, a new debtor-in-possession (DIP) credit facility of up to $20 million will be available upon Court approval to support working capital needs during the restructuring. The balance, for a total of up to $81 million, will be available over the four years following Court approval of the restructuring plan and subject to the satisfaction of certain terms and conditions.

In addition to the restructuring of long-term debt, the claims of Ener1’s general unsecured creditors will be unimpaired and paid by the Company under the restructuring plan. Under the plan, all of Ener1 existing common stock will be canceled, the long-term debt holders will be receiving a combination of cash, a new term loan and new common stock in exchange for their claims, and new preferred stock will be issued to the provider of the post-petition and exit funding.

Suppliers to the Company will be paid under normal terms for goods and services provided after the Chapter 11 filing date. Payments for goods and services provided directly to the Company prior to the filing date have been previously settled or will be paid pursuant to the restructuring plan when it is approved by the Court.

On 12 December 2011, Ener1 common stock was delisted from NASDAQ. Pursuant to the plan, that common stock will be extinguished at the conclusion of the reorganization case and current equity holders will not receive any distributions.

Ener1’s legal advisor is Reed Smith LLP and its financial advisor is Houlihan Lokey Capital, Inc.

DENSO cuts size and weight of radiator by 40%

2012-01-26T10:40:52-08:00

DENSO Corporation has developed a new and more efficient radiator that is 40% smaller and lighter, compared to DENSO’s previous radiators. Also, the radiator’s tank is made with a plant-derived resin making it more environmentally friendly than conventional radiators.

With higher heat radiation efficiency, the new radiator is only 16 mm wide, but equal in performance to the conventional 27 mm wide radiators, resulting in a substantial size and weight reduction.

The radiator, located at the front of the engine compartment of a vehicle, is a heat exchanger which cools the engine cooling water. The radiator consists of three units: tubes through which engine cooling water flows, a tank that stores the water, and corrugated fins for heat exchange. When outside air drawn through the front side of the engine compartment is forced through the radiator fins, it removes heat from the fins and thus cools the engine cooling water flowing through the tubes.

Radiator structure and DENSO width reduction. Source: DENSO. Click to enlarge.

A radiator’s performance depends on its two major components: fins and tubes. The radiator’s more efficient heat radiation is achieved through improvements in the design of the fins. DENSO increased the amount of louvers—that are located on the surface of the fin—to 30% per unit area. This design change allowed the radiator to have 10% more efficient heat radiation than DENSO’s conventional radiators.

DENSO, along with a materials manufacturer, has jointly developed thinner and higher-strength materials that are used to make the fins and tubes. This new material allows for a global procurement of materials, which helps DENSO be cost-effective in all regions around the world. The fin, using DENSO’s manufacturing expertise, is the world’s thinnest of its kind, the company says. The radiator offers the same strength as DENSO’s previous radiators while using thinner materials. All these advantages enabled the radiator to be 40% smaller and lighter than the previous models.

The newly developed 16 mm wide radiator is installed in the Lexus GS. In addition to the 16 mm wide radiator, DENSO will also commercialize a 27 mm wide type, which is thinner than the conventional model of 36 mm type, and 11.5 mm wide type which are thinner than the conventional model of 16 mm, to offer a wider range of the new radiator series for a greater range of vehicle models.

Rotrak testing prototype variable drive supercharger in vehicle on dyno

2012-01-26T10:07:03-08:00

Initial design layout of the Rotrak system with the corresponding block diagram. Source: Stone (2010). Click to enlarge.

Rotrak, the 50:50 joint-venture between traction drive specialist Torotrak plc and centrifugal supercharger company Rotrex A/S, is testing an advanced variable drive supercharger technology at Torotrak PLC’s test facility in Leyland, UK. (Earlier post.) The company’s engineers have a prototype system running in a B-segment donor vehicle on a dynamometer and are calibrating the control strategy to prove its driveability, performance, CO₂ and fuel economy benefits.

Rotrak combines a Rotrex centrifugal supercharger and traction epicyclic with a Torotrak variable ratio full-toroidal traction drive to deliver performance and customer satisfaction levels not available from current pressure-charging solutions, according to the company.

In a 2010 paper, Roger Stone, Engineering Director, Torotrak noted that conventional turbo- and supercharging technologies are more than capable of delivering the required peak power and torque levels from downsized engines but suffer from a number of compromises:

Small turbocharged engines suffer from “lag” under transient conditions and have great difficulty in achieving sufficient low speed torque and responsiveness to provide the launch feel of a larger engine.
Positive displacement superchargers are much more able to provide the bottom end response and torque levels but the fixed drive ratio means that they are effectively over-sized and therefore wasteful at higher speeds.
Both solutions involve part load losses which compromise some of the fuel consumption savings made by downsizing.

The combination of the Rotrex centrifugal supercharger with a Torotrak full-toroidal traction drive CVT (continuously variable transmission) provides a compact pressure charging solution that overcomes many of these problems, Stone noted. The wide ratio spread provided by such a CVT allows much greater control over the available boost pressure even at low engine speed. Furthermore, a significant part of the speed/load map can be exploited by adjusting supercharger speed in order to control charge air mass flow while leaving the throttle wide open, minimizing pumping loss.

Additional benefits in comparison with turbocharger solutions include simpler transient air fuel ration (AFR) control, and reduced thermal inertia in the exhaust, enabling faster catalyst light-off and reduced under hood temperatures.

