Want a 2012 Toyota Rav4 EV? You Won’t Be Able To Buy One

Interesting read....
By Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
Contributing Writer July 15th, 2011

Its one of the most eagerly anticipated plug-in vehicles to join the market in the next year or so, but the reintroduced Toyota RAV4EV won’t be available to buy, says Geri Yoza, Toyota’s National Business Planning Manager of Advanced Vehicle Marketing.

Instead, the electric SUV will be available to fleets and car sharing programs rather than individual customers.

Designed by Toyota and given an all-electric drivetrain by electric automaker Tesla Motors, many fans had hoped the 2012 RAV4 EV would pick up where the legendary 1997-2003 Toyota RAV4 EV left off.

Still considered by some electric vehicle fans as the one of the best electric cars ever made, the original RAV4 EV featured a top speed of around 78 miles per hour and a range of between 100 and 120 miles per charge.

The original RAV4 EV was leased by government agencies, fleets and private customers with some lucky customers being able to buy them at the end of their leases. Many of those cars are still working today, years later.

The rest? Returned to Toyota at the end of their lease and crushed. We’re pretty sure you’ve heard the story.

But with only leasing and large fleets being targeted, will the 2012 Toyota RAV4EV have a similar fate to its predecessor?

We really hope not. Instead, we’re hoping Toyota’s plan to offer the RAV4 EV to a limited base is something that will change as the car becomes more popular in coming years.

Since Toyota is the only major automaker planning a plugin crossover SUV for the 2012 model year, we think it would be a big mistake if the RAV4 EV remained exclusive to such a small segment of the market.

History repeating, or an insurance against a platform Toyota still doesn’t trust? Let us know in the Comments below.

Source;
http://www.allcarselectric.com/news/1063236_want-a-2012-toyota-rav4-ev-you-wont-be-able-to-buy-one

New Liquid 'Refill' could change how fast batteries charge in EV's

By Yang-Yi Goh,
TechNews
Daily Contributor 08 June 2011 10:46 PM ET

A new breed of quick-charge “liquid” batteries could help make recharging electric cars as easy as filling up at the gas pump.

Electric cars may be driving the auto industry toward a greener future, but a great number of issues still need to be resolved for them to catch up with their petroleum-guzzling forebears with regard to performance and desirability.

Perhaps the biggest problem facing electric auto designers lies in the battery: large and inefficient, today’s standard rechargeable lithium-ion batteries take hours to replenish and are suitable only for short distances. Chevy’s Volt model, for instance, takes nearly 10 hours to fully charge using an ordinary 120 volt outlet, and is able to travel only 25-50 miles before resorting to its backup gas engine.

Thanks to a group of MIT researchers, however, a new generation of leaner, more powerful, and easy-to-refuel batteries may be just around the corner. In a paper published in the May 20 edition of the journal Advanced Energy Materials, the group — led by MIT professors of material science Yet-Ming Chiang and W. Craig Carter — describe a novel approach to battery architecture that revolves around what they call a “semi-solid flow cell.”

[Read also “History Repeats Itself: Carmakers Again Put Electric Vehicles in Fast Lane”]

Essentially, the new design houses the battery’s active components — the positive and negative electrodes, or cathodes and anodes — as solid particles suspended in a liquid electrolyte. This thick, quicksand-like liquid is pumped through the system during the process of charging or discharging the battery.

According to MIT, the architecture should make it possible to reduce the size and cost of a complete battery system to about “half the current levels,” while providing a “10-fold improvement in energy density over present liquid flow batteries.”

“For two decades, advances in batteries have relied on development of improved components to be used in the same basic, inefficient architecture,” Chiang told TechNewsDaily. “Our work represents the inception of ‘Batteries 2.0.’”

The batteries will hopefully bring the performance levels of electric vehicles up to par with their gas engine counterparts. Using the semi-solid flow architecture, Chiang estimates a car will be able to travel 200-300 miles on a single charge.

“Our objective is to replace ‘range anxiety’ with ‘range euphoria,’” he says. Additionally, the new design will make refueling a snap.

Drivers will have the option of either simply pumping out the liquid slurry and replacing it with a fresh batch, swapping out the tanks like you would a spare tire, or recharging the existing material when time permits.

The technology is still at an early stage of development—Chiang expects the first commercial prototypes to be ready in about two years, but foresees the semi-solid flow system challenging the current cell-module-pack approach by the end of the decade.

Source;

http://www.technewsdaily.com/future-cars-2794/

Nissan LEAF: Gas Powered Everything

Awesome commercial....

Mercy Took Tour Around The World Without Gasoline

DETROIT - Mercedes-Benz wants to show the world about fuel-cell technology is applied to the B-Class models. The car is not only on display at the event of NAIAS 2011. At the opening of the exhibition, (Januari 10, 2011), the German car manufacturers did ceremony of the three units of B-Class F-Cell which would travel around the world.

Three units of Mercedes-Benz B-Class's Fuel Cell technology is ready round the world

The journey took 125 days, beginning late January next split four continents with over 14 countries with different characteristics of weather and air temperature. The goal, campaigning for the effectiveness of use of fuel cell technology in an ordinary car (conventional).

