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Filed under: Hybrid

Cobasys is working with Armor Holdings Inc. to provide their NiMH battery packs for heavy duty hybrid trucks that the latter company is developing. The hybrid trucks are being tested by the US Army at Ft. Lewis in Washington in different mission simulations to evaluate their performance.

The battery pack supplied by Cobasys is a 280 kW unit with 11 kWh of energy capacity. The full pack is assembled from four of Cobasys’ existing production packs and is being used in the Army’s Future Tactical Truck System. The defense department is evaluating many different alternative fuel and powertrain technologies for the vehicles and other systems because they don’t want to be dependent on the people on the other side of the line for one of their primary supplies.

[Source: Cobasys]Cobasys Strengthens Hybrid Heavy-Duty Truck Activities with U.S. Army High-Tech Vehicles

Orion, MI, May 15 , 2007— Cobasys, a leading supplier of advanced integrated energy storage solutions, today announced it has supplied its NiMHax(R) Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery systems for integration into hybrid electric heavy trucks developed by Armor Holdings Inc. for the U.S. Army. The Military Utility Assessment (MUA) testing began in March by the soldiers in Ft. Lewis, Washington where the vehicles were placed in operational service to begin performing a variety of mission simulations.

Cobasys was chosen to supply a system to the Army’s Future Tactical Truck System (FTTS) based on one of their standard products, the NiMHax 336-70. The complete energy storage system, using four NiMHax 336-70 sub-packs, is capable of producing over 280kW and provides more than 11 kWh of energy. The FTTS heavy-duty hybrid program is part of the Army’s efforts to develop their next generation of tactical wheeled vehicles known as Maneuver Sustainment Vehicle (MSV). The military selected the NiMHax 336-280V system because Cobasys is the only North American manufacturer supplying ‘plug-and-play’ NiMH battery systems for hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) heavy-duty applications.

“Cobasys is proud to be supplying our NiMHax systems to the U.S. Army and being part of the team which is helping to provide the military with a tactical truck fleet of fuel-efficient, high-tech vehicles to face the challenges of today’s military missions,” stated Erik Hansen, General Manager of Sales for Cobasys.

About Cobasys

Cobasys designs, manufactures and integrates advanced energy storage systems solutions for transportation markets, including Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV), Electric Vehicles (EV) and 36/42 Volt applications and stationary markets, including Back-Up power supply systems for Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), Telecom and Renewable Energy applications.

Cobasys is a joint venture between Chevron Technology Ventures LLC, a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) and Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENER).

For more information about Cobasys, contact Ray Wagner at 248-620-5700 or visit our website at http://www.cobasys.com/.

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

From the feedback we've received and the numbers we've seen, Weekly DIY has turned out to be a really popular series on the Green Options blog. While the series' coordinator Ryan and the writers are always on the hunt for new green DIY projects to feature here, we're pretty sure that you've got a DIY that you'd like to share with the Green Options community. Now you can!

We've created a submission form for Weekly DIY suggestions, and we invite you to send us an overview of your project. Ryan will go through submissions on a regular basis, and pick the best of the bunch. If we choose your project, Ryan will get in touch for details and photos. We'll then feature the project under your byline: you'll be the Weekly DIY guest blogger of the week.

No project is too big or small: as long as it helps people "green the good life," we're interested. We look forward to your submissions, and, as always, thank you for participating in the Green Options community!

Austin’s Clean Energy Venture Summit included a session on the Utility of the Future, including Roger Duncan from Austin Energy, Robert Howard from Pacific Gas and Electric, Paul Thomas of Green Mountain Energy, Brad Gammon from IBM, and consultant Alison Silverstein. They described an energy Internet or network of energy networks, including addresses for all outlets and devices and robust metadata systems for monitoring and regulation, optimizing overall efficiency. It won’t be easy to implement – it’s a complicated problem to combine an energy bus and an IT bus for every structure. There’s also major load swings we’re just beginning to understand, according to Duncan, such as load reduction through pervasive implementation of energy-saving light bulbs and load increase (or shift) as pluggable hybrids start appearing. Howard foresees plugin hybrids serving as alternative reserve energy supplies as well, once we’ve solved the (not insigificant) problem of energy storage. It’s an interesting time to be a public utility, with the paradigm for the transmission and delivery of utility services at the edge of significant change that, while inevitable, is stalled somewhat by the inherent risk-averse conservatism of most utility companies – Austin Energy and Pacific Gas & Electric are exceptionally forward-looking… (more)

