Green Technology Forum

The Lightning Car Company offered a detailed look at its 700-horsepower electric Lightning GT this week, with word that “reservations for 2009 delivery are now being taken.” The Lightning GT, which requires a deposit of $30,116 and will cost roughly $300,000, makes the $100,000 Tesla Roadster look like a bargain.

At this point, it appears that the Lightning GT, which its makers say has a 0-60-mph time of 4.0 seconds, is not yet bound for the U.S. “We’ve had tremendous interest from customers in the United States,” says the company on its Web site. “We’re looking into the necessary federal certification requirements to enable us to retail the car in the U.S.”

The Lightning Car Company says “the build of the prototype [is] well underway” and should be finished later this year. The Lightning GT runs solely on electricity. It features a lightweight body built from carbon fiber and Kevlar, along with NanoSafe battery packs. The company says the battery packs have a life expectancy of more than 12 years and use nano titanate materials.

Source: edmunds.com

Avalon Aviation’s Giles G-200 aircraft flew this month with Unidym’s carbon nanotubes, which were incorporated into its metal engine covering. Avalon Aviation utilized the carbon nanotubes to achieve greater strength and retain flexibility within the airframe. The Giles G-200 aircraft will be flown in several air shows around the country this year. Unidym, Inc., is a majority-owned subsidiary of Arrowhead Research Corporation.

Source: nsti.org

Out of a field of 16 semi-finalists, a low cost fuel cell project from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory emerged as the winner of a clean technology innovation competition on Tuesday, April 8 at UC Berkeley. A panel of judges representing industry and investment firms chose Low Cost Fuel Cells ahead of second-placed Lagrangian Sensors and finalists Better Battery Capacity and Banyan Energy.

The first Venture Lab Clean Tech Innovation Prize was organized by the university’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology, which awarded a total prize of $20,000 to the four finalists. The goal of the competition was to recognize and bring together UC Berkeley engineers and scientists whose work has commercial potential in the field of clean technology.

Source: prweb.com

SkySails’ first cargo ship, with a huge computer-controlled kite, was recently flagged off by Eva Luise Koehler, wife of German President Horst Koehler.

The ship MV Beluga SkySails started its maiden voyage from the city of Bremerhaven, Germany to South & North America (and back) and the SkySails-System with its 1,722 square-foot towing kite has been put into operation successfully.

This new technology can tow cargo vessels and superyachts, reducing fuel consumption by 10 to 35 per cent on annual average.

Source: engineerlive.com

Nearly 1.8 million alternative fuel automobiles (AFAs, which include E85 flex fuel vehicles) were sold in the US in 2007, roughly 250,000 more than in 2006, according to figures gathered by R.L. Polk and released by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (AAM).

Sales of E-85 capable vehicles flexible fuel vehicles were up significantly as were sales of hybrid electric vehicles. Sales of diesel vehicles fell slightly.

In 2008 more than 70 models of AFAs are being offered, up from only 11 models in 2001. Currently there are more than 12 million alternative fuel autos registered in the US. Automakers are hopeful that this year sales of AFAs may exceed 2 million, according to the AAM.

Source: greencarcongress.com

Nanocomp Technologies, Inc., a developer of energy-saving performance materials and component products, today announced it has been awarded a Phase One contract by the United States Air Force under the Department of Defense’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The intent of this SBIR project is to develop a new generation of very lightweight, electrically conductive wires, cables and materials made from carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Under Phase One, Nanocomp Technologies will expand upon its current processing and manufacturing methods for producing CNT sheets and spun conductors, composed of long-length CNTs, to surpass established electrical performance standards required by aerospace to replace traditional copper wiring.

“We are thrilled to have received this important program award from the USAF,” said Peter Antoinette, president and CEO of Nanocomp Technologies.

“It is generally overlooked that modern satellites and aircraft rely upon an invention from the 1800s – copper-based electrical wires and cables. Our work can result in a true 21^st century change in the game, creating electrically optimized carbon nanotube wires and cables, comparable to copper in terms of electrical conductivity but up to 80 percent lighter and more robust. The result will be increased mission capability for the Air Force and dramatic fuel savings for the entire aerospace industry. . .”

Source: businesswire.com

Two new surveys find consumers want to buy more cleantech products, but suggest leading brands may not yet have emerged.

This could be the year for big consumer cleantech spending, with a new survey estimating that people could go shopping for $104 billion worth of green goods in 2008.

A latest U.S. National Technology Readiness Survey found that 71 percent of adults are interested in green technology, but said there is a large gap between the number of products consumers own now and the number they say they would like to own.

The annual survey, covering cleantech for the first time in its latest edition, was conducted by the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business and Great Falls, Va.-based technology research firm Rockbridge Associates.

Charles Colby, president of Rockbridge, said the survey showed “that there is a very strong commitment among consumers to the environment. But very interestingly, they also are interested in green technologies.”

