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Friday, June 28, 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Power for seaports may be the next job for hydrogen fuel cells
This article has more to do with Alternative Energy than Renewable Energy, but it may still be of possible interest.
Sandia Labs News Releases
June 27, 2013
Power for seaports may be the next job for hydrogen fuel cells
LIVERMORE, Calif.— Providing auxiliary hydrogen power to docked or anchored ships may soon be added to the list of ways in which hydrogen fuel cells can provide efficient, emissions-free energy.
Hydrogen fuel cells are already powering mobile lighting systems, forklifts, emergency backup systems and light-duty trucks, among other applications. Now, researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have found that hydrogen fuel cells may be both technically feasible and commercially attractive as a clean, quiet and efficient power source for ships at berth, replacing on-board diesel generators.
The Sandia study was completed for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
Auxiliary power to docked ships, usually provided by on-board diesel engines, is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, accounting for one-third to one-half of the in-port emissions attributed to ocean-going vessels. According to a 2004 study by the Natural Resources Defense Council, average daily emissions for a busy port could exceed the total emissions from nearly 500,000 vehicles.
Evaluating fuel cell barges at western U.S. ports
The study evaluated a simple fuel cell strategy that consists of mounting a hydrogen-fueled proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell on a floating barge. Supplying a container ship with average power and run times (1.4 megawatts over 48 hours) requires four 40-ft containers, two for the fuel cell and two for hydrogen fuel storage, which could readily fit on a typical flat-top barge. For ships requiring less power, such as tugboats, a single container housing both the fuel cell and hydrogen will suffice, according to the Sandia study.
To evaluate the feasibility of the fuel cell barge strategy and analyze potential deployment options, Sandia’s Joe Pratt visited ports up and down the West Coast and in Hawaii. He gathered data from two U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration facilities and the ports of Long Beach, Calif., Los Angeles, Calif., Oakland, Calif., Portland, Ore., Tacoma, Wash., Honolulu, Hawaii and Seattle, Wash.
“While Sandia has previously examined the potential for hydrogen and fuel cells in other applications, this is the first study of a maritime environment,” Pratt said.
Cheaper, cleaner than grid-based “cold-ironing”
A common alternative to auxiliary diesel engines is a practice called “cold-ironing,” in which a vessel at berth connects to a source of electricity on the shore. (The engine, made of steel or iron, literally becomes cold, hence the name.) Electricity supplied by a hydrogen fuel cell thus could become a new form of cold-ironing.
The U.S. Navy has been employing grid-based cold-ironing for many years to save fuel. Ports in California are now turning to the practice to meet the state’s environmental regulations. While only a few berths have grid-based cold-ironing, ports throughout California are installing infrastructure to meet the state Air Resources Board’s regulations that take effect in 2014.
But grid-based cold-ironing is complex and costly, and most ports lack the infrastructure needed to meet the power needs of multiple ships at berth. Those costs can run up to $5-10 million or more per berth, said Pratt. The Port of Oakland is installing 11 berths on six terminals at an estimated cost of about $70 million.
In addition, switching to grid-based power doesn’t eliminate emissions. Instead, that approach shifts the emissions to the source of electricity. Depending on the electricity source, the overall reduction in emissions can be relatively small.
Many potential deployment options, economic benefits
The hydrogen fuel cell barge bypasses the need for electrical infrastructure. The barge also has the capability of being moved from berth to berth as needed and to anchorage points to power vessels that are waiting for berths.
“In California, ports are already installing the necessary infrastructure for cold-ironing because of the regulations introduced a few years ago,” said Pratt. “So hydrogen fuel cell auxiliary power has the opportunity for greater impact elsewhere. While this was an unexpected finding, we discovered other locations and applications for hydrogen fuel cell power.”
At ports in Oregon and Washington, grid-based cold ironing infrastructure is limited or nonexistent. Using a hydrogen fuel cell to power container ships at berth has attracted interest for its potential economic and environmental benefits, Pratt said, and he continues to work with those ports on quantifying the benefits and deployment options.
Hawaii’s Honolulu Harbor in Oahu had a different need. Much of the cargo is unloaded and then reloaded onto barges for distribution to the other islands. As the barges have no power, they carry diesel generators to provide power to shipping containers that require refrigeration, known as “reefers.”