(Posted by Jon Lebkowsky in Energy at 5:01 AM)

Filed under: Ethanol, Volvo

Click on the image for a gallery of high-res images of the Volvo V70.

Volvo announced this week that four new biofuel models are coming to the UK, including FlexiFuel versions of the C30, S40, V50 and new V70. The E85-ready C30 SportsCoupe, S40 saloon and V50 Sportswagon will start to be delivered in July and a FlexiFuel V70 estate will be available by the end of the year. The 1.8 FlexiFuel model delivering 125PS is now available in the C30, S40, and V50. A 145PS 4 cylinder Flexifuel engine will be made available in the V70. The cheapest of the bunch is the C30 1.8F SE3 at £17,795

Volvo says they expect to sell just 50-100 FlexiFuel cars in the UK this year. Compare that to 7,000 worldwide. Press release pasted after the jump.

[Source: Volvo]
VOLVO BOOSTS UK RANGE WITH FOUR NEW MODELS

• FlexiFuel versions of Volvo C30, S40, V50 and all new V70
• Broadest bioethanol range in the UK

Volvo is launching four all-new, innovative models into the UK to reinforce the company’s long-standing commitment to environmental care and its desire to extend customer choice.

FlexiFuel engines that run on E85 bioethanol fuel1 are now available to order in the C30 SportsCoupe, S40 saloon and V50 Sportswagon, with first customer deliveries in July. A FlexiFuel engine will also be introduced in the all new Volvo V70 estate, arriving in the UK before the end of the year.

As a renewable fuel, bioethanol is better for the environment than traditional fuels2, emitting up to 80% less fossil carbon dioxide emissions than petrol. Offering FlexiFuel in four separate models – more than any other manufacturer – puts Volvo at the forefront of eco-friendly driving in the UK.

“We’re proud to be one of the first car companies in the UK to be offering FlexiFuel models,” said Stuart Kerr, managing director, Volvo Car UK. “Bioethanol reduces man’s dependency on fossil fuels and Volvo’s FlexiFuel programme makes a vital contribution to the company’s strategy of environmental sustainability.”

The Volvo C30 SportsCoupe, S40 saloon and V50 Sportswagon FlexiFuel models are based on the 1.8-litre, four-cylinder normally aspirated petrol engine producing 125PS, with five-speed manual transmission. The V70 FlexiFuel will be powered with a 145PS four-cylinder petrol unit. The FlexiFuel range will start at just £17,795 for the C30 1.8F SE3.

Based on the current refuelling infrastructure4 and lack of Government incentives for E85 as an alternative fuel, Volvo recognises that demand in the UK for its FlexiFuel models is limited. Globally, Volvo Cars predicts sales of 7,000 FlexiFuel cars in 2007. Most are expected to be sold in Sweden, with the UK accounting for 50-100 units.

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Ethanol

We know all about ethanol ’round these parts. We write about it all the time (721 posts as of this morning), sometimes good and sometimes bad. Shall we run down the list here? Okay… In the U.S. we use corn to make it, which is not even remotely the best crop choice. Ethanol has less energy density than gasoline. Subsidies artificaly reduce its price. Ethanol can be diluted in water. Okay, that’s enough! We get the point. But, the good news is that ethanol is made from renewable crops, and probably has less of an impact on the environment that using petroleum (test results vary, of course). Butanol might be a better choice in the long run. Are there any other alcohol choices that are better? How about Sake? Well, maybe not, but perhaps alcohol made from rice will work out in Japan. Click here for more.

