The world’s largest plant producing high capacity lithium-ion batteries has been launched in Novosibirsk region

Engineerblogger
Dec 16, 2011

The world’s largest plant producing high capacity lithium-ion batteries has been launched in Novosibirsk region today. The plant belongs to the LIOTECH Company – a joint venture between Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (RUSNANO) and the International holding Thunder Sky Limited. The total investment in the project has amounted more than 13,5 billion rubles. The plant which overall area of production facility is over 40 000 sq. m. has been built in a record-breaking period, just in 9 months.

Alexey Homlyaskiy, the Deputy Governor of Novosibirsk Region, Anatoly Chubais, the Chairman the Board of RUSNANO, Alexander Erokhin, the CEO of LIOTECH LLC took part in the ceremony of opening of a new plant.

Using ecofriendly nanostructured cathode lithium – ferrum – phosphate material (LiFePO4), the LIOTECH Plant will output batteries with different nominal capacity: 200, 300 and 700 A*hr. As of today, this material allows to achieve the best performance of the batteries within the frame of their industrial manufacturing.

The planned capacity of new plant will amount over 1 GWh or about 1 mln. batteries per year. This enables to equip with the batteries about 5, 000 electric buses annually.

The LIOTECH lithium-ion batteries differ with high-power density, do not need secondary service and have a wide temperature range of usage. These characteristics enable us to use them widely in electrical transport, as well as in power industry as energy storage devices and uninterruptible power supplies. Moreover, after batteries have been used in electric transport, they still can be utilized as accumulators in power industry during 10-15 years more. Also, it is necessary to note that recycling of such a type of accumulators is completely safe for environment.

The fact that the LIOTECH LLC has already concluded delivery contracts for batteries before the manufacturing has been launched, emphasizes being in demand of a new product. One of the main consumers of new batteries in Russia will be the MOBEL LLC; 3 billion rubles contract has already been sighed with this company.

"The new plant is a successful example of foreign high-technologies’ transfer, allowing to create a modern manufacture, in which, after reaching full production capacity over 500 people will be employed. By implementing the program of import substitution, we will create a whole cluster of new high-tech manufacturing of related materials and components as well as an Engineering Center ", - emphasizes Sergey Polikarpov, RUSNANO Managing Director.

“Implementation of public electric vehicle equipped with lithium-ion batteries of our production will significantly improve the environment situation in large cities of Russia. Utilizing of batteries together with alternative energy sources will boost the development of "green technologies" and increase the energy efficiency of the economy of the Russian Federation. Russian Railway Company and Moscow underground rapid transport system, electricity supply network and power generation companies, military industrial enterprises as well as housing and communal services, telecommunication companies have already shown a great interest towards energy storage units of our batteries”, - notes LIOTECH CEO, Alexander Erokhin.

Source: Liotech

Gates discussing new nuclear reactor with China

Engineerblogger
Dec 8, 2011

Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates speaks to the media after delivering a speech at the Ministry of Science and Technology in Beijing Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011. Gates confirmed Wednesday he is in discussions with China to jointly develop a new kind of nuclear reactor. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates confirmed Wednesday he is in discussions with China to jointly develop a new and safer kind of nuclear reactor.

"The idea is to be very low cost, very safe and generate very little waste," said the billionaire during a talk at China's Ministry of Science and Technology.

Gates said he had largely funded a Washington state-based company, TerraPower, that is developing a Generation IV nuclear reactor that can run on depleted uranium. TerraPower says it has discussed its plans with India, Russia and other countries with nuclear energy programs.

The general manager of state-owned China National Nuclear Corporation, Sun Qin, was quoted in Chinese media last week saying Gates was working with it to research and develop a reactor.

"TerraPower is having very good discussions with CNNC and various people in the Chinese government," said Gates, cautioning the talks were at an early stage.

Gates says perhaps as much as a billion dollars will be put into research and development over the next five years.

TerraPower says its traveling wave reactor would run for decades on depleted uranium and produce significantly smaller amounts of nuclear waste than conventional reactors.

"All these new designs are going to be incredibly safe," Gates told the audience. "They require no human action to remain safe at all times."

He said they also benefit from an ability to simulate earthquake and tidal wave conditions. "It takes safety to a new level," he said.

Since leaving Microsoft Corp., Gates has concentrated on philanthropy and advocating on public health, education and clean energy issues. He is an investor and strategic adviser to TerraPower.

Gates was at the Ministry of Science and Technology to talk about a joint project between China and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support innovative research and development to help alleviate poverty.