“You can replace the diesel generator with a hydrogen fuel cell without changing the operations. It’s just a power source in a box, a shipping container in this case,” said Pratt. Hawaii ports aren’t facing the same emissions regulations as California ports, but the potential savings in fuel cost is attractive for the company operating the inter-island transportation service, along with anyone else suffering from high fuel expenses.
The study’s basic fuel cost analysis showed that at today’s prices hydrogen, at about $4 per kilogram, with a fuel cell is cost-competitive with maritime fuels using a combustion engine. Subsequent analysis has shown that when generators are frequently producing less than maximum power, such as in the Hawaii application, the efficiency advantage of fuel cells compared to the combustion engine is widened. Even hydrogen at $5 per kilogram can potentially save tens of thousands of dollars per year for each generator.
“Fuel cost is only part of the total economic picture,” Pratt said.
He is now developing a detailed plan for the Hawaiian interisland transport barge application. “A successful deployment of the containerized fuel cell on a floating platform in a typical marine environment will be useful not only in this particular service, but also because it validates the concept for the larger, container-ship-sized application,” Pratt said. “It’s challenging on many levels, but technically feasible with potential worldwide commercial impact.”
Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin company, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Calif., Sandia has major R&D responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies and economic competitiveness.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Fourth Graders Power Their Classroom with Solar Energy
This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
June 26, 2013
Fourth Graders Power Their Classroom with Solar Energy
by Minh Le, Program Manager, Solar Program
A group of fourth graders in Durham, North Carolina, are showing America the way to a clean energy future. After learning all about solar and other energy sources, Aaron Sebens—a teacher at Central Park School for Children—and his fourth-grade class came up with a bold idea: make their classroom solar-powered.
A video on the Energy Department website documents the students' journey from idea to reality—leading up to a celebratory party where Aaron and his students officially "flip-the-switch" on their solar-powered classroom. To fund the project, Aaron's class launched a crowd-funding campaign that garnered support across America and around the world. The students originally hoped to raise $800 but significantly beat expectations, raising more than $5,000. For the video and the complete story, see theEnergy Blog.
Energy Intensity of Federal Buildings Slashed 25% in Past Decade
This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
June 26, 2013
Energy Intensity of Federal Buildings Slashed 25% in Past Decade
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which builds and manages federal buildings, recently announced that it cut federal energy spending by $65.5 million in fiscal year (FY) 2012 by reducing the energy use intensity levels in its buildings by nearly 25% since FY 2003. That placed the GSA well ahead of its goal of a 21% reduction in energy intensity. The agency also exceeded its FY 2020 greenhouse gas reduction target in FY 2012, reducing emissions by more than 35% from FY 2008 levels—equivalent to taking 162,000 vehicles off the road for a year. The GSA has also reduced its water usage in buildings by nearly 20% since FY 2007.
The milestones were noted as part of the GSA's sustainability and energy performance scorecard for FY 2012. The GSA has worked to reduce the environmental impact of federal buildings through the use of innovative technologies such as solar panels, advanced lighting systems, geothermal technology, wind power, and low-flow plumbing systems. See the GSA press release.
California, Washington Utilities Honored with 2013 Public Power Wind Award
This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
June 26, 2013
California, Washington Utilities Honored with 2013 Public Power Wind Award
The Energy Department on June 18 recognized utilities in California and Washington with the 2013 Public Power Wind award. Washington State's Snohomish County Public Utility District received the Member System award for its participation in the Wind Integration Forum, a joint initiative led by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council and the Bonneville Power Administration to address wind energy and hydroelectric generation in the region and the integration of these resources into the electric grid. As part of the forum, Snohomish is one of two regional utilities to pilot a program that provides twice-an-hour scheduling of wind transmission—increased from the standard once-an-hour scheduling—to allow the grid operators to better respond to wind fluctuations. In addition, the Southern California Public Power Authority received the Joint Action Agency award for its use of innovative financing to aggregate more than 710 megawatts of installed wind capacity. By carefully structuring the power purchase agreements across five wind projects, Southern California secured energy prices for several participating municipal systems at substantially lower costs.
The Public Power Wind award was created in 2003 by the Energy Department's Wind Powering America initiative and the American Public Power Association (APPA) to recognize and encourage community-owned electric utilities that demonstrate outstanding leadership in advancing wind power in the United States. A panel of experts evaluate the award nominees for high-performing executive leadership, creative marketing approaches, innovative projects, and benefits to customers. The winners were announced at the APPA's annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee. See theEnergy Department Progress Alert.
