Stanford:   nanotubes + ink + paper = instant battery

Dip an ordinary piece of paper into ink infused with carbon nanotubes and silver nanowires, and it turns into a battery or supercapacitor. Crumple the piece of paper, and it still works.

"These nanomaterials are special. They're a one-dimensional structure with very small diameters. The small diameter helps the nanomaterial ink stick strongly to the fibrous paper, making the battery and supercapacitor very durable. The paper supercapacitor may last through 40,000 charge-discharge cycles – at least an order of magnitude more than lithium batteries. The nanomaterials also make ideal conductors because they move electricity along much more efficiently than ordinary conductors,” said Cui  an assistant professor of materials science and engineering.

“What's more, you can crumple or fold the paper battery, or even soak it in acidic or basic solutions, and the performance does not degrade. The flexibility of paper allows for many clever applications. If I want to paint my wall with a conducting energy storage device, I can use a brush."

A paper supercapacitor may be especially useful for applications like electric or hybrid cars, which depend on the quick transfer of electricity. The paper supercapacitor's high surface-to-volume ratio gives it an advantage. Cui predicts the biggest impact may be in large-scale storage of electricity on the distribution grid. Excess electricity generated at night, for example, could be saved for peak-use periods during the day. Wind farms and solar energy systems also may require storage.

For further information:

Article:

Abstract:

Technical Paper:

 

Silver Spring Raises $100M

for Smart Grid War

Silver Spring Networks which specializes in networking equipment for connecting utilities to consumers has raised another $100 million in a preferred equity round. The money will be used to build-out smart grid networks and applications, such as technology for accommodating electric-car charging. Pacific Gas & Electric has selected the company's technology to link up 5.5 million end points.

The Redwood City, Calif.-based company has created equipment that carries signals over a wireless mesh network in an unlicensed part of the spectrum. The underlying technology is partly proprietary but its devices connect to standards-based equipment and software. Silver Spring's networking equipment is comparatively cheap and reliable and the technology can be deployed now.

For details see GreenTechMedia

Many Shades of Green

Next10 released a report showing Green Jobs growth outpaced other job sectors in California.

The San Francisco Bay Area is the statewide leader in total green jobs (41,674), Bay Area trends include the largest number of energy generation jobs (roughly 7,000). Energy generation grew by 20%, with the high concentration in solar.

Highlights of California’s Core Green Economy:

• Between 1995-2008, green businesses increased 45 percent, green jobs grew 36 percent while total jobs in the state grew only 13 percent.

• Even in rural areas with a smaller economic base, green jobs are growing faster than the overall economy.

• Between 2007-2008, green jobs grew 5 percent while total jobs dropped one percent.

• Manufacturing represents 21 percent of all green jobs, and grew 19 percent, while manufacturing represents only 11 percent of all jobs in California (January 2008.)

• Half of all manufacturing jobs are split between Energy Efficiency and Energy Generation.

• Services accounted for 45 percent of all California green jobs, the largest portion in Environmental Consulting.

• With nearly 43,000 jobs in 2008, Air & Environment is the largest of California’s green segments. While this segment’s jobs remained steady, hovering around 35,000 from 1995-2005, since 2005 the number of green jobs in this segment has increased 24 percent.

• From 1995-2008, Energy Generation employment expanded 61 percent by nearly 10,000 jobs. Solar makes up the largest portion, and strongest growth (63 percent).

• Employment in Energy Efficiency increased 63 percent from 1995-2008.

• Employment in Green Transportation has increased 152 percent since 1995. Green Transportation Jobs are primarily in Motor Vehicles & Equipment and Alternative Fuels, with the latter growing faster at 201 percent, and representing 48 percent of all jobs in this segment.

• Green Logistics is an emerging field, only in the Bay Area at present, with employment growing by 1144 percent since 1995.

Report Summary

Press Release

Full Report

Next 10 (www.next10.org) is an independent, nonpartisan organization focused on innovation and the intersection between the economy, the environment, and quality of life issues for all Californians.