Gates said the ministry will help identify entrepreneurs and companies to manufacture new products in global health and agriculture to "change the lives of poor people," including new vaccines and diagnostics and genetically modified seeds.

"China has a lot to contribute because it's solved many of the problems of poverty, not all of them but a lot of them, itself, and many Asian, south Asian and African countries are well behind, whether it's agriculture or health," said Gates.

No specific poverty alleviation projects were mentioned.

Source: The Associated Press

Automotive Manufacturing in China: Low-Cost Production Image Fades

Engineerblogger
Oct 07, 2011


Wage inflation is hitting the Chinese automotive manufacturing market, doubling in a recent seven-year period (and are expected to double again by 2015 based on 2010 levels) according to a recent WSJ analysis that considers the evolution of Hyundai's consideration of the Chinese market. Moreover, the wage and labor climate for foreign producers in China appears to underpin a double standard between domestic and state-owned enterprises and those owned or operated by outside interests.

In this regard, a Hyundai executive cited in the article "pointed to a series of high-profile labor strikes that hit Japanese-run auto factories and others in China last year. Normally quick to break up organized worker walkouts, the government tolerated those strikes to a large extent last year, and minimum wages in some parts of China have been rising steadily since." Of course don't think for a minute that rising wages will deter the export ambitions of Chinese automotive manufacturing organizations (both OEM and lower tier suppliers).

As anyone who has studied how China manipulates export prices via currency controls and other methods (e.g., VAT rebate changes and incentives), it is no surprise that, "China's auto exports will continue to increase in part because of excess auto-production capacity in the country," according to the story. After all, if there is not a large enough middle class to consume the voracious state-sponsored output within domestic automotive production in China, then of course we all know what that will mean for the rest of the world.

Given this broader climate, when it comes to building total cost models for manufacturing in the region or working with Chinese automotive suppliers, companies should plan for large degrees of uncertainty in their forecast models for 2012 and beyond. After all, it's hard to know what the landed price (domestic or export) will be when it's really only up to one organization that sets it -- the politburo. Remember, the standard laws of supply and demand don't apply in a mercantilist state that exists to preserve the status quo for its leaders.

Source: Spendmatters.com

Russia's solar potential

Engineerblogger
Oct 07, 2011

Russia is the biggest country in the world and one of biggest suppliers of oil and gas has not yet seen a real need to develop a market for solar technologies.

This might change during the next few years - says Tomasz Slusarz, CEO of Solar PV Consulting - observing the policy and market situation on the global markets for the past 8 years and comparing it to the current situation in Russia, he is confident that cumulative solar installed capacity in Russia can reach above 1 or even 2 GW by 2020. He is even ready to bet on it. Here are his three arguments to back the claim.

Argument 1: Growing energy demand

In 2009, the Russian Energy Agency was forecasting that 51.7 GW of capacity would be decommissioned by 2020, requiring more than 150 GW of new capacity to meet consumption growth during the current decade.

I also notice a growing understanding from Russian policy makers and the private sector that increased use of renewable energy technologies can help meet the growing demand.

The Energy Strategy of Russia has set a target of 4.5% for the installed renewable electricity generation by 2020 (including small hydro up to 25 MW), which means a requirement of 22 GW for the new installed capacity.

As there are no sectorial targets within the 4.5% target, theoretically, quasi whole renewable energy capacity can be built from small hydro, wind, biomass or geothermic sources. However, in my opinion, solar PV with its more and more competitive prices can become a quite an important piece of the 22 GW cake.

Increasingly competitive prices of solar PV generation will be confronted with rapidly growing electricity prices in the country. According to the 2010 Budget of the Russian Federation, in 2020 the average electricity tariffs for all users will reach a level of 10.5cents/kWh and residential tariffs 15.3cents/kWh, compared to today's 7cents/kWh.

Argument 2: Huge investments in production capacities

Russian solar industry and RUSNANO, a state-owned fund, have invested billions of dollars in new manufacturing facilities such as Hevel Solar (thin-film PV), and Nitol (large-scale polysilicon and monosilane manufacturing).

When looking at the increasingly competitive global solar markets, they realize the urgent need to establish a sustainable domestic market in order to help the Russian industry grow and be able to compete on export markets.

Few weeks ago we heard that Russia's North Caucasus region is about to set up its own Silicon Valley with a joint venture between the regional government and private businesses. The cost of the project would be around 1 billion USD with pre-estimated production volume of 12 billion USD per year, and 2 to 7 years of return on investments.

