Energy Department Investments to Develop Lighter, Stronger Materials for Greater Vehicle Fuel Economy

Press release from the U.S. Dept. of Energy:

Energy Department Investments to Develop Lighter, Stronger Materials for Greater Vehicle Fuel Economy

August 13, 2012 - 9:14am

WASHINGTON – As part of the Obama Administration’s all-of-the-above energy strategy to reduce the United States’ reliance on foreign oil and save drivers money at the pump, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today seven new projects to accelerate the development and deployment of stronger and lighter materials for the next generation of American-made cars and trucks. These projects include the development and validation of modeling tools to deliver higher performing carbon fiber composites and advanced steels, as well as research into new lightweight, high-strength alloys for energy-efficient vehicle and truck engines.

“With strong, lightweight materials we have an opportunity to dramatically increase vehicle fuel economy, while helping America maintain its competitive edge in automotive design and manufacturing,” said Secretary Chu. “Today’s investment in new lightweight materials builds on the Obama Administration’s historic fuel economy standards that are already helping drivers save money at the pump.”

The Obama Administration has taken unprecedented steps to improve the fuel efficiency of American vehicles, reaching historic agreements to improve fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light-duty trucks through Model Year 2025. These standards are expected to save consumers $1.7 trillion at the pump, or about $8,200 in costs over the lifetime of each vehicle. In fact, the initial set of standards for Model Years 2011 to 2016 is already having an impact for American families and businesses. The Energy Information Administration estimates model year 2011 cars achieved record average fuel economy at 34.4 miles per gallon, representing a 2 percent increase over 2010 model year cars.

Achieving the goals of this historic agreement will rely on innovative technologies and manufacturing that will spur economic growth and create high-quality domestic jobs in cutting edge industries across America. The projects announced today will help provide additional technologies and innovations that will enable manufacturers to continue to improve vehicle fuel efficiency beyond the regulated levels. Advanced materials are essential for boosting the fuel economy of cars and trucks while maintaining and improving safety and performance. Replacing cast iron and traditional steel components with lightweight materials – including advanced high-strength steel, magnesium, aluminum, and carbon fiber composites – allows vehicle manufacturers to include additional safety devices, integrated electronic systems and emissions control equipment on vehicles without increasing their weight. Using lighter materials also reduces a vehicle’s fuel consumption. Reducing a vehicle’s weight by just 10 percent can improve the fuel economy by 6 to 8 percent.

The new investments announced today support materials innovation in two critical areas:
Improving Carbon Fiber Composites and Advanced Steel through Computational Design
The Energy Department will award two projects to validate existing modeling tools to optimize the performance and cost-effectiveness of carbon fiber and other specialized composite materials for vehicle body, chassis and interior uses. For example, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, based in Richland, Washington, is receiving a $1 million investment to validate carbon fiber composite models.

Additionally, the Department is investing $6 million to develop new modeling tools to advance third-generation high-strength steels. Through this project, Detroit-based United States Automotive Materials Partnership will leverage an additional $2.5 million in private investment to help create modeling tools for deploying high-strength steels for lighter passenger vehicles.

Advanced Alloy Development for Automotive and Heavy-Duty Engines
Today’s investment also includes four project that will develop lightweight, high-strength alloys for automotive and heavy duty engine blocks and cylinder heads. For instance, Caterpillar Inc, based near Peoria, Illinois, is leveraging a $3.4 million Energy Department award, as well as $1.5 million in private investment, to develop high-strength iron-based alloys to allow for higher cylinder pressures and increased engine efficiency.

Read the full list of awards HERE.

The Energy Department will provide $8 million this year for these awards, and has requested an additional $13.75 million next year, subject to congressional appropriations, to support the completion of these projects over the next two to four years.  The Department’s investments are leveraging an additional $11 million from the private sector. These projects support the Materials Genome Initiative, an ambitious effort announced by President Obama to double the speed and cut the cost of discovering, developing, and deploying new high-tech materials in the United States.

From developing stronger, safer and lighter materials for today’s automobiles, to lowering the costs of electric vehicle batteries and better combustion engines, the Energy Department has supported a range of technological advances in vehicle efficiency that has helped maintain America’s competitive edge in this global industry. More information on these investments is available HERE.  

