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US Government Investing up to US $24M To Bring Solar Energy Online

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:05:55 -0000

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy John Mizroch announced recently that the DOE will invest up to US $24 million -- subject to the availability of funds -- to develop solar energy products that will hopefully accelerate the penetration of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United States. \n\nWhen the projects are combined with the overall industry cost share of up to US $16 million, more than US $40 million in total could be invested in these SEGIS projects, with future federal funding subject to appropriations from Congress.\n\nThe Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems (SEGIS) projects will provide critical research and development (R&D) funding to develop less expensive, higher performing products to enhance the value of solar PV systems to homeowners and business owners. These projects are integral to the Solar America Initiative, which aims to make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional forms of electricity by 2015. \n

Tags: hybrid solar

Posted by: gulfcoast

HelioVolt hopes for a fast scale-up with high-efficiency CIGS process » VentureBeat

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:23:11 -0000

These are heady times for the thin-film solar industry. The sector’s dominant player, First Solar, has been on a tear of late, recently announcing it would build a second 10 megawatt power plant in Nevada, while Miasole, once thought to be ailing, has staged an impressive comeback, raking in an eye-popping $220 million. Nanosolar has developed a new ultra-fast solar cell printer, and even giants like IBM and Applied Materials have gotten in on the game.

In the face of such intense competition, how will HelioVolt, a well-funded outpost of CIGS manufacturing in Texas, fare? The company hopes a new hybrid, super fast CIGS process it has developed in collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which combines its patented FASST process and NREL’s non-vacuum deposition technique, will help even the odds.

The Austin, Texas-based company licensed NREL’s non-vacuum deposition process, which allows for the quick application of liquid precursors onto a printing plate and substrate, to manufacture its solar cells with a 12.2 percent conversion efficiency at a fraction of the regular cost and in record time — under 6 minutes. Another advantage is that the substrate can be made from a variety of building materials, including glass, metals, plastics and roofing materials.

Tags: hybrid solar

Posted by: gulfcoast

NREL Joins with A123Systems to Improve Advanced-Vehicle Batteries

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 23:32:09 -0000

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and A123Systems have teamed up to support the battery-maker’s effort to develop safe, less expensive, more powerful, and longer lasting batteries for hybrid-electric vehicles. The Laboratory and the battery-maker have signed a three-year, Cooperative Research and Development Agreement to examine and develop new techniques to improve thermal management in advanced transportation batteries.

"We're pleased to be working with A123Systems on thermal management of their advanced nanophosphate-based lithium ion batteries," NREL Principal Engineer Ahmad Pesaran said. "Batteries with improved thermal behavior are critical for widespread acceptance of affordable hybrid-electric vehicles that consume less fuel and reduced harmful emissions."

Hybrid electric vehicles get as much as double the fuel economy of comparable cars. Plug-in hybrids will be even more gasoline-stingy with potential of displacing significant amount of gasoline with electricity for road transportation. To achieve these goals, affordable, high-performance, safe, and long-lasting batteries need to be produced in large quantities.

Propulsion batteries – batteries that power an electric motor to assist moving a car – are key components of hybrid-electric vehicles, and will be more important in the plug-in hybrid and extended range electric cars of the future. By better understanding the thermal behavior of advanced batteries, NREL researchers will help A123Systems engineers design improved thermal management systems and to optimize the design of the battery cell and develop a battery pack that's lighter, cheaper and more durable.

Tags: hybrid

Posted by: gulfcoast

Business & Technology | Toyota Prius sales top one million units | Seattle Times Newspaper

Fri, 16 May 2008 08:50:52 -0000

Toyota Prius sales top one million units

Tags: hybrid trends

Posted by: bennett

Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Dominate the Tokyo Motor Show

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:22:48 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

oncepts for new hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles from Japan's leading automakers are on display to the public at the Tokyo Motor Show

onda Motor Company, Ltd., unveiled the CR-Z, a "next-generation lightweight sports car" that features Honda's hybrid electric drivetrain, and the PUYO, another small, boxy vehicle, powered by a fuel cell.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation introduced a Beetle-like electric vehicle with in-wheel electric motors, called the i MiEV Sport, which even has a solar panel on its roof. And Nissan unveiled the Pivo 2, a small electric vehicle with a lithium-ion battery pack and in-wheel motors.

Tags: hybrid

Posted by: ingenheiro