The three units of B-Class fuel-cell were powered by electricity generated from the reaction of oxygen and hydrogen. Once the road, the car had 136 HP and torque of 290 Nm able to travel a distance of 400 km.

"Today, 125 years ago, automotive was first created. But we are confident we will find another solution to utilize the tremendous potential of this," said by Thomas Weber, member of the Daimler Group Research and Development as reported autoevolution

Unbelievable! Urine-Fueled Cars

A company based in Athens, Ohio, USA and the students at Ohio University has been researching ways to produce energy from human urine, and to prove this technology to function, the team is making a small car driven by human urine.

In theory, the existing content of urea in the urine contains a lot of hydrogen. With extract them it will be presented a lot of energy through the hydrogen gas produced. And for that, E-3 Technologies, a company based in Athens, Ohio, is developing a urine-processing technology as its core.

Problem raw materials later will be available in various ways. Starting to get it from the public toilets and offices, or holding a larger collector through cooperation with the factory

waste water treatment.

So, for now, do not pee in the tank of your car before this technology allowed for it.

go green! Car Components of Fruit, Could it be?

The scientists from the State University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, was managed to build a vehicle component using pineapple, banana,coconut and other tropical fruits. This new generation of plasticcomponents claimed stronger, lighter, and more environmentally friendly than petroleum-based plastics that exist today.

"The nature of plastic is incredible," said study leader AlcidesLeao in a statement quoted by Inside Line, Wednesday, March 30, 2011. Previously, the research results presented at a meeting ofthe American Chemical Society on Sunday.

According to him, the fruit produces micro and even nano-sizedfibers. Called cellulose fibers can be processed into plastics that are 30 percent lighter, yet strong as Kevlar, the material used inarmor and bullet-proof vest.

With a light weight plastic, he said, will help improve fuel economy.The use of fruit fiber material is also environmentally friendly because it is not derived from crude oil.

In addition, the plastic of fruits have a greater resistance to damage by heat and gasoline spills. "We have tested thenano-cellulose plastics, "he said.

Leao predict consumers will see the use of plastic fiber fruits on the vehicle within the next two years.

The team make a nano fiber by including fruits raw material into atool similar to a pressure pot. They then add chemicals and thenproduce material that resembles a fine powder.

"This process is expensive, but it only takes one pound ofnano-cellulose to produce 100 kg of super-strong lightweightplastic," he said.

Propane Autogas is exactly better option as an Alternative Fuel

Do you know the third most popular transportation fuel behind gasoline and diesel in many countries? Surprise – it’s propane, the same stuff that often powers rural homes and it is frequently used by millions of barbeques.

Worldwide, over 14 million vehicles in nearly 40 countries are now applying on autogas, the designation for propane motor fuel in most places outside the U.S. In the U.S., autogas refers to automobile gasoline that is used in piston engines powering light aircraft in place of high octane aviation gasoline or avgas. There are about 400,000 vehicles, mostly commercial, running on propane on U.S. roads.

The beneficial of using propane in an internal combustion engine includes decreased toxic and smog-forming air pollutants. There is 20 percent less nitrous oxide, 60-90 percent less carbon monoxide, 50-75-percent less unburned hydrocarbons, and fewer particulate emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions are decreased some 20 percent compared to gasoline. Unlike natural gas that is mainly methane, should propane be released into the atmosphere it is not assumed as a greenhouse gas. However, greenhouse gases, mainly CO2, are resulted when processing and combusting LPG. Propane is nontoxic and does not make environmental damage if spilled.

Between 85-90 percent of LPG used in the U.S. comes from domestic sources. Most of the remainder come from Canada. Both countries own very abundant feedstocks, with LPG either extracted from natural gas or sourced as a byproduct of crude oil processing. The weaknesses of propane include lesser availability, at least in the U.S., and a lower heating value, or energy content, than gasoline. About 5 percent less energy is supplied from LPG, which is realized into a somewhat lower miles-per-gallon (of gasoline equivalency) rating.

Engines need complicated modifications to use propane, which are different than modifications for using natural gas. Also, steel tanks must be installed to store propane. Since propane is not widely provided everywhere, bi-fuel vehicles that can either run on propane or gasoline are typical. As is the case with any bi-fuel vehicle, this increases flexibility but also greater complexity and cost, neccassery tanks for both propane and gasoline, thus reducing space for carrying people and cargo.

Typically, LPG is less expensive than gasoline or diesel, although not by a sufficient margin in the U.S. to move beyond fleet use. That’s not the case in many parts of the world, though, especially in Europe where gasoline can cost as much as $9 a gallon. Thus, a large number of automakers selling cars there to offer propane powered vehicles, most bi-fuel versions that can run on autogas or gasoline. Poland is the leader here with over two-million autogas capable vehicles. Italy is second with over a million on the road. Propane is also popular in Australia and South Korea, where Hyundai makes a hybrid LPG-electric vehicle. The Elantra LPI (Liquefied Petroleum Injection) Hybrid is the first to combine these two fuel saving technologies.

