Micro Fuel Cells Get Closer to Replacing Batteries
Mobile electronics have the potential to offer digital luxuries beyond our imagination, but they will never get there on today’s lithium ion batteries. Power has been the weak spot in the development of more advanced mobile electronics, and the need for power will become even more important as devices feature more energy-sapping applications.
Showing posts with label Power Sources. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Power Sources. Show all posts
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Micro Fuel Cells Get Closer to Replacing Batteries
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
An electric workout through pedal power
Gyms hook up exercise bikes to TVs, laptops, and batteries to let their patrons power the place. By Vijaysree Venkatraman Correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor/ November 13, 2008 edition
Cambridge, Mass.
After classes, Sally Peach, a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has a long list of to-dos.
She wants to hit the gym, tackle school work, and, as captain of an intramural soccer team and member of a campus health advocacy program, she has plenty of e-mail to respond to every evening.
“Though I know I am being productive, it feels like a complete waste of time to sit there and do just [e-mail replies],” says Ms. Peach.
So, once she arrives at the gym, Peach makes a beeline for a special stationary bike that has a laptop built into the front. The computer is not plugged in. There is an empty space where the battery once fit. But when Peach starts pedaling, the computer fires up. Her spinning workout powers the laptop – and lets her cross off two tasks at once.
Pedal power has been a small-time alternative-energy source for ages. Many innovators have tried to tap the simple motion to power devices – especially those engineered for developing countries, where power grids are unreliable. But few designs have stuck. People aren’t willing to exert much energy just to run simple devices.
But in gyms across the country, ecoconscious patrons are asking why cardio equipment needs to drain power, when the exercisers are already eager to burn calories. Now, fitness centers are beginning to experiment with ways to put muscle strength to good use.
“The idea pretty much sold itself,” says Adam Boesel, a personal trainer in Portland, Ore.
He saw a television report about a Hong Kong gym with human-powered equipment and set out to create an eco-friendly fitness center in his hometown. Mr. Boesel’s Green Microgym opened in late August and has already registered more than 100 members.
The gym chose Team Dynamo stationary bikes, which harness the power of four connected bicycles to generate an average of up to 200 watts per hour. That’s enough to power a LCD television and stereo system for the duration of the ride, according to Team Dynamo inventor Mike Taggett. “And you don’t have to be cycling champ Lance Armstrong to do this because it is a team effort,” he says, referring to how four bikers help charge the batteries.
At Green Microgym, electricity generated by the bikes flows into a bank of batteries, which, in turn, powers devices. Boesel plans to install a “grid-tie” inverter, which allows the generated energy to stream directly into the power grid. This device allows creators of alternative energy, such as solar and wind, to “spin the meter backward” and sell power to their local utility company.
The idea is to meet the gym’s power requirements – kept low by a prudent use of plugged-in devices – with solar panels and an array of energy-producing equipment, says Boesel.
Power bike setups of all sizesDavid Butcher, a California Web manager, gets his daily workout on a generator-bike he built three years ago. Pedaling at a steady pace, he charges many appliances at once: the robotic vacuum cleaner, a set of lights, and his laptop. Mr. Butcher webcasts live from his Los Gatos, Calif. basement during these 40-minute sessions. Thanks to the energizing workout, “I feel like a rocket now,” he says, a little breathless from his morning exercise.
Elsewhere, others are testing retrofitted equipment in well-trafficked commercial gyms. A group spinning class can produce a monthly output of 300 kilowatt-hours – enough energy to light six homes for a month and cut 420 pounds of carbon emission, according to Jay Whelan, founder of Green Revolution.
“There is no use it or lose it, or battery maintenance, because the power goes right back to the grid,” says Mr. Whelan, a clean-energy entrepreneur who recently retrofitted bikes for the spin class at the 1,200-member Ridgefield Fitness Club in Connecticut.
Elliptical trainers, another popular piece of cardio equipment, are a good source of human power.
“They are even better than bikes since they involve both arm and leg muscles,” says Hudson Harr, founder of ReRev.com in St. Petersburg, Fla. In April, his start-up company installed an array of retrofitted ellipticals at the 28,000-member Gainesville (Fla.) Health & Fitness Center. A student gym at the University of Florida in Gainesville was next on his list. “Not doing this would be such a waste of energy,” says David Bowles, the school’s director of recreational sports.
How to balance the workoutThe idea of using human energy to power appliances – instead of using batteries – is catching on for two reasons: fun and environment-consciousness, says Arjen Jansen, a researcher in human-powered energy systems at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
“Laptops and televisions have evolved and the designs are very energy-efficient, says Jason Moore, a Fulbright scholar studying bicycle design at the Dutch university. Now that these rigs are better at capturing energy, gyms are can put them to use – powering little perks such as TVs, laptops, and lights.
Still, few people go to a fitness center in order to generate electricity.
“People go the gym primarily to get a good workout,” says Whelan from Green Revolution. The workout equipment should feel just like it did before the retrofitting, he emphasizes. Raising the resistance level on these machines will increase the output exponentially, but it might ruin the experience for his customers. He opts to let the rider have complete control over the settings, same as before.
What’s next for ecogyms?“What we are doing now is taking baby steps in the right direction,” says Boesel of Green Microgym.
All aerobic equipment, including Stairmasters and rowing machines, can be retrofitted to generate power. Each device, however, comes with its own set of engineering challenges. And while the industry is most driven by retrofitting companies, “in the future, manufacturers may offer power-generation as an option on cardio equipment,” says Joe Cirulli, owner of the Gainesville Health & Fitness Center.
Some energy savings could be incidental. “As the exerciser’s output exceeds the display needs, the extra power is ‘shunted’ to resistors, which then heat up simply to shed the energy that is created,” says Mr. Taggett of Team Dynamo. The cardio room warms up and requires extra air-conditioning in warmer climates. With these new machines, however, the excess energy is channeled into creating power.
As exercisers become aware of the metrics of human power-production, it could push them to work harder.
“What we have been finding is that people challenge themselves to work a little bit harder because now they can measure how much energy they create,” says Whelan. “It seems like there is a personal goal to try and create just a little bit more than the last time they worked out.”
When they gravitate to these innovative systems, gym-goers could also move away from power-hogging equipment. Once people figure out that the average treadmill takes 1,500-2,000 watts to run, they may switch to power-producing machines, says Taggett.
“Right now, it would take nine Lance Armstrongs or 15 nonathletes to keep one treadmill chugging along,” he says.
Source: The Christian Science Monitor
Cambridge, Mass.
After classes, Sally Peach, a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has a long list of to-dos.
She wants to hit the gym, tackle school work, and, as captain of an intramural soccer team and member of a campus health advocacy program, she has plenty of e-mail to respond to every evening.
“Though I know I am being productive, it feels like a complete waste of time to sit there and do just [e-mail replies],” says Ms. Peach.