At low speeds, engines with only two or three cylinders find it harder to give the turbo enough exhaust energy to generate the torque drivers need to pull away quickly. The Rotrak variable drive supercharger isn’t limited in this way. Instead we’re taking energy from the crank, passing it through our variable drive and into a centrifugal compressor to boost combustion. It gives the next generation of downsized powertrains ‘big-engine’ response.
—Andrew de Freitas, Rotrak Product Director

The Rotrak system is performing well, said James Shawe, the senior engineer responsible for the calibration project, as the team learns to control and apply the technology’s very fast torque-delivery.

We’re among the first engineers to calibrate a variable drive supercharger. It’s uncharted territory and a lot of work, but the effort we invest in exploring the technology’s operating envelope is establishing new areas of engine performance for manufacturers. The intellectual property and know-how we’re generating provides a new variable in engine control strategies with which manufacturers can increase performance and reduce CO₂ emissions.
— Andrew de Freitas

Work to develop a drivable prototype for interested Tier Ones and vehicle manufacturers will continue on the rolling road for the next few months. At the same time, Torotrak will gather data on the system’s efficiency to validate fuel economy simulations.

The Rotrak prototype is undergoing testing on one of two single axle rolling-road dynamometers at Torotrak. The dyno is capable of testing vehicles at speeds of up to 250 km/h (155 mph) and the roller has a maximum tractive effort of 6000N. In-cell weather stations monitor atmospheric pressure, relative humidity and ambient air temperature, which can be controlled from 10-30°C.

Resources

Roger Stone (2010) Exploitation of Full-Toroidal CVT Technology to a Centrifugal Supercharger for Radical Engine Downsizing Applications

USDA approves conditional $232.5M loan guarantee commitment to ZeaChem cellulosic biorefinery

2012-01-26T08:32:33-08:00

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a conditional loan guarantee commitment in the amount of $232.5 million to ZeaChem Boardman Biorefinery, LLC (ZBB) through the Biorefinery Assistance Program. ZBB will operate a 25 million gallon per year biorefinery, which will be constructed on an industrial site in Boardman, Oregon. Under the conditional commitment, ZBB must meet specified conditions before the 60% loan guarantee can be completed. The biorefinery is projected to be operational by late 2014.

Located in the northeast part of the state, the biorefinery will use high-yield cellulosic fermentation technology to produce advanced biofuels (cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels). An estimated 51% or more of the biorefinery’s output will be advanced biofuel, and the remainder will be high-value bio-based chemicals, such as acetic acid and ethyl acetate.

An existing 250,000-gallon per year cellulosic integrated demonstration plant at the site is currently generating operational data that will provide information needed for the commercial scale project, which will be located on an adjacent site.

The feedstock will consist of approximately 30% agricultural residue, such as wheat straw and corn stover, and 70% woody biomass from a local hybrid poplar farm. This poplar biomass carries a Forest Sustainability Council (FSC) certification, giving this cellulosic ethanol project additional merit as a model of environmentally-responsible, sustainable feedstock dependence.

The total project cost for the 25 million gallon per year biorefinery is estimated to be $390.5 million. The development of this advanced biofuel production technology serves as an example of Federal interagency partnerships through program support for research and development from the Department of Energy (DOE) Sun Grant Initiative; USDA’s National Institute of Food & Agriculture; Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Programs; and the USDA Farm Service Agency’s Biomass Crop Assistance Program.

The announcement is the second guaranteed loan under the Biorefinery Assistance Program (Sec. 9003 of the 2008 Farm Bill) to be made by USDA this month. Last week Secretary Vilsack announced that USDA funding will be used to construct the Fiberight 55,000 square foot biorefinery near Cedar Rapids, Iowa that will produce cellulosic ethanol by converting municipal solid waste and other industrial pulps into advanced biofuels, in addition to production of conventional renewable biofuel derived from seed corn waste. (Earlier post.)

USDA’s Biorefinery Assistance Program was authorized by Congress under the 2008 Farm Bill. It provides loan guarantees to capitalize on the growing opportunities in renewable energy provided by advanced biofuels.

BOEM announces proposed Central Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale; nearly 38 million acres available

2012-01-26T06:16:38-08:00

The US Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will hold the consolidated Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 216/222 in New Orleans on 20 June 202012. The sale will include all available unleased areas in the Central Planning Area offshore Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Lease Sale 216/222 is the last remaining sale scheduled in the 2007 – 2012 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Natural Gas Leasing Program. As President Obama discussed in his State of the Union address on Tuesday, DOI is finalizing the next Five-Year Program for 2012-2017, which will make more than 75% of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas estimated on the OCS available for development. The Proposed 2012-2017 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program schedules 12 lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico.

The proposed lease sale includes approximately 7,250 unleased blocks covering nearly 38 million acres. The blocks are located from three to about 230 miles offshore, in water depths ranging from nine to more than 11,115 feet (three to 3,400 meters) in the Central Gulf of Mexico, a region that BOEM estimates contains close to 31 billion barrels of oil and 134 trillion cubic feet of natural gas that are currently undiscovered and technically recoverable. BOEM estimates that the Central Gulf sale could result in the production of 1 billion barrels of oil and 4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

The terms of sale will reflect recent administrative changes, including escalating rental rates to encourage prompt exploration and development of leases, as well as time under the lease if the operator demonstrates a commitment to exploration by drilling a well during the base period. The durational terms of leases are graduated by water depth to account for differences in operating at various water depths.

In addition, BOEM recently increased the minimum bid for deepwater to $100 per acre, up from $37.50. BOEM said that analysis of the last 15 years of lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico showed that deepwater leases that received high bids of less than $100 per acre, adjusted for energy prices at time of each sale, experienced virtually no exploration and development drilling.