Energy Department, NREL Launch New Research Center for Grid Integration
This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
June 26, 2013
Energy Department, NREL Launch New Research Center for Grid Integration
The new Energy Systems Integration Facility at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is the only Energy Department user facility focused on utility-scale clean energy grid integration.
Credit: Dennis Schroeder, NREL |
The Energy Department and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced on June 20 the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) in Golden, Colorado, as the latest Energy Department user facility and the only facility in the nation focused on utility-scale clean energy grid integration. The facility's first industry partner—Colorado-based Advanced Energy Industries—has already signed on to start work at ESIF, developing lower-cost, better-performing solar power inverters.
Located on NREL's campus, the 182,500-square-foot ESIF is the nation's first facility to help both public- and private-sector researchers scale-up promising clean energy technologies—from solar modules and wind turbines to electric vehicles and efficient, interactive home appliances—and test how they interact with each other and the grid at the utility scale. The ESIF will house more than 15 experimental laboratories and several outdoor test beds, including an interactive hardware-in-the-loop system that lets researchers and manufacturers test their products at full power and real grid load levels. The facility also features a petascale supercomputer that can support large-scale modeling and simulation at one quadrillion operations per second.
As the first industry partner to use ESIF, Advanced Energy Industries is testing its new solar photovoltaic (PV) inverter technology with the facility’s utility-scale grid simulators and hardware-in-the-loop systems. Solar inverters are responsible for a number of critical functions within a solar PV system, including converting the direct current output into alternating current for the grid. Advanced Energy’s inverter will help support a smarter grid that can handle two-way flows of power and communication while reducing hardware costs. See the Energy Department press release.
Smart Grid, Distributed Energy to Strengthen Grid in Hoboken, New Jersey
This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
June 26, 2013
Smart Grid, Distributed Energy to Strengthen Grid in Hoboken, New Jersey
The Energy Department announced on June 13 that it will partner with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities; the City of Hoboken, New Jersey; and the Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G) to help develop and assess strategies for improving the reliability and resiliency of the local electric grid in Hoboken. Recognizing the destructive potential of major weather events such as Hurricane Sandy, the collaboration will help Hoboken in its efforts to rebuild and upgrade its electricity infrastructure by delivering a strategic design that identifies priority energy needs and energy system functions for various outage durations, evaluates potential system improvements, and estimates cost.
Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding, the Energy Department will help the City of Hoboken and PSE&G implement the Energy Surety Design Methodology (ESDM), a quantitative risk-based assessment tool that allows communities to evaluate their regional energy needs, identify advanced solutions to improve the reliability and resiliency of their electric grids, and understand the most cost-effective strategies for system upgrades. Developed at Sandia National Laboratories, the ESDM relies mainly on the use of advanced smart grid technologies and the integration of distributed energy resources such as backup generators, solar power, and stored energy. Previous applications of the ESDM have shown enhanced grid reliability and resiliency, improved integration of renewable and distributed energy, and cost-effectiveness. See the Energy Department press release.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Energy experts push for bipartisan action to support energy efficiency
Johnson Controls News Release:
Energy experts push for bipartisan action to support energy efficiency
Johnson Controls' energy efficiency survey reveals 116 rise in energy efficiency, described as America's first fuel
MILWAUKEE, June 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- New research by Johnson Controls, the global leader in delivering solutions that increase energy efficiency in buildings, echoes President Obama's call for more certainty to push clean energy, including energy efficiency, which will save money, reduce carbon pollution and make buildings more valuable. Energy efficiency interest rose 116 percent globally since 2010. Members of congress from both parties agreed that energy efficiency is one element of the climate change they can agree on at the 24th Energy Efficiency Forum in Washington, DC recently.
Click here to view video, fact sheets and presentations about this
"We need public policies and private investment to work together to reduce the market's uncertainty and capture this year's momentum toward a more energy efficient global economy," said Dave Myers, president of Johnson Controls Building Efficiency. The Energy Efficiency Indicator is a global survey of more than 3,000 building owners and operators in 10 countries.
