Industry News-Inventors look to crack electric car conundrum

Researchers grappling with the problem of developing the most fuel-efficient electric cars are using micro-jet turbine engines and 'supercapacity' batteries to help energy-conscious consumers drive further.

Background:

The push to develop a viable electric car has been driven by the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions in order to curb climate change and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

However, technical and logistical difficulties mean developing a mass market electric vehicle is not so straightforward. Critics say electric cars do not have a long enough 'range' (meaning they are not well suited to long-distance driving) and a major overhaul of power supply infrastructure will be required to make electric cars convenient for consumers.

Nonetheless, political support for greener transport has been growing. In an economic recovery package released last year, the European Union earmarked €5 billion for its Green Car Initiative. The US government is also heaping pressure on US automakers to lead the way on clean technologies.

The EU plan includes support for research into electric and hybrid vehicles, but also allocates funds for hydrogen powered-vehicles and fuel cell technology. High density batteries are seen as key to unlocking the problem of making electric cars compete with contemporary petrol engines.

Earlier this year, EU Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potočnik challenged Europe's automotive industry to come up with workable solutions to electrify Europe's transport system by next year.

Companies from Europe, Japan and Israel believe on-board chargers and high-powered battery technology could give them an edge in the race to produce a commercially viable electric car – and investors are beginning to buy into the idea.

A Tel Aviv-based start-up, ETV Motors, has raised €8.4 million for R&D, and has adapted the top-selling Toyota Prius petrol-electric hybrid to test its theory. The new model does not have an internal combustion engine, but instead features an electric engine with a supercapacity battery and a mirco-jet turbine which powers the vehicle from the rear.

The notion of a turbine-powered electric car is not entirely new, but ETV wants to fine-tune its design for the mass market. It says it has developed a micro-turbine engine to act as an on-board charger and a high-density battery that can power a vehicle for about 60-80 km (35-50 miles) on one charge.

The test car uses newly-designed components which are still undergoing development, the company said, adding that the final product should be ready for tests next year.

Another Israeli project, Better Place, was launched in 2007 with €140 million of venture funding. It has been gaining momentum across the globe, pushing for fully electric cars that recharge by plugging in to a grid network.

Better Place has partnered with Renault and Nissan to develop electric car infrastructure, with Nissan expected to focus on the Japanese market, while Renault looks to bring electric cars to European roads by the end of the decade.

Renault unveiled its first demonstration model in Tel Aviv in May 2008, pledging to begin sales by late 2010 – which would make it one of the quickest vehicles to go from concept to market in automotive history.

Renault and Nissan will hold large-scale joint testing events for its new electric cars in Paris and Milan next year, ahead of mass production scheduled for 2012. The trial conducted in the Paris region will include testing of a new car-charging network, which is being developed in conjunction with electricity giant EDF.

"One hundred electric cars from the Renault-Nissan alliance [...] will be tested from September 2010 for a year by individuals, companies and local authority employees," Renault-Nissan and EDF said in a statement.

Toyota Motor Corp, another of the auto giants developing hybrid and plug-in technologies, said it would start leasing 500 plug-in cars globally by the end of this year.

Better batteries

Toyota said its car will be powered by lithium-ion batteries, and Japan's Nikkei business daily reported this month that the plug-in will be able to run 20-30 km (12-18 miles) on battery power alone at full charge.

ETV Motors says its batteries will power a car for more than twice as long. With its on-board charger, the vehicle will not be dependent on a complicated electric charging infrastructure, although it will be plug-in compatible.

The jet turbine system is also a departure from General Motors Corp's Chevy Volt plug-in, which is also powered by a traditional internal combustion engine. GM aims to introduce the Volt, with its 64 km (40 mile) range, by late 2010.

The game-changing development, said chief technology officer Arieh Meitav, was a higher density battery, based on Lithium Manganese Nickel Oxide.

The batteries will be the first to have 4.7 volt cells, in place of existing Lithium-ion batteries with 3.2 volts. This allows for a longer range with a smaller battery, and it is projected to last throughout the car's lifetime, he said.

The second part of the system, the electricity producing micro-turbine, is being developed with the help of an aviation company – though ETV Motors would not say which one.

The turbine can run off a variety of fuel sources, like gasoline, diesel and biofuel, the company said, and will only operate to charge the battery when it runs low, spinning at a constant 80,000 RPM for maximum efficiency.

The full article appears here

Industry News- Government launches £1 million electric car infrastructure fund

At present there is very little infrastructure for charging low-carbon vehicles

The Department for Transport has launched a £1 million grant fund to encourage the installation of public infrastructure for low-carbon vehicles, including electric car recharging points.

Announced yesterday (July 22), the Infrastructure Grant Programme (IGP) is set to offer an average 50% grant for the installation of alternative refuelling infrastructure, including electric vehicle recharging, and natural gas, hydrogen and bio-methane refuelling.

The Programme is to be administered by the government's appointed low carbon vehicle delivery agency Cenex, and will run until 2011.

