Departments - Power Players
Power Players
2/15/2010
Contributing to a Robust, Clean Energy Economy
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recognized Itron smart grid solutions for their contribution to a robust clean energy economy. The acknowledgement came as part of President Obama’s announcement to award $2.3 billion in Recovery Act Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credits. The tax credit award supports Itron’s strategy to increase manufacturing capacity in its U.S.-based facilities including its smart meter plant in Oconee, SC. Itron’s advanced smart metering/smart grid solution, OpenWay, supports a clean energy economy by aiding in carbon reduction, while enabling renewable power infrastructure, system efficiency and consumer involvement. itron.com
Adhesives for Solar Technology Manufacturing
As new uses for solar energy continue to grow, and advancements in technology require even more efficiency and durability, solar module manufacturers need assembly solutions that will increase throughput and reliability. To address this, MACtac has launched five primary solar assembly products, along with additional adhesive solutions to address related needs for solar cell manufacturing.
MACtac’s line of solar products will enable manufacturers to use pressure-sensitive adhesives in the assembly of concentrating, flat and flexible solar applications, such as:
- • Concentrating and flexible applications that are subject to high-ranging temperatures and environmental conditions, like withstanding dry desert heat or extreme cold;
- • Securing slanted, concentrated solar energy mirrors in place to heat water or direct light toward one source;
- • Flat solar energy for rooftop applications; and
- • Flexible solar energy for remote locations, transportability and charging small appliances such as cell phones and travel lights.
mactac.com/technical
Prius Family Hybrid Concept
The FT-CH (CH standing for compact hybrid) dedicated hybrid concept addresses Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.’s strategy to offer a wider variety of conventional hybrid choices to customers. Toyota’s strategy begins with plug-in hybrids (PHVs) and battery electrics (BEVs) introduced in model year 2012, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCHVs) in 2015 in global markets. The FT-CH was styled at Toyota’s European Design and Development (ED2) center in Nice, France, and when compared to Prius, it is 22" shorter in overall length, yet loses less than an inch in overall width.
In the early 2010s, Toyota plans to sell a million hybrids per year globally, a majority of those in North America. The heart of hybrid technology is its battery. Since the early 1990s, during the early stages of first-generation Prius development, Toyota has been committed to in-house R&D of advanced nickel-metal hydride batteries. Through three generations of Prius, and a total of seven full-hybrid models, it has systematically reduced size, weight, and cost while improving energy density, quality, and reliability. toyota.com
Concentrating on Renewable Energy Projects
With the December 2010 deadline for obtaining incentive funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act less than one year away, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Bob Abbey reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to helping the nation reach its green energy future by guaranteeing full environmental analysis and public review for the 31 renewable energy projects that have met the required milestones to remain on the fast-track list for expedited processing.
Abbey says that this first wave of projects (14 solar, 7 wind, 3 geothermal, and 7 transmission) range in scale from as small as 24MW up to 986MW. Technologies vary, as does acreage involved, but Abbey says “they represent the first generation of large-scale renewable energy projects to be carefully sited on public lands over the next several years.”
Fast-track projects are those which are advanced enough in the permitting process that they could potentially be cleared for approval by December 2010, making them eligible for economic stimulus funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. blm.gov
Wind-to-Power Conversion in Clean Energy Turbines
Bachmann Electronic has selected Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) data converters as key components in its control systems for wind turbines and other industrial systems. Bachmann’s electronic control systems have a proven availability of more than 99.96% and play an essential role in enabling 30,000 wind power plants around the world to produce clean energy.
Data converters are vital components in wind turbine systems, providing digital information to the turbine control systems for real-world measurements of status and condition ensuring safe, efficient operation. In its condition monitoring systems for wind turbines, Bachmann uses ADI’s ADCs (analog-to-digital converters) to digitize the signal from a piezoelectric movement sensor. The systems also use ADI’s operational amplifiers. Across Bachmann’s other industrial control systems, they uses a wide range of ADI components, including data converters, multiplexers, digital isolators, and amplifiers. bachmann.info; analog.com
Guardian Industries Awarded Tax Credits for Advanced SOLAR Energy Initiatives
Guardian Industries was approved to receive more than $8.7 million in tax credits under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These credits will allow Guardian, which has plants throughout the country, to develop new opportunities to grow in support of the solar industry. The timeline for the proposed enhancements to Guardian’s facilities will depend upon market conditions, with updates on their development announced as opportunities arise.
Guardian offers a line of EcoGuard Solar products which are used for a number of solar glass applications for use around the world. guardian.com
Investing in Next-Generation Hybrids, Plug-ins
Ford Motor Co. will invest an additional $450 million in its aggressive electric vehicle plan, paving the way to build a next-generation hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicle in Michigan starting in 2012 and creating 1,000 new jobs. In addition, Ford will also bring its battery system design and development in-house. Ford will design the advanced lithium-ion battery systems for the next-generation hybrid in Michigan and move production of the battery packs from Mexico to Michigan. Furthermore, Ford plans to produce hybrid transaxles at its Van Dyke Transmission facility in Sterling Heights, MI, beginning in 2012.
As part of its electrification plan, in 2009 Ford doubled the number and volume of its hybrid electric vehicles to include the Ford Fusion and Escape hybrids and Mercury Milan and Mariner hybrids. Going forward, Ford plans to bring the following electrified vehicles to market over the next three years:
- Ford Transit Connect battery electric vehicle commercial van in 2010;
- Ford Focus Electric passenger car in 2011;
- Next-generation hybrid based on C-car platform in 2012; and
- Plug-in hybrid based on C-car platform in 2012.
ford.com