While Americans typically consider propane is only applied for commercial vehicles and forklifts (nearly a half million forklifts run on propane), more consumer and performance-oriented vehicles are offered in other markets. Here, propane can cost half as much as gasoline, thus easily paying for an Autogas-capable vehicle’s added price tag. Many are supercharged to compensate for the lower power produced when operating on autogas.

Because propane possesses a higher octane rating than today’s gasoline (MON/RON of between 90 and 110) it lends itself for use with supercharging, with the higher octane make easy the higher effective compression ratio that comes with supercharging. Consumers in other parts of the world can opt from a wide range of vehicles equipped by factory-built LPG from major brands. But this not the case in North America where automakers have not offered such vehicles since Ford discontinued its bi-fuel propane F-150 pickup in 2004. There are several noted aftermarket companies that retrofit both gasoline and diesel vehicles to run on LPG in addition to conventional fuel. In the U.S. these conversions are still mostly done on commercial vehicles like pickups, vans, and shuttle buses.

Peugeot 508 Active 1.6 eHDi as promising alternative car

Big Peugeots have still pioneered the existance to become big sellers in the UK for years and this car exists mainly for China where it will also be developed. Though Peugeot doesn't point out the B-word, it reveals the quality and value of the 508 might tempt buyers from the cheaper BMW 3-Series and It also make Audis interested in developing it.

Equipped by the gearbox and the 1.6 litre eHDi can be a very economical and comfortable car, however it does decrease the joie de vivre of the 1.6 petrol manual and doesn't take driving as smoothly. Order books are now open for the 200bhp/99gCO2/km hybrid due next year with electrical drive to the rear wheels.

EXPLAINING PERFORMANCE

Economy champion is really the 112bhp, 1.6 litre turbo diesel with a six-speed semi-automatic transmission. Because it's not a dual clutch system, it's a case of nodding dog head movements for all on board in automatic mode, unless the driver faces anticipating the gear changes and eases back on the power. Taking control using the steering wheel paddles to change gear is best course. Acceleration to 60mph takes 11.3 seconds while the car will ease to a top speed of 118mph. Max torque of 202 lbs ft from 1,750rpm and max power comes at 4,000rpm.

TALKING ABOUT HANDLING

Despite Peugeot's media hype about driving sensations and 'setting the standard in terms of road-holding' the 508 is more about comfort and cruising than cornering agility. The chassis is much similar to Citroen's C5 but with different suspension. Only the top spec GT takes and applies double wishbone front suspension, the rest use cheaper and lighter MacPherson struts, but with the speeds possible on the test routes near Stratford upon Avon I couldn't point out any difference. Maybe the steering was a bit sharper, but maybe the tyres were different, but if we hadn't been stated would we have seen?

KNOWING BODY STYLE

Views are of a more discreet Audi, now that Audis are rather fancy, and I assume will surpass on car sales. The 508 is better proportioned from most angles than the long nosed Peugeot 407 it replaces (along with the bigger 607) and particularly imposing with black or white paintwork. Directly astern is a worse view, as the car seems taller and narrower than it actually is. The estate car, or SW model, is arguably more elegant than the saloon but sloping rear window means you risk cooking the family Labrador in hot weather. Tall boot is a generous size. Length 4792mm. Width 1853mm.

OBSERVING COMFORT & CONTROLS

Easy and simple to get in and drive, but exploring the sound system, on-line functions, cruise control/speed limiter and head-up display (if fitted) means wasting time with the handbook. Thickly padded seats were plush and comfortable with electric lumbar support adjustment. All but the lower models own the curse of the electronic parking brake.

SW Estate models get a long glass sunroof which puts a lot of weight where you don't wish it for handling – high up. The sunroof means tall drivers may find headroom tight in the driver's seat, although head and legroom is sufficient in the rear seats.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

This big 1.6 ton family saloon is able to astonish economy according to official fuel test figures with 55.4mpg on the urban cycle, 70.6mpg on the extra urban cycle and 64.2mpg on the combined cycle. This is managed at a fuel cost of around 9.8p per mile. We observed 53.4mpg on the mixed motoring test route. Carbon dioxide emissions of 109g/km slot the Peugeot 1.6 eHDi into band B with free first year road tax and £20 per year after that. Service intervals reasonably accepted are every 12,500 miles. Warranty is three years/60,000 miles.

TALKING ABOUT GREEN CREDENTIALS

Carbon dioxide emissions of 109g/km are fantastic for a car of this size and weight and similar to the diminutive Peugeot 107 city car introduced six years ago. Fuel to the engine is cut under braking as quick as the car drops under eight mph. Slip it into neutral when stationary and you don't have to blind the driver behind with your brake lights. The engine restarts quickly and smoothly when you select D. Charge from a special capacitor keeps the radio, air con, wipers etc going while the engine is off. A diesel particulate filter to clean up the exhaust is matched as standard. Automatic radiator flaps make sure the engine to operate at the ideal temperature while minimising aerodynamic disturbance.

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

Keyless entry with start/stop engine button is all the rage these days, though you don't obtain it on a £230,000 Ferrari because Ferrari reveals a key is an crucial part of the driving experience. Peugeot also submits a head-up windscreen display of speed/sat nav info etc that you also don't obtain in a Ferrari. Standard fittings include halogen headlamps, alloy wheels, air conditioning, automatic headlamps and wipers, cruise control, electric window front and rear. Metallic paint is £450, Bluetooth phone system £205 and rear parking sensors £330.