Rosie Snashall, electric vehicles and policy manager for the Department for Transport, said: "As our delivery partner, Cenex will leverage the demand from organisations wishing to install refuelling or recharging stations for vehicles, thus enabling them to bring down the costs of reducing carbon for everyone."

The scheme will offer funding for infrastructure hardware costs, and the cost of labour, civil engineering and ground works for each successful project Grants.Cenex said yesterday that both public and private sector applicants were welcome to apply for the scheme, and that firms of all sizes were eligible for grants.

But, speaking to New Energy Focus it added that: "applicants should also note that value for money is one of the assessment criteria and they are encouraged to maximise investment into the project before applying for a grant."

Robert Evans, chief executive of Cenex, said: "For fleet operators, the cost of installing, refuelling or recharging infrastructure has always been a barrier to switching fuel use. This programme will encourage operators to accelerate the introduction of lower-carbon technologies into the UK vehicle market, thereby helping cut the UK's total carbon emissions."

This programme follows on from a previous 30% grant scheme run by the Energy Savings Trust, that was set up to encourage the development of a nationwide network of public fuelling stations.Formed in 2005 and based at Loughborough University, Cenex is supported by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and aims to promote and stimulate the market for low carbon and fuel-cell technologies.

The organisation will run three Infrastructure Grant Programme information days over the next two months, in Edinburgh, Birmingham and Port Talbot in Wales.

Industry News-Review of UK policy annoucements on the future of energy and transport

Through out the week there was a blizzard of announcements focusing on the future of UK energy and decarbonising transport.

On Wednesday 15th of July the UK government published a white paper called the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan which has three elements; Renewable Energy Strategy, Low Carbon Industry Strategy and the Low Carbon Transport Plan. The paper sets out the government’s plans to meet its target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 34 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020.

In general the announcement focused on the renewable sector which is expected to increase its production of electricity from 6 per cent to 31 per cent over the next eleven years to 2020. The government wants to encourage all forms of low-carbon energy, Marine, Biomass, Onshore & offshore wind, nuclear power and clean coal (CCS) power stations that capture and store their emissions.

At the heart of the government's plans are giant offshore wind parks. The renewable energy industry will be given £120m to develop offshore wind technologies. The Government is allocating up to an additional £60 million for a suite of measures which will help accelerate the development and deployment of wave and tidal energy

The government reiterated their support for clean coal power generation and the progress being made in the area but were not forthcoming with any more statements. The June 2009 CCS consultation document along with the four site trials that are being funded will determine the future of the industry in the UK. In a new move the government are to open an Office of Carbon Capture and Storage to support the delivery of CCS. Full details will be announced in the autumn of this year.

Nuclear energy received little mention in the announcement apart from the government saying that it still had a part to play in the energy mix. The government are looking at streamlining the planning and regulatory approvals processes for new nuclear power stations. A national policy statement and a consultation document is due to be launched later in 2009.

The Government will provide capital investment to establish a Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre that combines the knowledge, practices and expertise of manufacturing companies with the capability of universities. This will complement the existing Advanced Manufacturing Centres in Sheffield and Glasgow and the Nuclear Laboratory in Sellafield.

Low Carbon Transport Plan

The Low Carbon Transport Plan focussed on decarbonising transport by moving to an integrated transport system with cycling, cars, rail, public transport and aviation all playing their part.

Lord Adonis, the Transport Secretary pledged to reducing CO2 emissions from transport by 14 per cent by 2020. Under the new proposals the government will offer consumers grants of up to £5,000 if they purchase low polluting cars such as electric and plug in hybrids. Under the new proposals only cars that emit 75g per km of C02 or below will be eligible for these grants. The best-performing hybrid in the market in of 2009 is the Toyota Prius emitting 89g/km per KM of CO2.

The transport white paper has been welcomed environmentalists and business groups and is expected to become law by the end of the year. An overall a package of £250m of consumer incentives is being invested by the government to stimulate the take up of electric and plug-in-hybrid vehicles (This £250m figure is not new this announcement was made by Lord Mandelson the spring 2009).

One area where the move to more electric vehicles and hybrids has been falling down is in the area of charging points. There are very few in London and even less per square mile across the UK. This is significant. The move to electric vehicles will be slow if the consumer has the hassle of having no charging points outside their home. There is a serious need for charging points to be rolled out across the UK transport infrastructure quickly.

Recognising this as an issue the government have launched a new Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Grant Programme. The government will also unite Whitehall interests through the new Office for Low Emission Vehicles.

But this will not be the end of the debate. The government are working closely with industry and key stakeholders to develop a roadmap to 2050 by spring 2010. In autumn, the Committee on Climate Change will provide further analysis of the pathway through 2030 to 2050. The Government will work with the Committee, taking its analysis and recommendations into account when developing the roadmap to 2050. So there are several more negotiations and steps to go in the UK energy debate.

Jonny Mulligan

Political News - Lord Adonis Minister for Transport article in the Guardian

The road ahead is Green

Lord Andrew Adonis – Minister for Transport

Transport, my ministerial brief, must play a major role in a low-carbon future. And I am determined we'll get there.

There are issues that shape every generation and define every age. Climate change is just such an issue and our political generation has got to deal with it.