So, once she arrives at the gym, Peach makes a beeline for a special stationary bike that has a laptop built into the front. The computer is not plugged in. There is an empty space where the battery once fit. But when Peach starts pedaling, the computer fires up. Her spinning workout powers the laptop – and lets her cross off two tasks at once.
Pedal power has been a small-time alternative-energy source for ages. Many innovators have tried to tap the simple motion to power devices – especially those engineered for developing countries, where power grids are unreliable. But few designs have stuck. People aren’t willing to exert much energy just to run simple devices.
But in gyms across the country, ecoconscious patrons are asking why cardio equipment needs to drain power, when the exercisers are already eager to burn calories. Now, fitness centers are beginning to experiment with ways to put muscle strength to good use.
“The idea pretty much sold itself,” says Adam Boesel, a personal trainer in Portland, Ore.
He saw a television report about a Hong Kong gym with human-powered equipment and set out to create an eco-friendly fitness center in his hometown. Mr. Boesel’s Green Microgym opened in late August and has already registered more than 100 members.
The gym chose Team Dynamo stationary bikes, which harness the power of four connected bicycles to generate an average of up to 200 watts per hour. That’s enough to power a LCD television and stereo system for the duration of the ride, according to Team Dynamo inventor Mike Taggett. “And you don’t have to be cycling champ Lance Armstrong to do this because it is a team effort,” he says, referring to how four bikers help charge the batteries.
At Green Microgym, electricity generated by the bikes flows into a bank of batteries, which, in turn, powers devices. Boesel plans to install a “grid-tie” inverter, which allows the generated energy to stream directly into the power grid. This device allows creators of alternative energy, such as solar and wind, to “spin the meter backward” and sell power to their local utility company.
The idea is to meet the gym’s power requirements – kept low by a prudent use of plugged-in devices – with solar panels and an array of energy-producing equipment, says Boesel.
Power bike setups of all sizesDavid Butcher, a California Web manager, gets his daily workout on a generator-bike he built three years ago. Pedaling at a steady pace, he charges many appliances at once: the robotic vacuum cleaner, a set of lights, and his laptop. Mr. Butcher webcasts live from his Los Gatos, Calif. basement during these 40-minute sessions. Thanks to the energizing workout, “I feel like a rocket now,” he says, a little breathless from his morning exercise.
Elsewhere, others are testing retrofitted equipment in well-trafficked commercial gyms. A group spinning class can produce a monthly output of 300 kilowatt-hours – enough energy to light six homes for a month and cut 420 pounds of carbon emission, according to Jay Whelan, founder of Green Revolution.
“There is no use it or lose it, or battery maintenance, because the power goes right back to the grid,” says Mr. Whelan, a clean-energy entrepreneur who recently retrofitted bikes for the spin class at the 1,200-member Ridgefield Fitness Club in Connecticut.
Elliptical trainers, another popular piece of cardio equipment, are a good source of human power.
“They are even better than bikes since they involve both arm and leg muscles,” says Hudson Harr, founder of ReRev.com in St. Petersburg, Fla. In April, his start-up company installed an array of retrofitted ellipticals at the 28,000-member Gainesville (Fla.) Health & Fitness Center. A student gym at the University of Florida in Gainesville was next on his list. “Not doing this would be such a waste of energy,” says David Bowles, the school’s director of recreational sports.
How to balance the workoutThe idea of using human energy to power appliances – instead of using batteries – is catching on for two reasons: fun and environment-consciousness, says Arjen Jansen, a researcher in human-powered energy systems at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
“Laptops and televisions have evolved and the designs are very energy-efficient, says Jason Moore, a Fulbright scholar studying bicycle design at the Dutch university. Now that these rigs are better at capturing energy, gyms are can put them to use – powering little perks such as TVs, laptops, and lights.
Still, few people go to a fitness center in order to generate electricity.
“People go the gym primarily to get a good workout,” says Whelan from Green Revolution. The workout equipment should feel just like it did before the retrofitting, he emphasizes. Raising the resistance level on these machines will increase the output exponentially, but it might ruin the experience for his customers. He opts to let the rider have complete control over the settings, same as before.
What’s next for ecogyms?“What we are doing now is taking baby steps in the right direction,” says Boesel of Green Microgym.
All aerobic equipment, including Stairmasters and rowing machines, can be retrofitted to generate power. Each device, however, comes with its own set of engineering challenges. And while the industry is most driven by retrofitting companies, “in the future, manufacturers may offer power-generation as an option on cardio equipment,” says Joe Cirulli, owner of the Gainesville Health & Fitness Center.
Some energy savings could be incidental. “As the exerciser’s output exceeds the display needs, the extra power is ‘shunted’ to resistors, which then heat up simply to shed the energy that is created,” says Mr. Taggett of Team Dynamo. The cardio room warms up and requires extra air-conditioning in warmer climates. With these new machines, however, the excess energy is channeled into creating power.
As exercisers become aware of the metrics of human power-production, it could push them to work harder.
“What we have been finding is that people challenge themselves to work a little bit harder because now they can measure how much energy they create,” says Whelan. “It seems like there is a personal goal to try and create just a little bit more than the last time they worked out.”
When they gravitate to these innovative systems, gym-goers could also move away from power-hogging equipment. Once people figure out that the average treadmill takes 1,500-2,000 watts to run, they may switch to power-producing machines, says Taggett.
“Right now, it would take nine Lance Armstrongs or 15 nonathletes to keep one treadmill chugging along,” he says.
Source: The Christian Science Monitor
Friday, October 31, 2008
Lithium-ion Nanomaterial Batteries: Our new hope with a dose of caution
The article says that the batteries could be significant to energy storage for transportation; wind, solar, and other forms of alternative energy; smart-grid electricity management; viable electric vehicles; and others. The article says that there is currently a lack of oversight on other potential risks and that only a few studies exist on the potential environmental implications of recycling and disposing these new batteries.
The article can be viewed here.
The article can be viewed here.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Materials for electrochemical capacitors
The recent issue of Nature Materials carries a review article on electrochemical capacitors. It will be very much useful for reserachers in this field.
Abstract of the review can be viewed here.
Abstract of the review can be viewed here.
The Search for a Better Battery Seems Everlasting
Computer chips double in speed every two years. The typical personal computer's storage capacity has expanded 36,000 times since 1989. Internet-connection speeds climb at about 50% a year.
But the batteries that run these devices can't keep up. Their power is rising at only about 10% a year. They hold a charge for maddeningly short periods that have, at one time or another, frustrated every laptop-, cellphone- or Blackberry-toting road warrior. In airport waiting areas, freeloaders routinely rush to the outlets to recharge their gadgets for the next leg of the trip.
READ MORE...
