NY-BEST Newsletter 12-4-2009

NY‑BEST is pleased to provide you with the first in a series of news updates that will include funding opportunities, NY‑BEST updates, and the latest in policy, research, and commercialization affecting the energy storage industry. In particular, we’d like to draw your attention to the article about the U.S. and China’s plans to speed global roll-out of electric vehicles and renewable energy.

NY‑BEST is also now accepting organizing members. Participating as an organizing member is the opportunity to make your voice heard as the organization’s priorities are established and the Board of Directors is elected. In fact, why not consider running for a board seat?

We welcome your suggestions for improvements to this format and future topics of interest.

DARPA invites research proposals to investigate portable energy sources
Through its Limits Of Thermodynamic Storage of Energy program, DARPA invites projects that reduce inefficiencies in energy extraction by developing technologies capable of delivering the full expected run time from state-of-the-art portable energy sources. Proposals are due April 1, 2010.

NYSERDA PON 1704 – NY‑BEST Market Driven Research
Seeks proposals that develop and commercialize battery and energy storage technologies and products; $6 million in funding is available and applications are due December 17, 2009.

NYSERDA PON 1670 – Environmentally Preferred Power Systems Technologies
Proposals to support the development, demonstration, and commercialization of environmentally preferred power systems and electric energy storage technologies. $5 million in funding is available and proposals are due December 10, 2009.

NYSERDA PON 1260 – Clean Energy Business Growth and Development
Supports the growth and development of clean energy companies in New York State by supporting business activities that enable their expansion. Proposals for the next round are due January 6, 2010.

NYSERDA PON 1176 – Renewable, Clean Energy, and Energy Efficiency Product Manufacturing Incentive Program
Offers incentives for building a manufacturing plant and subsequently producing clean energy products in New York State. Proposals are accepted on an ongoing basis.

NY‑BEST Invites you to become an Organizing Member
NY‑BEST is now accepting organizing members. All interested parties are encouraged to join so that your input is incorporated when electing the Board of Directors and establishing the Consortium’s priorities.

DOE awards $620 million for Smart Grid Demonstration and Energy Storage projects
Awarded projects include five with ties to New York including a smart grid demonstration project at Con Edison which will include electric vehicle charging stations and an advanced 150 MW Compressed Air Energy Storage plant at NYSEG.

New York City is testing four hybrid designs for garbage trucks
The four designs included in a NYSERDA funded study are a parallel hybrid Mack Truck, two Crane Carrier parallel hybrid trucks that store energy as a hydraulic fluid under pressure, and a series hybrid Crane Carrier system. The sanitation department will gather fuel economy and driving data and select a winning design to initially start buying 300 vehicles per year.. About 4,850 medium- and heavy-duty hybrid trucks are expected to be on the road by next year, from just 200 in 2006.

U.S. and China agree to plan speeding up global roll-out of electric vehicles and renewable energy
President Obama and President Hu Jintao recently signed a plan that includes joint development of standards for electric vehicles, battery testing protocols, electric vehicle demonstrations, technical road-mapping, and improving public understanding of electric vehicle technologies. A Clean Energy Research Center and a new Advanced Grid Working Group will also be established.

New tax laws may allow additional refunds
As part of legislation extending unemployment benefits, businesses of all sizes can now use net operating losses from 2008 or 2009 to offset profits made during the previous five years and get a tax refund. Previously, large businesses could carry back NOLs for only two years.

Denmark has ambitious plans for electric cars.
Denmark’s largest utility wants to power the country’s anticipated fleet of electric cars with wind energy, which already supplies nearly 20% of the country’s power. The country exempts electric cars from a punitive tax of almost 200% on the price of new cars, equating to a minimum $40,000 tax break on each new electric car purchased.

Sony to re-start li-ion battery manufacturing
Sony Corp. plans to spend 100 billion yen to set up a high-volume production system for high-capacity lithium-ion batteries for the electric vehicle and renewable market.

“Defects” in Carbon Nanotubes discovered to hold electrical energy
U.C. San Diego believe the “defects” in carbon nanotube structures act as additional charge sites for energy storage, which could increase the storage capacity of capacitors while maintaining charge and discharge rates.

Cladophora algae may hold promise for future batteries
Due to the large surface area of cellulose This new material with higher surface area could create environmentally-friendly batteries from non-metal parts. Energy densities, charge/discharge rates, and cycling effects could improve.

This news update is provided as a service to members and interested parties of the New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium. NY‑BEST, currently operating under the auspices of NYSERDA, is an industry-led coalition working to build a vibrant, world-class, advanced battery and energy storage sector in New York State.

Your suggestions and comments for future topics are welcome.

Please email suggestions to: info@ny-best.org