[Source: Treehugger]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Diesel, Manufacturing/Plants, Ford

Ford’s Dagenham England engine plant is their global source for diesel engines and they’ve just launched a new engine line to build 1.4L and 1.6L Duratorq TDCi turbo diesel engines. The two new engines are designed to have particularly low carbon dioxide emissions and associated fuel consumption. The 1.6L is already being built and the 1.4L gets added next month. The new engines will be powering the Fiesta, Fusion Focus and C-Max. But American drivers shouldn’t get to excited yet about the Fusion. In Europe the Fusion brand adorns a small CUV based on the Fiesta.

The 1.6L in the Fiesta is rated at 116 g/km for CO2 emissions putting it well under the proposed new EU carbon limits. The Dagenham plant builds a variety of other diesels for use in most of the Ford brands along with a 2.7L V-6 that is shared with Peugeot. The biggest engine they build is a 3.6L V-8 used in Land Rovers and this engine is expected to be the basis of the new 4.4L that’s coming in the next Ford F-150 in 2009. Now they just need to get some of the four cylinders into our Fusion and Focus.

[Source: Ford]
NEW LOW CARBON DIESEL ENGINES FROM FORD DAGENHAM

DAGENHAM, Essex, 16 May, 2007 – Ford’s Dagenham facility is on target for an annual output of 1,000,000 engines thanks to two production landmarks this year.

The wind-powered Dagenham Diesel Centre (DDC) is celebrating the successful launch of a new line to produce low-carbon 1.4 and 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi turbo diesel engines – the result of a £130 million investment programme.

Production of the larger engine is now underway, with the 1.4-litre unit to be added in June. These high technology diesel engines power the most fuel efficient versions of the Ford Fiesta, the Ford Fusion, the Ford Focus and the Ford C-MAX. Within the wider Ford family, these engines are also used in Volvo and Mazda models.

This additional production capacity at Dagenham is needed to satisfy rising demand for the high technology diesel engines that are part of the ongoing cooperative agreement between Ford Motor Company and PSA Peugeot Citroën. Around 250 extra assembly operators to date have been employed at the DDC in readiness for the start of production.

Total engine production output on the Ford Dagenham estate will rise to 1,000,000 units a year by 2009 with the addition of these engines. By then 1.4 and 1.6-litre production capacity will be 575,000. The balance will be accounted for by the estate’s existing 1.8, 2.0, 2.2 and 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine ranges, plus the 2.7-litre V6 diesel engine for Jaguar, Land Rover and PSA Peugeot Citroën and the 3.6-litre V8 diesel engine produced for Land Rover.

The 1.4 and 1.6-litre units will be built in the DDC’s Clean Room Assembly Hall, which boasts the sterile conditions required to produce today’s high-tech diesel engines. Air supply to the Clean Room Assembly Hall is filtered and controlled to minimize airborne dust particles that could interfere with engine assembly.

Dave Parker, plant manager, said: “This new engine output for Ford Dagenham reinforces that Britain is a good place to do manufacturing business. Key to this success story has been the teamwork which secured this multi-million pound investment and then got production started in record time.”

In a Ford Fiesta, Dagenham’s new 1.6-litre engine produces only 116 grammes of CO2 per kilometre. Drivers’ shift to diesel cars led to a 24 per cent rise last year in engine assembly at Dagenham – Ford’s global centre for diesel engineering and manufacture.

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Hydrogen

About a month ago, the Purdue Energy Center held a symposium on the challenges and technologies of the hydrogen economy. One of the presenters was Jerry Woodall, and his research continues to be mentioned this month because of the process he has developed that makes hydrogen “by adding water to an alloy of the metals aluminum and gallium,” Purdue says. There is already a startup company (with the monstrosity of a name AlGalCo Inc.) operating at the Purdue Research Park to make generators that use Woodall’s technology and it’s possible that this technology could one day replace gasoline in vehicles.

There is a 26-minute online presentation of the gallium-aluminum technology available here. Woodall says that the reaction of aluminum with water has the same energy content per unit weight of oil, about 20,000 BTUs or about 6 kWh per pound. And, since aluminum is safe and plentiful, it has high potential to create “aluminum enabling hydrogen economy” (click forward to slide 10 of 20 for Woodall’s explanations about using gallium to disrupt the passivating oxide process).