He said a chunk of the money could be spent on new cars.

“About half of that is in transportation technologies, like hybrid vehicles, and biofuels, and energy saving vehicles. About $50 billion worth.”

Other technologies that could get a piece of the potential action according to the survey are home automation systems for things like lighting and heating, ventilation and air conditioning, as well as solar water heaters, solar home heating, home water purification, high-efficiency cooling, high-efficiency heating and energy-saving light bulbs.

“Things that just support a green lifestyle,” said Colby. “If you look out across all of those, we’re looking at a very substantial market, or market opportunity for companies that will offer these products.”

Solar home heating comes in at the No. 2 spot in the survey, with a market potential of $20.6 million.

Source: media.cleantech.com

Diamon-Fusion patented hydrophobic nanotechnology has added value and improved safety as tested and approved by consumers in Arizona.

Desert-like weather conditions have a harsh impact on the visibility of Arizona’s vehicles. A DFI Treated windshield will be able to prevent Sand pitting, erosion and will be able to deflect small impacts that typically would dent or crack an untreated windshield, due to its impact resistance properties as tested by William La Course. It has been proven by independent studies that a hydrophobic coating such as Diamon Fusion applied on the automobiles windshield will improve the visibility during rainy conditions over 30%, giving an additional second of reaction time which results in an extra 58 feet in distance traveling at 40 mph.
Source: mario7660.family.ericsato.net

Cummins Filtration (NYSE:CMI - News), the leader in filtration, exhaust, coolant and chemical technology for all engine-powered systems, announced that it has entered into a cooperation agreement with Elmarco s.r.o, a Czech nanotechnology designer. The strategic objective of the agreement is to develop innovative solutions in nanofiber media technologies to allow Cummins Filtration to better serve global application needs in motor vehicle and related filtration systems.

Pamela Carter, President of Cummins Filtration, stated, “We are very excited and pleased to launch this cooperation with Elmarco because it allows us to bring innovative products more quickly to market. This agreement ensures that Cummins Filtration is well-positioned to exceed our customers’ requirements and establish a global leadership position in motor vehicle filtration.”

Ladislav Mares, Elmarco’s CEO, added, “We are delighted to be able to combine our advanced Nanospider^TM technology and know-how with Cummins Filtration’s expertise and market leadership.”

Elmarco, in close cooperation with the Technical University of Liberec - Czech Republic, has developed the exclusive Nanospider^TM technology. Their patented Nanospider^TM technology is capable of producing a consistent web of nanofibers with diameters 50-300 nanometers, approximately 1,000 times smaller than a human hair. The extremely fine fibers provide enormously high surface area, approximately 150 times greater than that of commonly used spun-bond (or cellulose) fibers. Filter media with this increased surface area collect a significantly greater number of particulates, which results in superior filter efficiency.

“The capability for high particle removal in motor vehicle filtration is a critical factor to protect the environment and to increase motor vehicle durability,” Carter explained. “The use of such advanced technology, in conjunction with Cummins’ patented reduced-volume filter designs, enables the production of smaller, more efficient filters with greater design flexibility.”

Mares explained that nanofibers can be applied onto a substrate of cellulose or other material and can be combined in multiple layers of varying fiber diameters. Motor vehicle nanofiber filtration focuses on continuous fibers with diameters in the range of 100 - 500 nanometers that are applied to a pleatable substrate. Such advanced multi-layer nanofiber filter media can deliver high filter efficiency at low initial pressure drop, or high permeability, which offers superior benefits to the motor vehicle end-user customer.

source: biz.yahoo.com

Next year won’t be the end of the gas-powered vehicle. But Honda Motor Company’s (nyse: HMC - news - people ) release of 500 hydrogen fuel-cell powered FCX Clarity’s in California in 2008 could be the beginning of the end. What makes Honda’s gambit significant is the corresponding release of its Home Energy Station Unit (nyse: UNT - news - people ). Set the unit up in the yard, and it will use natural gas to produce enough Hydrogen to power your FCX Clarity and your home at around 50% of the normal cost and with a 30% reduction in emissions.

Its approach addresses the Catch-22 confronting every alternative-powered vehicle that’s come down the pike: Without the fueling infrastructure, there’s no incentive to buy a hydrogen-powered vehicle, and until hydrogen-powered vehicles become available there’s no incentive to build the infrastructure.

By offering both, Honda could jump start demand for the Clarity, which is based on Honda’s own V Flow fuel cell. The cell stack combines hydrogen with atmospheric gas to form chemical energy, which is then converted into electric power. The road to mass commercialization still stretches ahead, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are not the only alternative vying for attention.

Even so, getting the technology rolling on California highways will build important momentum for the fuel cell industry. And California is a strategic proving ground. In addition to $4/gallon gas prices, the state is willing to subsidize fuel cell energy stations to keep pressure off its electrical grid. That may give the Clarity an edge over plug-in hybrids.

source: Forbes