The Longest Lasting AA Alkaline Battery Cell from Panasonic

AA batteries have been around for such a long time already that we more or less take them for granted, but there is still more to the evolution of AA batteries than meets the eye. Case in point, Panasonic’s Evolta battery that has already been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s “longest lasting AA alkaline battery cell”. This is a newly created category just for batteries alone, and you can be sure that the Evolta is but a starting point in this category - I can’t wait for the day technology evolves to make alkaline battery cells last virtually forever.

The name Evolta itself is an amalgamation of “evolution” and “voltage”, symbolizing growth and power, respectively. Both of them were specifically designed to work with a wide range of electronics devices, although I think it would be rather foolish to use these in a remote control unless you don’t want to change the batteries in your remote for 10 years or something. It would be more suitable to use the Evolta in energy draining devices like digital cameras and remote control toys, although its use is not limited to just those mentioned products.

What makes the Evolta battery so special? Well, the way it is structured internally offers more space within compared to previous generation batteries, which in turn lets Panasonic cram in even more active materials. Couple that with an improved sealing technology and you end up with a more durable battery by all means. Not only that, newly-developed active materials for the battery’s cathode (manganese dioxide and oxy-hydroxide titanium) and anode (zinc) facilitate a chemical reaction that delivers superior performance. Panasonic has also worked hard to improve the manufacturing process to jam active materials more evenly and densely.

The Evolta will come in AA/AAA flavors in four-pack and eight-pack versions, retailing for $4.99 and $8.99, respectively.

Promethean Power Solar-Powered Refrigerator.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--Promethean Power Systems, a start-up developing solar-powered refrigerators for India, has raised a round of angel funding from the Quercus Trust.

The funding, finalized Thursday, will allow the company to build another prototype which it hopes to test in India next year, according to company CEO Sorin Gramma.

Promethean Power prototype of a solar-powered refrigerator.

(Credit: Martin LaMonica/CNET Networks)

Promethean Power showed off its first prototype this week at the Technology Review EmTech 2008 conference.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology spinoff is combining solar power with thermoelectrics--materials that create cooling or heat from electrical current--to make a standalone refrigeration unit for rural India.

At the heart of its system is what it calls its hybrid compressor, a cooling unit that can run both off of a diesel generator and three to five 180-watt solar panels.

Solar panels make this sort of refrigerator far more expensive. But Gramma estimates that a milk or food distribution company could save two-thirds what it spends picking up food from farmers.

The refrigeration allows for one, rather than two, milk pick-ups a day. Also, by squeezing as much power as possible from the sun, these cooling stations don't need to run their generators as often.

The electricity from the panels flows through the thermoelectric modules. A heat-exchange system of water tubes creates ice for cold storage, while the heat is whisked away.

Gramma said the company is probably two years away from having a commercial product.

The Quercus Trust, run by David Gelbaum, keeps a low profile but has made a number of seed investments in the clean-tech area.

"The Quercus Trust is a leading investor in solar and other clean-tech technologies and is proud to provide Promethean with capital to further its goal of providing better living conditions for the communities that can most benefit from this technology," it said in a statement.

Pininfarina Sintesi Electric-Hydrogen Hybrid

At the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, Pininfarina, the famed styling house, showed off its Sintesi concept car. The Sintesi features four suicide scissor doors, a 0.27 coefficient of drag, and rear lights that not only feature the newest LED Osram technology but also have cameras and sensors. The lights visually connect the rear styling to the side by underlining the car's central axis. But one of this concept's most amazing features lies inside.

The Sintesi's instrument panel is unlike any other I've seen. The entire panel is one translucent piece that uses various light displays to show information. If you look closely, it really is the entire dashboard from one end to the other, not just the oval-shaped display in the center. The company claims that the car could help do away with traffic signals and road signs altogether, since it displays them all inside the vehicle as you approach them. The car can also "communicate" with other cars in order to determine the best, most traffic-free routes.

Source: Pininfarina

The car is an electric-hydrogen hybrid, with small fuel cells located throughout the vehicle rather than in one central location. The system is expected to deliver in the neighborhood of 700 hp. All of this sounds incredibly cool and yet maddeningly vague. The company has been slowly revealing the car and its features over the course of several months. One thing is for certain: this four-door is a heck of an alternative to a Honda Accord.

Suniva Develops Low-Cost, High Efficiency Solar Cells

Suniva, an Atlanta-based startup, has recently developed solar cells that can achieve 20 percent efficiency. Unlike other high-efficiency cells, Suniva is using low-cost processes that will make their solar cells cost-competitive with conventional sources of electricity.

Suniva uses a combination of superior cell design and screen-printing technology to achieve its solar cell efficiency.

According to Ajeet Rohatgi, Suniva’s CTO, the company’s techniques can produce solar energy for 8 to 10 cents per KWh— a comparable price to conventional energy sources in the United States.

Despite its achievement, Suniva still has a long way to go before the cheap solar cells are on the market. During testing, the company used 200-micrometer thick and 100-micrometer thick silicon wafers. But Suniva faces a challenge in acquiring the large amount of silicon necessary to produce its product en masse since such thin wafers aren’t currently on the market.

The world record for solar cell efficiency is currently held by SunPower, which produced a solar cell earlier this year with 23.4 percent efficiency.