REVEALED MODEL SUMMARY

Model of tested product: Peugeot 508 Active 1.6 eHDi 112

Body-style: Four-door saloon

Engine/CO2: 112bhp 1560cc turbo diesel / 109 gCO2/km

Trim grades: Access, SR, Active, Allure, GT

On-road price: Begin at £18,150. eHDi models initiated from £19,050. Price as tested £20,750

Warranty: Three years/ 60,000 miles

In the showroom: It's Available now for order

interior of Peugeot 508 Active 1.6 eHDi

Hydrogen and CO2 mixed for alterantive fuel accomplished by Audi e-gas Project

One of the weaknesses of renewable energy sources like wind and solar is how difficult to control their fluctuating electrical output to coincide with power demand. Audi's e-gas project make a solution. Abundant electrical power would be applied to make hydrogen by electrolysis and e-gas –synthetic methane – by the methanation of hydrogen.

This would make hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles, e-gas for natural gas vehicles, and electricity for electric models. It would also overcome storage of excess electrical capacity, when converted to e-gas, in the largest energy-storage system resulted: the natural gas network.

Audi is building an e-gas plant consisting of two main elements, an electrolyzer and a methanation unit The electrolyzer running on green electricity applies polymer electrolyte membranes to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Since there are still few fuel cell vehicles, initially the hydrogen will be used by the methanation unit. Here, hydrogen is mixed with carbon dioxide to create e-gas. Methanation uses CO2 rather than discharging it into the atmosphere. Although e-gas is really synthetic natural gas or methane, Audi calls it e-gas.

After three years of research, Audi is now achieving the practical phase. In January 2011, a lab facility with an output of 25 kilowatts was set up for testing purposes. In mid-2011, Audi and several partners will invest several tens of millions of euros to initiate construction of an e-gas facility in Werlte, Germany. The Audi e-gas project can be exactly replicated in any country with an existing natural-gas network.

Starting in 2013, Audi will initiate series production of the Audi A3 TCNG with an engine applying Audi's TFSI technology that can operate on e-gas, CNG, or conventional gasoline when neither alternative fuel is provided.

Audi also plays a role to the construction of offshore North Sea wind turbines. During the project’s first phase, four large powerplants at an offshore wind park in the North Sea are being funded by Audi and a regional power supply company. Rated at 3.6 megawatts each, these four turbines can provide and supply some 53 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually.

Audi handed Solutions of Free Pollution

WRONG one drawback to electric vehicles is not because of mileage and speed are limited, and not for charging the batteries that take a long time. The problem is, this vehicle remains re electrocuted (charge) to use electricity generated by coal-fired power plants or nuclear pollution and still have a bad impact on the environment.

Seeing this, the German car manufacturer Audi hopes to reduce this problem in the future through a vehicle that really does not produce CO2. And most importantly, not by planting some trees absorbing CO2 as did the other car makers.

This time, Audi launched a new initiative called 'Audi balanced mobility' and the principal in this aspect is the project 'e-gas'.

In a presentation in Hamburg, Germany at the weekend, Audi presented a concept that is very clean energy source and Audi will be involved directly in production. It's a very bold step compared to other vehicle manufacturers who limit themselves to buying clean energy from a third party.

Audi will build fasiitas energy generation utilizing wind power. The facility will be built in the North Sea. The electricity generated will be used in several different areas.

Production unit will take advantage of wind-powered generating electricity were to produce hydrogen through electrolysis process. Hydrogen can be used in future as an energy source for fuel-cell vehicles. The next step it will be developed to produce methane gas which can be referred to as e-gas. These gases are chemically identical to natural gas and fuel can be used as a conventional engine.

In 2013, Audi will launch a variant of the vehicle with the engine e-gas-fueled. Good again, e-gas generated can be channeled through all the existing fuel infrastructure now that present a solution to address how clean energy can be stored efficiently.

Electricity generated by wind-powered energy generation can certainly be attributed to the replenishment system of electric vehicle battery charging system that provides a truly environmentally friendly.

Toyota Launches Prius Alpha as third Generation of Prius

TOKYO - It's One more that Toyota issued a new variant. Toyota's Prius the third generation, known as A Prius (Prius Alpha) has been launched in Japan.

This vehicle offers an interior with multiple seating arrangements and it is the basis for the five-seat Prius V to be launched in North America this summer. Prius seven seats are planned for Europe in mid-2012.

Prius is a feature two interior configurations: models of two rows of five seats and seven seats, three-model line, third line of the latter assisted by a battery-efficient lithium-ion drive space on the center console.

In addition, the vehicle features the Toyota Hybrid System II, with gear reduction motor speed and Atkinson cycle engine 1.8liter. Fuel efficiency is 73mpg and produces the equivalent CO2 89g/km. This exceeds the standard in Japan in 2010 about fuel efficiency by 25 percent and meet the standards of the new 2015 Japanese fuel efficiency under the Law Concerning Rational Use of Energy.

