New Storage Material Improves Energy Density Of Lithium-ion BatteryScienceDaily (Oct. 30, 2009) — High-performance energy storage technologies for the automotive industry or mobile phone batteries and notebooks providing long battery times -- these visions of the future are being brought one step nearer by scientists from Graz University of Technology.
Researchers at the Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials have developed a new method that utilises silicon for lithium-ion batteries. Its storage capacity is ten times higher than the graphite substrate which has been used up to now, and promises considerable improvements for users.
The new findings -- which came to light in the "NanoPoliBat" EU project -- have been recently submitted to the patent office by researchers together with their co-operation partner Varta Microbattery...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029160532.htm Not to be confused with this development from 2 years ago:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219103105.htm Ultracapacitor Startup Gets a Big BoostAn energy storage startup gets new government funding.
By Erika Jonietz Friday, October 30, 2009
An MIT spinoff just getting off the ground received a huge helping hand from the U.S. Department of Energy on Monday. FastCAP Systems, of Cambridge, MA, received a two-and-a-half-year, $5.35 million grant in the first round of funding ever issued by the new Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). The company aims to commercialize a nanotube-enhanced ultracapacitor, an energy storage device that could greatly reduce the cost of hybrid and electric vehicles and of fast-responding grid-scale energy storage, making it easier to integrate renewable energy sources such as solar and wind-based power.
"The ARPA-E grant represents the ability to ramp up faster," says Joel Schindall, the MIT professor in whose lab the technology was originally developed. "We now have the resources to do the things that we've been wanting to do for the last few years."
ARPA-E was inspired by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA); like DARPA, it is chartered with supporting high-risk, high-reward research--but ARPA-E is focused on projects that could provide innovative solutions to the problems of climate change and energy security rather than defense. An agency of the U.S. Department of Energy, ARPA-E received $400 million in initial funding from the federal government in April. On Monday, it announced the awardees in its first round of grants to small businesses, universities, and large corporations. Thirty-seven projects were funded, receiving an average of approximately $4 million each. ARPA-E received more than 3,600 concept papers, and the final winners were selected from about 300 full applications....
http://www.technologyreview.com/business/23830/ All-American Zero-Emission Electric Bus Debuts on Capitol HillWASHINGTON, DC -- 10/29/09 -- Proterra LLC, a Colorado-based manufacturer of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicle systems and transit buses, and Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. (Altairnano) (NASDAQ: ALTI), a leading provider of energy storage systems for clean, efficient power and energy management, today introduced to Washington DC policymakers the only made-in-America electric rapid-charge hybrid bus that meets California's zero emission rules.
Proterra's initial product, a thirty-five foot all-electric transit bus, has been designed from the ground up to enable transit agencies to replace conventional diesel buses on a one-for-one basis with the world's first all-electric buses operating 24/7. This is accomplished by combining Proterra's light-weight composite body, highly efficient ProDrive™, advanced TerraVolt™ energy storage system (powered by Altairnano batteries) and on-route rooftop FastCharging™ station to charge the batteries in 5-10 minutes. The vehicle achieves between 18 and 29 miles per gallon diesel fuel equivalent fully loaded with 68 passengers -- 500% better than a comparable diesel bus.
Production of Proterra's transit bus using lithium-titanate batteries supplied by Altairnano could create over 6,000 green jobs in 21 states. A fleet of 500 buses operating over 12 years could cut emissions of CO2 by 840,000 tons and reduce oil consumption by 82 million gallons.
"In addition to our advanced control systems, composite materials and overall design, Altairnano is providing a key building block with their unique, safe and long-lasting lithium-titanate batteries that make it possible for us to offer an ultra fast charging system that eliminates emissions for the world's heavy duty vehicles," said Jeffery Granato, Proterra's President and CEO. "To meet their stringent zero emission standards, California will be one of the first areas of the country to deploy this fast-charge battery-electric transit bus."...
http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/30/zero-emission-proterra-electric-bus-comes-to-capitol-hill/ 
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