NiZn Batteries in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

PowerGenix's nickel-zinc technologies offer many compelling benefits for use in hybrid electric vehicles and other mobility applications. Nickel-zinc offers the high-power, high-cycle life and required energy density to meet the high torque and discharge demands of many of these vehicles at cost effective performance levels. Nickel-zinc also performs very well at both high and low temperatures, a key performance requirement for HEV's. Just as importantly, nickel-zinc is extremely safe, environmentally clean, and recyclable without any special handling needs.

Performance and cost aspects of nickel-zinc technology that compare very favorably to battery technologies used in HEV's today, or being considered for future use in HEV's include:

• Nickel-zinc technology offers more energy density than the nickel metal hydride batteries being used in HEV's today, providing for up to a 40% smaller and lighter battery—very attractive dynamics for HEV applications.
• Nickel-zinc battery solutions for an HEV are less expensive than nickel metal hydride because you need 35+% less cells, and the materials used in a nickel-zinc battery are less expensive than those used in a nickel metal hydride battery.
• Expensive safety power control systems and manufacturing processes required by lithium-ion batteries are not necessary for a nickel-zinc battery, making a nickel-zinc about 1/2 the cost per watt hour of a lithium-ion battery.
• The materials used in a nickel-zinc battery are not combustible, so they can not explode, making them inherently much safer than a lithium-ion battery.

PowerGenix intends to exploit the nickel-zinc price/performance, form and safety advantages for HEV and other light weight mobility applications. PowerGenix is currently developing a nickel-zinc D cell for use initially in smaller mobility applications such as scooters and power-assisted bikes. PowerGenix will then further develop this NiZn D cell technology with select strategic partners for use in the HEV's as an alternative to nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion.

Solar Parking Lots: Charge While You Park!

We have written before about the idea of combining parking lots with photovoltaic arrays. The benefits are obvious - parking lots already provide plenty of sunlight-rich acres, so why not harness it? Furthermore, with the solar panels propped up above the cars, the entire array forms a “canopy” which provides welcome shade for the vehicles. Applied Materials - a Silicon Valley manufacturer of semiconductors, LCD displays, and other high tech equipment – has just built one such array over its company parking lots; the 2.1 megawatt system is reportedly the largest in its class.

Although I imagine that Applied Materials will be using its electric power to contribute to its existing energy uses, it would be interesting to think about combining parking lot solar arrays with EV charging stations. For example, a 2 megawatt array could provide each of 1000 cars with 2 kilowatts of power, roughly the same amount you draw from a circuit in your house. And if that circuit in your house will theoretically be able to charge your plug-in hybrid, so should your solar parking spot!

A parking lot that charged electric cars could play an important role in a future infrastructure where we will need charging stations in public places. If electric car drivers are to have the same freedom we have today with gasoline, such stations will need to be everywhere. Shai Agassi wants to solve this problem by integrating thousands of new charging stations into the electric grid, which is what China seems to be doing too (see post below) . The Chevy Volt addresses the problem by providing drivers with a backup reserve of fuel. A solar parking lot would provide an off-the grid, centralized hub that could be placed anywhere sunny enough.

Venturi to Open Plant for New Electric Car

Venturi Automobiles, the Monaco-based maker of luxury electric cars, says it is looking to build an assembly plant for electric vehicles in the Ouest Park zone near Sablé-sur-Sarthe in France’s Loire Region, where Venturi was founded in 1984. The plant is scheduled to open at the end of 2009.

Venturi’s newest electric endeavor will be assembled at the new plant. The as yet-unnamed vehicle was developed jointly with Michelin and will be unveiled at the upcoming Paris Auto Show, or for French green gearheads, “Mondial de l’Automobile.” Venturi did not say if one of its other cars, the €297,000 ($422,000) Fetish, will be assembled there, nor did it offer no updates on the much-delayed electric sports car’s production schedule.

We’ve seen a flurry of new electric car assembly plant announcements recently. The big news this week was Tesla’s decision to build a $250 million manufacturing plant and corporate headquarters in San Jose, Calif.,where it will build its new Model S electric sedan. Meanwhile, electric car vet ZAP has started construction on a new manufacturing facility in Kentucky, where it might assembly the mysterious, three-wheeled Alias.

Image courtesy of Venturi.

Army Sponsoring Bat-Like, 6-inch, Solar Spy Plane

Imagine a six-inch spy plane that sends back visual and chemical data in real time, runs on vibrations as well as sun and wind power - and looks like a bat! Thanks to a five-year $10-million grant from the Army the University of Michigan College of Engineering will be making this Batman wet dream a reality. The renewable robot will be developed at U-M’s newly created Center for Objective Microelectronics and Biomimetic Advanced Technology a mouthful also appropriately known as COM-BAT. The University of Michigan will work with the University of California at Berkley as well as the University of New Mexico to create different aspects of the technology.

Miniaturizing the various systems of “the bat” and making them more energy efficient are big challenges for the groups working on COM-BAT. The tiny plane must be able to collect large amounts of surveillance data and travel great distances while running on 1 W of power. But COM-BAT is ambitious and they fully anticipate being able to shrink all the systems. For example “They expect their autonomous navigation system, which would allow the robot to direct its own movements, to be 1,000 times smaller and more energy efficient than systems being used now.”