To reduce environmental impact, Toyota used the Eco-Vehicle Assessment System for companies to review the materials, processing methods and adhesives to the interior. A Prius also has a power indicator wheel vehicle with a hybrid system indicator that shows when the gasoline engine off and the vehicle supported by only the electric motor alone.

Considering Fuel from abundant Corn Oil

LONDON - Researchers are now reviewing the way to produce the oil from the cake made from corn can be processed into an environmentally friendly fuel.

An environmentally friendly fuels company announced plans to change the popular snack into biodiesel.

Oil contained in pastel, cake, chips and other food scraps can be extracted with green energy and mixed with diesel and then ready to be sold at filling stations across Britain.

The company is environmentally friendly fuel which every year produces 10 billion liters, invested 50 million pounds for purposes of production facilities at Immingham, Lincolnshire, for processing of used cooking oil.

"We always try to find ways to reduce the environmental impact of our fuel production as the increasing oil prices, this is certainly very important to establish a new alternative fuel sources," said Chief Executive Greenergy, Andrew Owens.

"The amount of biodiesel that we currently production of solid foods is still small, but we hope to increase the quantity in order to be a significant amount with our biodiesel," he added.

"Making these products is uncommon BGI us. In our direct help compost waste into a source of new material," he continued.

Greenergy working with Brocklesby Ltd, who developed the method of extraction of oil from food waste. Then purify further oil and turn it into biodiesel.

Best Buy to sell its customers electric vehicles

You've got to be kidding me....

According to the latest reports, it appears that Best Buy will become the biggest ally for electric vehicles manufacturers as they are planning to sell EVs. For those who don’t know, Best Buy is already selling Brammo electric motorcycles and won contracts to install home chargers for the Ford Focus Electric and Mitsubish i EVs. What is more interesting is that Best Buy currently has 1,101 U.S. stores and they say that they get more “traffic in a weekend than some of these dealers do in a month”.

Chad Bell, a senior director who oversees Best Buy's efforts in mobility and transportation says that Best Buy is beginning talks with traditional automakers beyond Ford and Mitsubishi, says Autonews. The Nissan Leaf could also be present in Best Buy’s offer as it is the first 100% electric car from the Japanese manufacturer and has been named the 2011 World Car Of The Year.

"We are having conversations with some of the startups," Bell says. "I would say the conversations are going well. We are very excited about several partnerships that we can't talk about yet."

By Andrew, 09 May, 2011.

Source;

http://www.4wheelsnews.com/best-buy-wants-to-sell-its-customers-electric-vehicles/

Awareness of American sport lovers concerning to alternative energy indicated by solar panels will be used by All American Sport Association

Support for the use of solar energy extends into the world of sports in the United States, although the country was not in the equatorial region of the entire region exposed to sunlight throughout the year.

Various professional sports league in the country suggest that all teams contribute in the effort to reduce pollution of the world, by utilizing the solar energy. Associaton from various sports such as baseball, rugby, basketball, football, even hockey, the field is made of ice, moving togather to send announcement/pamflet to each team utilizing solar energy to meet the electricity needs of their stadium.

In that annoucement, the association of inserting a guide the development of solar energy generation system made by the Natural Resources Protection Council, an advocacy agency, and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, for every sports team can develop and integrate solar energy generation systems with electrical systems that already they have.

Darryl Benge, Assistant General Manager and Qwest Field and Event Center, Seattle Hawks football team's headquarters to say "You can expect sunshine at Staples Center (Los Angeles, California - west coast region who get more sunshine), but maybe not in Seattle. But with the reputation of our city who are often rainy though, we are keen to generate some of the electrical energy we need, and shows that renewable energy could be could be useful anywhere. "

Gary Bettman as an associate commissioner at the American hockey (NHL) to say how today's global warming campaign is closely related to their sport, because hockey is created because of the winter. "We are very aware that our league, as well as other sports leagues, all need to be a keeper in charge of this planet's ecosystem."

Staples Center itself, one of the few stadiums in the United States who have solar power, could only meet five percent of the total electricity needs by 1727 solar panels on the roof of the stadium, even though it is located in the state receiving rich sunlight. But a senior researcher Protection Council Allen Hershkowitz of Natural Resources said "The division of the guidelines indicates a shift in culture in our thinking about energy."

CBM (another options for you to exploit Coal bead methane) as source of alternative energy

it is quite reasonable for us to encourage the utilization of CBM (coal bead methane) as a source of electricity-producing energy, like geothermal. CBM gas is trapped between layers of coal. Utilization of CBM as an energy source producing electricity is considered more effective and efficient. Because, we know that the CBM is only projected into liquefied natural gas (LNG).

"To drain the CBM into LNG requires a compressor tool, so it requires extra energy".

Please note that the CBM stream directly as LNG is an inefficient effort. For, CBM containing high levels of methane, it is reaching 95 percent. CBM also has a low pressure, so it can not be directly transferred as well as LNG. "Rather than CBM flow, it is better to produce electricity directly from CBM."

utilization of CBM as well as geothermal is considered to be very precise. So far, the only source of energy that one hundred percent of the electricity is exploited or used to produce geothermal energy. "So the sale of energy is usually the result of the utilization of its geothermal electricity. CBM can also be like that." What do you think?