But the batteries that run these devices can't keep up. Their power is rising at only about 10% a year. They hold a charge for maddeningly short periods that have, at one time or another, frustrated every laptop-, cellphone- or Blackberry-toting road warrior. In airport waiting areas, freeloaders routinely rush to the outlets to recharge their gadgets for the next leg of the trip.
READ MORE...
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
On a Solar Mission: How India is Becoming a Centre of PV Manufacturing
by Jaideep Malaviya
With a new energy plan in place, India is focusing on solar energy for a major contribution. Meanwhile, India's PV manufacturing sector is developing fast, writes Jaideep Malaviya.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s recent announcement of a credible energy plan for India goes way beyond the hullabaloo Indo–US nuclear deal. By far the most welcome component of the six-point plan is the declaration to develop India’s capacity to tap the power of the sun in order to increase sustainable sources of energy. The PM memorably said: ‘In this strategy, the sun occupies centre stage, as it should, being literally the original source of all energy. We will pool all our scientific, technical and managerial talents with financial sources to develop solar energy as a source of abundant energy to power our economy and to transform the lives of our people and change the face of India.’ To help achieve this, the Indian government has launched a National Mission on Solar Energy.
READ MORE...
With a new energy plan in place, India is focusing on solar energy for a major contribution. Meanwhile, India's PV manufacturing sector is developing fast, writes Jaideep Malaviya.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s recent announcement of a credible energy plan for India goes way beyond the hullabaloo Indo–US nuclear deal. By far the most welcome component of the six-point plan is the declaration to develop India’s capacity to tap the power of the sun in order to increase sustainable sources of energy. The PM memorably said: ‘In this strategy, the sun occupies centre stage, as it should, being literally the original source of all energy. We will pool all our scientific, technical and managerial talents with financial sources to develop solar energy as a source of abundant energy to power our economy and to transform the lives of our people and change the face of India.’ To help achieve this, the Indian government has launched a National Mission on Solar Energy.
READ MORE...
Source: Renewableenergyworld.com
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
A new approach to use hydrogen as an alternative fuel source has been discovered
A team of scientists from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) has designed a material with such high ion conductivity that it allows the use of hydrogen as a clean fuel. The research work has been published in the prestigious journal 'Science.'
Fuel cells are the foundation of this technology which, if it becomes industrially viable, would represent the beginning of an energy revolution that would replace the current fossil fuel based system by a model based on hydrogen. This would be an energy source that is practically endless and since it only generates water as a combustion by-product, it is ecologically friendly.
The function of fuel cells is similar to that of batteries, but while batteries only store energy in a closed chemical system, fuel cells produce energy by combusting hydrogen.
To accomplish this, fuel cells require an electrolyte that permits the flow of ions between the electrodes. The problem that scientists currently face is that a temperature of up to 800 degrees Celsius is needed to achieve a high enough ionic conductivity. Therefore the challenge they must overcome is how to reduce the working temperature of this technology to an acceptable range.
Towards this end, a research group at the Complutense University has produced a material with a new structure by alternating layers of an ion conductive material that is currently used in fuel cells (Yttria-stabilized zirconia) with a dielectric material (Strontium titanate). The combination of these two materials with very diverse crystalline structures has produced a rare atomic disposition full of gaps that act as a path for the flow of ions. This results in a colossal ionic conductivity at the transition surface between the two materials.
The image of the molecular structure of this material has been obtained at the Oak Ridge national laboratory (USA) using a scanning transmission electron microscope with a resolution of less than 0,1 nanometres (the approximate size of an hydrogen atom). The researchers were very surprised to see in the images a perfectly structured growth at the atomic level, in spite of the very different structures of the materials. As a matter of fact, this result was absolutely unexpected according to the experience gathered from the analysis of this type of structures.
An even greater surprise was the high degree of ionic conductivity, measured at the Universidad Complutense in collaboration with the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid. It is about a hundred million times higher than that of materials used at present for the fabrication of fuel cells. This characteristic could allow their use at room temperature, permitting extensive use of hydrogen as an alternative energy source.
SOURCE: http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/article.php?q=08100782
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
PV's "Moore's Law" Required To Drive Increased Material Efficiency
by Debra Vogler, Senior Technical Editor, Solid State Technology
The road to grid parity for PV power generation will be difficult, needing five or more years to compete with utility power, unsubsidized, on a large scale, noted Mark Thirsk, managing partner at Linx Consulting, at a recent SEMI PV forecast luncheon (Sept. 18) in Santa Clara, CA.
Most input materials for PV production are in relative oversupply and will not constrain production, Thirsk pointed out — and for this reason manufacturers are conservative about capacity investment. In particular, his PV module production forecast shows an overstep in demand in 2008. One reason for suppliers' reluctance to build capacity for entering the silicon supply chain is that it is an inefficient process. "Only about 15% of all the silicon going into the supply chain goes into the wafers, so it's a pretty wasteful and capital intensive process, so there is a lot of reluctance to build capacity," said Thirsk. Despite the efficiency challenges, Thirsk's forecast indicates that an oversupply may occur in 2009.
READ MORE...
The road to grid parity for PV power generation will be difficult, needing five or more years to compete with utility power, unsubsidized, on a large scale, noted Mark Thirsk, managing partner at Linx Consulting, at a recent SEMI PV forecast luncheon (Sept. 18) in Santa Clara, CA.
Most input materials for PV production are in relative oversupply and will not constrain production, Thirsk pointed out — and for this reason manufacturers are conservative about capacity investment. In particular, his PV module production forecast shows an overstep in demand in 2008. One reason for suppliers' reluctance to build capacity for entering the silicon supply chain is that it is an inefficient process. "Only about 15% of all the silicon going into the supply chain goes into the wafers, so it's a pretty wasteful and capital intensive process, so there is a lot of reluctance to build capacity," said Thirsk. Despite the efficiency challenges, Thirsk's forecast indicates that an oversupply may occur in 2009.
READ MORE...
Monday, October 6, 2008
China and India's energy problems
China and India's energy problems
It took some time today. In two long articles, Reuters talk about the future of energy in China, and India's Vice President of the draft speech at the conference are all for energy. Both, the issue of energy efficiency and economic growth, and the amount of energy to the problem have a common point.Reuters coverage of China starts that Beijing suburb east ring road 5 line from the story of the Sinopec gas station has begun. The gas station is unable to supply gasoline to the truck in the raw, and saying go somewhere another. Trucks say, we do not go anywhere, because we can not move without gasoline. At the end of the article, the recent drastic increase in the wholesale of diesel per liter up 5.29 yuan to 6.23 yuan. Then, Sinopec stand has a shorter raw of trucks, because of the impact of energy policy, it is said.China is blessed with natural resources is likely, if per capita it is not. China’s coal is the world's third largest reserve, and, in 2007, the China)s production was accounted for 40 percent of the world. However, if used as it does, coal would be disappearing in 80 years, oil in 15 years, and natural gas in 30 years. China’s energy consumption per GDP is three time an eight times of the United States and Japan. That has been we are paying attention.The Chinese government has a plan the current energy per 10,000 yuan GDP, equivalent to about 1,460 dollars , to be go down to a 20 percent cut in 2010.