The Secret to Solar Power

The following is an excerpt from an article in 

The New York Times
Sunday, August 12, 2012

The Secret to Solar Power

By JEFF HIMMELMAN

Most mornings, Danny Kennedy hops on a bike with orange saddlebags and rides half an hour from his home to Oakland’s Jack London Square. He makes for quite a picture cruising down Telegraph Avenue, decked out as he often is in an orange helmet, orange jacket and orange leather Adidas shoes. When he arrives at his office, he often makes his rounds on an orange indoor bike. (He’s not joking around with the orange thing.) Though Kennedy was once a young environmental activist documenting the horrors of the oil and mining industries, he’s now a 41-year-old company man. The orange that he wears daily — which extends even to the checks on his shirts, and which drives his wife crazy — is the brand color for his rapidly growing residential solar company, Sungevity, whose revenues grew by a factor of eight in 2010 and doubled again in 2011, and whose employees have grown to 260 from 3 since the company’s inception five years ago.

Given that growth, it’s somewhat surprising to learn that Kennedy and Sungevity aren’t taken very seriously by their larger competitors. Kennedy’s activist past and his willingness to wear his commitment to the solar industry quite literally on his sleeve are viewed by some as a liability in an industry desperate to demonstrate its seriousness. Thanks to increased Chinese production of photovoltaic panels, innovative financing techniques, investment from large institutional investors and a patchwork of semi-effective public-policy efforts, residential solar power has never been more affordable. But even with pricing that requires no initial capital outlay from consumers and guarantees lifetime savings — and even occasional opportunities to make money, by selling power back to the grid — Americans still aren’t buying into solar in significant numbers.

Two factors have hurt the industry’s growth. The first is abstract and well ingrained in the American psyche: the negative association of “green” technologies with inefficiency and idealistic, hippie-fueled impracticality. The second is concrete and recent: the sleek, vacant headquarters of Solyndra, the infamous federally subsidized solar-panel manufacturer that went bankrupt in 2011. The glassy campus sits just off the Nimitz Freeway, visible to commuters between San Francisco and Silicon Valley as they battle rush-hour traffic each morning, surreptitiously checking their phones.

Though the failure of Solyndra has dominated the political and social discourse around solar power, the reality of the industry — as evidenced by the enormous investments that companies like Google and Bank of America are making in residential solar power — is that it has rapidly become a smart, practical and profitable investment. Despite a lack of widespread acceptance, the market is growing and the competition is getting tight.

Where Kennedy will ultimately fit into all of this remains to be seen. He told me: “We don’t need missionaries anymore. We need mercenaries.” As the industry grows, big investments don’t necessarily flow toward the people with the deepest environmentalist roots. No matter how much orange Kennedy wears or how dedicated to corporate branding he appears to be, his bleeding heart still shows through. Missionary, mercenary: can he — can anyone — be both?

A Renewable Reality?

A kite-surfing Californian is looking "sky-high" to find a renewable energy alternative, reports CNBC's Amanda Drury.

Video from CNBC (1:34).

A Renewable Reality?

Kansas ethanol producer will close Garnett refinery - KansasCity.com

Kansas ethanol producer will close Garnett refinery - KansasCity.com

Wayne Puts Future Technology on Display at “Fuelling the Future” Showcase for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Press release:

09 August 2012

Wayne Puts Future Technology on Display at “Fuelling the Future” Showcase for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

 

Elevated Modern Fuelling Experience and Advanced Forecourt Technologies Highlight New Capabilities

AUSTIN, TEXAS—August 9, 2012—The new Wayne Helix™ fuel dispenserwas featured at the opening of BP’s “Fuelling the Future” showcase in London on Tuesday, July 17. The Fuelling the Future pavilions at the BP Hammersmith Flyover retail site focus on biofuels and will be open during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Helix fuel dispenser, designed and manufactured by Wayne, A GE Energy Business (NYSE: GE), provides an enhanced fuelling experience for the consumer. As the station of the future looks to combine contemporary fossil fuels with more biofuel alternatives, flexibility in fuelling technology will be a critical asset. Wayne developed the Helix fuel dispenser based on extensive research and feedback from distributors, retailers, technicians and motorists worldwide.

“Seeing BP’s cutting-edge biotechnology being dispensed through the Helix dispenser brought it all into reality as to how close the world is to having the fuelling experience redefined,” said VP Global Marketing and Strategic Accounts at Wayne Brad Schumacher. “In the next few years, we will see widespread adoption of these types of advanced fuels. With Helix dispensers being a truly global product, retailers and consumers alike will find the same options and feature sets for fuelling their vehicle anywhere in the world.” Helix dispensers are built on a global platform for worldwide design recognition and a consistent, reliable fuelling experience.