General Motors, owner of Patent Most Environmentally Friendly Technology

New York: American car manufacturers, General Motors (GM), registered as a company that pocketed most patents in the field of environmentally friendly technology throughout 2010.

Manufacturers are pocketing 135 patents, or 14 percent of 1881 total patents in that field who registered by 700 institutions.

"The patent is registered by GM including to technology in the field of hybrid and electric vehicles, to solar power. GM's focus on technology development and for the future," told by Alan Taub, vice president of GM's global research and development as reported by spacedaily.com, Saturday (16 / 4).

Thanks to the acquisition of these patents, total patents now owned by GM to reach 940. The amount is at once to put GM in the ranks of 25 companies the biggest patent owners in the land of Uncle Sam.

"Its presence (GM) at the top of the list of largest companies owner of the patent is the first time," revealed by Victor Cardona, vice chairman of Cleantech Group, the rating agencies are examining patents in the United States.

Legal entity based in Albany, New York, it is the parent of Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti, a research company focuses on intellectual property rights. The company every year publishes to win company index of most patents in the field of environmentally friendly technology.

Technology was among others in the field of electric and hybrid vehicles, solar power, wind and geothermal energy, biofuels and some other renewable energy. The results was published on Friday (15/4) along the 2010

Comprehensive discussion about advantages and disadvantages of alternative energy

Lately, there are the incessant problems of energy and its impact on the environment. The following will explain the various energy and environmental problems.

Fossil Fuels

As we know fossil fuels are non-renewable fuels, the following explanation:

Coal

In 2005 commencing coal supplies 26% of world energy. Most is used in power plants. It is estimated that coal will run out 252 years from now.

Crude oil

In 2005, oil supplies 35% of world energy. 90% of cars use gasoline as fuel. Oil can be used to generate electricity and interests of chemical industry. It is estimated that oil will run out only in 32 years.

Natural Gas

In 2005, gas supplies 25% of the world's energy, it is used for cooking and also warming home and industrial processes, it is mostly channeled through pipes. 72 years is expected to run out again.

Famous fossil fuels will be polluting the environment. Global warming in the world are caused by carbon dioxide gas or carbon monooxide generated from combustion.

For problems which those were created by other more environmentally friendly fuel, include:

Hydrogen

Hydrogen is contained in many substances such as water (H2O), which it will not run out. Hydrogen release only water vapor emissions as a result of combustion. Hydrogen is very light and it has great energy, spacecraft can travel vast distances with little hydrogen. the disadvantage is also very much. Examples: Hydrogen needs to be separated from water by electrolysis very expensively. The process of electrolysis requires energy derived from fossil fuels. Hydrogen fuel cell cars are very expensive so the price is not affordable. Gas needs to be compressed which it requires expensive cost and very dangerous manufacture.

Geothermal

In the bowels of the earth's stored thermal energy is large. That energy can be utilized by pumping cold water into the earth's surface through a pipe, when it is returned, the water had become hot and it can rotate the turbine. Its construction is quite cheap. The drawback is the change in temperature can cause a shift in rock rocks causing earthquakes.

Water

Many ways to generate electricity with water, one of which is to build a dam at the falls. Water falls to rotate turbines and generate electricity. The drawback is that it can happen sediment in the dam so that making the lower volume of water. But the most serious is the destruction of ecosystems because the fish of below and above of the falls become apart and it will damage the food chain. Moreover, it can also build wave power plant. But the amount of electricity generated depends on the strength of the waves, and those are also easily damaged.

Wind

In 2005, wind energy is to supply 1% of world energy. Energy is generated through large turbines. Wind energy is perfect energy because it does not pollute and it does not rely on fossil fuels. The disadvantage is that the wind only generates less electricity. Most people assume that the wind can damage the landscape which it was built in the middle of the sea. It can also interfere with the migratory birds which it accidentally flew toward him. The biggest wind turbines is located in Norway, Turbine is supplying 25% of Norway's energy needs.

Solar Cells

Solar cells are composed of silicon voice which it can trap electrons. Solar cells are now widely used in homes. Solar cells depends strongly on the intensity of sunlight, and those still have a lot to be developed so still less practical.

Nuclear

Nuclear is a large potential energy source. Energy is derived from uranium derived from the mine. Nuclear energy is very large, 1 KG Uranium (U-235) is resemble to or equal to 3.000.000 kgs of coal. Nuclear also does not cause pollution (smoke coming out of the chimney make only high-temperature oxygen-gray). The downside is still radioactive waste generated so hard to throw it away. Leaks of nuclear occur too severe, in 1987, explosion of a nuclear reactor in Russia caused thousands of people dead and many people affected by cancer, for week the wind blew the radioactive cloud (gamma rays () to all of Europe. In this era, reactor is equipped with a safety system so that when accidents occuring to reactor can be closed only in a few seconds.

Vehicle

Vehicle emissions are the largest contributor to global warming. Here is described an alternative vehicle choice:

Solar Car

This car produces no pollution at all. Scientists have developed a car running with a speed of 40 km / h. during cloudy weather. In Australia, solar cars held the competition as far as 3.000KM. The drawback of this car is too light and so dangerous.

