Green Options » fuel cell

Nanotech Research Could Remove Need For Hydrogen In Fuel Cells

Ariel Schwartz — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 01:04:50 +0000

Fuel cells have long been hailed as a promising technology, but they face a major hurdle: the need for hydrogen, which is usually derived from oil and gas. Now a research team from the University of Virginia is trying to change that.

The team will divide its research into two parts. One part of the project will try to create a “solar cell” to gather energy from the sun, and the other part will attempt to use nano-scale structures to create a fuel cell that can transform renewable biofuels into electricity. Working at a nano level will make ion reactions quicker and more efficient than they would be otherwise, and it will be easier to control any problems that come up.

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Medis PowerPack for Stormy Days

Rod Adams — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:06:00 +0000

Back in late May, I shared some information about the Medis 24 x 7 PowerPack, a fuel cell that charge a variety of electronic devices through the use of interchangeable tips. Last night I noticed an story on CNET’s Crave (”the gadget blog”) about a new application for the cell. It described an LED flashlight with an adapter to plug into a PowerPack that can operate for as long as six weeks on a single fuel cell.

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Honda Begins “Production” of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle

Nick Chambers — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:51:38 +0000

Honda has started rolling the first US specification FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell sedans off a production line in Japan to be delivered to a small group of hand-picked high-profile California test customers. Leases to these customers, including Jamie Lee Curtis, are scheduled to begin in July.

The combined sales plan for the US and Japan calls for a few dozen to be leased the first year with about 200 total units leased over the next three years.

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VW Debuts Tiguan HyMotion Fuel-Cell Vehicle and 2009 Clean Diesel Jetta

Clayton B. Cornell — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:18:31 +0000

Tiguan HyMotion Fuel Cell Concept Car

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to attend a VW press event showing off the new hydrogen fuel cell powered Tiguan. The vehicle (above) is one of only two concept prototypes in the world, and this one was flown in from Germany for its US debut.

The event was originally intended to be a test-drive of the HyMotion Tiguan, but the vehicle was having “electrical problems” that kept it out for display only. A VW spokesperson assured us that it had nothing to do with the fuel cell, but whatever the problem was they didn’t want it to happen to us in mid-day San Francisco traffic.

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Want to Test Drive a Hydrogen Powered Car? GM’s “Project Driveway” Looking For Drivers

Deb Hiett — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:08:41 +0000

Testing the New Equinox Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle

GM’s new Equinox hydrogen fuel cell electric cars are on the road. Well, one hundred of them are, and you can apply to become a test driver for three months.

The Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell has been honored with the Green Car Journal’s Green Car Vision Award, the first time the magazine has recognized a limited-production vehicle for its forward-thinking technologies. “Project Driveway” is the first large-scale market test of fuel cell vehicles with real drivers.

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Algae Could Be Major Hydrogen Fuel Source

Clayton B. Cornell — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:57:08 +0000

While the first algae-to-biofuels facility went online today, scientists at Argonne National Labs are manipulating the photosynthetic super-organism for another use: creating hydrogen.

Algae grows prolifically in adverse conditions, and can store large amounts of oils or starches useful for making biodiesel or ethanol. But some strains also use an enzyme called hydrogenase to produce small amounts of hydrogen gas. Scientists think this is the organism’s way of getting rid of excess energy under high-light conditions.

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Could Hybrid Vehicles Hinder Development of More Sustainable Alternatives?

Clayton B. Cornell — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:08:37 +0000

French analysts have concluded that the wild popularity of gasoline-hybrid electric vehicles in the United States could potentially hinder development of more sustainable and advanced green vehicles:

Hybrid electric vehicles that run on both conventional gasoline and stored electricity can be no more than a stop gap until more sustainable technology is developed, according to researchers in France. They suggest that the adoption of HEVs might even slow development of more sustainable fuel-cell powered electric vehicles.

The researchers go on to argue that the “misinformed craze” for hybrids in the U.S. is creating a situation where every manufacturer must include hybrid technology in their portfolio in order to stay afloat:

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Zero Emissions and Fun to Drive: Morgan’s LifeCar

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 22:11:47 +0000

Another one making its debut at the Geneva Auto Show, the Morgan LifeCar is a concept vehicle by the venerable British car maker that “will demonstrate that a new step in vehicle architecture is enabled by the use of a fuel cell hybrid power train.” Morgan not only wants to take a step away from the notion that a “green car” must sacrifice style and power, but also towards “[lowering] the entry barriers for a vehicle powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.” Not exactly sure how a hybrid of any kind means “zero emissions,” or how much hydrogen refueling is required (one of the main entry barriers for fuel cell technology), but will keep an eye on developments for answers (or hope to get them from you!).

Collaborators on the LifeCar concept include Oscar Automotive, Cranfield University, QinetiQ, Oxford University, and Linde AG.

Via Trendhunter.

Clean Energy Intro: What is an Inverter?

Michelle Bennett — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:41:59 +0000

When we think about “clean” energy, we envision big, dark solar panels out in a field or on a roof. Or maybe wind turbines with those big whooshing propellers. What we don’t often think about are the other components that make solar panels and other technologies possible and practical for everyday use.