Sandia Scaled Wind Farm Technology Facility event
Sandia Labs News Releases
June 25, 2013
Sandia Scaled Wind Farm Technology Facility event
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The U.S. Department of Energy, Sandia National Laboratories and Texas Tech University will host the commissioning of the DOE/Sandia Scaled Wind Farm Technology (SWiFT) Facility on Tuesday, July 9, at the Reese Technology Center in Lubbock, Texas.
The event will feature speakers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Program, Vestas Wind Systems, Sandia National Laboratories and Texas Tech University.
Speakers will discuss the importance of increasing performance to reduce the cost of wind power. In addition, speakers will address the SWiFT facility’s objectives of reducing power losses and damage caused by turbine-turbine interaction, enhancing energy capture and damage-mitigation potential of advanced rotors and improving the validity of aerodynamic, aero-elastic and aero-acoustic simulations used to develop innovative technologies.
The event is open to the public and will be from 9:15-11 a.m. (CDT) on Tuesday, July 9, at the Reese Technology Center in Lubbock, Texas. Guests can register online and visit thecommissioning website for detailed information about the ceremony.
Funding for the work comes from the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Sandia National Laboratories is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Calif., Sandia has major R&D responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies, and economic competitiveness.
Monday, June 24, 2013
NREL Reports 31.1% Efficiency for III-V Solar Cell
NREL News Release:
NREL Reports 31.1% Efficiency for III-V Solar Cell
Conversion-efficiency mark is a world record for a two-junction solar cell measured under one-sun illumination
Monday, June 24, 2013
The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Lab has announced a world record of 31.1% conversion efficiency for a two-junction solar cell under one sun of illumination.
NREL Scientist Myles Steiner announced the new record June 19 at the 39th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference in Tampa, Fla. The previous record of 30.8% efficiency was held by Alta Devices.
The tandem cell was made of a gallium indium phosphide cell atop a gallium arsenide cell, has an area of about 0.25 square centimeters and was measured under the AM1.5 global spectrum at 1,000 W/m2. It was grown inverted, similar to the NREL-developed inverted metamorphic multi-junction (IMM) solar cell – and flipped during processing. The cell was covered on the front with a bilayer anti-reflection coating, and on the back with a highly reflective gold contact layer.
The work was done at NREL as part of DOE's Foundation Program to Advance Cell Efficiency (F-PACE), a project of the Department's SunShot Initiative that aims to lower the cost of solar energy to a point at which it is competitive with other sources including fossil fuels.
At the beginning of the F-PACE project, which aims to produce a 48%-efficient concentrator cell, NREL's best single-junction gallium-arsenide solar cell was 25.7% efficient. This efficiency has been improved upon by other labs over the years: Alta Devices set a series of records, increasing the gallium-arsenide record efficiency from 26.4% in 2010 to 28.8% in 2012. Alta's then-record two-junction 30.8% efficient cell was achieved just two months ago. The new record may not last long either, but "it brings us one step closer to the 48% milestone," said NREL Principal Scientist Sarah Kurtz, who leads the F-PACE project in NREL's National Center for Photovoltaics. "This joint project with the University of California, Berkeley and Spectrolab has provided us the opportunity to look at these near-perfect cells in different ways. Myles Steiner, John Geisz, Iván García and the III-V multijunction PV group have implemented new approaches providing a substantial improvement over NREL's previous results."
"Historically, scientists have bumped up the performance of multijunction cells by gradually improving the material quality and the internal electrical properties of the junctions -- and by optimizing variables such as the bandgaps and the layer thicknesses," NREL Scientist Myles Steiner said. But internal optics plays an underappreciated role in high-quality cells that use materials from the third and fifth columns of the periodic tables – the III-V cells. "The scientific goal of this project is to understand and harness the internal optics," he said.
When an electron-hole pair recombines, a photon can be produced, and if that photon escapes the cell, luminescence is observed – that is the mechanism by which light-emitting diodes work. In traditional single-junction gallium-arsenide cells, however, most of the photons are simply absorbed in the cell's substrate and are lost. With a more optimal cell design, the photons can be re-absorbed within the solar cell to create new electron-hole pairs, leading to an increase in voltage and conversion efficiency. In a multijunction cell, the photons can also couple to a lower bandgap junction, generating additional current, a process known as luminescent coupling.
The NREL researchers improved the cell's efficiency by enhancing the photon recycling in the lower, gallium-arsenide junction by using a gold back contact to reflect photons back into the cell, and by allowing a significant fraction of the luminescence from the upper, GaInP junction to couple into the GaAs junction. Both the open-circuit voltage and the short-circuit current were increased.