That means , in 2005, TCE was the equivalent of 1.22 tons of coal and will be 0.98 tons in 2010. In the 11th Five-Year Energy Development Plan, for 2005-2010, the growth of energy consumption reduced to 3.5 percent and, energy consumption in 2010 will be to 2,446,000,000 tons of coal equivalent.Vice-President of India has touched on this point, but it is not match with our sense. According to him, Indian to earn a dollar GDP1 with 0.16kg of oil equivalent using electricity, China's response 0.23kg, the United States 0.22kg, and the world's average of 0.21kg. The loss of power problem, it is important for India. It is now 36 percent loss in India and it is worse than the world average of 28 percent.Both of the two articles have, on renewable energy, a lot of character. Both the development of hydropower is considered as a major pillar of renewable energy. China's nuclear power is also still planning on going to be room for expansion.
Both have a point of how to curb coal-fired to be saved. It is going to say with a common point.For bio-fuels, Vice President of India has an important point. First, solar and bio-fuel dependence on the land, his saying “land intensity”, are his concern. For example, cover with solar power in Japan and 250 million people are said to be sacrificed. Shikoku Island in Japan is comparable to the population and land on this point. Also, for a scattered collection of bio-fuels, Google saying is that the intelligence network of transmission lines is required and it may be arevolution.ReferencePhilippines●081004A Philippines, Manila BulletinERC pegs WESM prices at NPC TOU rates for Oct.
billinghttp://www.mb.com.ph/BSNS20081004136998.htmlLaos●081004B Laos, .alertnet.orgLaos dams threaten homes, incomes and fish, say campaignershttp://www.alertnet.org/db/an_art/20316/2008/09/3-151757-1.htmIndia●081004C India, pib.nic.inVice President Inaugurates ‘India Energy Conference’http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=43332China●081004D China, china.org.cnChina's road to energy securityhttp://www.china.org.cn/business/news/2008-10/04/content_16564426.htm
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Half of Global Electricity To Come From Renewables IEA Says
by David Appleyard, Editor, Renewable Energy World Magazine
Paris, France [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]
Nearly 50% of global electricity supplies must come from renewable energy sources in order to cut CO2 emissions in half by 2050, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says in its latest study, “Deploying Renewables: Principles for Effective Policies.”
Meeting these very ambitious objectives to “minimize significant and irreversible climate change” will require unprecedented political commitment and effective policy design and implementation, the IEA said. The IEA is also urging governments to adopt effective policies based on five key design principles to accelerate the exploitation of the “large potential for renewable energy.”Nonetheless, the IEA also recognizes the scale of such an undertaking, saying in a statement, “this is a huge challenge and part of the entire energy revolution we need to achieve.”
Commenting at the launch of the study, Nobuo Tanaka, executive director of the IEA, said, “Only a limited set of countries have implemented effective support policies for renewables and there is a large potential for improvement. Several countries have made important progress in recent years in fostering renewables, with renewable energy markets expanding considerably as a result. However, much more can and should be done at the global level - in OECD member countries, large emerging economies and other countries - to address the urgent need of transforming our unsustainable energy present into a clean and secure energy future.”
READ MORE...
Courtesy: Dr S Vasudevan
Paris, France [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]
Nearly 50% of global electricity supplies must come from renewable energy sources in order to cut CO2 emissions in half by 2050, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says in its latest study, “Deploying Renewables: Principles for Effective Policies.”
Meeting these very ambitious objectives to “minimize significant and irreversible climate change” will require unprecedented political commitment and effective policy design and implementation, the IEA said. The IEA is also urging governments to adopt effective policies based on five key design principles to accelerate the exploitation of the “large potential for renewable energy.”Nonetheless, the IEA also recognizes the scale of such an undertaking, saying in a statement, “this is a huge challenge and part of the entire energy revolution we need to achieve.”
Commenting at the launch of the study, Nobuo Tanaka, executive director of the IEA, said, “Only a limited set of countries have implemented effective support policies for renewables and there is a large potential for improvement. Several countries have made important progress in recent years in fostering renewables, with renewable energy markets expanding considerably as a result. However, much more can and should be done at the global level - in OECD member countries, large emerging economies and other countries - to address the urgent need of transforming our unsustainable energy present into a clean and secure energy future.”
READ MORE...
Courtesy: Dr S Vasudevan
Solar Paint on Steel Could Generate Renewable Energy Soon
by Jane Burgermeister, European Correspondent
London, UK [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]
In three years, buildings covered in steel sheets could be generating large amounts of solar electricity, thanks to a new photovoltaic paint that is being developed in a commercial partnership between UK university researchers and the steel industry.
A laboratory built to develop the new solar technology that replicates plant's photosynthesis is due to start work on October 30th in Shotton, North Wales.
"If the solar cell paint can be successfully brought to the market, it could spell big changes when it comes to the future production of electricity," said Steve Fisher, spokesperson of the Corus Group, the Anglo-Dutch steel manufacturing group that is believed to be pouring tens of millions of euros into the venture.
READ MORE...
London, UK [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]
In three years, buildings covered in steel sheets could be generating large amounts of solar electricity, thanks to a new photovoltaic paint that is being developed in a commercial partnership between UK university researchers and the steel industry.
A laboratory built to develop the new solar technology that replicates plant's photosynthesis is due to start work on October 30th in Shotton, North Wales.
"If the solar cell paint can be successfully brought to the market, it could spell big changes when it comes to the future production of electricity," said Steve Fisher, spokesperson of the Corus Group, the Anglo-Dutch steel manufacturing group that is believed to be pouring tens of millions of euros into the venture.
READ MORE...
Courtesy: Dr S Vasudevan
Friday, September 26, 2008
Rutgers University Breaks Ground on 1.4-MW Solar System
Officials from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, joined commissioners from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to break ground on the construction of a seven-acre solar energy facility, one of the largest systems on a single campus in the United States.
The 1.4-megawatt (MW) solar energy facility at Rutgers will consist of more than 7,000 solar panels and will generate approximately 10 percent of the electrical demand of the school's Livingston Campus. Rutgers will fund approximately half of the US $10 million cost of the project but the balance will be subsidized by a rebate through the BPU's Clean Energy Program. The program is aimed at public agencies and institutions to help them defer the cost of implementing solar projects.
READ MORE...
Source: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com
Courtesy: Dr S Vasudevan
The 1.4-megawatt (MW) solar energy facility at Rutgers will consist of more than 7,000 solar panels and will generate approximately 10 percent of the electrical demand of the school's Livingston Campus. Rutgers will fund approximately half of the US $10 million cost of the project but the balance will be subsidized by a rebate through the BPU's Clean Energy Program. The program is aimed at public agencies and institutions to help them defer the cost of implementing solar projects.