The terms of sale also reflect a series of conditions to protect the environment. These include stipulations to protect biologically sensitive resources, mitigate potential adverse effects on protected species, and avoid potential conflicts associated with oil and gas development in the region. BOEM completed a supplemental environmental impact statement relating to this sale, which considers the latest available information for the Central Gulf of Mexico Planning Area following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Ford to offer EcoBoost engines in 11 vehicles in 2012, up from 7 in 2011

2012-01-26T06:01:14-08:00

Ford will offer fuel-efficient EcoBoost engines in 11 vehicles in 2012, up from seven in 2011, tripling the production capacity of EcoBoost-equipped Ford vehicles. In 2011, Ford sold 127,883 EcoBoost-equipped vehicles.

The high-volume Escape compact utility vehicle and the Fusion sedan gain a 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine option. The full-size Taurus sedan becomes the first Ford vehicle to offer customers a choice between two EcoBoost engines. It will offer a 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder making an estimated 237 hp (178 kW), while the Taurus SHO sport sedan features a 365 hp (272 kW), twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6.

Additionally, the Focus ST arrives this year as a high-performance sport compact EcoBoost application. Additionally, Ford offers an EcoBoost-powered Police Interceptor for 2012—its first turbocharged law-enforcement vehicle offering.

Microbubbles for algae harvesting

2012-01-26T03:12:00-08:00

Researchers at the University of Sheffield (UK) have developed a technique for harvesting algae using microbubble technology. The technique builds on previous research in which microbubbles were used to improve the way algae is cultivated.

Algae produce an oil which can be processed to create a useful biofuel; however, cost-effective methods of harvesting and removing the water from the algae for it to be processed effectively are challenging.

A team led by Professor Will Zimmerman in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering developed an inexpensive way of producing microbubbles that can float algae particles to the surface of the water, making harvesting easier, and saving biofuel-producing companies time and money. The research will be published in the journal Biotechnology and Bioengineering.

Professor Zimmerman and his team won the Moulton Medal, from the Institute of Chemical Engineers, for their earlier work which used the microbubble technology to improve algae production methods, allowing producers to grow crops more rapidly and more densely.

We thought we had solved the major barrier to biofuel companies processing algae to use as fuel when we used microbubbles to grow the algae more densely. It turned out, however, that algae biofuels still couldn’t be produced economically, because of the difficulty in harvesting and dewatering the algae. We had to develop a solution to this problem and once again, microbubbles provided a solution.
—Professor Zimmerman

Microbubbles have been used for flotation before: water purification companies use the process to float out impurities, but it hasn’t been done in this context, partly because previous methods have been very expensive.

The system developed by Professor Zimmerman´s team uses up to 1,000 times less energy to produce the microbubbles and, in addition, the cost of installing the Sheffield microbubble system is predicted to be much less than existing flotation systems.

The next step in the project is to develop a pilot plant to test the system at an industrial scale. Professor Zimmerman is already working with Tata Steel at their site in Scunthorpe using CO₂ from their flue-gas stacks and plans to continue this partnership to test the new system.

The research was supported by the University of Sheffield´s Knowledge Transfer Account, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. It was also supported by the Royal Society Innovation Award 2010, and the Concept Fund of Yorkshire Forward.

Resources

James Hanotu, HC Hemaka Bandulasena, William B Zimmerman (2012) Microflotation Performance for Algal Separation. Biotechnology and Bioengineering

BMW introduces new 6-cylinder in-line diesel with 3 turbochargers for new M Performance models

2012-01-26T03:00:00-08:00

BMW has introduced a new range of M Performance Automobiles featuring a new 6-cylinder in-line diesel developed exclusively for those applications. The engines, which feature three turbochargers, deliver maximum output reaching 280 kW/381 hp and peak torque of 740 N·m (546 lb-ft).

The new engine is applied in the BMW M550d xDrive Sedan, BMW M550d xDrive Touring, BMW X5 M50d and BMW X6 M50d. The vehicles are also equipped with an eight-speed sports automatic gearbox and the intelligent all-wheel-drive system BMW xDrive tuned to suit each model, as well as BMW EfficientDynamics technologies, including Auto Start-Stop and ECO PRO mode.

The BMW M550d xDrive Sedan, the most fuel-efficient of the new series, accelerates from 0 – 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.7 seconds and has a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). Average fuel consumption is 6.3 liters/100 kilometers (37.3 mpg US), with CO₂ emissions of 165 g/km. The vehicle meets Euro 6 exhaust standards.

Output and torque diagram for the new diesel. Click to enlarge.

M Performance TwinPower Turbo diesel with tri-turbo. The market launch of the first BMW M Performance Automobiles also marks the premiere of the most powerful diesel engine ever fitted in one of the brand’s models. With maximum output of 280 kW/381 hp, the 2,993 cc engine has a specific output of 93.6 kW/127.3 hp per liter of displacement. The maximum torque of 740 N·m (546 lb-ft) is on tap as low down as 2,000 rpm.

Playing a central role in this increase in power is M Performance TwinPower Turbo technology. The engine developed for the BMW M Performance Automobiles will, for the first time, see two comparatively small high-pressure chargers working with a larger low-pressure unit. The integration of an additional high-pressure turbo increases the engine’s capability when it comes to generating charge pressure, a key ingredient in taking the engine’s power output to the next level.

The M Performance TwinPower Turbo technology—including the requisite charge air cooling—is integrated into a small space in the main unit. Its compact construction puts the engine in a position to meet future pedestrian protection stipulations, while the arrangement of the three turbochargers is also part of an intelligent system.