Electric Cars

Electric car battery-powered electricity for the energy produces no pollution at all. Batteries should be charged before use. But this car has so many shortcomings which those are not widely used. The downside is, this car can travel only a distance of 9 km before having to be recharged (petrol cars can run up to 300 km before recharged.) Also, the energy used to recharge mostly from fossil fuels that produce pollution.

Hybrid Cars

Once considered an ordinary car is very efficient but it produce much pollution, and it is better to non-polluting electric cars but very inefficient, then the hybrid car was found as the combined concept of automobile and electrical machinery. In hybrid cars, energy is derived from gasoline and battery. When driving in high speed, the car uses gasoline, and it uses the battery when running low or when jammed. This proved successful because of the pollution came mostly when the car stalled. To regulate the use of gasoline and batteries, the car is equipped with a computer, which it can warn the dangers of driving, for example, an alarm will sound when the driver is not wearing a seatbelt.

Biodiesel Cars

Car fueled by biodesel use fuel from food, for example, corn. This car does produce pollution, but the plant is used for fuel reducing the CO2 while still growing, so if the count is calculated for precisely beneficial nature. Lack of this car is the world's food could be sold for step because of this fuel. For example last year's soybean crisis was in Indonesia so that soybean prices jumped sharply, as farmers in Brazil would prefer to sell maize, it is mostly used to fuel these cars. Later it has created a car with fuel cocoa, soybeans, etc.. Also in Japan has successfully tested the aircraft using the Bio-diesel which it is not lost with the oil-fueled aircraft concerning to flight speed.

Car using Wind Energy (latest discovery)

This car only needs energy to propel the car from rest. After the walk, this car can get energy from the wind blowing from the front of the car. When run, this car did not require energy. Only one drawback is fatal to the car, the voice is like a jet engine when it is turned on.

Have you ever heard about sintetic gasoline ? You should observe more

Increasingly large number of vehicles is a challenge and an opportunity for Cella Energy. Because the need for energy to run a vehicle is bigger and bigger. Meanwhile, energy or alternative vehicles today have various limitations.

It is described that the most ideal fuel is hydrogen. Because the combustion produces no carbon emissions. The problem of hydrogen-fueled cars are generally still in the stage-concept having a lot of obstacles. The same thing happened on the electric vehicle. Even the conventional engine uses gasoline, diesel, and gas prices are more expensive because of increasingly stringent emissions regulations.

Hydrogen prototype hydrogen-fueled cars are now quite complex and high risk. Because the hydrogen is melted to a temperature of minus 253 degrees Celsius. Then hydrogen cait is compressed into a high-pressure cylinders or tanks, 10,000 psi or 700 bar.

This is not only confusing to design the car manufacturer, but it is also where hydrogen filling stations. it need the cost of expensive and specialized skills to handle it.

As Alternative way chosed, it is changed and composed of hydrogen into directly electrical energy or fuel cell (FC) to take canister of low-pressured hydride metal. The problem which it is difficult to carry.

Hybrid and Electric Gasoline and diesel Energy? Oil fuel prices continue to soar or abysmally. For another problem, arson is causing carbon emissions. With demand for carbon emissions are more stringent, the manufacturing cost of machine is more expensive. This is what causes the producer was forced to introduce electric cars and hybrids.

The problem reveal that lithium-ion batteries used in electric or hybrid cars (plug-in) technology is still new. Whereas electric charging infrastructure is very limited. Another problem, making electric cars is less attractive in a while the battery is only able to distance of 160 kilometers.

In fact, based on research, the desires of the vehicle, once filled, can be to travel 500 km in order not be seized by the phenomenon of anxiety or worry about a strike. Another obstacle is pointed out that the price of electric cars are still expensive because it must use the new drive components.

Hydrogen Energy or Fuel Cell Energy used for its base of cell energy is hydrogen. It is just different ways to package or form. Hydrogen is no longer cooled or thawed. Because it also does not need high pressure tank.

Cella Energy exploit the advantages of nano-structures. Furthermore, hydrogen or hydride is packed by coaxial electrospinning process with micro-fibers of the polymer. It is like Twenty-third fiber size diameter of a human hair. Furthermore, the structure of the hydride fuel is encased by the polymer core. The outside function is as a safety and saving hydrides, as well as a filter (chemistry). Therefore, this concept is considered 100 percent safe plus the cost of production is cheaper.

In this way, hydrogen refilling can be done in a few minutes, like gessoline or diesel. It takes only a few modifications. It is said, can also be used in vehicles with fuel cell system (hydrogen present).

Tank for this fuel or synthetic gasoline is still the conventional form and those are placed as the position now. Because it does not require high pressure or low temperature, the existing infrastructure can be directly used.

It is said, the concept is the same as pouring the additive into gasoline. Density or energy content can be tailored to the needs of the industry!

Audi introduces three superlight wooden bikes

AUDI, as one of outstanding car makers, make a bike? It's true and possible. And what will itdefinitely imagine in your mind? I guess you will imagine a bike made ​​from a lightweight aluminumspaceframe, a material attached to the car manufacturer from Ingolstadt, Germany. Wait a minute!you're wrong this time frame bike made ​​of wood!