READ MORE...
Source: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com
Courtesy: Dr S Vasudevan
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Solar power: Light work
Printing the active coating onto organic photovoltaic solar cells instead of using other methods, such as spreading it by centrifugal force, improves the efficiency of solar-cell manufacture, according to industry scientists.
Solar cells based on organic compounds can be cheaper, lighter and more versatile than silicon-based cells, but are much less efficient at converting sunlight into electrical power.
The printing technique developed by Claudia Hoth and her colleagues at the German arm of Konarka Technologies, a solar materials manufacturer based in Lowell, Massachusetts, allows organic solar cells to be produced more simply and quickly, which might make them commercially viable.
The efficiency of cells made by this method is 3.5%, still lagging behind the 5.21% efficiency of the best organic solar cells produced by more conventional methods.
Nano Lett. 8, 2806–2813 (2008)
Source: Nature 455, 435 (25 September 2008) doi:10.1038/455435d;
Published online 24 September 2008
Solar cells based on organic compounds can be cheaper, lighter and more versatile than silicon-based cells, but are much less efficient at converting sunlight into electrical power.
The printing technique developed by Claudia Hoth and her colleagues at the German arm of Konarka Technologies, a solar materials manufacturer based in Lowell, Massachusetts, allows organic solar cells to be produced more simply and quickly, which might make them commercially viable.
The efficiency of cells made by this method is 3.5%, still lagging behind the 5.21% efficiency of the best organic solar cells produced by more conventional methods.
Nano Lett. 8, 2806–2813 (2008)
Source: Nature 455, 435 (25 September 2008) doi:10.1038/455435d;
Published online 24 September 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
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)
http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=7260.php
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)
http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=7260.php
Friday, September 12, 2008
Promising Lithium Batteries For Electric Cars
Why does lithium iron phosphate, a candidate for use in future lithium batteries, conduct electricity despite being an insulating material? Chemists at CNRS (1), working in collaboration with a team from CEA-Liten (2), have shed light on this paradox.
Their experimentally verified “domino-cascade model” shows that local stresses within the material allow electrical and ionic conduction to spread from one area to the next, making the battery function. These results open new horizons in the search for improved battery electrode materials and help explain how tomorrow's electric car batteries work.
Lithium-ion batteries, which store three to four times more energy per unit mass than traditional batteries, are now used extensively in portable electronic devices (computers, cell phones, MP3 players, etc.). The positive electrode materials in these batteries are highly effective but too expensive to be used in the large batteries needed for electric vehicles and second generation hybrid vehicles.
In the future, these applications may rely on lithium iron phosphate: it is environmentally friendly and has exceptional properties combined with low cost and good thermal stability (important for safety reasons). All these qualities make it the best candidate to be used in lithium batteries for future electric cars. However, this material does not have the ionic and electrical conduction properties needed to make the electrode work.
CNRS chemists from the Institut de chimie de la matière condensée de Bordeaux (ICMCB) and their partners from CEA-Liten became the first to explain this paradox. By studying lithium iron phosphate, they showed that the battery's charge-discharge cycles are made possible by a "domino cascade process." This phenomenon occurs as soon as stresses are present at the interface between the discharging material and the material in the discharged state. Electrical and ionic conduction is then extremely rapid in the interfacial zone, propagating from one spot to the next like dominos as the interface moves. The model has been verified by microscopic measurements.
This novel reaction process, resembling a wave sweeping through the crystal, explains how two insulating materials (one in the charged state and the other in the discharged state) can nonetheless make lithium-ion batteries function. These results are an important step forward in the quest for new low cost and safer electrode materials for future lithium batteries. The research has also made it possible to understand the processes taking place at the nanometer scale in lithium iron phosphate-based batteries, which may be used in tomorrow's hybrid and electric cars.
Notes:
(1) Institut de chimie de la matière condensée de Bordeaux, ICMCB, (CNRS / Université de Bordeaux / ENSCPB).
(2) CEA-Liten : Laboratoire d'innovation pour les technologies des énergies nouvelles et les nanomatériaux.
Journal reference:
Delmas et al. Lithium deintercalation in LiFePO4 nanoparticles via a domino-cascade model. Nature Materials, 2008; 7 (8): 665 DOI: 10.1038/nmat2230
Adapted from materials provided by CNRS.
Source: ScienceDaily (Aug. 11, 2008) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080807073753.htm
Courtesy: Dr S Vasudevan
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
India builds solar: A BIPV first
September 9, 2008
by Jaideep Malaviya
by Jaideep Malaviya
India's first green housing project facilitated with building-integrated solar power has been developed in a new district of Kolkata. Both environmentally and economically attractive, this project acts as a trailblazer for the rapidly developing country. Jaideep Malaviya reports.
The burden of combating global warming is not restricted to developed countries and many developing countries have shown their commitment to moving towards a more sustainable, low-carbon economy.
A good example of this type of commitment comes from India's West Bengal region, where the country's first housing complex using roof-integrated photovoltaics has recently been completed.
The policy behind the Rabi Rashmi Abasan project, which in the local Bengali language means ‘solar ray-based dwelling', was the brainchild of S. P. Gon Choudhary, managing director of the West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation Limited (WBGEDCL), a state government-backed renewable energy undertaking.
During his tenure as director of West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA) Gon Choudhary was inspired while watching a television documentary on eco-housing projects under way in developed countries in early 2001.
He subsequently approached the Ministry of Housing of the government of West Bengal and made a representation to them, outlining a new concept known as ‘New Century's Housing' based on energy efficiency using state-of-the-art technologies. The first fruits of this concept have appeared with the Rabi Rashmi Abasan housing development, a name which was proposed by the chief minister of West Bengal, Shri Buddhadeb Bhattacharya.
This 58 kW eco-housing project was developed by Germany's Conergy in partnership with the WBREDA as an initiative in solar architecture and is a flagship project in India.
Selling solar
As with other developed and developing nations, India's buildings are one of its more energy intensive sectors and are thus responsible for more than 30% of the total energy consumption of the country. The focus on implementing energy efficient technologies in buildings in order to move towards long-term sustainability is therefore obvious. And, as India is a tropical country blessed with consistent, almost year-round sunlight, Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) is a logical choice, showing clear promise.
The authorities at the Ministry of Housing agreed to provide 1.76 acres (nearly three quarters of a hectare) of land in a district of Kolkata city, the capital of West Bengal state in eastern India.
With plans to become a major hub for business, trade, industries, IT, institutions and culture, the New Town area for the development's location is 10 km from Kolkata's Central Business District and about a kilometre from the International Airport.
The land was obtained from West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (WBHIDCO).