One very important component of these systems is the inverter. Inverters make it possible to hook your solar panels (or other energy dynamo) into batteries, your electrical system, and/or feed electricity back into the grid. An inverter’s most important task is to convert D.C. (direct current) electricity into A.C. (alternating current). In case you’ve forgotten your high school chemistry, A.C. is all the rage with the power company. Depending on the type of inverter you buy, they can pump all the excess electricity you produce into batteries or back into the power grid. And yes, the power company will pay you for the energy you send them.

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GM’s Grand Plan For Solving America’s Oil Dependence

Clayton B. Cornell — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:00:41 +0000

General Motors says they’re committed to ‘diversifying away from petroleum.’ That sounds like something President Bush would say, but reducing our nation’s dependence on oil was a message repeatedly proffered to me by GM officials throughout the course of the auto show. I’m calling it GM’s grand vision for U.S. transportation energy independence, they call it their ‘Advanced Propulsion Roadmap.’ Either way, GM plans to implement this by investing in a range of new and diverse technologies. It looks something like this:

Increasing Engine Efficiency

The first step is to increase vehicle efficiency and improve emissions by continued advances to the internal combustion engine (ICE). Believe it or not the ICE is still a work in progress. Take ‘cylinder deactivation’ for example, which drops a V6 to a V4 when the extra capacity is unnecessary. One potentially notable technology coming out of the auto show was Ford’s ‘Ecoboost’, which uses gasoline-turbocharged-direct-injection (GTDI) technology to increase fuel efficiency up to 20%. These are diesel engine principles—which are typically 30% more efficient—now being applied to gas models.

Everyone loves new technology, but what about a most basic consideration: vehicle size? This doesn’t seem to be on the radar for several auto manufacturers. It’s not listed on GM’s chart either, even though the Hummer brand announced it will be following that trend (see earlier post on the ‘2nd Greenest Hummer on Earth’).

Denmark: Creating Jobs is a Breeze

Brad Jester — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:01:56 +0000

Lolland-Falster, Denmark
Until recently, I might have searched California’s sustainable communities to find the greenest living place on the planet. To my surprise, on a recent visit to
Lolland-Falster (LF), two Danish islands with about 120,000 residents
combined, I was introduced to a place that takes sustainability to the next level and provides a glimpse into the future.

LF is the first example I have seen which, on a grand scale, integrates many forms of renewable energy into their grid
while creating significant economic development in the process. In the
past decade, LF embraced renewable energy as the primary platform upon
which they would rebuild their struggling economy to reduce their 22%
unemployment rate for unskilled workers and 10% for skilled workers, to
less depressing levels. The results? Today the two islands boast
approximately 4% overall unemployment.

What Was the Secret?
After meeting with three key players in the effort - Leo Christensen
from the Lolland Municipality, Gunnhild Utkvitne and Henrik Schilling
from partner company Baltic Sea Solutions, I was taken on a tour of a
few existing projects.

First stop, the Hydrogen Production Demonstration Facility / Recycling
Dump / Concert Venue. To increase support, pride and
awareness among LF’s residents for the sustainable projects, the
municipality works to make them more visible to the public.
What better way to do this than to make the recycling dump both a
Hydrogen Production Demonstration Facility, as well as a stadium-size
venue for high profile musicians to perform. In addition to holding
concerts here, local students make frequent visits to view
hydrogen being created from excess wind electricity and used to power
fuel-cells.

This level of community integration combining both the clean energy
projects and sustainable living initiatives like the recycling system
appears to be a key to the success of LF’s strategy. Leo, a driving
force behind the movement, realized early on that a turnaround of such
magnitude could not be realized without the wholehearted participation
of the islanders themselves. He also correctly predicted that the educational process that would come with learning how to build and maintain their new sustainable systems,
would provide the islanders with much value. The new skill-sets and
knowledge acquired have not only increased income, but have also given the islanders a
competitive advantage in their career as the world market for renewable
energy continues to expand.

Today, Lolland-Falster produces 50% more electricity than they need
from on and offshore wind mills. They incinerate biomass waste (lawn
clippings, straw, woodchips, etc.) in a combined heat and power (CHP)
district heating system, which provides about 75% of their heating
demands. Not having access to the mainland’s natural gas supply is no
longer an issue. As of late 2006, Lolland also became the home of the
EU’s first "full-scale" Hydrogen Community Demonstration facility for
residential Fuel Cell Combined Heat and Power (CHP).

Lolland Community Testing Facilities (CTF), a strategic initiative
promoting Lolland-Falster abroad and helping facilitate new foreign
companies coming to the islands, is pitching LF as what seems to be a
playground for clean-technology companies. It’s an interesting concept
that seems to be working. As Henrik added, "Lolland-Falster is an
international testing and demonstration platform for renewable energy
technology."

The latest demonstration to arrive, and one which I can’t wait to see
on my next visit, is the world’s first (I am told) combined commercial Wave & Wind Energy plant, currently under
construction at the same location as the world’s first off-shore
windmill farm – just northwest of Lolland. The world’s largest offshore
windmill farm is located south of Lolland.