The potential applications of this condensed technology are virtually limitless, "Throughout this research, we expect to make technological breakthroughs and have a much wider range of applications for other types of engineering problems, from medical to industrial," Kamal Sarabandi, the COM-BAT director and a professor in the U-M Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

GM thinks beyond the Volt

DETROIT (CNNMoney.com) -- The applause hasn't died down for the new Chevrolet Volt, but General Motors is already planning where the technology for this new electric car can go next.

The Volt, which made its official debut Tuesday, is based on what GM calls the "E-Flex platform." This new type of vehicle uses high-capacity lithium-ion batteries and will be able to go up to 40 miles on a full charge. If a driver wants to go farther, the car's small gasoline engine will generate more electricity, allowing trips of over 300 miles.

But that technology doesn't have to stop with the Volt, according to said Tony Posawatz, vehicle line director for the E-Flex program. Different body styles - wagons or small cars, for instance - and versions styled for different brands are under consideration for a future, improved E-Flex use.

"These are some of the alternatives that are being reviewed, even as we speak, relative to the future beyond Volt," Posawatz said in an interview with CNNMoney.com after the Volt's official unveiling in Detroit Tuesday.

He made it clear, though, that any discussions of E-Flex's future are preliminary. No decisions have been made, but lots of options are on the table.

It's not too soon for GM to be thinking about this, either, said Bill Pochiluk of the auto industry consulting firm AutomotiveCompass. Transferring the technology won't be that hard, he said.

"Some of the systems and modules will be directly transferable to other vehicles," according to Pochiluk. Add to that a much more competitive hybrid electric car market by the time the Volt comes out, he said.

By the summer of 2009, Pochiluk sees Honda and Toyota still dominating the market. But GM will move fast, he predicted, becoming the third biggest hybrid vehicle manufacturer with no one else even close.

Flexing E-Flex

As with any other vehicle platform, different body styles could easily be built on top of the Volt's engineering. In the same way that the Chevy Cobalt car and HHR wagon are basically the same vehicle underneath while looking completely different, GM could easily put different "top hats," as they're called in the industry, on the E-Flex platform.

That would be an easy first step to extending the E-Flex's market in different directions, Posawatz said. There are already indications that there could be an appetite.

"It's grown beyond our wildest imaginations, the degree to which people connected to the idea of the car, the spirit of the car," Posawatz said. "That's given us a degree of confidence that this could be a family of vehicles in the future."

Creating the Volt meant engineers had to clear the big hurdles the first time out.

But when you build an electric car that doesn't have to compromise on utility or performance, Posawatz noted, "it's easier taking it in different directions."

The E-Flex powertrain, which is the car's engine and electric motor, works well in a mid-size sedan carrying four passengers and cargo, so it has the flexibility to accommodate more or less demand for different vehicles, Posawatz said.

"This has a little bit of bandwidth," Posawatz said. "This can go on a little bit bigger vehicle if necessary." And it can be scaled down to create more economical versions, he said. With a smaller battery pack, a vehicle might not go as far without needing gasoline. But it would also cost a lot less, an appealing proposition to some.

"There are a number of customers out there that maybe a 20-mile [electric-only range] vehicle would work, and they would still use little to no petroleum," said Posawatz.

All in on electric

Forgoing the gasoline engine altogether for a shorter-range car is another possibility, Posawatz said, but it's one that creates problems.

First of all, it just goes against the whole idea of E-Flex. GM believes there's less of a market for a limited-use vehicle. Why wouldn't customers want the option (even if they rarely use it) of driving a car farther than batteries alone will take them?

Pochiluk agreed that all-electric cars just aren't as attractive from a marketing standpoint. People will always be scared of getting stranded. "I think it's impossible to go without a range extender when you've only got 40 miles," he said.

Another problem is that electric only operation is harder on a vehicle's battery, according to Posawatz. Repeatedly draining a battery down to near zero, will mean much shorter battery lives, he said.

"We're only cycling it to a 50% state of charge," with the E-Flex platform, said Posawatz, "so we're not beating the crap out of the battery."

For an automaker with the scope of General Motors, different branding creates many opportunities for the range-extended E-Flex. There will probably be E-Flex vehicles that aren't Chevrolets. No doubt, Cadillac, Pontiac, Saturn and other GM dealers would love to get their own plug-in vehicles to sell.

But for now, Posawatz is concentrating on just getting the ball in play. "You always have to do the first car right and well."

What is an Ultracapacitor ?

There has been many talks and articles about ultracapacitors and its potential use for renewable energy. Let me first start by answering the question What is an Ultracapacitor?

An Ultracapacitor, sometimes called electric double-layer capacitors or supercapacitors are just just like any other capacitor but have a very high energy density. It can store huge amounts of energy for its size. If you are familiar with the usual electrolytic capacitor, think about a device than can store a thousand times more energy. Most electrolytic capacitors have a value in micro farads, but a typical ultracapacitor has a value in 10, 100, or sometimes thousands of farads.

One may also think of ultracapacitors as a super battery. Normal rechargeable batteries such as Nicd and NiMH have very slow charging times. What’s great about an ultracapacitor is that it charges very quickly just as an ordinary electrolytic capacitor does. It can also discharge high amounts of power very quickly unlike normal batteries.