Polycrystalline silicon production would be located in Stavropol region, with monocrystalline silicon production set up in Kabardino-Balkaria. The final production of photovoltaic cells and solar modules would be located in Karachay-Cherkessia and Dagestan respectively.

I am quite sure that if the project is successful, a lot of modules will be installed not only in the region but also all over the country.

Argument 3: Russia - sunny country!

The technical potential of solar energy was estimated as 1.870 TWh, with an economic potential of around 101 GWh per year in the national report titled "Role of renewable energy sources in energy strategy of Russia".

The southern parts of Russia, especially the North Caucasus, have the greatest potential for solar energy. The Krasnodar Region and most parts of Siberia have insolation levels comparable to the south of France and central Italy while the Zabaikalsky Region gets more solar energy than Spain.

Argument 4: Big giants start to understand that solar PV can be a good business

It is worth to mention that today not only Renova group of companies, one of the largest diversified business groups in Russia, understand that solar energy can be a profitable investment.

Renova is a major shareholder of Oerlikon and controlling shareholder of Avelar Energy Group as well as a shareholder of previously mentioned Hevel Solar. It has also recently established NAVI Capital Management, a fund that is going to invest 200 million dollars in clean-tech innovation with an important focus on solar PV.

Lukoil, a major Russian oil company, in partnership with the government of Uzbekistan and the Asian Development Bank, is planning to construct Uzbekistan's largest solar plant, which will have an initial capacity of 100 MW, to expand eventually to 1 GW. Earlier this year Lukoil started to build its first 4 million dollar solar plant in Bulgaria.

These examples show that a growing number of Russian giant companies, with available financial resources, feel that investing in solar energy can be a good business strategy.

Moreover, I have heard from many companies exhibiting at 26EUPVSEC that their booths were visited by representatives from some of the biggest energy companies in Russia, which were potentially interested in investing in solar parks in Italy, Greece or Bulgaria. I am quite sure that at the end of the day these big companies will strongly support the development of a domestic solar market.

Source: Solardaily.com

Additional Information:

• Solar Russia 2011

• 2 GW PV potential touted ahead of conference

Thinking Big: To meet Our Future Energy Demands

Engineerblogger
Oct 03, 2011

The world needs new energy resources—not only to offset the decline of our existing reserves but to support the rapid growth of emerging economies like those of China, India, Brazil, and Russia. The International Energy Agency estimates that resources yet to be developed or discovered could be needed to account for 50 percent of conventional oil production by 2035.

Discovering and unlocking those new resources will require a new generation of technology to be deployed at a global scale, and this technology must use existing infrastructure. That's not only a tough technical challenge but one accompanied by often overlooked challenges of industry culture.

Whether our innovation ecosystem can meet those challenges is an open question. The energy industry has a (perhaps undeserved) reputation for deploying innovations more slowly than others. Most important, it is not yet known whether the model of combining university research with venture capital—so successful in semiconductors and Internet services—will deliver real innovations in energy.

Part of the problem is that for energy technology to reach its full potential, it must be introduced, tested, and deployed at a scale attained only by major industry players invested in methods that already have a long track record. Conventional wisdom has it that those companies are not receptive to adopting new technology or working with emerging companies, but behind this reluctance are cultural differences that can be overcome. Working hard to master these differences has enabled our company to find experienced partners open to commercializing new technology.

The challenge stems from the fact that the skills required to raise venture capital and start a company are different from—sometimes contradictory to—the skills needed to partner successfully with a large energy company. The teams at startups working on energy innovation will need both sets of skills, and they need to know that the swagger that helps attract venture capitalists hurts more than it helps with people at the energy giants. These established players won't alter their existing methods without a high level of proof. To reach that point, energy entrepreneurs must patiently develop longer-term relationships with these companies.

The shale gas revolution illustrates that energy giants are quite capable of rapidly adopting new technologies that dramatically change the energy landscape. In just five years, the combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing in unconventional shale resources has generated a surge in both proven reserves and production. Those techniques are being exported from Texas and Pennsylvania to the rest of the world.

Our vision is that future dramatic changes in energy resources will result when emerging companies connect with established players in an industry that has been the most competent in the world when it comes to deploying technologies at scale.

Source:  Technology Review

Building innovation in India

MIT News
Sept 26, 2011

Despite a global economic downturn that has rippled across India, the country remains one of the world’s fastest growing economies, second only to China. India is also the planet’s second most populous nation, expected to overtake China by 2030.

In the first ever MIT-India Conference, held Friday, Sept. 23, at the MIT Media Lab, speakers from both MIT and India explored the challenges associated with India’s rapid expansion, including energy distribution, rural access to health care, and efforts to curb governmental corruption. One theme was prevalent throughout: India’s many hurdles also provide unprecedented opportunity for innovation.