All-in-all, it was exciting to see that economic and social value
can be created during the transition to cleaner energy sources and less
wasteful systems. Hopefully it won’t take 22% unemployment to see
similar developments closer to home.

Honda FCX Continues Evolution Of Fuel Cell Technology

Michael dEstries — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:50:17 +0000

I’ve been a doubter of fuel cell technology for a very long time. Commercialization has always seemed just “over the next hill” with promises of “we’re almost there” silencing the eager in the backseat. Before going green was cool, and when gas purchases didn’t require a second thought, a hydrogen economy seemed too expensive, too laborious, and not worth the investment or effort. My, how things have changed.

Fuel cells are now poised to become a part of everything from our laptops to our heaters to our vehicles. One car maker, Honda, has been particularly active in investing in the future with their concept FCX fuel cell vehicle. On Tuesday, the FCX made its European debut in Sweden sporting some new features that are notably impressive over previous incarnations of the model. First off, the vehicle is highly efficient, with an energy efficiency of around 60 percent. According to the release, this is “approximately three times that of a petrol-engine vehicle, twice that of a hybrid vehicle and 10 percent better than the current FCX.”

Additionally, the new fuel cell stack is 20 percent smaller and 30 percent lighter than the current Honda FCX FC Stack. Going small, however, hasn’t impacted power — the new model delivers 14kW over the previous. Overall, the power plant weighs less and is about 40% smaller in volume. This has allowed the engineers to design a vehicle that much more spacious and “modern” looking and less like a concept vehicle. Further promoting the FCX’s green credentials the interior fabric is made from Honda Bio-Fabric, a plant-based material that offers outstanding durability and resistance to sunlight damage. Interesting.

So, the next step in the evolution of Honda’s offering has arrived — and with a 30% greater range than its predecessor. If the industry can continue to reign in the investments and find support from federal and state governments, 10-15 years may actually be 10-15 years away. Call me a believer.

GM Moves From The Laboratory To the Front Lines On Hydrogen Vehicles

Michael dEstries — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 00:19:52 +0000

Something tells me that General Motors is not willing to play second fiddle on next generation vehicles. Toyota pretty much slapped them upside the head with the Prius and other fuel-efficient vehicles and the Detroit automaker is taking the lesson to heart with hydrogen. GM announced earlier this week that it has moved 500 fuel-cell engineers and scientists from the laboratory side of the company into the chain of command that actually produces cars.

This move is more than symbolic as it shows an actual transition from the R&D and into the initial stages of commercialization of the vehicles. When pressed for a timeline on hydrogen vehicles showing up in dealerships, Larry Burns, vice president of research and development, offered that they could be available within five or six years. From the article,

Burns said he's not yet willing to say exactly when hydrogen vehicles will be mass-produced, but he said it should happen before 2020, the year many experts have predicted.

"I sure would be disappointed if we weren't there" before 2020, he said Wednesday at his office in GM's sprawling technical center campus in the Detroit suburb of Warren.

Of course, the promises of a hydrogen economy have been whispered in ears for decades without much to show beyond some "proof of life" concepts at trade shows and celebrity parties. There are still massive questions regarding high-price, fueling infrastructures, range, and storage capacity. To GM's credit however — and based on interviews I've had with their executives — there appears to be a genuine push to lead this market and take the crown of innovation before anyone else. Starting this Fall, more than 100 consumers will have the opportunity to test-drive their own personal fuel-cell vehicle for several weeks in New York, Washington and Los Angeles. That's a huge step towards realizing the future of alternative energy vehicles — even if we're still faced with a chicken/egg type scenario. Let's hope GM's big picture allows the other pieces of the puzzle to fall easily into place.

Hit the jump for more.

Fosters Brewery To Develop Fuel Cell That Runs On Beer

Michael dEstries — Fri, 04 May 2007 23:29:29 +0000

Grabbing a cold one may soon do more than just quench your thirst. It also might help power your entire home. Ah, the power of beer.

Fosters Brewery in Australia announced yesterday that they are entering into a partnership with the University of Queensland to develop a microbial fuel cell powered entirely by beer waste. The process will 'digest' the beer and convert it into clean water and electricity generating 2 kw of power — or enough energy to light up one household! To accomplish this, Fosters estimates that it will need a fuel cell capable of storing 660 gallons of beer. This is more than 250 times the size of the current prototype at the University, so one can expect a little more tinkering will be involved before this is installed. Once complete, Fosters hopes to roll out the fuel cells to wineries and breweries it owns throughout Australia.

Rad.

The Australian government is also getting into the game by giving the effort a $115,000 grant. As Professor Jurg Keller, Director of AWMC stated, "Energy and water supply are among the biggest challenges we will face in the coming decades. Therefore, we must learn how to diversify our portfolio of fuels and we must learn to reduce our energy and water usage." Which makes fuel cells all the more desirable, essentially they are waste water treatment plants that also give off electricity. What's not to like?

We'll keep an eye on our partners to the South for more updates on using beer to improve our quality of life. Now excuse me while I go grab a cold one and contemplate the possibilities.

Hit the jump for more.