Related:

• Purdue working on ‘carbon-free’ production method for liquid fuels, but it requires hydrogen
• Biofuel Web site launched by Purdue University

[Source: Purdue University, topic submitted by Michael]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Mosquito biting human, by Matti Parkkonen : (Wikimedia Commons)Editor's note: This week, Lighter Footstep editor Chris Baskind shares some ways to keep the mosquitoes at bay this summer. This post was originally published on May 10, 2007.

With an unusually mild winter and record high spring temperatures across North America and Europe, 2007 is shaping up as a boom time for mosquitoes.

Don't even bother with bug zappers and clouds of insecticides: not only are they ineffective, they do more damage than good. The neighborhood mosquito fogging carried out by some municipalities is a 24-hour solution at best, and large-scale spraying kills bees and other beneficial insects. Insecticides aren't good for animals or humans, either.

Fortunately, a little planning can make your outdoor activities a lot more bearable during the summer months. Ready to swat your mosquito problem the healthy, natural way? Here are some pointers.

Go on patrol

Mosquitos don't range very far. That's good news: if you can reduce their habitat and breeding grounds, you'll do a lot less slapping.

At least once a week during the warmer months, organize a mosquito posse. It's easier with more than one person. Start close to wherever you live and work outward. Be sure to give nearby abandoned and neglected property the once-over, as well.

You're looking for sources of standing or stagnant water. That's easier said than done, because mosquito larvae can make do with a few ounces of water in the bottom of an old soda can or beneath a leaky water faucet.

Old tires, uncovered boats, abandoned cars, puddles, and empty flower pots are likely candidates. Remove and properly dispose of rubbish in which water might pool. Call your local government's code enforcement office and have them deal with neighborhood eyesores.

Pay particular attention to clogged rain gutters. You should clear these a few times a season. Drain, remove, and invert — these are the best tactics for stopping mosquitos before they become hungry adults.

 

Be unattractive (to mosquitoes)

Mosquitoes are remarkably well-equipped to track you down. Don't do them any favors by enhancing the chemical cues which lead them to you.

Fruit and floral-scented smells are a mosquito come-on. Unfortunately, both are pretty common in sunscreens. Look for an unscented formula, such as Aubrey Organics' Natural Sun series or Avalon Organics Baby Mineral Sunscreen. You can buy them online or at your local heath store.

Insects don't have great vision, but they are closely attuned to contrasts. Avoid dark clothing and you'll be less of a sitting duck.

There are two other powerful chemical signals that alert mosquitoes you're ripe for biting: carbon dioxide and lactic acid. While you can't hold your breath, it's easy to avoid CO2-producing campfires and open flames. You produce tons of lactic acid when you're exercising, so consider moving strenuous activities out of the late afternoon hours when mosquitoes are most active. It also helps to limit salty foods and those rich in potassium.

 

Investigate natural insect repellants

DEET is certainly good at discouraging biting insects. But it's nasty stuff, and some people don't tolerate it well.

Citronella, castor, peppermint, lemongrass, and clove oil are among the natural alternatives you can try to keep mosquitos at bay. Combinations of these oils are available in convenient sprays — check your local whole foods or health outlet.

Two things to keep in mind with natural repellents: you'll need to reapply every two hours or so (or after swimming); and some people are sensitive to essential oils. Try a bit before you leave home to make sure the product you've chosen won't cause you problems.

It's not necessary to apply insect repellents directly to the skin. They work by masking your natural scent and will function just as well on your clothes. This will also minimize sweat-off and the likelihood of a skin reaction.

And good luck!

Clean up, cover up, and be smart about the times you're outdoors. Don't take any mozzie guff — and have a great summer!

Copyright © 2007 Chris Baskind

You don't have to start a blog to let your voice be heard! Use an existing form of media, like your local newspaper or favorite magazine and write a letter to the editor! Respond to an article that was recently written, or comment on something going on locally.