After obtaining land, environment and power evacuation clearances from concerned authorities, work on building Rabi Rashmi Abasan took shape by 2006, based on a solar passive architecture design. In the meantime, West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) had passed an order allowing the development of captive power generating systems up to 250 kW by individual entities using net-metering. ‘This order was crucial to make Rabi Rashmi Abasan project a reality and contributes to the success of the project', explains Gon Choudhary. West Bengal is still one of the few states in India to allow captive generation by private entities.
Development in the detail
The Rabi Rashmi Abasan residential housing complex has 25 private houses and a community centre with a net connected load of 380 kW, of which 58 kW is supplied using roof-integrated solar PV.
The built area of each house is 155 m2 and, in addition, there are 14 m2 of terrace. Each cottage has 2 kW of roof-integrated solar PV tiles that use crystalline technology from SunTechnics India, a subsidiary of the Conergy Group, which developed the project in partnership with WBREDA.
The installation, valued at approximately €600,000 overall, consists of 26 photovoltaic systems comprising 464 units of Conergy's C125W solar modules, which were individually customized in various geometric shapes to fit the roof profiles of each building.
The installations are each expected to generate 2.4 MWh of power annually. The energy will be fed to the grid using net metering and will be purchased by WBSEDCL. Consumers will pay the cost of any net energy consumed through the local distribution grid. In the event of a grid failure, in addition to the system inverter, a backup battery of 160 Ah is provided.
Like many countries, India has a multi-stage tariff for residential electricity consumption. However, up to 100 kWh consumers are subsidized to varying degrees depending on the state utility. As consumption increases so does the tariff. A key advantage of the solar PV system is that it allows electricity usage in the cottages to stay within the subsidized tariff band, despite additional consumption.
Energy efficient technologies and design principles have also been incorporated into the design of the housing project. A small water pond surrounding each cottage aids with passive cooling. The south-facing solar passive architecture is designed such that during the summer months, hot air within the building rises due to convection and is expelled through ducts in a ‘turret' at the top of the building. The pond surrounding the dwelling allows a cool breeze to circulate and a simple fan is sufficient to keep the room comfortable to live in. Temperatures in Kolkata (Calcutta) city reach a summer maximum of up to 42°C. The temperature varies between 12°C and 14°C in winters and does not go below 10°C, while humidity in summers is usually around 85%.
In addition, each cottage also has a 100 litre per day solar thermal water heater and cavity wall insulation has also been installed in strategic locations to improve thermal efficiency.
As part of the housing complex the hydro-pneumatic water pump, responsible for supplying water in the houses, is of a variable frequency type. The pump only begins to operate when there is a reduction in pressure in the system, caused by demand from the houses, and then only up to the speed required to maintain full pressure, thus saving energy during operation.
Within the housing complex there is a community centre for recreational activities and public functions. It has an 8 kWp solar PV system including 2 kWp of BIPV on the windows.
Each of the eight windows incorporates 125 Wp transparent PV and there are 17 standalone street lights also operating on solar PV and obtained under a government subsidy programme.
There is also a 6 kWp grid-connected roof-top system which is again operated on a net metering basis. The electricity generated by this installation offsets the power drawn from the grid for applications such as pumping, garden lights and the internal lighting, fans and other night-time power demands.
Green housing, good economics
The cost of each roof-top PV system was about Rs0.7 million (US$16,000) and the solar systems are not subsidized, nor is there any premium feed-in tariff — although in the case of excess production the power utility offers a rebate of Rs 0.40/kWh up to a maximum limit of 200 units per month ($1.87). However, the approximate cost of each dwelling is Rs 4.8 million ($112,000) and since the solar component was a relatively small fraction of the total housing cost, incentives for its installation were not necessitated by investors. Indeed, purchasers willingly came forward to buy into the project and all the houses have been sold — a direct measure of the success of the initiative.
A joint venture enterprise between DC Properties Ltd, part of the Development Consultants Group, and West Bengal Housing Board, the development is currently managed by the Bengal DCL Housing Development Company Ltd.
The Kolkata New Town development of Rabi Rashmi Abasan is a landmark project in Indian infrastructure. Using solar passive architecture as part of a new housing concept, such projects are particularly conducive to the region's prevailing climatic conditions.
It has showcased the benefits of solar PV that will inspire other builders and those corporate players that have a commitment to using renewable energy technology and energy efficiency measures. Indeed, some of the country's leading building companies, such as DLF Builders, Siddha group and MRMGF, have shown considerable interest in setting up mega-scale projects using roof-integrated solar PV as an integral component. Rajesh Bhat, chief executive of SunTechnics India explains: ‘Using building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) elements, buildings can maximize their energy efficiency by saving 0.5 kg of carbon emissions for every kilowatt hour of solar power produced. Green buildings are thus highly advantageous for consumers and real estate developers in large capital cities. In addition to reaping the benefits of energy cost reductions, green buildings are also interesting architectural applications as they are highly distinctive and innovative.'
Jaideep Malaviya is a consultant and freelance journalist based in India.
e-mail: rew@pennwell.com
Source: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/reworld/story?id=53527
Monday, September 8, 2008
Polymer Electric Storage, Flexible and Adaptable
August 21, 2008 
The rapid emergence of hybrid electric automobiles in recent years underscores the need for more flexible and reliable methods of high-capacity electrical storage, say researchers. Now a team of Penn State materials scientists are developing ferroelectric polymer-based capacitors that can deliver power more rapidly and are much lighter than conventional batteries. Full story
Source: Penn State University.
News Source: NSF (http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=112116&org=NSF&from=newsField)
Supercapacitors Could Be Key to a Green Energy Future
July 30, 2008
John Chmiola, a doctoral student at Drexel University, is doing groundbreaking work on supercapacitors
John Ch
miola holds an electrochemical capacitor's electrode produced from titanium-derived carbon.
Everything is "green" these days. From buying green to living green, the term has become short-hand for environmentally friendly. Concern for the environment is one thing that's fueling interest in alternative sources of energy. The staggering increases in the cost of oil and everything that depends on oil are other factors.
John Chmiola may have found a way for us to power our devices and still live green. Chmiola is a doctoral student at Drexel University and his advisor is Yury Gogotsi, chair of the university's A.J. Drexel Nanotechnology Institute. Chmiola's groundbreaking work is on high efficiency energy storage devices known as supercapacitors. "Now that gas costs $4.25, I'd like to think that my work is essential," Chmiola says.
These days, more people may be thinking about buying a hybrid car. If so, remember this word: supercapacitors. Some researchers believe that these energy storage devices will be the best alternative to gas-fueled automobiles. Possible uses extend beyond cars. Supercapacitors have attracted researchers' attention for use in "many applications where batteries are being misused," Chmiola notes.
What's this greener energy alternative all about?
Supercapacitors--most commonly used in backup power applications because of their infinite lifespan--are electronic devices that have an unusually high energy density when compared to common capacitors.