The scientific consensus tells us that by 2050 we must reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 50%. But, as a developed country, we have a responsibility to go even further. So we passed the landmark Climate Change Act and set ourselves a binding target to reduce the UK's greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050.

With transport accounting for 21% of total UK domestic emissions, de-carbonising this sector has to be front and centre of efforts to meet our obligations and commitments. Which is precisely why we are launching our new strategy today: "Low carbon transport: a greener future".

This is a key component of the government's wider plans to cut carbon. It sets out our long-term vision for a fundamentally different transport system in our country, contributing substantially to the CO2 savings needed to meet the economy-wide carbon budgets. Our vision is underpinned by the concept of choice – making low-carbon travel a genuine and viable option for people and businesses, within and between different modes of transport. And it's inspired, in Anthony Giddens's words, by "a mixture of the idealistic and the hard-headed".

Real progress is already being made. The New Car CO2 Regulation, which we agreed with our European partners last December, is expected to save 7m tonnes of CO2 in the UK in 2020. We also have a huge opportunity to create a flourishing market for ultra-low emission vehicles in the UK. We have moved firmly into this space, to get new, greener technology on our roads. We have established a £250m fund for consumer incentives and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, to encourage take-up and support the technology as it comes to market. We have also launched a £30m scheme to encourage uptake of low-emission buses, which will stimulate the market as well as helping to safeguard jobs in bus manufacturing.

Last month, we announced the results of two technology competitions. The first, a £25m programme run by the Technology Strategy Board, will see more than 340 ultra-low emission cars tested out in cities around the UK. In the second, public-sector fleets will trial up to 150 low-emission and all-electric vans.

But technology isn't the whole answer. We also need to think about how and when we travel. There is an important role for the regions and local authorities here. We are giving large urban areas across England the chance to bid to become the country's first sustainable travel city. This will be used to encourage greener and more active travel modes – walking and cycling, as well as improving public transport.

There is an exciting agenda on the railways with transformational projects like the Crossrail scheme, which will bring an additional 1.5 million people within 60-minutes' commuting distance of London's key business districts. We have completed the country's first high-speed rail line, High Speed One, and we are preparing the way for a north-south high-speed line with the establishment of the High Speed Two Company. We have been examining in detail the case for more rail electrification and plan to make announcements soon.

Another important point – close to my heart – is improving the integration of services. That is why I have pledged £5m to improve radically cycle facilities at our railway stations.

In aviation, we have set ourselves a tough national target to bring CO2 emissions from UK aviation below 2005 levels by 2050. We will achieve this first by the use of market-based measures, including an effective emissions trading scheme. And Ed Miliband and I will be pressing for international aviation, as well as international shipping, to be included in any new global deal agreed at the Copenhagen climate change conference in December.

The goals we have set ourselves are certainly ambitious. But, thanks to a track record of progress and achievement, we have before us a real opportunity to build a greener, cleaner future for our transport system, our country and the environment we all share. It is an opportunity I am determined to seize.

Click here for the full guardian article

Political News-UK Government, Draft Legislative Programme (Building Britain’s Future)

On Monday, the UK Government announced its legislative programme for the coming parliamentary session.

The coming session is due to be a short year, starting in November, and finishing in April, and as such, only 11 Bills have been proposed.

The early announcement of next years Bills allow for consultation between now and November to amend or suggest changes and policies for the subject areas covered.

The Bill of relevance is another Energy Bill

Energy Bill
Moving decisively to a low carbon economy while maintaining the security and diversity of electricity supplies by:
• Introducing a financial incentive, funded by electricity suppliers, to support up to
four Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) commercial-scale demonstration projects.


The Energy Bill is primarily concerned with Carbon Capture and Storage, and the energy challenge facing the UK. However, the Bill may develop more ‘meat’ between now and November, with market incentives for energy production possibly being re-visited and potential obligations for energy providers to move to renewables.

The Government also announced consultation papers, which if elected they would propose at the next Parliament.

Energy and Climate Change White Paper:
Setting out proposals on how we might adapt the UK’s energy grid to link homes and businesses to new forms of power generation as well as proposals and polices to de-carbonise electricity generation and other energy supplies. (Department for Energy and Climate Change)

Low Carbon Industrial Strategy:
Providing a clear and credible long-term framework to encourage investment in the sector and to ensure the UK is the best place to locate and develop a low carbon business. (Department of Business Innovation and Skills/Department for Energy and Climate Change)

Active Transport Strategy:
Setting out how we can encourage different ways of getting around that use less carbon, reduce congestion and promote health and wellbeing. (Department of Health/Department for Transport)

None of these Bill’s will be introduced this year, and it would seem unlikely they will be unless the present government wins the next election. However, they offer opportunities to shape the thinking of the Civil Servants as well as influence decisions made by Minister’s between now and May 2010.

The Government also laid out its vision for investment in new infrastructure.

Building world class infrastructure:
Seizing the opportunities of the future depends on having truly nationwide, high quality business and technical infrastructure. That is why we must give priority to bringing greater focus to building and modernising our economic infrastructure in energy, water, waste, communications, as well as transport and housing.