The most important thing is to let your voice be heard. You can start a conversation within your community by giving your opinion in a popular piece of media. People will naturally show their opinions. Who knows, you might even create new talk around the water cooler that day!

Submitting your comments is now easier than ever – and paper-free. Once you have figured out which publication you would like to write to, search on their website for "letters to the editor" or the Opinion section.

They will most likely impose rules for your piece. The NY Times limits letters to 150 words that are in reference to an article written within the last week, and the letter must be sent only to the Times, and no other publication. Open letters are not permitted. They must also include your mailing address and phone number. Oh, and they might edit it as they choose. A lot of rules, yes, but a great forum nonetheless.

Save Our Environment Action Center agrees – they encourage people to write letters to the editor because politicians often monitor these letters as if they represent the voice of the people. They've even set up an interesting format: you pick your topic and zip code, and they will provide you a template from which you can write your letter. Check it out.

This Tip o' the Day was recommended to me by my rockin' peer here at Green Options, Megan Prusynski.

Editor's note: For more details on writing a good letter to the editor, check out this previous post, too… 

Filed under: MPG, PSA

PSA’s two car brands – Peugeot and Citroën – have achieved a fleet average of 140 g/km of carbon dioxide emissions based on all the cars they sold in France in 2006. That puts PSA at the top of the heap among all the companies that sell cars in France. PSA sold over 450,000 cars that got less than 120 g/km of CO2 emitted and they are actively working to reduce CO2 output further. They’ve added a start/stop system to the Citroen C2 and C3 and they are developing a diesel hybrid setup that should appear in the new Peugeot 308 which should bring emissions down to 90 g/km.

If PSA is able to achieve these kinds of numbers in Europe, someone should be able to do it in the US market. The 308 is comparable in size to a Focus or the new Saturn Astra. If GM were to add the mild hybrid system to one of the diesel engines available in the Euro market Astra they could probably get a long way toward these numbers. Unfortunately that probably won’t happen until Astra production moves stateside with the next generation because the current exchange rates would probably make the diesel prohibitively expensive when it’s coming from Europe.

[Source: PSA]
05/15/2007

PSA Peugeot Citroën again ranked French market leader in CO2 emissions performance with corporate average CO2 emissions of 140 g/km in 2006
For the second year in a row, PSA Peugeot Citroën has led the French market in corporate average CO2 emissions, with an average of 140 g/km weighted by new vehicle sales in France in 2006. The ranking was prepared by France’s Agency for the Environment and Energy Management (ADEME).
During the year, the Group sold nearly one million vehicles in Europe with emissions of less than 140 g CO2/km (i.e. consuming less than 5.3 liters of fuel/100 km for diesel-powered models and less than 6 liters/100 km for gasoline models). Of these, more than 450,000 units emit less than 120 g CO2/km, for a 38% share of the segment in Europe, and 200,000 emit less than 110 g CO2/km.

This performance reflects an assertive commitment that has long led the Group to focus its research and development on lowering CO2 emissions.

One of the determining factors in meeting this goal has been the comprehensive revitalization of the engine lineup. The broad deployment of modern HDi common-rail technologies across the Peugeot and Citroën model ranges has driven a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions compared with the previous generation of engines. More than nine million vehicles equipped with HDi common-rail engines have been sold to date.

In gasoline engines, the joint development with BMW Group of the recently introduced family of small, advanced technology 1.6-liter engines with variable valve control or turbo direct injection has led to a further 10% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the engines they replace. These engines are already being offered on the Peugeot 207.

Other technologies, such as the Stop & Start system introduced on the Citroën C2 and C3, can cut CO2 emissions by 8 to 15% in city driving.

PSA Peugeot Citroën is pursuing other research projects to reduce CO2 emissions, especially through the Hybrid HDi program. The Peugeot 307 and Citroën C4 Hybrid HDi demonstrators have set radical new performance standards with fuel consumption of 3.4 liters/100 km and CO2 emissions of 90 g/km.

All of these initiatives attest to the Group’s ongoing commitment to significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.