A common capacitor is an electrical device that can deliver energy in the electric field between a pair of conductors or plates. Capacitors can be compared to batteries in that they both deliver electrical energy, but batteries can produce and deliver energy. A capacitor only delivers it. Supercapacitors, well, can deliver more energy.
"Unlike batteries and fuel cells that harvest energy stored in chemical bonds, supercapacitors exploit the electrostatic separation between electrolyte ions (an atom or group of atoms with a net electric charge) and high surface area electrodes, typically carbon," Chmiola explains.
Electrochemical capacitors, ultracapacitors, electrical double layer capacitors "were immediately fascinating to me because of their apparent simplicity and properties complimentary to batteries," he notes.
When Chmiola first started research on supercapacitors, work was already ongoing on carbide-derived carbon (CDC), an alternative to the base activated carbons of most electrochemical capacitors. Prior research by Gogotsi and others on the CDC structure gave Chmiola the "confidence to precisely tailor the carbon properties, on a level not easily achievable, using traditional porous carbon synthesis techniques," Chmiola explains.
Historically, the design framework for supercapacitor carbon experiments was to produce carbon with the largest pore size possible. But, contrary to researchers' popular belief that large pores in supercapacitor carbons were superior in functionality, Chmiola "was surprised to find out that pores smaller than one nanometer seemed to have better performance than larger pores. Utilizing this approach produced lighter and more powerful supercapacitor devices," Chmiola says.
But, it wasn't just the size. It was also about the right size. The team of researchers found that the pore size needed to match the ion "precisely," Chmiola emphasizes. By further doing this, a 50-percent improvement in performance was achieved.
Chmiola, whose work on supercapacitors was funded through the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program, started the research that led to his discovery in his senior year of undergraduate study. He also is a recipient of the Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP).
Nanotechnology is the art of manipulating matter at the atomic or molecular scale. It takes about 3-10 atoms to reach the length of a nanometer. In comparison, the diameter of a human hair is about 20,000 nanometers wide.
Chmiola's objective was to find the optimal pore size for supercapacitor performance, while minimizing the effects of constricting the ions to small pores. The combined knowledge of Gogotsi on carbide-derived carbon (CDC) structures and Chmiola's on electrochemistry led to the steps to develop the electrochemical capacitors experiment. This turned from a one-year undergraduate project into Chmiola's doctorate thesis project. An international collaboration with the group of professor Patrice Simon of the Université Paul Sabatier in France was the needed catalyst "to make the synergy complete," Chmiola says.
Chmiola's discovery was featured in the Aug. 18, 2006, edition of the journal Science. Furthermore, reports about his work have appeared in the journal Nature and other print and online international publications.
How important are supercapacitors to our everyday lives?
Supercapacitors are valued for their infinite energy lifespan. Traditional power sources and batteries, essential to our personal electronic devices and automobiles, don't store that much energy. Due to their high storage energy capacity, supercapacitors are finding increased usage in portable electronic devices like MP3 players, mobile phones and palm pilots. Other benefits, like short charging times and high performance in low temperatures, could lead to new applications.
Supercapacitors, as an energy efficient alternative, have limitations in both cost and performance. "Obviously all the pieces are not in place yet to put electrochemical capacitors (EC) in every future automobile," Chmiola asserts, "but helping to advance the understanding and develop the knowledge base necessary to make this revolution happen is what keeps me going."
His team has some out-of-the-box ideas to make supercapacitors better, and results are promising, "but it's a bit too early for publication," Chmiola adds.
--
Giselle Aviles-Maldonado, (703) 292-8063 gavilesm@nsf.gov
InvestigatorsYury GogotsiJohn Chmiola
Related Institutions/OrganizationsDrexel University
LocationsPennsylvania
Related ProgramsIntegrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program
Related Awards#0221664 IGERT: Nanoscale Engineering and Science: One Campus, Two- University Approach
Related WebsitesNano Materials Group: http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://nano.materials.drexel.edu/Science magazine: http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1132195Nature journal: http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v442/n7105/full/442850a.html
Source: National Science Foundation
http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111835&org=NSF
John Chmiola, a doctoral student at Drexel University, is doing groundbreaking work on supercapacitors
John Ch
miola holds an electrochemical capacitor's electrode produced from titanium-derived carbon.Everything is "green" these days. From buying green to living green, the term has become short-hand for environmentally friendly. Concern for the environment is one thing that's fueling interest in alternative sources of energy. The staggering increases in the cost of oil and everything that depends on oil are other factors.
John Chmiola may have found a way for us to power our devices and still live green. Chmiola is a doctoral student at Drexel University and his advisor is Yury Gogotsi, chair of the university's A.J. Drexel Nanotechnology Institute. Chmiola's groundbreaking work is on high efficiency energy storage devices known as supercapacitors. "Now that gas costs $4.25, I'd like to think that my work is essential," Chmiola says.
These days, more people may be thinking about buying a hybrid car. If so, remember this word: supercapacitors. Some researchers believe that these energy storage devices will be the best alternative to gas-fueled automobiles. Possible uses extend beyond cars. Supercapacitors have attracted researchers' attention for use in "many applications where batteries are being misused," Chmiola notes.
What's this greener energy alternative all about?
Supercapacitors--most commonly used in backup power applications because of their infinite lifespan--are electronic devices that have an unusually high energy density when compared to common capacitors.
A common capacitor is an electrical device that can deliver energy in the electric field between a pair of conductors or plates. Capacitors can be compared to batteries in that they both deliver electrical energy, but batteries can produce and deliver energy. A capacitor only delivers it. Supercapacitors, well, can deliver more energy.
"Unlike batteries and fuel cells that harvest energy stored in chemical bonds, supercapacitors exploit the electrostatic separation between electrolyte ions (an atom or group of atoms with a net electric charge) and high surface area electrodes, typically carbon," Chmiola explains.
Electrochemical capacitors, ultracapacitors, electrical double layer capacitors "were immediately fascinating to me because of their apparent simplicity and properties complimentary to batteries," he notes.
When Chmiola first started research on supercapacitors, work was already ongoing on carbide-derived carbon (CDC), an alternative to the base activated carbons of most electrochemical capacitors. Prior research by Gogotsi and others on the CDC structure gave Chmiola the "confidence to precisely tailor the carbon properties, on a level not easily achievable, using traditional porous carbon synthesis techniques," Chmiola explains.
Historically, the design framework for supercapacitor carbon experiments was to produce carbon with the largest pore size possible. But, contrary to researchers' popular belief that large pores in supercapacitor carbons were superior in functionality, Chmiola "was surprised to find out that pores smaller than one nanometer seemed to have better performance than larger pores. Utilizing this approach produced lighter and more powerful supercapacitor devices," Chmiola says.
But, it wasn't just the size. It was also about the right size. The team of researchers found that the pore size needed to match the ion "precisely," Chmiola emphasizes. By further doing this, a 50-percent improvement in performance was achieved.