Such properties of Ultracapacitors made it a very suitable for applications such as for motor startup, and regenerative braking. Someday, I won’t be surprised to see Ultracapacitors replace batteries in all-electric cars (EV) and plugin hybrids.

The Solar Stik Portable Power Generator

The Solar Stik™ is a small-scale energy generator that is capable of providing clean, green energy wherever it is needed most. The versatile system takes advantage of both solar and wind turbine technology and is quick to set up, making it perfect for applications ranging from boating and recreation to providing emergency relief and humanitarian aid.

Energy is hard to come by in many areas of the world, and clean reliable energy is even rarer. This holds doubly true for the sites of natural disasters, where it is extremely important to have a reliable source of power for rebuilding efforts.

Weighing in at just under 80 pounds, the Solar Stik offers a versatile alternative energy solution that is easily deployable. It can be set up quickly by just one person, and its dual 50-watt solar panels are capable of producing about 80 Amp-hours per day. Starting at $5,000, the Solar Stik is on the pricey side, but its initial cost it is something that can definitely be recouped as an investment over time.

+ Solar Stik

Can Nanoscopic Meadows Drive Electric Cars Forward ?

Nanoscale meadows of grass and flowers could hold the key to increasing the amount of energy that can be stored in ultracapacitors, devices tipped to replace batteries in high-demand applications like electric cars.

Carbon nanotube "blades of grass" pump an electric current into manganese oxide "nanoflowers", which can then attract ions out of solution. (Image: American Chemical Society)

Batteries are slow to recharge because they store energy chemically. By contrast, capacitors, which are common in electronics, are short-term stores of electrical energy that charge almost instantaneously but hold little energy.

In recent years capacitors able to store thousands of times as much energy as standard ones, called ultracapacitors, have been developed, leading experts to suggest they could power future devices and even electric cars.

First however, their energy storage capacity needs to improve further. Chinese researchers have just reported a new approach to doing that which could see them become practical.

Ion sponge

Ultracapacitors are simple devices. They are charged by applying a voltage to two electrodes suspended in a solution so that positive ions head to one electrode and negative ions to the other.

Energy is stored because the electrodes are coated with a porous material that soaks up ions like a sponge, usually activated carbon. Improvements in ultracapacitor capacity so far have come from making those carbon sponges with more pores.

Now Hao Zhang at the Research Institute of Chemical Defence in Beijing, China, and colleagues at Peking University have taken a different approach. They store ions in manganese oxide (MnO), a material with a much greater capacity for ions than activated carbon.

However, although MnO holds ions well, it has a high electrical resistance, making it difficult to charge it with voltage to attract ions in the first place.

Double charge

The researchers addressed that by creating a "nanomeadow" of microscopic structures – fuzzy flowers of MnO each about 100 nanometres across on a field of messy carbon nanotube grass grown on a tantalum metal foil (see image, right).

Each flower attaches to at least two of the blades of grass, which act like electron superhighways, says Zhang, forming strong electrical connections to the flowers. The usually resistant MnO can then be charged up to attract the ions it can store so well.

As a result, the nanomeadow performs 10 times better than MnO alone and can store twice as much charge as the carbon-based electrodes in existing ultracapacitors.

Zhang says that the nanomeadow's complex structure is resistant to the mechanical degradation that reduces the performance of ultracapacitors over time. The energy capacity of the new device drops by just 3% after 20,000 charge and discharge cycles, better than other high-capacity designs.

To the streets

Mike Barnes at the University of Manchester, UK, says this is an interesting approach to improving ultracapacitor performance.

But he points out that that a design ready for market needs to be even more resistant to physical degradation. In vehicles, ultracapacitors are charged during braking, which might happen about 60 times per hour in urban situations.

A delivery van working a five-day, 8-hour week would clock up 120,000 cycles in a year. Going by Zhang's figures, that would cut its ultracapacitor's storage ability by at least 15%, something that needs to improve before the nanomeadow design is ready for the road.

New Options for Home Wind Power

Utility-scale windpower is an important and growing part of the US energy portfolio. Farms ranging in size from dozens to hundreds of turbines can produce in excess of 60 megawatts of power. Plans for gigawatts of wind power are being proposed all over the globe, and new wind farms are regularly being proposed that outstrip one another to be the largest in their respective locations, or in the world. At the far end of the scale, the largest size wind turbines have a rotor diameter of 126 meters (413 feet), and are estimated to be capable of producing 20,000,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually (enough to power as many as 5000 European homes). Since the power generated by a turbine increases exponentially as it gets larger, new turbines will continue to grow in size.

But small-scale turbines are perhaps a more exciting realm of development. The standard, propeller-style turbine is well established, and there are many suppliers for this kind of generator in a range of sizes. In 2007, Home Power Magazine had a roundup of more than a dozen small wind turbines ranging from 8 feet to 56 feet in diameter (the latter of which is far larger than even a large, inefficient household would need for their power requirements). Green Building Elements had a review of this article last year.

Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines

In theory, vertical-axis wind turbines are thought to be better suited for urban locations, where winds are more swirling and less consistently directional. With a rotor that spins around an upright axis, wind coming from any direction can turn the blades and provide power. On the downside, the power produced by a VAWT is less efficient because, during part of its rotation, the rotor is moving against the wind.

Vertical-axis turbines are also generally quieter than horizontal, propeller style turbines. Their cylindrical form also lets them go into places with less space available, which also makes them well suited for urban uses. Another benefit of vertical turbines is that they generally appear more solid, which makes them less of a hazard to birds and bats.

The Windspire is one newer VAWT that is being aimed at the home-power market. It is a very narrow cylinder only 2 feet (61 cm) wide, but 30 feet (9.1 meters) tall. Another VAWT, the HelixWind presents an even more solid-looking presence, with scoop-like solid rotors in a helical configuration. The Windspire rotor is wider and shorter - 4 feet x 8.7 feet (1.2 x 2.7 meters) than the Windspire. Helix Wind also has a taller version with twice the rated capacity.

Loopwing and Energy Ball

More than a year ago, we first learned about the Loopwing, an unusual turbine from Japan that offered extremely quiet operation and redundant safety systems to prevent overspeed in high winds. The noise reduction is due to the configuration of the blades, which return to the shaft, rather than having exposed tips. This eliminates the vortices that are produced by the tip of the blade moving through the air which is the source of much of the noise created by a turbine.

Another turbine has recently been introduced with some similar characteristics. The Energy Ball looks like a variant on the Loopwing concept, though with more blades. However, the Energy Ball is a small turbine only slightly more than one meter in diameter, with a rated power of only 100 watts (0.2 kW). Even in a very windy location, this small turbine is unlikely to do much on its own to reduce your energy bills because of its small level of output.

Other Small Turbines

Swift makes a turbine that is much like an ordinary horizontal-axis turbine, but unlike other propeller style turbines, though, its five blades are connected together with a ring. This makes it a hybrid between a propeller turbine, and a turbine like the Loopwing or the Energy Ball. The ring helps to cut down on noise, most of which comes from blade tips traveling through the air, not unlike the Loopwing or the Energy Ball.

AeroVironment has another turbine designed for direct mounting on a building parapet. The AVX1000 is designed for commercial use only. Aerovironment’s turbines can be installed with a decorative canopy that may also lessen the likelihood of bird impacts.

Both the Swift and the AeroVironment turbines are displayed in building parapet installations where they are only a short distance above a building roof. They may be taking some advantage of the increase in wind speed that occurs at a building roof. But when the wind is blowing parallel to the face of the building, these turbines are likely to be fairly ineffective.

Summary

• AeroVironment AVX1000 - 5.5 ft (1.7 m) dia - rated power 1.0 kW (@ 13.4 m/s 30mph)
• Energy Ball - 3.6 ft (1.1m) dia - rated power 0.1 kW (max 0.5 kW @17 m/s)
• HelixWind S322 - 1.21m x 2.65m (4 ft x 8.66 ft) - rated power 1.88 kW
• Loopwing - 9.4 ft (2.85 m) dia - rated power 2 kW (@12.8 m/s)
• Swift - 7 ft (2.1 m) dia - rated power 1.5 kW (@ 14m/s 31mph)
• Windspire - 0.6 x 6.1m (2 ft x 20 ft) - rated power 1.2 kW (@ 11.2 m/s 25mph)

Comparing Turbines

Evaluating and comparing wind turbines is still a difficult task. Different manufacturers list information about their turbines differently, so straightforward comparisons between units can be difficult. Some manufacturers list the output based on the maximum output, which is typically far in excess of the average wind speed a site is likely to experience.

Furthermore, how a turbine performs at different wind speeds also affects its output. Some manufacturers list an annual power output (in kilowatt hours, just like electric service is typically billed) but that is based on an estimated average annual wind speed, which may not be the same as the average wind speed a potential user’s site may experience.

Another factor is the “cut in speed”� of a particular turbine, which is the wind speed at which the turbine starts turning. Some minimal amount of power may be produced at this low speed, but it is only a tiny fraction of the turbine’s rated speed. A turbine with an especially low cut in speed will start turning in a lighter breeze, but that doesn’t mean it is going to be producing much power at those wind speeds.

Wind power has not been quite as readily accepted for home power generation for several reasons. First of all, wind power has greater requirements for open space and access to wind for efficient operation. By comparison, solar is much easier to accommodate, especially on a small site. Solar is also far less obtrusive than wind power. Solar panels located on a low slope roof or in a back yard are often almost invisible to passers-by, while wind turbines need to stick up into the air where they are able to catch the wind. Some people find this objectionable, which can sometimes make it more difficult to obtain the necessary permits for the installation of a wind turbine. Any system with moving parts is more prone to breakdown and trouble than one that is solid state, which also contributes to wind power being less desirable for homeowners who do not also want to be turbine mechanics. Wind turbines also can produce noise and vibration. This, too can be objectionable to neighbors, as well as making it less desirable to mount the unit directly on a building. However, there are cities where zoning laws are being changed to allow for wind turbines to be installed with fewer regulatory hurdles.

Home wind power is still a small niche compared with solar. Far fewer homes are suitable for personal wind turbines than homes that can accommodate solar panels. But wind is part of the renewable energy mix, and there certainly are many homes where is is a viable option. For those, the range of options is growing.