Accompanying Helix fuel dispenser technology at the showcase is theWayne Fusion™ forecourt system with integrated vehicle identification (VID). Through a sophisticated RFID tag, the dispensers are able to identify vehicles as they arrive at the station and make recommendations based on past fuelling history. Depending on the options deployed, this can range from simply recording data to making media recommendations and automatically processing payment transactions.

“Through this technology, customers will find a fuelling experience designed specifically for them. Retailers will be able to build stronger brand loyalty with consumers while helping to make payment transactions more seamless, secure and convenient,” said EMEA Fusion Product Manager at Wayne Tim Firkins.

Wayne will be displaying Helix fuel dispensers at Expo Postos & Conveniência in Rio de Janeiro, Automechanika in Frankfurt, and the NACS Show in Las Vegas in August, September and October respectively. To learn more about the benefits of Wayne Helix fuel dispensers, visitwww.waynehelix.com.

About Wayne, A GE Energy Business
Wayne is a component of GE’s (NYSE: GE) 2011 acquisition of Dresser, Inc. and is a global leader in the design, manufacturing and servicing of forecourt fuelling solutions where reliability and uptime are critical. Dispensers, payment platforms, control systems and technology from Wayne play an essential role in traditional and alternative fuelling sites around the world. Wayne is ISO14001 certified. http://www.wayne.com.

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.

GE Energy works connecting people and ideas everywhere to create advanced technologies for powering a cleaner, more productive world. With more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries, our diverse portfolio of product and service solutions and deep industry expertise help our customers solve their challenges locally. We serve the energy sector with technologies in such areas as natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear energy; wind, solar, biogas and water processing; energy management; and grid modernization. We also offer integrated solutions to serve energy- and water-intensive industries such as mining, metals, marine, petrochemical, food & beverage and unconventional fuels.

Follow GE Energy on Twitter @GE_Energy.

GE and the Olympics
GE is the exclusive provider of a wide range of innovative products and services that are integral to staging a successful Olympic Games. GE works closely with host countries, cities and organizing committees to provide infrastructure solutions for Olympic venues including power, lighting, water treatment and transportation. GE also supplies local hospitals with diagnostic imaging equipment and healthcare IT solutions like ultrasound, MRI and electronic medical record technologies to help doctors treat athletes. For more information, visit www.ge.com/olympicgames.

Ohio Hospital Cures Costly Outdoor Lighting, Delivers New GE LED Fixtures in Parking Lot

Press release:

09 August 2012

Ohio Hospital Cures Costly Outdoor Lighting, Delivers New GE LED Fixtures in Parking Lot

 

• 
•  View Details

 

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — August 9, 2012 — (NYSE:GE) — Since 1892,Aultman has served Canton, Ohio, with exceptional health care services. In 2010, Stark County’s largest hospital and employer launched a project to serve patients and staff with exceptional new parking lot and parking deck illumination. Evolve™ LED lighting systems from GE Lighting proved the right prescription. Onlookers are remarking on an “incredible difference,” and Aultman found that it has delivered a healthy $13,000 annual energy cost savings to its campus.

The hospital first trialed GE’s Evolve LED Area Lights in its new employee parking lot in May 2010. Impressed with light quality and uniformity, Aultman moved quickly to retrofit a second older lot using high-pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures with the same LED solution.

Thirty-two Evolve LED Area Lights replaced 52 HPS fixtures in the lot, creating a much-improved sense of security among associates, according to Pooley.

“Our security team stood on top of our building and looked down into the lot – everything was completely evenly lit, the continuity of light was absolutely incredible,” said Betsy Pooley, director of building services for Aultman. “With the old fixtures, you had a blob of light, but then you’d go two parking spaces over and it was dark. That wasn’t there anymore. It was a dramatic difference, from making out the color of a car to reading a license plate with our security cameras.

“The hospital is right in the middle of a residential area, so one of the concerns administration had was, ‘Are the neighbors going to be upset?’ We haven’t received any negative feedback – visibility is excellent and light pollution isn’t an issue whatsoever.”

Aultman’s average expense to light the HPS-equipped lot was $1,500 per month including the cost of an electrical contractor to replace lamps at the end of life. Since the LED conversion, the hospital found that its utility bill has fallen to $400, and Pooley hasn’t placed a service call yet.

“We drive by the lot every day to ensure everything is OK, but we haven’t touched it at all since the lights were installed nearly two years ago,” she said, adding it costs just $60 a month to light Aultman’s newest lot where the LEDs were initially installed.

During this time Pooley also evaluated a competitive fixture on the ground level of the hospital’s three-tier parking deck but determined budget would not permit outfitting the entire structure. At a trade show later that year, she discovered GE’s Evolve LED Garage Light fixture.