Chmiola, whose work on supercapacitors was funded through the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program, started the research that led to his discovery in his senior year of undergraduate study. He also is a recipient of the Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP).
Nanotechnology is the art of manipulating matter at the atomic or molecular scale. It takes about 3-10 atoms to reach the length of a nanometer. In comparison, the diameter of a human hair is about 20,000 nanometers wide.
Chmiola's objective was to find the optimal pore size for supercapacitor performance, while minimizing the effects of constricting the ions to small pores. The combined knowledge of Gogotsi on carbide-derived carbon (CDC) structures and Chmiola's on electrochemistry led to the steps to develop the electrochemical capacitors experiment. This turned from a one-year undergraduate project into Chmiola's doctorate thesis project. An international collaboration with the group of professor Patrice Simon of the Université Paul Sabatier in France was the needed catalyst "to make the synergy complete," Chmiola says.
Chmiola's discovery was featured in the Aug. 18, 2006, edition of the journal Science. Furthermore, reports about his work have appeared in the journal Nature and other print and online international publications.
How important are supercapacitors to our everyday lives?
Supercapacitors are valued for their infinite energy lifespan. Traditional power sources and batteries, essential to our personal electronic devices and automobiles, don't store that much energy. Due to their high storage energy capacity, supercapacitors are finding increased usage in portable electronic devices like MP3 players, mobile phones and palm pilots. Other benefits, like short charging times and high performance in low temperatures, could lead to new applications.
Supercapacitors, as an energy efficient alternative, have limitations in both cost and performance. "Obviously all the pieces are not in place yet to put electrochemical capacitors (EC) in every future automobile," Chmiola asserts, "but helping to advance the understanding and develop the knowledge base necessary to make this revolution happen is what keeps me going."
His team has some out-of-the-box ideas to make supercapacitors better, and results are promising, "but it's a bit too early for publication," Chmiola adds.
--
Giselle Aviles-Maldonado, (703) 292-8063 gavilesm@nsf.gov
InvestigatorsYury GogotsiJohn Chmiola
Related Institutions/OrganizationsDrexel University
LocationsPennsylvania
Related ProgramsIntegrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program
Related Awards#0221664 IGERT: Nanoscale Engineering and Science: One Campus, Two- University Approach
Related WebsitesNano Materials Group: http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://nano.materials.drexel.edu/Science magazine: http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1132195Nature journal: http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v442/n7105/full/442850a.html
Source: National Science Foundation
http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111835&org=NSF
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Energy Storage For Hybrid Vehicles
ScienceDaily (Aug. 18, 2008) — Hybrid technology combines the advantages of combustion engines and electric motors. Scientists are developing high-performance energy storage units, a prerequ
isite for effective hybrid motors.
Prototype of a lithium-polymer accumulator for use in hybrid vehicles. (Credit: Copyright Fraunhofer ISIT)
The vehicle is powered by petroleum on the freeway and by electricity in town, thus using considerably less energy. A hybrid propulsion system switches over to generator operation when the brakes go on, producing electric current that is temporarily stored in a battery. The electric motor uses this current when starting up. This yields tremendous savings, particularly in urban traffic.But up to now, hybrid technology has always had a storage problem. Scientists from three Fraunhofer Institutes are developing new storage modules in a project called “Electromobility Fleet Test”.The pilot project was launched by Volkswagen and Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment BMU together with seven other partners. The Fraunhofer Institutes for Silicon Technology ISIT in Itzehoe, Integrated Circuits IIS in Nuremberg, and Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISB in Erlangen will be pooling their expertise for the next three years. The researchers are developing an energy storage module based on lithium-polymer accumulator technology that is suitable for use in vehicles.“This module has to be able to withstand the harsh environmental conditions it will encounter in a hybrid vehicle, and above all it must guarantee high operational reliability and a long service life,” states ISIT scientist Dr. Gerold Neumann, who coordinates the Fraunhofer activities. The researchers hope to reach this goal with new electrode materials that are kinder to the environment.A specially developed battery management system makes the energy storage device more durable and reliable. The experts are also researching into new concepts that will enable large amounts of energy to be stored in a small space. To do this, they integrate mechanical and electrical components in a single module, devising systems for temperature control, performance data registration and high-voltage safety.The tasks involved are distributed between the three Fraunhofer Institutes according to their skills: The ISIT experts, who have long experience in developing and manufacturing lithium accumulators, are manufacturing the cells. Their colleagues at IIS are responsible for battery management and monitoring. The scientists from IISB are contributing their know-how on power electronics components to configure the accumulator modules. The development and configuration of the new energy storage module is expected to be finished by mid-2010. Volkswagen AG – the industrial partner in this project – will then carry out field trials to test the modules’ suitability for everyday use in the vehicles.
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/ 080814091059.htm
isite for effective hybrid motors.Prototype of a lithium-polymer accumulator for use in hybrid vehicles. (Credit: Copyright Fraunhofer ISIT)
The vehicle is powered by petroleum on the freeway and by electricity in town, thus using considerably less energy. A hybrid propulsion system switches over to generator operation when the brakes go on, producing electric current that is temporarily stored in a battery. The electric motor uses this current when starting up. This yields tremendous savings, particularly in urban traffic.But up to now, hybrid technology has always had a storage problem. Scientists from three Fraunhofer Institutes are developing new storage modules in a project called “Electromobility Fleet Test”.The pilot project was launched by Volkswagen and Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment BMU together with seven other partners. The Fraunhofer Institutes for Silicon Technology ISIT in Itzehoe, Integrated Circuits IIS in Nuremberg, and Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISB in Erlangen will be pooling their expertise for the next three years. The researchers are developing an energy storage module based on lithium-polymer accumulator technology that is suitable for use in vehicles.“This module has to be able to withstand the harsh environmental conditions it will encounter in a hybrid vehicle, and above all it must guarantee high operational reliability and a long service life,” states ISIT scientist Dr. Gerold Neumann, who coordinates the Fraunhofer activities. The researchers hope to reach this goal with new electrode materials that are kinder to the environment.A specially developed battery management system makes the energy storage device more durable and reliable. The experts are also researching into new concepts that will enable large amounts of energy to be stored in a small space. To do this, they integrate mechanical and electrical components in a single module, devising systems for temperature control, performance data registration and high-voltage safety.The tasks involved are distributed between the three Fraunhofer Institutes according to their skills: The ISIT experts, who have long experience in developing and manufacturing lithium accumulators, are manufacturing the cells. Their colleagues at IIS are responsible for battery management and monitoring. The scientists from IISB are contributing their know-how on power electronics components to configure the accumulator modules. The development and configuration of the new energy storage module is expected to be finished by mid-2010. Volkswagen AG – the industrial partner in this project – will then carry out field trials to test the modules’ suitability for everyday use in the vehicles.
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/ 080814091059.htm
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