Both the exhaust inflow to drive the turbos and the supply of fresh air, plus the channelling of compressed air to the combustion chambers, have been designed to ensure that the three compression units work as a team as effectively as possible at all engine speeds. Efficiency is further optimized by the variable turbine geometry of the two high-pressure chargers, which allows them to react even more precisely to the driver’s power needs.

One of the two small turbos is activated at engine speeds just above idle. Its low moment of inertia allows it to respond without delay to slight movements of the accelerator and therefore supply the combustion chambers with compressed air at an early stage. As revs increase, the flow of exhaust gas also reaches the larger turbocharger, which announces its arrival with the engine spinning at just 1,500 rpm. Working together with the small charger, it ensures that the peak torque of 740 Newton metres (546 lb-ft) is generated at this low engine speed and maintained up to 3,000 rpm.

To further increase the performance of the large turbocharger, a greater volume of exhaust gas is required at around 2,700 rpm. If the driver calls up additional power, a vacuum-modulated exhaust flap instantly opens up another supply route, allowing extra exhaust gas to flow past the already active high-pressure charger to the large low-pressure turbo. The third turbocharger—integrated into this bypass line—also has a low moment of inertia and variable compressor geometry, which allow it to spring into action as soon as the exhaust flap opens. The result is additional charge pressure, generated by two sources at the same time. The large turbocharger is able to deliver its full output, while the second small turbo builds on the effect of its two active colleagues by supplying even more compressed air to the combustion chambers.

This arrangement allows the turbocharging system to drive the engine with sustained thrust to its maximum output, which it achieves up between 4,000 and 4,400 rpm. The maximum engine speed of the new diesel powerplant is 5,400 rpm. In order to ensure that charge pressure is developed as effectively as possible, both the exhaust flow and supply of fresh air to the turbos and the channelling of compressed air into the combustion chambers is regulated with precision.

If the large turbocharger is spinning at particularly high speeds, a vacuum regulator opens a wastegate valve to relieve the pressure and so avoid unwanted exhaust backpressure. The supply of fresh air is also controlled according to need by means of pneumatically activated flaps. For example, at low revs a bypass flap ensures that the air is channelled directly to the high-pressure charger, which spins into action very early. At less than 2,700 rpm a change-over flap keeps the air away from the third turbo, which is not yet active, to prevent unnecessary fluctuations in pressure.

Indirect charge air cooling enables the temperature of the air compressed by the three turbos to be reduced to the optimum level for increasing engine output. Both the main radiator positioned immediately in front of the combustion chambers and the intercooler behind the low-pressure charger are supplied by a low-temperature water circuit with separate electric pump.

Increased combustion pressure. Maximum combustion pressure in the engine has risen from the 185 bar of the most powerful diesel engine in the existing BMW line-up to 200 bar. As part of this development, the crankcase in the new 3.0-liter diesel engine features a novel tie rod concept for the assembly of the main bearing caps and cylinder head. The sintered main bearing caps are given extra strength by a central screw. Like the crankcase, the cylinder head is also subjected to a special high-pressure compression process.

This “HIPen” manufacturing concept sees the aluminium castings heated to solution annealing temperature and the casting pores created during manufacturing welded under high pressure. This process gives the finished component additional strength. A double diagonal bore ensures the interbore bridges have high thermal stability.

The geometry of the crankshaft and connecting rods has been further optimized and they are now made from higher-strength materials. Added to which, hub bushings and bowl rim remelting enhance the effect of the increase in piston compression height.

Fuel injection system. Higher pressure also raises the efficiency of the injection system. The injection system of the new six-cylinder in-line diesel engine has also benefited from further development. The upgraded system raises the injection pressure of the piezo injectors to 2,200 bar. During each power stroke, three pre-injections, one main injection and four post-injections of fuel take place.

An ultra-high-performance pump channels the fuel to the combustion chambers through a common rail made from forged stainless steel.

The output and capacity of the cooling system have been given another boost, too. An additional low-temperature circuit supplied by an electric water pump controls the temperature of the intercoolers. The exhaust treatment system includes a diesel particulate filter and oxidation catalytic converter, which is located close to the engine in the same casing. More efficient exhaust cooling, meanwhile, minimises the formation of nitrogen oxides. Standard-fitted BMW BluePerformance technology, which includes a NO_x storage catalytic converter, helps the new diesel engine powering the BMW M550d xDrive to meet the EU6 exhaust standard not due to come into force until 2014.

Eight-speed automatic. The configuration of the transmission management system for the BMW M Performance Automobiles promotes dynamic acceleration. The M-specification gearshift dynamics enable extremely rapid gear changes with an almost uninterrupted flow of power. The eight-speed Sports automatic transmission offers the driver two automated shift programs—D and S modes—as well as the option of changing gear manually (in M mode). The automatic gearbox is operated using an electronic gearshift lever on the centre console adorned with an M logo. Manual mode allows the driver to change gears sequentially using either the gearshift lever or the paddles on the steering wheel.

In keeping with M fashion, the right-hand paddle changes up a gear and the left-hand paddle is used for downshifts. If the driver activates manual mode using the gearshift lever, the transmission holds the gear selected until the engine’s revs hit the limiter. By not shifting up automatically in this mode, the gearbox gives the driver maximum control over the car when pushing the dynamic boundaries. The driver can also switch instantaneously from automatic gear changes to M mode with a nudge of one of the gearshift paddles; if M mode is selected in this way, the gearbox’s automatic shift-up function remains active. The transmission also restores automatic mode if the gearshift paddles are not used again following an upshift or downshift.