“We knew at once, ‘This is the one!’ The quality of light was better, the distribution was better. It was a much sturdier fixture than what we had, and the price point was right,” she said.

Aultman has since replaced all T12 strip lighting in the lower level of its 250,000-square-foot garage with new LED fixtures. When the parking deck project concludes later this year, more than 120 Evolve LED Garage lights will brighten the first and second tiers, with more than 60 Evolve LED Area Lights illuminating the open rooftop.

“We’ve had such success with GE’s lighting systems that as we move forward renovating parking lots or looking at buildings, the Evolve LED is the new standard for the Aultman campus,” Pooley said.

Combining the latest in LED system electronics, thermal management, and mechanical and optical design, high-efficiency GE Evolve LED fixtures make the advantages of LED lighting a practicality in parking lots and general lighting applications. They provide an estimated 10-year service life (50,000-hour rated life) that is four times the recommended service interval of traditional high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting. Additionally, Evolve LED optics offer more directional focus of light, reducing spillover to surrounding areas.

For more information on the GE Lighting products used in this project, visitwww.gelightingsolutions.com.

About AultmanThe Aultman Health Foundation is a not-for-profit healthcare organization serving Stark and surrounding counties. The vertically integrated institution includes Aultman Hospital, the locally managed health-insurance provider AultCare, The Aultman Foundation and Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences. With 682 beds, 530 active physicians and a staff of more than 5,000 employees, Aultman is Stark County's largest hospital. For more information, visit www.aultman.org.

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 over 17,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal^® and Energy Smart^® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx, Immersion ™, Infusion ™, Lumination^™ 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, visitwww.gelighting.com.

Michigan Hospital Lights Parking Deck for $170,000 Less with GE LED Fixtures

Press release:

09 August 2012

Michigan Hospital Lights Parking Deck for $170,000 Less with GE LED Fixtures

 

• 
•  View Details

 

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — August 9, 2012 — (NYSE:GE) — Spectrum Health, one of Michigan’s largest not-for-profit health systems located in Grand Rapids, has an aggressive customer-centered sustainability program. When focusing on revamping their parking decks used by patients, visitors, and employees, they had three goals in mind: improve security, reduce maintenance costs and save energy. After retrofitting 1.25 million square feet of parking garage space and more than 3,500 parking spaces with 1,500 GE Evolve™ LED Garage fixtures, Spectrum accomplished its three goals at the medical center.

Lighting is a vital component when updating security measures in a parking facility. “Our patients and employees are our first priority,” said Tom Theoret, director of facilities for Spectrum Health. “It’s important that everyone feels welcome and secure while at our facilities. GE Lighting’s LED fixtures not only met this requirement but also reduced our energy consumption and reduced burdensome maintenance.”

The GE Evolve LED Garage fixture uses cutting-edge technology, featuring an advanced LED low glare optical system coupled with a unique thermal management system to ensure long life and excellent photometric performance—that is, casting light where it’s needed without trespassing into areas it’s not.

The upgrade has saved the facility nearly $170,000 annually in combined energy and maintenance expenses, helping to further fulfill Spectrum’s environmental efforts. By replacing older 175-watt high-pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures, with GE’s 60-watt Evolve LED lights, the hospital will see a 67 percent energy reduction, yielding 1.6 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy savings annually.

Spectrum also installed 50-watt GE Lumination™ LED Recessed Troffers in ceilings in entrance/exit corridors, replacing 150-watt high-intensity discharge (HID) fixtures. The 2'x2' troffers are as thin as the width of a finger and emit a crisp, uniform light to brightly illuminate spaces inside the garage.

Combining overall savings from maintenance costs, energy costs, a Novation rebate, and a Consumers Energy utility rebate, Spectrum will realize project payback in just three years.

For more information about the GE Lighting products used in this project, visitwww.gelightingsolutions.com.

About Spectrum HealthSpectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of nine hospitals including Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, a state-of-the-art children's hospital that opened in January 2011, and 190 service sites; the Spectrum Health Medical Group and West Michigan Heart, physician groups totaling more than 600 providers; and Priority Health, a health plan with 625,000 members. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer with more than 18,000 employees. The organization provided $176.5 million in community benefit during its 2011 fiscal year. In 2011 and 2010, Spectrum Health was named a Top 10 Health System by Thomson Reuters.

About GE LightingGE 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 over 17,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal^® and Energy Smart^® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx, Immersion ™, Infusion ™, Lumination^™ 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, visitwww.gelighting.com.