Silicon solar cells now dominate the world PV market, but researchers see opportunities for new materials. High-efficiency concentrator cells bolstered by lenses that magnify the power of the sun are attracting interest from utilities because the modules have demonstrated efficiencies well over 30%. And there may be commercial opportunities for one-sun or low-concentration III-V cells if growth rates can be increased and costs reduced.
The same cell should work well when lenses are added to multiply the sun's power. "We expect to observe similar enhancements of the solar cell characteristics when measured under concentrated illumination," Steiner said.
NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for the Energy Department by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
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FedEx Adds 1,900 New Lightweight, Fuel Efficient Vehicles to Fleet
FedEx Press Release:
FedEx Adds 1,900 New Lightweight, Fuel Efficient Vehicles to Fleet
FedEx Makes Significant Progress Towards New Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Goal
June 24 2013
MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 24, 2013—FedEx Express, a unit of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company, continues rapid progression towards its recently-increased vehicle fuel efficiency goal by adding 1,900 new fuel efficient vehicles to its fleet.
In 2008, FedEx Corp. set the U.S. transportation industry’s first fuel efficiency goal with a commitment to improve the overall fuel efficiency of the FedEx Express vehicle fleet 20 percent by 2020, as compared with its 2005 performance. In March 2013, less than five years later, FedEx Express surpassed this goal with a more than 22 percent cumulative improvement in fuel economy for its vehicles and set a revised goal to improve the fuel efficiency its vehicle fleet 30% by 2020.
FedEx Express continues to pursue a holistic three-tiered vehicle strategy to improve the fuel efficiency of its fleet: Reduce, Replace and Revolutionize. This strategy allows FedEx to optimize its vehicle operations by working with a variety of manufacturers to advance vehicle technologies for the future while making the best use of the conventional vehicles currently operated by the company. Further, matching the right vehicle to each route has made the biggest single impact on the fleet’s overall fuel efficiency.
As part of this strategy, FedEx Express has recently made the following purchases to increase the overall fuel efficiency of its vehicle fleet:
- FedEx Express has recently purchased 1,900 lightweight, composite-body Reach vehicles from Spartan Motors, a division of Utilimaster. These will join the 400 Reach vehicles already in service, giving FedEx Express the largest lightweight, composite-body vehicle fleet in the industry, with approximately 2,300 vehicles. The Reach van, with its four-cylinder, 3.0-liter Isuzu diesel engine, demonstrates a 35% fuel efficiency improvement over traditional vehicles in the FedEx Express fleet. The lower-weight body design, along with the engine, allows every Reach to significantly reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions compared to conventional walk-in vans.
- FedEx is also working with XL Hybrids, a developer of low-cost hybrid electric powertrain system, to convert ten conventionally-powered panel vans into more fuel-efficient, hybrid vehicles. This conversion not only reduces fuel consumption and emissions, but will also extend the engine life in fleet vehicles by supplementing the necessary power with their hybrid-electric drive train.
FedEx Express also continues to work with educational and research institutions to improve electric and alternative-energy vehicle technologies:
- FedEx Express is working with the Advanced Vehicle Testing group at Argonne National Laboratory, using its Advanced Powertrain Research Facility to test and compare different models of electric vehicles, collecting performance data under various operating conditions. Argonne will collect the electric energy consumption of the vehicles to help determine the total cost of operating an electric vehicle fleet. The U.S. Department of Energy has also provided funding for this testing initiative.
- In New York City, FedEx Express continues to work with General Electric and Columbia University on a smart charging project to understand how large electric vehicle deployments would impact the energy grid and help develop best practices for charging these vehicles in large cities, like New York.
About FedEx Express
FedEx Express is the world’s largest express transportation company, providing fast and reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories. FedEx Express uses a global air and ground network to speed delivery of time-sensitive shipments, by a definite time and date with a money-back guarantee.
About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $44 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
NREL Drives Toward the Future with Fuel Cell EVs
NREL News Release:
NREL Drives Toward the Future with Fuel Cell EVs
June 21, 2013
Efforts currently underway at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are contributing to rapid progress in the research, development and testing of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
Building from more than 10 years of support from the Department's Fuel Cell Technologies Office on these topics, NREL has received four Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicles — Advanced (FCHV-adv) on loan from Toyota. These vehicles will help NREL enhance its research capabilities related to hydrogen fueling infrastructure, renewable hydrogen production, and vehicle performance.