Iowa State engineer working to increase efficiency of electric motors by optimizing performance in preferred direction of rotation

2012-01-26T02:11:00-08:00

Supported by a five-year, $400,000 grant (Award Nº 0846337) from the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development Program, Iowa State University assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering Dionysios Aliprantis is working to increase the efficiency of electric motors by optimizing performance in a preferred direction of rotation.

The objective of his “Sculpting Electric Machines for Unidirectional Motion” project is to study the improvement in electric machine operation when unidirectional motion is taken into account, since the vast majority of generators and motors rotate in a single direction.

The approach is to sculpt precisely the stator and rotor surfaces, thus affecting the electromagnetic field in the air gap so that the production of electromechanical torque is increased. The transformative value of this approach rests in its generality, being applicable to rotating machines of any power rating, material, or type.

The research involves analysis using the electromagnetic finite element method embedded inside an optimization loop, by adapting shape sensitivity-based design methods.

The goal is to get more power out of the same size motor. Or, that could mean getting the same power with a smaller motor. I’m looking for a little bit of increase, maybe 5 percent or 1 percent. But multiply that number by the number of hybrid cars, let’s say, and you could get savings in the billions of dollars. The potential here could be huge.
—Dionysios Aliprantis

The teeth that hold coils of wire within an electric motor, for example, have typically been built with a symmetrical shape that maintains performance in either direction. By making the teeth asymmetrical, the engineers hope the motor can pick up some power when rotating in the preferred direction.

We are trying to develop a systematic way of getting to the right shape. This idea is very simple, but motors are still being designed using techniques that are essentially one hundred years old.
—Dionysios Aliprantis

Mazda begins production of Mazda CX-5 with SKYACTIV-D diesel engine; Japan and Europe first markets

2012-01-26T02:00:00-08:00

The CX-5. Click to enlarge.

Mazda Motor Corporation has begun production of the all-new Mazda CX-5 with its new-generation SKYACTIV-D 2.2-liter diesel engine (earlier post) at its Ujina Plant near Mazda’s headquarters in Hiroshima. The CX-5 will be the first model of the company’s new-generation products that adopts SKYACTIV Technology throughout the vehicle (earlier post), in the powertrain, body and chassis, while fully embracing Mazda’s new design theme, “KODO - Soul of Motion.”

Mazda will start introducing the Mazda CX-5 this spring in Japan and Europe, followed by other markets around the world. The debut of the CX-5 with a diesel engine marks a new push on clean diesels in Japan market for Mazda. (Earlier post.)

Mazda says that the SKYACTIV-D 2.2 diesel engine is the first diesel engine—based on its data—to comply with global exhaust gas regulations, including Japan’s Post New Long-Term Regulations and Europe’s Euro6, without the need for an expensive nitrogen oxide (NO_x) aftertreatment system, such as the urea selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system or Lean NO_x Trap (LNT) catalyst.

By precisely controlling fuel injection and improving the exhaust valve’s opening and closing mechanism, the SKYACTIV-D diesel engine has achieved breakthroughs to resolve longstanding issues encountered in low compression ratio engines, such as poor start capability and lower combustion stability when the engine is cold.

These improvements helped to achieve the lowest compression ratio of 14.0:1 for a diesel engine for mass production vehicles.

In November 2011, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) unveiled the 2013 CX-5 compact SUV with a SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter gasoline engine at the Los Angeles Auto Show. (Earlier post.) With its 4-2-1 exhaust system, the 2013 CX-5 delivers 155 hp (116 kW) at 6,000 rpm; torque is measured at 150 lb-ft (203 N·m) at 4,000 rpm and redline is reached at 6500 rpm. The CX-5 offers a choice of transmissions in either the SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual or SKYACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic, a 2,000-pound towing capacity and an optional all-wheel drive.

US Sen. Brown introduces legislation to extend advanced energy manufacturing tax credit

2012-01-25T12:14:01-08:00

The Security in Energy and Manufacturing (SEAM) Act, authored by US. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), would extend the advanced energy manufacturing tax credit (48C credit). To be eligible for the tax credit, manufacturers must produce solar, wind, or geothermal energy equipment; fuel cells, microturbines, or batteries; electric cars; electric grids; energy conservation technologies; or equipment that captures and sequesters carbon dioxide or reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

The SEAM Act is also cosponsored by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Bob Casey (D-PA).

The program provides investment tax credits of 30% for facilities that manufacture energy equipment.

We can’t trade a dependence on foreign oil for a dependence on foreign-made sources of energy. It’s unacceptable that 70 percent of clean energy components are made outside of the US. Extending the Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit will help more American manufacturers create jobs through the production of cutting-edge energy technologies.
—Sen. Brown

The Department of Energy (DOE) states that the original program was more than three times oversubscribed. Nationwide, DOE deemed 418 projects eligible, which amounts to $5.8 billion in unfunded eligible applications. These manufacturers are waiting in the pipeline, and would be ready to break ground soon after they receive funding, Brown’s office noted.

Brown has repeatedly called for the expansion of the 48C program.