Peugeot Bringing a Hybrid to Le Mans !

Having joined Audi in providing that diesels can dominate at Le Mans, Peugeot now wants to show that hybrids -- yes, hybrids -- can compete at the top tier of motor sports. The French automaker has unveiled a gas diesel-electric racer it plans to run in next year's Le Mans series.

The 908 HDi FAP "Hy" made a few laps at Britain's famed Silverstone racetrack last weekend before the final round of the Le Mans series, running a kinetic energy recovery system similar to what we'll see in Formula 1 cars next year. The 908 "Hy" works a lot like a Prius on steroids, with a lithium-ion battery and an 80-horsepower electric motor that can propel the car on electricity alone or provide added power at high speed or during passing moves.

Peugeot says the car is ready to race, but the question remains whether it will be allowed to.

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest -- which sets the rules governing the Le Mans series -- has announced a slew of rule changes meant to eliminate the advantages diesels have enjoyed over gasoline racers, but it's done nothing to allow hybrids onto the grid for 2009. But Peugeot will not be deterred and, according to Britain's Car magazine, says it'll run the 908 Hy as a "Double-Oh" non-competitor so it can continue developing the technology.

"As a car manufacturer, we can use motor sport as a research and development tool for the Peugeot brand as a whole," says Michel Barge, director of Peugeot Sport. "Running a hybrid car in endurance racing would give Peugeot the chance to gain extremely valuable experience that would benefit the development of production cars.

The hybrid system has three main components -- a 60 kilowatt (80 horsepower) gear-driven electric motor in place of a conventional starter motor, 600 lithium-ion battery cells divided into 10 packs and a power converter just behind the front left wing to control the flow of energy between the batteries and the electric motor.

Peugeot says the 908 Hy can run in three modes: full electric at low speeds (as in pit lane), gasoline diesel engine only or a combination of the two. Regenerative braking captures energy that would otherwise be lost as heat during braking and stores it in the battery packs. Peugeot says the system will recover enough energy to provide an extra 80 horsepower for 20 to 30 seconds per lap. The stored energy can be automatically deployed under acceleration, or used at the driver's discretion when, say, passing another car. If not used for additional acceleration, the recovered energy can simply augment the gasoline engine, cutting fuel consumption 3 to 5 percent -- no small advantage in a 12- or 24-hour endurance race.

Peugeot isn't the first to put a hybrid drivetrain in an endurance racer. Earlier this year, the Gumpert put a hybrid drivetrain in one of its Apollo supercars and entered it in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, where its fastest lap was 9 minutes 24.885 seconds.

UPDATE : Corsa Motorsports and Zytek are working on a hybrid racer for the American Le Mans Series, and as reader Moose notes in the comments below, American boutique automaker Panoz built the Q9 hybrid to run in the series in the late 1990s.

Photos by Peugeot.

The hybrid system is comprised of a gasoline diesel engine (blue) and transmission (gold) coupled to a 60 kilowatt gear-driven electric motor (green). Energy recovered during braking is stored in 10 lithium-ion battery packs (gray). A power converter (black) controls the flow of energy between the batteries and the motor.

New Electrode Structure From QuantumSphere Extends Li-Ion Battery Capacity Up To Five Times

(Nanowerk News) QuantumSphere, Inc., a leading developer of advanced catalyst materials, electrode devices, and related technologies and systems for portable power and clean-energy applications, today announced that it has filed a key patent for technology it has developed that extends the capacity of rechargeable lithium ion batteries up to five times. Next-generation batteries featuring this technology could dramatically improve the operating life of portable consumer electronics, hybrid-electric vehicle range, and a wide variety of energy storage applications.

This news follows a previous QuantumSphere battery announcement highlighting the development of a high-rate, paper-thin, nano-enabled electrode for disposable batteries. This earlier breakthrough patent pending air-electrode design increased power output by 320% in zinc-air cells, providing roughly 4x more power than equivalent sized alkaline batteries, and is expected to be commercialized in 2009.

“The electrodes our company is developing will expand battery capacity in a profound way, without a sacrifice in safety. Instead of four hours of operating time on a laptop computer, a single charge could last up to 12 hours and provide users with enough computing time for a complete round-trip flight between Los Angeles and New York,” said Kevin Maloney, president and CEO of QuantumSphere. “This important research is another example of QuantumSphere’s focused plan to bring next-generation, high-capacity lithium ion battery systems to market. We believe this is a commercially viable technology that will have a major impact in a variety of consumer, industrial, and transportation applications.”

Today’s patent filing covers a novel electrode structure enriched with nano lithium particles that increases the fuel source in a rechargeable lithium ion battery, thus increasing battery life. QuantumSphere intends to commercialize the technology to improve next-generation batteries for energy storage, consumer, and transportation applications.

“QuantumSphere has created electrodes with much higher lithium capacities than current state-of-the-art lithium ion batteries, as described in this patent application,” said Subra Iyer, principal technologist and co-inventor at QuantumSphere. “In the next phase of the QuantumSphere research efforts, we will further improve these anode and cathode electrodes and formulate electrolytes with wide electrochemical windows. All of this is part of a structured research approach to create new high-voltage battery chemistries, enabling both higher energy density and higher power density in next-generation rechargeable lithium ion batteries, taking advantage of the newly improved anode, cathode, and electrolyte molecular architectures.”