N.R. Narayana Murthy, the conference’s keynote speaker and founder and chairman emeritus of Infosys Limited, said the time is right for those who choose to work in India.

“They can be part of an era where there’s so much confidence, there is so much hope, there is so much ambition,” Murthy said. “And there is so much that needs to be done.”

The conference featured entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, finance experts and government officials from India, as well as MIT faculty working on India-related projects. The one-day event sought to strengthen the relationship between MIT and India, which MIT Chancellor Eric L. Grimson characterized at the event as a “century-long friendship.”

In his opening remarks, Grimson noted that the friendship began in 1906 when Ishwar Das Varshnei became the first Indian to graduate from MIT. In 2010, his great-grandsons, twins Kush and Lav, followed in his footsteps, earning PhDs in electrical engineering and computer science. Today, more than 270 students of Indian descent attend MIT; Grimson cited the Institute’s many India-related projects — fifteen of which were featured in a Technology Showcase during the conference — as a strong bridge between the Institute and India.

“If MIT wants to stay on the forefront of technology, it has to maintain ties with India,” Grimson said.

The conference got underway with a panel discussion on energy and the environment. Panelists noted that as India’s population continues to expand, so too will its energy demands.

E.A.S. Sarma, former secretary of economic affairs in India, cautioned that the country “can’t go in a wanton manner for megawatts.” Sarma, now a social activist working to protect rural communities from pollution created by local powerplants, insists that communities should have a say when it comes to building new plants.

“If you bring people into discussions from the start, they may help develop benign processes,” Sarma said.

However, Robert Stoner, associate director of the MIT Energy Initiative, pointed out that above and beyond meeting the energy needs of India’s projected population growth, nearly 400 million current citizens already lack access to electricity.

While panelists discussed the potential contributions of solar, natural gas and nuclear energy, the overall consensus was that it would take a combination of approaches to solve India’s energy problem. And in many cases, those solutions will have to be extremely affordable.

“There’s opportunity for low-cost innovation in lots of areas,” Stoner said.
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GE, GM in push on EV infrastructure for China

Engineerblogger
Sept 23, 2011

General Electric and General Motors Co. agreed Thursday on a pilot installation of electric vehicle charging stations in Shanghai, the latest step in the automaker's plan to develop infrastructure in China to support sales of its Chevrolet Volt electric car.

As part of the agreement, GE also agreed to buy the extended range electric cars for use at its corporate campus in Shanghai. GM plans to launch the Volt in December in China, where it has made electric vehicles a core part of its strategy for expansion despite doubts Chinese consumers will snap up such cars.

The companies gave no details about investment in the charging stations, which will include both GE's WattStations and Durastations, two different specifications for charging electric vehicles.

China is a linchpin market for GM. Earlier this week it announced plans for developing a new electric vehicle with its local partner Shanghai Automotive Industrial Corp. It also has just opened an advanced technology center to support its efforts to build more energy efficient and safer automobiles, with a lab devoted to developing new battery cells for EVs.

GE builds natural gas-fired generators for utilities, electric motors, advanced electric meters and electric car charging stations, all of which could be in higher demand if drivers buy electric cars. The company estimates the expanding market could bring it up to $500 million in revenue over the next three years.

China, the world's biggest market for new vehicles, is seen as a promising market for electric vehicles because of its keenness on limiting its dependence on costly imports of crude oil and reducing severe pollution from auto emissions.

The government has made development of so-called "new energy" vehicles a key part of its current five-year economic plan, promising subsidies and billions of dollars in new investments.

But spurring demand for electric and hybrid vehicles will hinge on providing the charging infrastructure, and bringing costs down to affordable levels, those working in the industry say.

Thursday's agreement calls for the two big U.S. companies to coordinate work with government agencies on developing EV standards.

In August, GE Energy also announced a partnership with car rental company Hertz Corp. for advancing the rollout of EVs and charging stations in China.

Source:  The Associated Press

Graphene can be strengthened by folding

Engineerblogger
Sept 22, 2011

The researchers, Yongping Zheng and Zhigao Huang of Fujian Normal University in China; Ning Wei and Zheyong Fan of Xiamen University in China; and Lanqing Xu of both universities, have published their study in a recent issue of Nanotechnology.

“The results of this work provide a new route for tailoring the properties of graphene-based nanomaterials,” Zheng told PhysOrg.com. “Currently, many researchers and engineers are concerned with doping, alchemy, etc. We have demonstrated here that structure re-construction could also lead to interesting results.”

