Detroit International Auto Show Spotlights Hybrids
The 2011 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), which opens to the public January 15-23 after industry previews, will put hybrids in the spotlight.
Ford is displaying two next-generation hybrid vehicles: its C-MAX Hybrid and its first production plug-in hybrid, the C-MAX Energi. Both are based on the new Ford C-MAX five-passenger multi-activity vehicle. The models will be built alongside the 2012 Ford Focus and Focus Electric at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan. Ford, which revealed its Focus Electric last week, announced at NAIAS that it would add 7,000 U.S. jobs over the next two years to support this growth, and that it’s specifically seeking engineers who specialize in electrification. See the Ford press releases on new hybrids and job expansion.
Ford’s Focus Electric goes on sale in late 2011, competing with the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, which went on sale in December 2010. The Focus Electric is powered by an advanced Li battery system engineered by Ford in cooperation with supplier LG Chem, Ltd. Heated and cooled liquid help maximize battery life and fuel-free driving range. Ford plans to deliver five electric vehicles by 2013 in North America and Europe.
The Focus can be charged in three to four hours at home using a wall-mounted, 240-volt charge station. It will also offer value charging, powered by Microsoft, to help owners in the US charge vehicles at the lowest utility rates. The five-door hatchback leverages Ford’s global C-car platform shared by gasoline and diesel-powered Focus models. See the Ford press release and the Ford Focus Electric Web site.
Meanwhile, General Motor Co.’s Chevy Volt continued to receive accolades – it was named 2011 North American Car of the Year on January 10 after receiving the Motor Trend 2011 Car of the Year.
Toyota unveiled its new Prius v hybrid midsize station wagon along with a small, urban-style Prius C concept vehicle. See the Volt press release, the Toyota press release and the NAIAS Web site.
Argonne Lab Licenses Advanced Battery Cell for Volt
DOE’s Argonne National Lab announced a licensing agreement with LG Chem, Ltd. to make and use Argonne’s patented cathode material technology in lithium-ion (Li) battery cells. The lab also announced an agreement with General Motors to use its composite cathode material to make advanced Li batteries for GM’s Chevy Volt.
The Li battery technology, part of a suite funded by DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, offers a 50-100% increase in energy storage capacity over conventional cathode material, Argonne says. In addition, its lithium- and manganese-rich mixed-metal oxide combination extends operating time between charges, increases cell longevity, and improves the safety of Li cells. Funding for the earlier stages of research and development of this technology was provided by DOE’s Office of Science. See the Argonne National Laboratory press release and the GM press release.
9th Commercial Solar Project on Public Lands Approved
On December 20, the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) approved the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project in Nevada.
The 110 MW concentrating solar tower plant – to be sited on 2,250 acres of public land – will produce electricity for 75,000 Nevada households. The project, proposed by SolarReserve’s Tonopah Solar Energy, LLC of Santa Monica, California, will generate about 450-500 solar jobs.
To site the project, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) worked closely with state, federal, and military agencies, including the EPA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nevada Department of Wildlife, and the U.S. Air Force, as well as members of the environmental and conservation communities. The project size was cut from 7680 acres to minimize impacts on plants and wildlife. See the DOI press release.
Final Permits Granted for Cape Wind Project
The U.S. EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have issued permits for the Cape Wind Project, completing the federal permitting phase for the 130-turbine offshore wind farm in Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts.
Various federal, state, and local agencies participated in the environmental review. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE)-an arm of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and the lead federal agency in the environmental review-issued its record of decision in April 2010 favoring the project. And in November, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities approved a 15-year power purchase agreement with National Grid to buy 50% of Cape Wind’s energy and renewable energy credits. See the Army Corps press release , the Corps record of decision , and Cape Wind press releases on the EPA and National Grid.
On December 28, BOEMRE and Massachusetts announced a request for interest (RFI) to determine the level of interest in further offshore wind development. The 2,224 square mile area is 12 nautical miles (nm) south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket and extends 31 nm seaward. There are 321 whole lease blocks and 163 partial blocks on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Granting of the permit is the initial step under DOI’s "Smart from the Start" renewable energy initiative announced in November. The goal is to have BOEMRE identify priority "wind energy areas" for potential development. Public comment is due February 28, 2011. See the BOEMRE press release, the RFI in the Federal Register, and coverage of the DOI’s "Smart from the Start" in EERE Network News.
$74 Million for Fuel Cell Research and Development
DOE is accepting applications for up to $74 million to support research and development (R&D) of fuel cells for stationary applications such as buildings and transportation.
The overall goal is to reduce costs, improve durability, and increase efficiency of fuel cell systems. The funding also includes $9 million for researchers to conduct independent cost analyses to assess the progress of current research initiatives, which would help guide future fuel cell and hydrogen storage R&D efforts.
DOE will fund R&D projects related to fuel cell system balance-of-plant components, fuel processors, and fuel cell stack components. They will also seek innovations "with the potential for radical improvements" in fuel cells, with a primary emphasis on new materials, architectures, or modes of fuel cell operation. Applicants will likely include teams of university, industry, and national lab participants. Proposals are due March 3, 2011.
See the DOE press release, the requirements on FedConnect for cost analysis and fuel cells, and the Fuel Cell Technologies Program Web site.
Economic Recovery in Asia Drives Global Oil Demand
World oil demand reached an all-time quarterly high in the third quarter of 2010, according to analysts at Wood Mackenzie, and oil demand for the year as a whole might also reach a new record high.
The independent consultancy found that economic growth in Asia, particularly in China, caused world oil demand to reach an average of 88.3 million barrels per day (Mb/d) in the third quarter of 2010. In early December, analysts forecast an annual average of 86.7 Mb/d for 2010 as a whole. If that projection proves true, the new record will be about 100,000 barrels per day higher than the record set in 2007.
Chinese demand for gasoline, diesel fuel, and heating oil grew 8% in 2010, based on provisional data through September. In India, the demand for diesel fuel and heating oil is growing at 7% per year; demand for gasoline is growing at 11% per year.
Wood Mackenzie forecasts that world oil demand will reach 88.1 Mb/d in 2011 and nearly 90 Mb/d in 2012. See the Wood Mackenzie press release.
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EREE Network News is a weekly publication of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
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