Articles

1-10 of 12 items listed

Power Storage Advances from Unexpected Sources: Renewable Energy Storage Kicked Into High Gear

By James Cahalin, Sr. Account Executive, Energy Central, June, 02, 2011 - What do you think has a greater impact on society, a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport or a Tesla Roadster? Both have spectacular performance reviews, with the Super Sport setting top speed records. Both will turn heads driving down any road or even through any parking lot in the world. Both are truly engineering marvels. more...
Article Viewed 3906 Times | 38 Comments

Mobile Electrical Energy Storage and the Challenge for Chemistry

By Harry Valentine, Commentator/Energy Researcher, , March, 30, 2011 - As the market price of liquid fuels for the transportation sector increases, so does interest in alternative forms of propulsive energy. While various governments may provide research funding to such ends, there are numerous private groups that also seek to develop alternative and potentially viable forms of propulsive energy. Higher world oil prices have allowed the Government of Brazil to end subsidies to the sugar-cane fuel ethanol industry. However, opposition to bio-fuels increases as populations face higher food prices as the land can often be used directly or indirectly to cultivate food crops. more...
Article Viewed 4503 Times | 16 Comments

Solar Power for Electric Vehicles

By Harry Zervos, Technology Analyst, IDTechEx, October, 21, 2010 - Most of the companies developing photovoltaics have been obsessed with reaching grid parity meaning competitiveness with conventional grid electricity generation which is often highly subsidized. More recently, it has been realized that the market for disposable photovoltaics on consumer goods is at least as large and even the potential on electric vehicles by land, water and air, could be an enticing billion square meters a year, comparable to that for buildings. more...
Article Viewed 2365 Times | 10 Comments

Electric Vehicles but Not as We Know Them

By Peter Harrop, Chairman, IDTechEx, August, 19, 2010 -

Electric vehicles use electricity wholly or partly for traction - making them go along. That encompasses an increasingly large variety of modes of travel by land, sea and air. Add to that fresh water. Electric vehicle manufacturers and those supplying their components vary from ones that are so large, well funded and ambitious that they go for the biggest opportunity, which is hybrid cars for the next decade. At the other extreme, small niche players with astute marketing are dominating niches. Sadly, in between, there are a lot of underfunded, delusional vehicle and parts manufacturers that go for the largest markets without much thought about how they could have more chance of success in niches, let alone create such niches. Yet those smaller market sectors often involve premium pricing, specialist technologies and components and power trains both much larger and much smaller than those for cars. more...
Article Viewed 3450 Times | 22 Comments

The Best EV-ER

By Jason Jungreis, Attorney, Jungreis Law, June, 10, 2010 - Let us suppose that, through a combination of forces including mileage or emissions requirements, fuel prices, and technology maturation, it becomes de rigour for vehicle manufacturers to focus their energies on electric vehicles with extended range capacity (EV-ER): afterall, such vehicles sooth range-anxiety by carrying some energy-dense fuel instead of a huge number of heavy and expensive batteries. Manufacturers' seem to know the EV side of the equation -- sure, battery chemistry has ever-changing flavors, yet the configuration of the balance of the system (motor, controller, charger, management system, electric peripherals, etc.) are pretty well decided. However, we don't have a known ideal extended range device to provide motive power and/or electricity. What are manufacturers' options, and which is best? more...
Article Viewed 3974 Times | 13 Comments

Realizing Vehicle to Grid economically and quickly

By Stephen Kerr, Managing Consultant, PA Consulting Group, June, 08, 2010 - While the electric vehicle has captured the consumer's imagination and touched an eco-sensitive nerve, it comes with some tough questions that need to be answered. Electric vehicles are being marketed as a green solution to an increasingly environmentally-sensitive market that can achieve the equivalent of 100+ miles per gallon but, there are concerns as to whether the electric grid, in its current form and future iterations, will be able to meet the added demand of that electric vehicles will bring. more...
Article Viewed 2935 Times | 53 Comments

Content continues below ↓

Proven at PJM: Vehicle to Grid (V2G) and Power System/Transportation Synergies

By Victor Udo, Manager, Business Planning and Research, Pepco Holdings Inc, November, 17, 2008 - With the increasing environmental and economic costs of petroleum and growing acceptance of global climate change as a critical modern day problem, policy makers, engineers and business leaders are searching for alternative and sustainable energy solutions. Re-electrification of automobile transportation and enhancement of the existing power system grid holds one key to such solutions. more...
Article Viewed 4616 Times | 19 Comments

Driving Hybrid Buses

By Ken Silverstein, Editor-in-Chief, EnergyBiz Insider, January, 04, 2008 - Dozens of cities and school districts are getting good marks for implementing hybrid buses that run on both diesel and electricity. In doing so, they are helping to commercialize a technology that proponents say will save fuel costs and prevent the release of harmful emissions. more...
Article Viewed 3955 Times | 3 Comments

Novel high performance steam engines - a better solution than FC and ICE?

By peter platell, , LOWTE AB, February, 17, 2005 - During the 60's a growing concern about air pollution from cars ends up with an interest in steam engines for cars due to the inherent advantageous qualities to offer low exhaust gas emissions. The external and low temperature combustion gives favourable combustion conditions and very low exhaust gas emissions. However, the modern steam engine system has many other inherent qualities that make it attractive for stationary as well as mobile applications. During the 70’s several steam engine projects for automotive applications were carried out. A JPL report concluded (among others) that steam engine systems would likely not be competitive in automotive applications. However, it is easy to understand why these conclusions came up. There was a low understanding of the particular issues that have to be addressed when realizing a modern steam engine for the future. more...
Article Viewed 6702 Times | 12 Comments

The Hydrogen Economy: An Objective Look
Part 1: Hydrogen as Transport Fuel

By Roger Arnold, Owner, Silverthorn Engineering, November, 12, 2004 - The recent and apparently continuing surge in oil and gas prices has stimulated fresh interest in the hydrogen economy. But the concept is surprisingly controversial. "The hydrogen economy" encapsulates a vision of hydrogen as a superior successor to fossil fuels for serving the world’s energy needs. That vision has attracted both passionate advocates and passionate detractors. Both sometimes overstate their cases. This article attempts to sort out the key issues. more...
Article Viewed 4818 Times | 39 Comments

1-10 of 12 items listed