Clean Tech Job Trends 2009

Clean Edge Inc. has published a 29 page report on focusing on employment in the clean-tech industry. The clean-technology sector is the largest recipients of venture capital (VC) dollars – alongside biotech, software, and medical devices – with clean energy receiving in $3.35 billion in the U.S. in 2008. VC and private equity totaled $13.5 billion in clean-energy investments last year.

President Obama has made clean-tech development and deployment a cornerstone of his jobs policy, targeting the creation of thousands of new clean-tech jobs in the process. According to Clean Edge, “The unprecedented level of interest and activity in clean-tech jobs is considerable, but there’s a reason for it. Many believe we are just at the beginning of the clean-tech jobs creation era, with clean tech offering the greatest opportunity for wealth and job creation (and global economic competitiveness) since the advent of the computer and the Internet.”

The report highlights five major trends that are reshaping the clean-tech jobs landscape. These include:

• ·How conservation and efficiency are creating tens of thousands of new jobs and leading the clean-tech pack.
• ·How utilities facing an aging workforce are turning to a new stable of workers trained in clean tech and the smart grid; and
• ·How new educational programs are opening up clean-tech career paths.

The report provides online resource guides for clean-tech job seekers with references to clean-tech books, reports, web sites, jobs boards, job fairs, networking organizations, educational programs from trade schools to MBAs.

Tables and Charts Include:

• Top Clean-Tech Job Sectors
• Top 5 Sectors for Clean-Tech Job Activity (U.S.)
• Clean-Tech Job Activity – Top 15 U.S. Metro Areas
• A Highly Dispersed Revolution: Clean-Tech Activities Emerging in Cities Around the Globe
• Top 10 Clean-Tech Employers (Publicly Traded Pure Plays)
• U.S. Manufacturing Jobs in Transition

Report Summary

Download the full report

DOE TO INVEST $18 MILLION

IN SMALL BUSINESS CLEAN ENERGY INNOVATION PROJECTS

The Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that it will make more than $18 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act available to support small business innovation research, development and deployment of
clean energy technologies. In the first phase of funding, 125 grants of up to $150,000 each will be awarded to 107 small advanced technology firms across the U.S. Nine of these awards are for companies in the SF Bay Area.

"Small businesses are drivers of innovation and are crucial to the development of a competitive clean energy U.S. economy," said DOE Secretary Steven Chu. "These investments will help ensure small businesses are able to compete in the clean energy economy, creating jobs and developing new technologies to help decrease carbon pollution and increase energy efficiency."

The companies were competitively selected from a pool of 950 applicants through a special fast-track process with an emphasis on near-term commercialization and job creation. Companies that demonstrate successful results with their new technologies and show potential to meet market needs will be eligible for $60 million in a second round of grants in the summer of 2010. Grants were awarded in ten topic areas including:

* Advanced Building Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Thermal Load Shifting, and Cool Roofs (15 projects, for up to $2,241,229 total);
* Water Usage in Electric Power Production (6 projects, for up to $878,144);
* Smart Controllers for Smart Grid Applications (8 projects, for up to $1,166,871);
* Advanced Industrial Technologies Development (25 projects, for up to $3,709,564); and,
* Advanced Manufacturing Processes (16 projects, for up to $2,222,110).

For more information, please visit:
http://www.energy.gov/news2009/8300.htm

A complete listing of the awards may be viewed at
http://www.energy.gov/news2009/documents2009/SBIR_Awards_112309.pdf

PG&E to build Manzana Wind Farm

PG&E announced a contract to purchase and run a 246MW wind farm in Kern County. This is in addition to the February announcement to develop and own 250 MW of solar photovoltaic power. As a point of reference, the Diablo Canyon power plant produces 2,200 MW.

PG&E's pursuit of renewable energy stems largely from state rules that over the years have required utilities to use increasing amounts of renewable energy. California utilities currently face a mandate to use renewables for a third of the power they sell by 2020. The mandate is part of the state's 2006 plan to combat climate change.

