StumbleUpon | Transitions's URL reviews

http://www.isis-innovation.com/licensing/3056.html

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:22:51 -0700

- Isis Project No 3056

A lightweight electric motor has been developed that offers increased efficiency for a variety of high torque to low weight applications including hybrid vehicles and renewable energy.
The Oxford Invention

Segmented Armature Torus Motor A new topology of motor featuring a segmented armature and the novel use of materials has been designed and developed by the Electronic Power Group within the Engineering Department at the University of Oxford. The key features of this design applicable to motor and generator applications are:

* Greatly reduced weight - the use of iron and copper is reduced
* High efficiency (up to 97%) through the intelligent use of new materials
* Excellent manufacturing possibilities
* The design allows for the use of novel combinations of materials even for large machines
* Reduced torque ripple due to multi phase winding
* Improved cooling characteristics due to segmented design
* Scalable for large generators such as those used in renewable energy (e.g. low speed wind and tidal) applications.

These features combine to give a motor that is both lightweight and delivers extremely good power to weight performance. An Oxford motor for automotive application weighed just 13kg but delivers a peak torque of 130Nm (10Nm/kg) and peak power of about 50kW. Simulations show that the same motor is capable of achieving a peak torque of over 200Nm and a peak power of over 150kW. Suitable for high torque applications the technology could be applied to regenerative braking systems within hybrid vehicles for example or wind turbines without the requirement for direct drive gearboxes. A prototype has been built which has matched its modelled characteristics.

Is this the right time for a Canadian car?

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:56:50 -0700

http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/this+right+time+Canadian/1755305/story.html

"The advent of bio-composite materials is promising," Armstrong said. "The Alberta Research Council's trials on hemp composites show they are as strong as fibreglass, but lighter."

Armstrong said composite manufacturing reduces tooling costs by as much as half.

Traditional metal stamping dies --the tools needed to form sheet metal body panels--can cost between $500 and $700 million. Composite tooling, he said, could cost less than $250 million...

Armstrong sees an auto industry based on existing Canadian parts suppliers producing components such as springs and seat rails. Actual vehicle production would not require paint, as a coloured film provides the surface finish. Vehicles would be assembled in small batches.

"It's a very clean manufacturing method. No noise, no heavy equipment, you could have a car factory in a neighbourhood," Armstrong said..."

CLEAR Village Foundation

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:28:48 -0700

Our Aim: A Sustainable Village by 2014

C.L.E.A.R. Village Foundation's five-year collaborative design project is working to construct a real-life C.L.E.A.R. Village. By bringing together leading figures from a variety of disciplines, powerful and complete solutions can be developed. The village will offer excellence in social, environmental and economic sustainability to both residents and guests. The village will let businesses test innovative solutions and technologies in a real world situation, showcasing their most innovative work on a world stage.
C.L.E.A.R. Village's Collaborative Design and Thinking Events

By turning aspiration into action through a highly interactive programme, C.L.E.A.R. Village sets itself apart from other sustainable design processes.

At the invitation-only C.L.E.A.R. Village Lab held in the Institute of Advanced Architecture in Barcelona at the 5-7 November 2009, exceptional individuals in their own craft will gather to inspire each other and co-design a framework for a sustainable community.

Story - Technology - Montreal Gazette

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 03:50:34 -0700

MONTREAL - Hydro-Qu�bec and Ford Motor Co. are collaborating on a program to test plug-in electric cars, the two companies said Tuesday.

The auto company, along with the Electric Power Research Institute, picked Hydro as one of nine utilities to join a North America-wide demonstration and research plan for plug-in electric vehicles.

The three-year test program on the Ford Escape is designed to develop and evaluate technical approaches for integrating plug-ins into the electric grid. Hydro-Qu�bec is the only Canadian company participating in the project.

"We have to accelerate the replacement of oil by electricity for individual transportation and public transit. The transport sector accounts for 42 per cent of Qu�bec's greenhouse gas emissions. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions that could be achieved through the electrification of transport in Qu�bec, where 98 per cent of the electricity is produced from renewable sources, would be considerable. Hydro-Qu�bec will act as a leader in this area," said Thierry Vandal, Hydro president and CEO.

Refueling costs for an average vehicle driven 18,000 kilometres per year would be $244, compared with $1,383, the Electric Power Research Institute estimates. Based in several U.S. states, the non-profit institute conducts research and development into the use of electric energy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Power_Research_Institute

Programs from series: Sustainable Futures|A-Infos Radio Project

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:46:42 -0700

Also available as podcast, here:
http://www.radio4all.net/responder.php/podcast/podcast.xml?series=Sustainable +Futures

Weekly series on internet radio or podcasts concerning sustainability.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/columns/c_d_staff/dave_vanderwerp/a_hybrid_that_has_no_batteries_column

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:02:53 -0800

More discoveries in the arsenal of the Car Culture:
"..This system makes a lot of sense for the stop-and-go drive cycle of UPS trucks--some 40 percent of the 73,500-truck U.S. fleet never ventures above 45 mph. A fully loaded, 23,000-pound UPS truck traveling at 30 mph has 0.26 kWh of kinetic energy. When brought to a stop, the hydraulic-hybrid system can recover and reuse more than 70 percent of that energy whereas battery-powered hybrids typically reuse only 25 percent of a vehicle's kinetic energy.."

http://www.crra.com/aboutus/aboutus.html

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:43:02 -0700

From the page: "Who We Are

Founded in 1974, the California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) is a non-profit 501(C)3 organization dedicated to promoting waste reduction, reuse, recycling, pollution prevention, and composting. The CRRA works to expand markets for recycled materials, promotes sustainable materials policies and is a clearinghouse for information, innovation, and industry and governmental initiatives. CRRA newsletters, workshops and conferences provide up-to-the-minute information on issues that shape the recycling and composting fields. CRRA is the premier organization for linking like-minded individuals from every facet of the industry. Non-profits, waste haulers, recyclers, state, federal and local government, recycled product manufacturers and many others come together under the CRRA umbrella. We invite you to join us. "

Clean revolution

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 07:04:41 -0700

From the page: "The city's goals include reducing per capita energy use by half, getting 100 per cent of electricity from clean, renewable sources, building or retrofitting 50 million square feet of green buildings and reusing 100 per cent of waste water.

For many San Jose residents, who see the blue bin or dual-flush toilet as their contribution to the cause, and for government and businesses, things are about to change.

In fact, reaching the Green Vision goals will "transform the way we live, and that's scary, but instead of fearing, we should embrace (the challenge)," said Collin O'Mara, San Jose's Clean Technology Officer.

The municipal government will help make this transformation as easy as possible, providing incentives to residents and industries to install solar panels or to "build green," for example. There will also be a push to insulate, switch to efficient lighting and install energy-monitoring systems, cool and green roofs and smart cooling systems."

http://www.costacoast.com/tropical-green-building

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:47:39 -0700

From the page: "At the urban and regional scales, sustainable construction involves planning that preserves environmental quality, conserves energy through efficient design, reduces waste and consumption through sensible design, and reduces pollution by establishing efficient transportation networks. At all scales, sustainable construction aims to support ecosystems through design with nature by establishing and improving habitats for wildlife, supporting biodiversity, replenishing groundwater instead of channeling rainwater into storm sewers and more."

12 Year Old Boy Invents New Type of Solar Cell : CleanTechnica

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 16:15:29 -0700

Out of the mouths of babes...