To make a bicycle with wooden frame, Audi embrace RenovoDesign, a company which is famous as a maker of bicycle frame made ​​of wood. As a result, Audi now have a bike with a monocoque frame made ​​of hard wood called Duo.

According to Audi, the finest wood offers a smoother ride of the another materials thanks to perfect its ability to absorb shocks and vibrations. Most surprisingly, Audi points out that for every cubic, wood owns a weight of only one quarter of the weight of aluminum.

That means, bicycle alerts with Audi Design Renovo frame is lighter than most other bikes. And more importantly, they still bring strength, durability and toughness are equal to the aluminum frame.

The most prominent of a series of bicycle-wheel drive Audi Duowas not using chains, but the belt drive. In addition, the duo alsobrings features components made ​​of aluminum and carbon fiber,disc brakes and LED lighting. Wood material was chosen to matchthe interior of the Audi car.

Audi Duo is offered in three variants. City Audi Duo, Duo and DuoSport Road which was all made by hand made handmade aliasthat the process worked in the studio Renovo in Portland, OregonUnited States.

As you might guess, this bike has a price is not cheap. For pricingand shipping, Audi Duo City priced U.S. $ 6,530,Audi Sport Duo U.S. $ 7,350 and the Audi DuoRoad to U.S. $ 7,460

Right solution will be pointed out here in the case of Environmentally Friendly Concept-Based Fuel Cell and Solar Cell, Hybrid Vehicles (continued)

In addition to functioning as a solar cell for directly utilized and generated electrical energy, DSSC can also be used as a breaker of water in the process of hydrogen production. Electrical energy produced by solar cells can not be stored directly in the form of electricity, but it can be stored in another form, one of them in the form of chemical energy such as hydrogen. Hydrogen is one element used as fuel, because it has highest energy content per unit the among the various types of fuel (Bard et al, 1995). The use of hydrogen is quite rapid development of vehicles, portable electronic equipment, to household tools.

In a simple solar cell consists of the junction of semiconductor material of p- and n-type (p-n junction semiconductor). if the sunlight expose it, there will be a flow of electrons and consequently electron flow is called electricity. The main part of the energy changes of sunlight into electricity is the absorber. Sunlight is composed of various types of electromagnetic waves, the absorber is expected to absorb as much possible radiation coming from the sun. To obtain high efficiency solar cell, the photons from sunlight must be absorbed as much as possible, reducing light reflection and recombination and increasing the conductivity of materials.

Hydrogen Production from Water Splitting

Hydrogen can be produced by using a simple combination of two different systems namely photovoltaic system which it generates electricity and water electrolysis system. Each solar cell can generate higher voltages from 1.5 V elektorlisis water used to directly produce hydrogen and oxygen (Dimroth et al, 2006).

Figure 3. Single system of photovoltaic and electrolysis of water

Figure 4. Conceptual design of hydrogen-producing reactor

the DSSC as power plants

Figure 5. A simple schematic of a tandem solar cell systems and fuel cells

Electrolysis of water in the electrolyte can theoretically take place on the voltage 1.23 V, but in practice the new reactions can take place at voltages above 1.48 V. This is because many external factors affecting the system must be passed as more and potential obstacles. The thermodynamic enthalpy of water electrolysis reaction of 285.83 kJ / mol (25 º C, 1 atm). That amount includes Gibbs' free energy of ΔG = 237.1 kJ / mol and the heat energy TΔS = 48.7 kJ / mol, which it contributed an increase of entropy in the process of dissociation energy not used for work (workless energy). If it is assumed that all the energy needed for electrolysis of water comes from electricity, the termoneutral potential at 1.48 V (39kWh/kg) must be supplied for each atom H. When used current is very small, then there must energy supply TΔS heat from the environment (Dimroth et al, 2006).

Combined DSSC System, Air-breaking system and fuel cell

The hydrogen produced can be used as fuel for vehicles and portable devices using fuel cell systems. During this process of hydrogen production requires substantial energy and also produce waste which it can pollute the environment. The use of tandem devices (devices combined) ie solar photovoltaic systems and water electrolysis system to produce hydrogen offers many advantages such as environmentally friendly energy and it does not require a large fee for its production (Dimroth et al, 2006). In simple tandem devices can be illustrated in Figure 4.

Use of DSSC as sunlight harvesters have given a conversion efficiency of more than 10%. The system combined by device can be an alternative production of hydrogen as an environmentally friendly fuel, by utilizing the DSSC as a power plant used for electrolysis of water, to be the solution to overcome the problem of energy scarcity while maintaining the quality of the environment, so that life is on better and safe earth.

Hydrogen generated from this system can be directly applied to the fuel cell as a tandem system. Vehicles using a tandem solar cell systems and fuel cells provide the possibility for more comfortable and secure in use, in other words vehicle tandem system of fuel cell and solar cell open up opportunities to use water as fuel. This can exactly reduce the cost of hydrogen fuel production at refineries, because hydrogen will be produced directly on the vehicle and it is immediately directly used as an energy source, so that accidents can be avoided due to hydrogen burning. Figure 5 presents a simple scheme of a tandem system of fuel cell and solar cell.

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