Saturday February 03, 2007

Honda engine helps heat homes

news.com.com :

Climate Energy was formed in the year 2000 to bring "micro-combined heat and power," or micro-CHP, to consumers in the U.S. Combined heat and power systems, already available for industry and large buildings, are designed to harvest what is normally wasted heat during the process of power generation.

Climate Energy's system is designed around a Honda internal combustion engine that burns natural gas to generate electricity. A heat exchanger feeds any captured heat to a furnace, which then distributes the hot air. Customers who have been beta testing the system in Massachusetts end up with comparatively tiny electric charges of a few dollars in winter months. That's because the power generated in their homes - about 1.2 kilowatts - offsets their monthly, grid-delivered electricity and is subtracted from their bill. If the power produced exceeds the electrical needs at a given moment, the meter runs backward as power is fed back onto the grid.

Climate Energy is also hoping to tap into growing environmental concerns. Combined heat and power systems are very efficient; about 90% of the energy is utilized either in heat or electricity. Local power generation also gives people a back-up system. And an Internet connection allows for remote maintenance and diagnostics. Later this year, the company plans to release a version that warms up water, rather than air, for heating.

- As with the plane, Honda enthusiasts might want to know : does it come with VTEC? :)

(2007-02-03 16:25:06 SGT) [Energy] Permalink

Zap teams with Lotus for electric sports car

news.com.com :

Zap, which specializes in electric scooters and economy cars, is jumping into the sports car market. The Santa Rosa, Calif.-based company will try to bring an electric sports car to the market by the end of 2008 built around the APX, a concept car developed by England's Lotus Engineering. Zap said its car will go 350 miles before a charge, significantly farther than either the Tesla Roadster or the car from Wrightspeed. It will go from zero to 60 miles per hour in 4.8 seconds; the Tesla Roadster does that in 4 seconds, while the X1 can do that in 3 seconds. Just as importantly, the Zap-X will have room for five adults, instead of the two seats in the other cars.

The company also said the battery in the car could be recharged in about 10 minutes, faster than other cars. Zap did not identify the battery manufacturer, but Altair Nanotechnologies has been touting a rapidly charging lithium ion battery for cars. The Zap-X will have a theoretical maximum speed of 155 mph and sport 644 horsepower, the company said. The Zap-X runs on four hub motors on the wheels. The brakes are also powered by the engine. The 350-mile range on the car comes from the fact that Zap and Lotus were able to remove many parts required by the gas version of the car but not needed in the electric version.

Better batteries, high gas prices and worries about global warming have all combined to give the notion of electric cars a boost. Car companies, however, also have tinkered with their creations to make them easier to own. Many earlier electric cars needed to be charged at special stations, while the modern crop of electric mobiles can be charged at home. Additionally, car companies are touting performance just as much as ecological friendliness, a distinct change in marketing. Ian Wright of Wrightspeed pointed out that his car is the second fastest sports car on the market, largely because of the way electric motors work.

(2007-02-03 16:10:21 SGT) [Tech] Permalink

World energy council highlights nuclear power in Europe

peakoil.com -> people.com.cn :

World Energy Council (WEC), the world's multi-energy organization, released a report highlighting the role of nuclear power development in Europe. The report points out there are solid economic reasons to support the development of nuclear power in Europe. "For existing plants the economics behind nuclear power look particularly attractive considering that planned lifetime extensions, capacity increases and license renewals can further reduce costs." What is more, nuclear power can offer environmental advantages. "If carbon dioxide emissions were ever penalized, nuclear would be a particularly competitive alternative," said the report.

As for waste management, which seems to cause most of the controversy, the report said, "The actual amount of spent nuclear fuel produced globally every year is approximately 12,000 tons. Therefore, compared to the 25 billion tons of greenhouse gas released annually from fossil fuels directly into the atmosphere, the amount of waste is relatively small. Were spent fuel to be reprocessed, the figure would be even lower."

Alessandro Clerici, chairman of the study, emphasized the importance of public support in launching a new generation of nuclear power plants. "Nuclear energy has long been viewed with unease and there is concern over safety, proliferation and waste. More accessible and accurate information is needed to ensure that consumers understand that nuclear power is one realistic option for electricity production in Europe today," he added.

(2007-02-03 15:56:46 SGT) [Energy] Permalink

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