Univ. of Wisconsin team reports on new process for converting hemicellulose to furfural and levulinic acid as renewable fuel precursors and chemicals

2012-01-25T11:53:25-08:00

Schematic representation of the conversion of hemicellulose to furfural (FuAL) through the biphasic dehydration of xylose to furfural, followed by the production of levulinic acid (LA) by reduction of furfural to furfuryl alcohol (FuOH) and further reaction of furfuryl alcohol with water in a biphasic reactor. Source: Gürbüz et al. Click to enlarge.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin led by Dr. Jim Dumesic report the conversion of the hemicellulose fraction of lignocellulosic biomass to furfural and levulinic acid using biphasic reactors with alkylphenol solvents in a new paper in the journal ChemSusChem. The furfural and levulinic acid products are valuable compounds for a variety of chemical applications, and they serve as precursors for the synthesis of liquid transportation fuels.

In an 2011 paper in the same journal, the Dumesic team reported that alkylphenol solvents allow a more effective production of biofuels from corn stover by enabling selective extraction and hydrogenation of levulinic acid to GVL, and by increasing the final concentration of GVL through successive extraction/hydrogenation steps. In that paper, the team concluded that the versatility of alkylphenol solvents may lead to their use in other biomass conversion processes utilizing mineral acids for biomass deconstruction. (Earlier post.)

The conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into fuels and chemicals requires effective utilization of the C₅ and C₆ sugars present in hemicellulose and cellulose, respectively, by either processing these fractions together or separating and processing them separately. While simultaneous processing, such as in gasification or pyrolysis, offers the potential for simplicity of operation, the fractionation of hemicellulose and cellulose allows the processing of each fraction to be tailored to take advantage of the different chemical and physical properties of these fractions, and provides increased flexibility of operation.

For example, chemical processing methods can be employed to convert C₅ sugars into fuels/chemicals in hemicellulose, while employing recent advances in biological conversions allows to convert the C₆ sugars in cellulose into fuels and/or chemicals. One can also take advantage of the physical properties of cellulose for pulp and paper applications.

Herein, we show that the hemicellulose fraction of lignocellulosic biomass can be converted into furfural [FuAL] and levulinic acid [LA] by using biphasic reactors with alkylphenol solvents that selectively partition furanic compounds from acidic aqueous solutions. These furfural and levulinic acid products are valuable compounds for a variety of chemical applications, and they serve as precursors for the synthesis of liquid transportation fuels.
—Gürbüz et al.

Earlier work on the production of furfural from C₅ sugars (i.e., xylose) suffered from the low concentrations of xylose (1–2 wt %) from hemicellulose deconstruction, the team noted. Although other work using ion-exchange resin catalyst showed good yield, the regeneration of the catalysts is problematic, they added.

The Dumesic team’s strategy is to use a biphasic system consisting of an extractive organic layer and an aqueous layer that contains a mineral acid. These biphasic systems achieve high concentrations of FuAL and LA, enabling the recovery of both products at the top of distillation columns, and eliminating issues related to deactivation and regeneration of solid acid catalysts, the authors said.

The basic steps of the process include:

Solid biomass is subjected to mild pretreatment in a dilute-acid, aqueous solution to solubilize the hemicellulose as xylose.
After filtering the solution from the solid cellulose and lignin, an organic solvent is added to the aqueous solution, and these liquids are heated in a biphasic reactor to achieve dehydration of xylose to FuAL.
FuAL can be distilled from the solvent and sold as a chemical or converted to LA by first hydrogenating FuAL to furfuryl alcohol (FuOH) over a metal-based catalyst (e.g. , copper) and then reacting the FuOH with water in a biphasic reactor to form LA.
Similar to FuAL, the LA product can be distilled from the organic solvent and sold as a chemical.

In the paper, they demonstrated three organic solvents—2-sec-butylphenol (SBP), 4-n-hexylphenol (NHP) and 4-propyl guaiacol (PG)—to be effective extracting agents for the production of FuAL and LA in these biphasic systems. These solvents (i) have high partition coefficients for extraction of FuAL, FuOH, and LA; (ii) do not extract significant amounts of mineral acids from aqueous solutions; (iii) have higher boiling points than the final product; and (iv) could potentially be synthesized directly from biomass (i.e., lignin), such that these solvents would not have to be transported to the site of the biomass conversion steps.

The biorefining strategy outlined here offers the production of FuAL and LA from the hemicellulose portion of lignocellulosic biomass utilizing biphasic systems with new solvent systems. In the case of xylose dehydration, the presence of an extractive organic solvent enables the continuous removal of the highly reactive product (FuAL) from the acidic aqueous medium to prevent further degradation. In the case of FuOH hydrolysis, the biphasic system avoids high concentrations of the highly reactive reactant and/or intermediates in the acidic aqueous medium to prevent oligomerization reactions of FuOH that result in the formation of solid humins.

In both of these reaction systems, the organic solvent extracts the majority of the FuAl and LA products, enabling the separation of these valuable products from the mineral acid in the aqueous layer. Use of solvents such as SBP, NHP and PG allows for the production of FuAL and LA at higher concentrations compared to monophasic reactions in water, leading to more efficient separation of these products at the top of distillation columns.
—Gürbüz et al.

Resources

Gürbüz, E. I., Wettstein, S. G. and Dumesic, J. A. (2012) Conversion of Hemicellulose to Furfural and Levulinic Acid using Biphasic Reactors with Alkylphenol Solvents. ChemSusChemdoi: 10.1002/cssc.201100608

Green gasoline company CORE BioFuel Inc. engages Osprey Capital Partners Inc. to secure investment for construction engineering

2012-01-25T11:11:46-08:00

Canada-based biomass-to-gasoline company CORE BioFuel Inc. (earlier post) has signed an exclusive agreement with Osprey Capital Partners Inc., based in Toronto, Canada. Osprey Capital will secure equity investment capital to fund the completion of construction engineering for CORE’s first wood-to-Green Gasoline plant to be built in Canada.