About QuantumSphere, Inc.

QuantumSphere, Inc. (QSI) is a leading manufacturer of advanced catalyst materials, high- performance electrode systems, and related technologies for portable power, clean energy, and electronics applications. Backed by a strong intellectual property portfolio, the Company’s system designs and products can lower costs and enable breakthrough performance in such multi-billion dollar growth markets as batteries, fuel cells, desalination, hydrogen generation, and emissions reduction.

Founded in 2002, QSI is driven by a mission to reduce dependence on non-renewable energy sources through continuous innovation and refinement of its highly engineered catalytic materials, electrode systems, and advanced technology platforms. QSI serves leading industry customers with its patented, automated, highly scalable, and environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. For more information, please visit www.qsinano.com.

Source: QuantumSphere (press release)

Mercedes Into The Hybrid Game.

German automakers pride themselves on being at the leading edge of new technology, so it has been a bit of an embarrassment that—a decade after Toyota (TM) launched the Prius—none of them has a hybrid electric model on the market. But, with fuel economy and environmental impact suddenly a key concern for well-heeled buyers, Daimler's (DAI) Mercedes unit is finally poised to get into the hybrid game.

In June 2009 the company will begin European sales of a hybrid version of its luxury S-Class that, its engineers say, will use 7.9 liters of gasoline per 100 km (or get 29.8 miles per gallon). Launches in the U.S. and China will follow in September, Mercedes said on Sept. 11.

The carmaker hasn't yet established a price for the hybrid land yacht, but Mercedes Sales and Marketing Director Klaus Maier said the premium will be less than €10,000, or $14,000. The S-Class starts at about $88,000 in the U.S., though the top-of-the-line V12 costs a staggering $145,000.

Why Such a Big Car

Cynics might say that people concerned about global warming and the massive transfer of wealth to oil-producing nations should simply buy a smaller car. But Mercedes executives don't think their customer base has quite reached that stage of enlightenment. "Not everyone can drive a Smart on vacation," Maier says. "We need solutions for big cars."

Why did it take so long for Mercedes to get into the hybrid market? One reason is that Mercedes, as well as BMW (BMWG.DE) and Volkswagen (VOWG.DE), have concentrated on optimizing diesel engines. BMW's diesel Mini and 1 Series rival the Prius for gas mileage and carbon dioxide emissions. Daimler says its BlueTec line of diesel SUVs, launched in the U.S. over the summer, account for 20% of Mercedes SUV sales in the country, a substantial percentage considering that diesel passenger cars make up only 4% of the total market.

From an engineering point of view, diesel is the better technology because it offers comparable gas mileage to a hybrid—or even superior mileage in highway driving—with less weight and expense. But the success of Toyota's luxury Lexus hybrid models showed that gasoline-oriented U.S. buyers want hybrids. "Mercedes said: 'If you want to save the planet, buy a diesel,'" says Christoph Stürmer, Frankfurt-based auto analyst at Global Insight. "They were right in their own way but proven wrong by the market."

The S-Class is not a so-called full hybrid—it can't run solely on battery power. Rather, the electric motor supplements the six-cylinder, 279-horsepower gasoline engine, improving fuel economy by providing a boost while accelerating. The car also recovers energy when braking, feeding it back into the battery. However, Mercedes has included some innovations that it hopes will set the S-Class hybrid apart from Japanese competitors.

Better Battery

The main innovation is the lithium-ion battery. Developed along with German components supplier Continental (CONG.DE), the battery weighs less and takes up less space than batteries used by competing hybrids. Slightly larger than a conventional auto battery, it fits under the hood and does not reduce the amount of space in the rest of the car. All told, the hybrid components including an electric motor add a modest 75 kg (165 lb.) to the total weight of the car.

The battery employs the same chemical principle as those used in laptops and mobile phones, but Mercedes execs insist there is no danger of the overheating that has plagued consumer electronics makers. In the unlikely event that the battery gets too hot, says Oliver Vollrath, strategic director of the S-Class hybrid project, the system will shut down automatically. In any event, Vollrath says the car's power-management system precludes any such problems. "You can be sure that what happens in laptops won't be a problem in automobiles," he says.

Besides being more efficient than competitors, the battery also helps Mercedes meet its long-term goal of offering better mileage without any sacrifices in performance and comfort. Following the S-Class launch, the company aims to add at least one hybrid model a year. "We have to ensure that people in six years will be able to drive a big car without sacrifices or a bad conscience," says marketing chief Maier.

Ewing is BusinessWeek's European regional editor .

17 Electric Cars You Must Know About

Electric Roadster by Tesla Motors

The electric car that made a lot of people do a double-take (in a good way). Yes, it's expensive, and yes, it's only a two-seater, but it can make people want it like few other green cars, and someone has to pay the early-adopter 'tax'. Our first post about it was in two years ago. Since then, we've written about the opening of the first Tesla Motors store in California, about what happens to a Tesla battery pack at the end of its life, and recently about Tesla's hiring of a new VP of Engineering and Manufacturing. Update: The Tesla electric Roadster has just started shipping to customers and Martin Eberhard Blogs About Getting his Tesla Roadster.