Zero-Emission Fuel Cell Vehicles are Rapidly Evolving
The Toyota vehicle represents another step toward the commercialization of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). Hydrogen fuel is most often produced using domestic resources and can also be produced using clean renewable energy technologies. When hydrogen is used to power an FCEV, the vehicle has zero tail pipe emissions.
The fuel cells in the Highlander FCHV-adv are representative of the FCEV designs being demonstrated today by automobile companies around the world, making this design an excellent platform for NREL's research activities. Toyota also plans to introduce an FCEV sedan to the U.S. commercial market in 2015.
The zero-emission FCHV-adv, based on a mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) platform, has an expected driving range of 325 miles and a fuel economy estimated at 60 miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent (GGE). GGE is a method for measuring the fuel economy of alternative fuels compared to gasoline and represents the amount of an alternative fuel equal to the energy in one liquid gallon of gasoline.
The vehicle is powered by a fuel cell system with light weight, high-pressure hydrogen tanks, an electric motor, a nickel hydride battery, and a power-control unit that determines the split of power from the battery or fuel cell stack to power the vehicle.
NREL to Explore Wide Research Platform
The four FCEVs, on a two-year loan from Toyota as part of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with NREL, will be put through a wide platform of testing and analysis at the lab. The vehicles were originally deployed in California in 2009 and have been redeployed to NREL as part of this CRADA.
"We're looking at the whole system — from renewable hydrogen production and vehicle fueling equipment to the impact of driving patterns and behavior on vehicle performance," said Keith Wipke, NREL Laboratory Program Manager for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies. "Because the vehicles will be four or five years old by the time our loan period ends, we will be able to observe extended durability and reliability, which are critical to the commercial success of these types of vehicles."
Testing will include observing how the vehicles interact with fueling infrastructure and fueling stations that operate at different pressures. While most hydrogen is currently produced from natural gas, at NREL, the vehicles will be fueled with renewable hydrogen made from wind and solar energy as part of the Wind-to-Hydrogen project at the lab's National Wind Technology Center. This project uses wind turbines and solar arrays to power electrolyzers that split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
"These vehicles are emission free, but in most scenarios you still have emissions during the hydrogen production," Wipke said. "If you can make the hydrogen using renewable resources you have the potential for this to be a truly zero-emission fuel source. We're pleased to have the opportunity to further investigate this potential."
Other tests will investigate how drivers interact with the vehicles and influence performance over the test period. Researchers will look at the effects of environment and driving patterns on the vehicles' energy storage and propulsion systems, and demonstrate the vehicles operational capability in real-world activities.
On behalf of the Energy Department, NREL is also planning public outreach and education efforts to better prepare the market for the deployment of these types of vehicles. NREL will offer first-hand exposure to hydrogen and fuel cell vehicle technologies to a variety of audiences, including the general public, academia, and the automotive industry.
Getting Ready for Our Transportation Future
FCEVs use hydrogen, stored in high-pressure tanks made of carbon fiber resin, which is fed to the fuel cell stack where it combines with oxygen from the air. The electricity produced by this chemical reaction is used to power the electric motor and charge the battery.
"For someone like myself who is not an electrochemist, it's truly a fascinating technology," Wipke said. "Hydrogen atoms interact with a membrane coated with small amounts of platinum, which splits the hydrogen into protons and electrons. The protons pass through the membrane, and the electrons go around a different path and do the useful electrical work. Eventually, they meet on the other side with oxygen from the air, and form water, which along with a little heat is the only byproduct of the process."
Fuel cell technologies and the use of hydrogen as a transportation fuel are becoming more visible as automotive manufacturers move these concepts closer to market.
But while these fuel cell technologies are proven and effective, there are still challenges in deploying them, particularly in terms of reducing cost and increasing durability. NREL's long-term durability testing for FCEVs will provide important data toward solutions to these two interrelated challenges.
Another significant issue with deploying these technologies is the need to develop infrastructure around hydrogen production, delivery, and fueling stations.