This step will enable CORE to establish an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with an international oil/gas engineering company to define a fixed plant cost. The EPC contract will allow CORE to secure project debt financing and performance guarantees for the plants through AON Reed Stenhouse, one of the largest insurance brokers in the world.

Osprey’s work for CORE will be headed by Alan Crossley, who has more than twenty-five years of experience in the chemical, petroleum, and renewable fuels industry.

Osprey Capital is very pleased to be working with the CORE team. CORE will be producing a carbon neutral, market ready gasoline utilizing existing technologies, has secured an off-take agreement and has a significant competitive advantage in terms of production costs. This makes the CORE project an excellent investment opportunity. Osprey has seen a significant number of bio-based fuel projects, and we believe CORE BioFuel will become the market leader.
—Alan Crossley

CORE’s Green Gasoline will be a 94-octane, clean-burning alternative to conventional gasoline from petroleum sources. A CORE BioFuel plant will not only produce gasoline from unwanted wood waste but its by-products will consist of water, electricity to run its own operation, and carbon dioxide suitable for commercial use.

Hiriko folding city EV to use Axeon Li-ion batteries

2012-01-25T10:46:06-08:00

Spanish firm Hiriko has chosen Axeon, Europe’s largest independent supplier of lithium-ion battery systems, to supply batteries for its prototype electric vehicles.

The Hiriko concept compared to other vehicles. Source: MIT. Click to enlarge.

The urban electric two-seaters, which will be built in Vitoria-Gasteiz, feature a unique folding design that allows them to park in a very limited space, with a single access door at the front of the vehicle and an advanced steer-by-wire system, which removes all mechanical steering components.

The Hiriko project is an initiative promoted by AFYPAIDA which includes the strategic collaboration of DENOKINN and MIT’s Changing Places Group.

During the first quarter of 2012, Axeon will supply each Hiriko prototype with two lithium-ion batteries mounted in parallel—one in each half of the vehicle, with electric wheel-mounted motors providing four-wheel steering and four-wheel drive.

Hiriko intends to franchise its production model to enable the vehicles to be locally and sustainably produced by a number of consortia in different markets. Hiriko urban electric vehicles will be particularly targeted at large cities in which they will be available for rental. In 2012, the vehicles will be homologated and the prototypes will be tested in cities around the world, with the expectation that they will come to market in 2013.

The first Hiriko electric vehicle was unveiled on 24 January 2012 at the European Commission’s headquarters. Hiriko is part of a sustainable mobility project, which ultimately aims to reduce the number of conventional vehicles in the new urban areas.

Nissan now Nº 2 Asian brand in the Americas; new $2B manufacturing complex in Mexico to grow B platform capacity

2012-01-25T10:28:31-08:00

Nissan Americas manufacturing plants. Click to enlarge.

Nissan Americas reported record sales of 1,561,230 in 2011 calendar year for Nissan and Infiniti brand vehicles throughout the region encompassing North, Central and South America—a record year in both market share and volume for Japan’s second largest manufacturer. The Nissan brand alone gained 0.6 points of market share over the 2010 calendar year and advanced to become the Nº 2 Asian automotive brand in the Americas.

Nissan also announced it will invest up to US$2.0 billion for an all-new manufacturing complex in Aguascalientes, Mexico, to support the company’s Americas growth strategy. The facility, which will complement Nissan’s two existing Mexican factories, is scheduled to begin operations in late 2013. During the initial phase of its development, the new complex will support production of up to 175,000 units annually of Nissan’s ‘B’ platform products.

Further expansion of the site will be considered in phases as product and capacity needs are formalized.

2011 sales in the Americas. The company’s sales and share growth was consistent across each of the geographic regions throughout the Americas, with the US, Mexico and Brazil posting the largest single-country gains. In total, sales of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles in the Americas increased more than 229,000 units last year, or 17.2%, over 2010 for a combined share of 7.5%, a record for the company’s single largest region worldwide.

Nissan Americas Sales & Share: CY11 vs. CY10
	CY11 Sales	CY11 Share	CY10 Sales	CY10 Share
Nissan US	1,042,534	8.2%	908,570	7.8%
Nissan Canada	84,667	5.3%	83,013	5.3%
Nissan Mexico	224,740	24.8%	189,518	23.1%
Nissan Brazil	67,268	2.0%	35,574	1.1%
Nissan Latin America	128,198	10.0%	105,220	9.6%
Nissan Argentina	13,823	1.7%	10,045	1.6%
Nissan Americas Totals	1,561,233	7.5%	1,331,940	7.0%

Toyota maintains the lead position of the Asian brands in the Americas, with 1.85 million units sold in 2011. Honda is in third place with 1.29 million units, followed by Hyundai with 1.03 million units and Kia with 659,000.

In the U.S., Nissan gained market share for the sixth consecutive year, ending 2011 with 8.2% of the U.S. market, up from 6% a few years ago. In Mexico, Nissan has been the market leader for three consecutive years and ended 2011 with a record market share of 24.8%, up 1.7 points from the prior year.

In Brazil, Nissan’s business has been rapidly expanding with sales that nearly doubled in 2011. Nissan was Brazil’s fastest-growing automotive brand in 2011 and is now the ^7th best-selling car brand in the country. In Latin America, Nissan finished 2011 with 10% market share for the first time, up 0.4 points from the prior year.

Investment in Aguascalientes. The new complex in Aguascalientes will allow Nissan’s existing and future operations to share critical resources. An all-new supplier park also will be built on the site.