Model S by Tesla Motors

We don't really know much about Tesla's second car yet, so no picture. It used to be known as the 'Whitestar' but is now the 'Model S'. A 5-seat, 4-door sporty sedan in the vein of the BMW 5. Should sell for about $60,000 and manage 225 miles on a charge.

E6 Electric Car by BYD

BYD is China's biggest battery maker, and that gives them an edge over most automakers when when it comes to electric cars (the battery's always the big challenge). The E6 electric car was introduced at the 2008 Beijing International Auto Show. We don't know yet when the company will start selling it, but its F6DM plug-in hybrid is scheduled for 2010 (probably to be followed by the F3DM plug-in hybrid). Range for the E6 should be 300 km (186 miles).

XS500 Electric Car by Miles

When we first wrote about the XS500 by Miles, it generated quite a bit of excitement because of its relatively low price tag for a highway-capable electric car: $30,000. We then got more information about the XS500 and confirmation that the target price was now "$30,000 to $35,000" for the 2009 XS500 in the US. The XS500 should have an all-electric range of about 120 miles.

i MiEV Electric Car by Mitsubishi

We've written a lot about the cute little i MiEV electric car by Mitsubishi. It seems relatively close to commercialization. Mitsubishi even announced that it was 1 year ahead of schedule, and it has plans to sell it globally. For more, you can see photos of the i MiEV at the New York Auto Show and three Japanese commercials.

R1e Electric Car by Subaru

The R1e by Subaru is kind of a cross between the i MiEV above and Toyota's iQ urban car (spy shots of the Toyota iQ here). For more, you can see photos of the Subaru R1e driving around New York City, and more info about the two R1e electric cars that will be tested by the New York power authority. Our guess is that the R1e won't be commercialized - it's probably a learning platform for Subaru - and the Subaru G4e electric car has more chances of making it to market.

Electric Supercar by Hybrid Technologies

This one is still a concept, and who knows if it will ever be sold, but we're told that a prototype should be on the road next Autumn. It was designed by Hybrid Technologies and doesn't seem to have a name yet. They have planned two version: All-electric, and plug-in hybrid. The latter will try to compete in the Automotive X Prize.

Electric Minis by PML and BMW

This is actually two different electric cars. The first one is a normal Mini that was modified by PML (pictured above). They added electric motors in the wheels and it could apparently do 0 to 60 in about 4 seconds! The second version of the electric Mini has been announced by BMW, but unfortunately they're only going to sell them in California, and they're only going to make 500.

EV1 Electric Car by General Motors (RIP)

Next we have the now defunct EV1 electric car that was manufactured by General Motors between 1996 and 1999, and leased in California and Arizona. A good way to get more background info on it is to watch the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?. Some people have questioned how good it actually was, but even if it had big flaws, that's a little beside the point. It was a first, and should have opened the floodgates for more. Instead, the cars were crushed and even removed from museums.

Electric Car by Mercedes (2010)

We don't yet know what this one will look like (pictured above is the F700 concept), but Mercedes has announced ambitious plans to eliminate fossil fuels from its car lineup by 2015, and that includes an electric car in 2010. We'll have to wait and see.

Electric Car by Nissan (2010-2012)

Similarly to Mercedes, Nissan has announced an electric car to be introduced in 2010 and mass-produced in 2012. We don't know yet what it will look like or what it will be called. Pictured above is Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in front of a test-car (not electric).

REVA Electric Car

When we dig a bit deeper in the archives, we find the REVA electric car. It's not exactly going to set the mainstream car market afire, but it has the benefit over many other electric cars to be available now. In fact, you can probably see some driving around London.

ZENN Low Speed Electric Car by Feel Good Cars

According to the makers of the ZENN electric car, the name is actually an acronym for "Zero Emissions, No Noise". It is a "low speed neighborhood vehicle" with a top speed of 25 mph and a range of 40 miles.

Tango Electric Car

Mostly known as "That small electric car that George Clooney drives!", the electric Tango is faster than you might think: With a 0 to 60 time of 4 seconds, it can smoke quite a few sports cars. Bonus: You can park 3-4 of them side by side in a regular parking spot.

Eliica Electric Car by KEIO University

A few years ago, this 8-wheel electric monster got segments on evening news all around the world. Even Japan's then prime minister went to have a look. The Eliica electric car is a true speed demon. In the right conditions, it can do 400kph (250mph), and 0 to 100km/h (0 to 60 mph) in 4 seconds. It is powered by li-ion batteries, and the only thing is can't do is go back to the future.

Wrightspeed X1 Electric Car

The fastest electric cars mentioned above can do 0 to 60 mph in about 4 seconds. That's fast, really fast! But that's not enough, apparently: The X1 can do 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds, leaving the competition in the dust. There's even a popular video of the electric car beating a Ferrari and a Porsche.

Saturn SP1 Electric Car Conversion by Students of Napoleon High School

It's no the prettiest of most high-tech electric car featured here, but we've got to give some kudos to teachers and students of Napoleon High School in Jackson, Michigan. This 1995 Saturn SP1 was converted to run on electricity as part of a school project for the automotive-technology students. Now that's the kind of homework we wish we had in high-school!