"We need a lot of infrastructure in place for FCEVs to have widespread consumer acceptance," Wipke said. "Most hydrogen fueling stations use delivered hydrogen instead of on-site production. That is the most economical pathway right now, but with our capabilities here at NREL we are able to fully explore the opportunities for on-site production."
Despite the challenges, Wipke sees a strong future for the FCEV technology.
"Most automakers are committing to get to market with these vehicles before this decade is out. That is encouraging," Wipke said. "The biggest reasons that they are so excited about this option for the future is that range and refueling time are not a concern compared to other new transportation technologies. This makes it a potentially very consumer-friendly transportation technology, one that will function much like what drivers use today."
"It's an exciting opportunity to help move these technologies forward, and we're pleased to have an important role here at NREL."
Learn more about NREL's hydrogen research.
— David Glickson
Saturday, June 22, 2013
GE’s Infusion™ LED Lighting Paints Woodson Art Museum in Crisp, White Light
GE Press Release:
EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — June 20, 2013 — (NYSE:GE) — Since its founding four decades ago by three sisters and families who dreamed of honoring their mother and her collections, the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin, has been committed to enhancing lives through art and educational programs. As an art-in-nature-focused museum that is certified “Travel Green” by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, the Woodson also strives to be a model of sustainability.
Deepening its commitment to environmental stewardship, the Woodson recently installed GE’s energy-efficient Infusion™ LED modules throughout a newly constructed gallery, saving 30 watts of energy per fixture and bathing the artworks on view in crisp, white light.
Artistic LED Lighting SolutionsServing an estimated 56,000 visitors annually, the Woodson Art Museum’s flagship exhibition is the internationally renowned Birds in Art, a juried exhibition that each fall comprises fresh interpretations in various styles by artists from around the world.
To accommodate a permanent collection of 43 paintings by Owen J. Gromme, the Woodson constructed a new gallery outfitted with GE’s Infusion LED modules instead of halogen lamps that have been used throughout the museum’s galleries. Gromme is considered the “father of Birds in Art” and served as guest curator of the museum’s inaugural exhibition in 1976.
“Although we were skeptical at first of LED lighting solutions because of initial cost, we’re now so pleased with the color and the clean, white light in our new gallery that we’re looking to retrofit all of the galleries with LED,” said Andrew McGivern, curator of exhibitions at the Woodson Art Museum. “Compared to our old halogen lamps, the LED lights have a softer edge; when you step from a traditionally lit gallery to our new gallery, the new museum lighting creates a completely different atmosphere and a fresh appearance for visitors.”
Working with Specialty Lighting Sales of Wisconsin, Inc. (Milwaukee, Wis.), the museum tested a variety of bulbs and fixtures, eventually ordering GE’s LED modules installed in Journée Lighting’s Zinnia 1000i track lights because of superior aesthetics and functionality. GE’s Infusion LED lighting maintains consistent color quality from module to module and is available in a wide range of lumen packages to meet various lighting needs.
“What was critical for us as an art museum was the evenness of the color,” McGivern continued. “We needed a light with a high CRI (Color Rendering Index) to provide even and consistent color distribution throughout the gallery.”
Brushing up on SavingsAs a nonprofit art museum committed to free admission, the Woodson is always looking for ways to improve its bottom line. Utilizing GE’s Infusion LED module instead of the traditional 50-watt halogen MR16 lamps saves the Woodson approximately 30 watts of energy per fixture as well as lowers the cooling load of its HVAC system, contributing to both direct and indirect energy savings.
Additionally, GE’s Infusion modules’ twist-fit installation combined with a common base design reduces the Woodson’s operational costs. Instead of replacing an entire LED light fixture at the end of its life, the module can simply be replaced to minimize environmental waste.
With interchangeable modules, GE’s Infusion products deliver game-changing technology to the market. As lighting needs change, it is quick and easy to adapt by removing the entire LED module and upgrading in seconds.
“The flexibility of the Infusion system is among the reasons we chose it,” said McGivern. “It sets us up to adapt to new lighting technologies down the road by allowing us to easily switch out the modules.”
The long-life LED museum lighting solution also eases the maintenance burden for the Woodson Art Museum, where a scissor-lift truck often is required to reach 20-foot ceilings.
“Walking through the galleries, we have bulbs that burn out daily,” added McGivern. “Being able to install LED lights and know we won’t need to change them for 8-10 years is very refreshing.”