The total capital cost of the Manzana project will be just over US $900 million, which includes payments to Iberdrola Renewables to develop and build the facility. The average residential customer, who consumes 550 kilowatt-hours per month, would pay $0.25 more per month to fund the project.

Refer to the PG&E press release for more details.

Solyndra-Alwitra Agreement

Alwitra, a flat roofing materials specialist, has entered into a long-term framework agreement with CIGS thin film supplier, Solyndra of Fremont. Alwitra’s innovative reflective ‘Evalon’ roofing membrane market and its use of flexible thin film substrates for flat roof applications make them an ideal partner for Solyndra. Solar panel manufacturer Solyndra takes a 360-degree approach to its solar modules. The company manufactures photovoltaic solar panels made of tube-shaped modules, rather than the traditional flat modules. Solyndra's solar panels, which are designed for commercial rooftop mounting.    For more details see PV-TECH.

California Gets Smart-Grid Funds to Bottle Wind

The Department of Energy continues to award American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds projects aimed at increasing the amount of renewable energy available to the grid.  PG&E just received a $25 million award to fund initial feasibility work for storing excess night time wind generated power.

PG&E’s Jonathan Marshall said, “There have been times that wind turbines at Tehachapi have actually had to be turned off at night, because power going into the grid causes damage if it’s not used.”  According to EPRI, underground compressed-air is the cheapest option to use with renewable energy.

PG&E’s plan is to force compressed air into the subterranean rock formations in the Kern County area during periods of excess power generation and then release the compressed air to drive turbine when the grid needs the power.  This peak leveling strategy averts the need for building new fossil fuel power plants to meet the peak demands.

If the tests of the geological formations prove positive, PG&E plans to build a 300MW storage facility that is estimated to cost $365 million. Estimates are that California needs to build as much as 4 GW of storage to meet the 2020 goal of 33% renewable energy.

For further details, refer to the article by Susan Kraemer.

The world must embrace a new, greener lifestyle. One bright idea can make a big difference.

The 2009 Green Challenge

To encourage and aid the invention of great new green products and services, the Dutch Postcode Lottery sponsored Green Challenge 2009. The entrant with the best idea for a greenhouse-gas-reducing product or service received €500,000, expert coaching and a starting list of customers!

Power Collective Limited will produce and market the RidgeBlade MicroGeneration system. This low-cost rooftop turbine captures wind power in low-wind conditions.

"With €500,000 we will continue with the development and certification of pre-production prototypes, allowing us to test and measure the efficiency of the units in a variety of locations, and conditions. This would enable us to present a 'turnkey' licensing offer, accelerating the deployment of the RidgeBlade in as many countries as possible, as quickly as possible," Dean Gregory says.

For more information on the Green Challenge and the winner Power Collective Limited see:

http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/23/the-new-nimby-defeating-wind-turbine/

http://www.thepowercollective.com/index.html

http://www.thepowercollective.com/ridgeblade.htm

World Challenge 2009

World Challenge 09 is a competition organized by BBC World News Limited ("BBC World News") aimed at finding projects or small businesses from around the world that have shown enterprise and innovation at a grass roots level (the "Competition"). We want to hear from our viewers and readers about the social entrepreneurs who are making a difference without costing the earth. It could be you or someone you know.  BTTR Ventures is the only US finalist in the global competition.

BTTR Ventures (pronounced Better) stands for “ back to the roots, ” a phrase that encompasses the idea of creating a company that stands for sustainability, progress, and social responsibility.  BTTR Ventures, formed by Alejandro Velez and Nikhil Aorara , two innovative and passionate business majors from UC Berkeley, aims to turn one of the largest waste streams in America, the tons of coffee ground waste generated daily, into a highly-demanded, nutritious, and valuable food product – specialty mushrooms.  BTTR donates 10% of profits back to the community. In addition, this venture is creating new jobs in local urban areas.

Comments

Search

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."