In their study, the researchers used molecular dynamics simulations to investigate grafold. They compared graphene with grafold in two areas: tension (the force that pulls the material apart) and compression (the force that pushes the material together). The ability to be both elongated and squeezed without damage is very helpful for engineering applications. However, as the researchers explain, graphene only has a high tensile strength; because of its two-dimensional nature, it is “soft” under compression and can’t be squeezed.

In contrast, the researchers’ simulations showed that grafold is “harder” than graphene and can withstand much larger amounts of compression (10-25 GPa depending on the structure of grafold compared with less than 2 GPa for graphene). While its compressive strength is significantly higher than that of graphene, grafold’s tensile strength approaches that of graphene. The Young’s modulus (a measure of elasticity) and fracture strain of grafold are a little lower than those of graphene. The scientists noted that several other materials can withstand greater compression than grafold, including carbon nanotubes, which can be both elongated and squeezed like grafold.

“As is well known, graphene can’t withstand any compression,” Zheng said. “Via folding, graphene transforms into grafold and can be compressed to a certain amount. Even when highly compressed, it won’t break down, just be squeezed into a shorter folded belt. Furthermore, the deformation is elastic. As we know, if the strength exceeds carbon nanotubes’ breaking point, it will crash and never return to its original form.”

Among grafold’s advantages is that folding a graphene nanoribbon to create grafold will be much easier than rolling it up to create a carbon nanotube. Plus, grafold’s mechanical properties can be tuned by the modifying the folding design, such as changing the size, shape, and number of folds.

Overall, the results of the simulations provide a new route for tailoring the properties of graphene-based nanomaterials, which could lead to advanced mechanical applications. The researchers hope to experimentally fabricate grafold in the near future. “There could be versatile applications,” Zheng said. “Say, one could utilize the elastic and low-to-mid stiffness of grafold in applications where a large damping is required.”

Source: Physorg.com

Additional Information:

• Mechanical properties of grafold: a demonstration of strengthened graphene

GM expands technology investments in China

Engineerblogger
Sept 21, 2011

General Motors Co. says it is seeking to buy back a 1 percent stake sold to its main Chinese joint venture partner, as it expands its technology investments in a market where it is maneuvering to keep its edge.

The Detroit company opened an advanced technology center in Shanghai on Wednesday meant to help it design lighter, safer and more efficient cars for China, a market that has proved crucial to its survival.

The center opened a day after GM announced plans to develop a brand new electric vehicle "architecture" with flagship venture partner, Shanghai Automotive Industrial Corp.

While the China market has cooled considerably in recent months, following the expiration of tax incentives and subsidies meant to spur sales during the financial crisis, it remains the world's largest and fastest growing major market for sales of new vehicles.

GM expects total vehicle sales in China to grow by about 5 percent to 19 million units or just a bit higher, said GM China President Kevin Wale. Sales of passenger vehicles, excluding large buses, should grow by double-digits, he said, after jumping by a third last year to 13.7 million vehicles.

GM's own sales in China have risen 5.4 percent so far this year to 1.6 million units as of the end of August.

Wale confirmed GM is seeking to buy back a 1 percent stake in its originally 50-50 joint venture, Shanghai GM, that it sold to SAIC in 2009 for $84.5 million as it faced bankruptcy. That would end SAIC's majority control and allow GM to reclaim its equal share.

"We have a contractual right to buy that back. We are having discussions but we have nothing further we can add at this point," he said.

GM is adamant about its commitment to developing electric vehicles specifically for the China market. The next generation battery-driven vehicle to be developed with SAIC will be designed and made in China, the company says.

That would qualify the car for government subsidies, amounting to about $19,000 per car, that the imported Chevrolet Volt will not be eligible for after its planned launch in China in December. China also imposes hefty tariffs on imported vehicles.

Under the agreement with SAIC, the two companies will equally share the cost of developing a new all-electric vehicle, reducing GM's cost and risk.

The Detroit company denies that the agreement is linked to China's desire to acquire more advanced technology that its own automakers have yet to develop. The Volt can travel about 35 miles on battery power, and a gas-powered generator kicks in to run the car when the batteries are depleted. The generator technology eliminates anxiety over whether a driver will run out of electricity.

The Volt and the new car to be developed with SAIC are engineered for very different customers.

"This is more about making sure we have the right product for China," Wale said.

GM likewise recently agreed with Korean battery maker LG Group to design and engineer electric vehicles that may be marketed to other parts of the world, he noted.

Source: The Associated Press