Energy News Notes around the world 9/5/05

It’s official ! Ford and GM bonds are now rated junk – Gm Stock Market Value = $18 Bn has $291 Bonds which will now head south at a lick. As are their sales.

April sales figures for the US automakers

Full-size SUVs dropped 19% during the first four months of 2005,

GM's full-size SUV sales dropped by 24% = 79,790 vehicles

Ford's by 21.5% = 40,016 vehicles

Hybrids

April sales in US = 20,974 in April more than 3 times last year = 6,832

With Toyota Prius dominating the market = 11,345 (Now on sale in the UK) (selling for >$5,000 over sticker price = $21-26K)

The Fairmont San Jose Hotel CA offers free overnight parking to guests with hybrid vehicles (normal charge $22).25K cars reg. In CA in 2004 102% sales increase in hybrids increase on ‘03 - even so hybrids = 1% of total US market of 14Mn!

Toyota is reported to have decided to start building the long-expected hybrid Camry in the US sometime in the second half of 2006. Hyundai and Kia will follow with vehicles next year.

In Japan, Isuzu introduced a new diesel parallel hybrid model to its lineup of Elf low-pollution light-duty trucks

Biofuels

A fascinating use of GM technology developed by Prof. Lonnie Ingram at U of Florida cloned E. coli bacteria organisms by inserting the genes needed to direct the digestion of sugars into ethanol, from yeast. This eliminates the normal and unwanted production of acetic and lactic acids as fermentation products. Production of ethanol from biomass sugars with 90%-95% efficiency is claimed. A commercial plant is planned in Jennings La. using corn waste as primary fuel.

The bioconversion technology, selected by the U.S. Department of Commerce to become Landmark Patent No. 5,000,000, is being commercialized with assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). BC International Corp., based in Dedham, Mass., holds exclusive rights to use and license the UF-engineered bacteria.

The Panda Group is building a $120-million, 100 MN gal. Per yr. Ethanol fuel plant in Hereford, Texas using corn and sorghum grain and use heat from cattle manure and cotton gin wste bio mass and so save the equivalent of 1,000 of oil barrels equivalent ((OBE) per day .

White Energy are building one of 100 MN gal.pr yr capacity in the same town and one of 30 Mn capacity in Dumas TX.

A new biodiesel plant has been started in Brazil where the president wants the country to become the largest supplier of renewable fuels in the world market and make biodiesel the second energy source after hydroelectricity.

Diesel

Cummins and the US Dept of Energy have developed a highly efficient heavy duty diesel with the highest Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) of 45% with concomitant emissions reductions to levels associated with the future 2007 EPA requirements.

Brake Thermal Efficiency represents in percentage terms the amount of energy converted from fuel into useful mechanical work by the engine. A engine with a higher BTE level is more efficient, offering the potential for increased fuel efficiency and associated reductions in CO2 emissions.(GCC)

Japanese materials manufacturer Ibiden is quadrupling the production capacity of its silicon carbide (SiC) diesel particulate filters globally to 3 million units per year to meet growing demand for diesels. Particulates from diesels are the worst form of urban pollution affecting millions of asthma sufferers.

Nox Reduction

In the first use of a much boosted urea /SCR technology, 6 waste collection trucks in the Brooklyn and the Bronx in New York inject small amounts of urea (from animal wastes) into the exhaust air stream. This reagent decomposes to form ammonia and carbon dioxide. Ammonia mixes with the NOx and passes over an SCR gas catalyst to turn ozone-forming NOx into water and nitrogen = pure air.

International Legislation

10 US states now have adopted legislation on emissions and biofuels to conform with the State of California.

Illinois increased the level of EPA fuel rebates encouraging the use of biodiesel.

Montana are moving to a law requiring use of 10% ethanol in all gas sold in the state.

New Zealand Carbon Tax details announced

The worlds most sensible answer to excess carbon rpoduction , a direct tax on consumption, a carbon tax will be set at NZ$15 (US$11) per tonne and introduced in April 2007. First announced in 2002, this will cost -

Per Unit of electricity = NZ$0.01 (US$0.007)

Per litre of Gasoline about NZ$0.04 (US$0.03)

To a 9KG standard LPG gas bottle NZ$0.46 (US$0.34

Tom a 20 kg (1/2 cwt) bag of coal NZ$0.68 (US$0.50)

NZ Gubment estimates a weeklycost per NZ “ typical” New Zealand household of about NZ$4 (US$2.90) per week for electricity, gasoline, and other fuels.

Hydrogen

One of the many obstacles to the heavily boosted “hydrogen economy” is the storage of hydrogen gas, either for static or mobile use. At the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) claims have been made that “theoretically” carbon nanotubes "decorated" with titanium or other transition metals can latch on to hydrogen molecules in numbers sufficient for efficient hydrogen storage Calculations suggest hydrogen could be stored in amounts equivalent to 8% percent of the weight of "titanium-decorated" single-walled carbon nanotubes. That's one-third better than the 6 wt.% minimum storage-capacity requirement set by DOE for 2010. (The target is 9 wt.% for 2015.) Don't get excited - The Hydrogen economy might keep your grandchildren on the move.