Mexico is a key engine for Nissan’s growth in the Americas. Together with our new plant in Brazil, this new manufacturing facility in Aguascalientes is an important pillar in our strategy to ensure that Nissan has the capacity it needs to increase sales volume and market share across the Americas.
—Carlos Ghosn, chairman and CEO, Nissan Motor Co, Ltd.

While other Mexican locations were considered, the State of Aguascalientes was chosen for its proximity to Nissan’s existing manufacturing plant in the same state, which offers direct access to skilled labor and suppliers.

The addition of an incremental production site in Aguascalientes will prepare Nissan to produce more than one million units annually in Mexico in the midterm. Today, Nissan operates two manufacturing facilities in Mexico—one 85 km south of Mexico City in Cuernavaca that produces small cars and light commercial and pickup truck models, and a second in Aguascalientes that produces small cars for the domestic, US and Latin American markets. In 2011, Nissan set a domestic production record with more than 600,000 vehicles manufactured at its Mexican plants.

The first phase of development for the new Aguascalientes site will include installation of body, trim and chassis and paint manufacturing capability as well as associated parts warehousing and logistics operations. An on-site test track also will be constructed to allow for off-line quality assurance testing of all new-model production.

Nissan’s expansion in Mexico follows the company’s recent announcement that it will build an all-new manufacturing facility in Resende in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. That factory will begin production in the first half of 2014 and, together with the newly installed capacity in Mexico, will provide Nissan with the capacity to fuel its growth throughout the Americas region.

California ARB holding public workshop to discuss linking California cap-and-trade to other carbon trading programs

2012-01-25T09:47:44-08:00

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) will hold a public workshop on 3 February in Sacramento to discuss linking the California Cap on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Market-Based Compliance Mechanisms Regulation (cap-and-trade program) to other carbon trading programs.

The California Cap on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Market-Based Compliance Mechanisms Regulation became effective on 1 January 2012.

California has been participating in the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) and is considering formally linking the California cap-and-trade program to other trading programs in order to create a regional cap-and-trade program. The Canadian province of Québec has also developed a market-based regulation consistent with the WCI design principles. (Earlier post.)

This workshop will present staff’s initial work in developing a proposed regulation to link California’s cap-and-trade program with Québec’s cap-and-trade program, including reporting requirements.

New Mercedes-Benz B 180 produces 16% less CO2 emissions over full lifecycle than its predecessor

2012-01-25T07:27:00-08:00

B 180 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY. Click to enlarge.

Over its entire life cycle—from production and service over 160,000 kilometers (99,400 miles) to recycling—the new Mercedes-Benz B 180 BlueEFFICIENCY with 7G-DCT dual clutch transmission produces 16% less CO₂ emissions than its predecessor when the latter was discontinued in 2011. Primary energy consumption over the vehicle’s entire life cycle is cut by 14% in comparison to its predecessor. This corresponds to the energy content of around 2,400 liters (634 gallons) of gasoline.

The TÜV Süd technical inspection authority awarded the compact sports tourer the Environmental Certificate in accordance with ISO standard TR 14062. This certification is based on a comprehensive life cycle assessment of the B-Class.

The new B-Class is the first model of a completely new generation of compact vehicles from Mercedes-Benz. It sets clear benchmarks in two fields which are crucial to efficiency: aerodynamics and the drive system. The high level of environmental compatibility goes beyond reductions in fuel consumption, as the Environmental Certificate in accordance with ISO standard TR 14062 now confirms.
—Professor Dr Herbert Kohler, Chief Environmental Officer at Daimler AG

Fuel consumption of the B 180 BlueEFFICIENCY gasoline model with dual clutch transmission ranges—depending on the fitted tires—from 5.9 to 6.2 l/100 km (38 to 40 mpg US) in comparison to 7.3 to 7.5 l/100 km (31 to 32 mpg US) for its predecessor at the time of its discontinuation in 2011. This corresponds to a substantial reduction in fuel consumption of up to 19%.

BlueEFFICIENCY technologies contributing to the reduction include optimization measures in the area of the powertrain; energy management; aerodynamics; tires optimized for minimum rolling resistance; weight reduction through lightweight construction; and driver information to encourage an energy-saving style of driving. A drag coefficient of Cd = 0.26 places the new B-Class at the forefront of its market segment.

The B-Class already meets the recycling rate of 95% by weight which will be mandatory as of 1 January 2015. In all, the B-Class incorporates 75 components representing a total weight of 39 kilograms (86 lb) which can be produced with the partial use of high-quality recycled plastics. This results in a 13% increase in the weight of approved recycled components in comparison to the previous model. Typical areas of use are wheel arch linings, cable ducts and underbody panels, which consist for the most part of polypropylene.

There is also an increased emphasis on closed automobile materials cycles: a recyclate is used for the front wheel arch linings, for example, which is produced from reprocessed vehicle components such as starter battery housings, bumper panels from the Mercedes-Benz Recycling System (MeRSy) and production waste from cockpit units.

21 components in the B-Class, representing a total weight of 20 kilograms (44 lb), are produced using natural materials—an increase of 29% over the previous model. Natural materials employed in series production of the new B-Class consist primarily of coconut and wood fibres and honeycomb cardboard in combination with various polymer materials.

The modular body-in-white concept means that the B-Class is designed to accommodate versions with an alternative drive: appropriate interfaces in the body shell enable the main floor panel to be modified and a step to be produced for the “ENERGY SPACE” on the versions with alternative drive. An underfloor compartment covering part of the area under the rear bench seat offers space for batteries.