For more information about the GE Lighting products used in this project, visit www.gelighting.com. To learn more about GE’s commitment to innovative LED solutions to today’s environmental challenges while driving economic growth, visit www.ecomagination.com.
About Woodson Art MuseumThe Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, located in a beautiful residential area on the east side of Wausau, Wis., offers artworks from every corner of the world to north central Wisconsin residents and visitors through diverse changing exhibitions. The Museum is housed in an updated 1931 English Tudor period Cotswold-style residence to which a new main entrance and expansive two-story gallery spaces have been added. The grounds cover four acres highlighted by a sculpture garden, attractive brick walkways, a shaded arbor and seating area, and on-site parking. The museum is committed to always free admission. Visit www.lywam.orgfor more information.
About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs about 15,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal® and Energy Smart® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx™, Immersion™, Infusion™, Lumination™, Albeo™, and Tetra® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visit www.gelighting.com.
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs about 15,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal® and Energy Smart® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx™, Immersion™, Infusion™, Lumination™, Albeo™, and Tetra® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visit www.gelighting.com.
50 Years of LED Innovation
Oct. 9, 1962, GE scientist Dr. Nick Holonyak, Jr., invented the first practical visible-spectrum light-emitting diode (LED). In the 50 years since, GE has been on the forefront of LED innovation. The company has released inspired LED products for both residential and commercial settings, from the first ENERGY STAR®-qualified A19-shaped LED bulb to LED street lighting that illuminates cityscapes the world over.
Oct. 9, 1962, GE scientist Dr. Nick Holonyak, Jr., invented the first practical visible-spectrum light-emitting diode (LED). In the 50 years since, GE has been on the forefront of LED innovation. The company has released inspired LED products for both residential and commercial settings, from the first ENERGY STAR®-qualified A19-shaped LED bulb to LED street lighting that illuminates cityscapes the world over.
GE’s Biggest Wind Turbine Generator Blade Touring across Germany
GE Press Release:
GE’s Biggest Wind Turbine Generator Blade Touring across Germany
June 20, 2013
- GE Blade Tour from Flensburg to Munich: Wind Turbine Blade of 60 Meters in Length Travels across Germany
- GE ”Energiewende” Events Will be Held Together with the Technical Universities of the Destination Cities of Berlin and Munich
FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY/BERLIN—June 20, 2013—An impressive 60 meters in length and a symbol for the next generation of intelligent wind turbines, today GE (NYSE: GE) is sending a blade from its new 2.5-120 wind turbine on a tour across Germany. By heavy load transport, the massive component is travelling from Flensburg via GE Renewable Energy’s European headquarters in Salzbergen and the technical universities in Berlin and Munich to its first nationwide commercial installation near Nürnberg.
On June 24, 2013, the blade will be arriving in Berlin where, for one day, people will have the chance to gaze at it right in front of the Technical University (TU) on the “Straße des 17. Juni.” Together with the TU, GE will organize the symposium “Close Up on the Energiewende” and welcome high-ranking guests such as Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Peter Altmaier, as well as Prime Minister of Lower Saxony Stephan Weil, to discuss the future role of wind energy as a driver for the German “Energiewende.”
“Onshore wind energy could contribute even more substantially to make the Energiewende a success than it does today,” said Cliff Harris, general manager of Europe for GE’s Renewable Energy business. “Our new intelligent wind turbine 2.5-120 is technically equipped to achieve this. It utilizes the Industrial Internet to guarantee maximum efficiency and yield even in low-wind regions.”
At the blade’s next stop in Munich, another wind energy event, set up by GE and the “Chair for Wind Energy” of the Technical University of Munich will be held on June 27, 2013. The following day the blade will travel on to its final destination Nürnberg.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
About GE Power & Water
GE Power & Water provides customers with a broad array of power generation, energy delivery and water process technologies to solve their challenges locally. Power & Water works in all areas of the energy industry including renewable resources such as wind and solar, biogas and alternative fuels; and coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy. The business also develops advanced technologies to help solve the world’s most complex challenges related to water availability and quality. Power & Water’s six business units include Distributed Power, Nuclear Energy, Power Generation Services, Renewable Energy, Thermal Products and Water & Process Technologies. Headquartered in Schenectady, N.Y., Power & Water is GE’s largest industrial business.
Follow GE Power & Water and GE’s renewables business on Twitter @GE_PowerWater and @GErenewables.
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