Newsletter Febbraio 2011

Introduction

The world of energy is at the center of profound changes. The eMobility, which includes both the use of vehicles with batteries and fuell cells / hydrogen, is one of the creative solutions that can provide a short-term response to the challenges of sustainable mobility by reducing greenhouse gases, pollution in cities and the dependence on fossil fuels. In order to strengthen its initiatives and address the whole issue of eMobility , the Association HyRaMP, the European Regions and Municipalities Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells, has decided to broadening the partnership to electromobility in 2011.

The second Electric Vehicle Deloitte observatory

At the Assolombarda Auditorium of Milan, on March 1, 2011, was held the conference “E-Car great demand, adequate supply?” organized by Assolombarda, Unindustria and in collaboration with Deloitte.

During the meeting, Marco Martina – Head of Automotive Deloitte Consulting – presented the second electric vehicle Deloitte observatory showing a preview of the results of the “Global e-Vehicle Survey” by Deloitte, an international study (to be completed and submitted in the next months) that describes the characteristics and trends in demand for electric cars in major automotive markets.

The research has been conducted by Deloitte Global through specific questionnaires submitted to a panel of 4,760 European motorists from 28 January 2011 to 10 February 2011. The European countries involved are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey and UK.

McPhy Energy signs contract with Enel Group for solid hydrogen storage

McPhy Energy has announced that the company has signed a contract with the Enel Group, Italy for the supply of a solid hydrogen storage solution. The system has a capacity of 2 kilograms of solid hydrogen, stored in the form of magnesium hydrides (which do not require compression), offering an innovative solution for safe, reversible hydrogen storage, with energy efficiency.

A prototype of the system design was validated through a series of tests at the CEA-LITEN (the French national Laboratory of Innovation for New Energy Technologies and Nanomaterials in Grenoble, France). The test tank was coupled to an electrolyser and to a fuel cell, successfully demonstrating the storage of renewable energy.

New charging rate for electric cars

The Regulatory Authority for Electricity and Gas will promote the development of electric mobility without introducing additional costs on consumers’ bills.

In the survey of electric mobility development, the Authority underlines the electric mobility as a subject of great importance to energy, environmental and industrial Italian policy, given its positive effects in terms of saving energy, reducing greenhouse gases and less dependence on fossil fuels. According to the Authority, the development of the sector must be in full compliance with market and competition rules, without distortions in the prices of electricity and protecting the interests of users and consumers.

In order to support the development of electric cars, the Authority for Electricity and Gas, now led by a new President: Eng. Guido Bortoni formal director of the Authority market area, has recently taken some initiatives that represent the beginning of a significant phase of innovation in electric mobility services.

Politecnico di Bari and “H2U hydrogen-university” foundation partnership

Tuesday, February 1, 2011 was signed a partnership between the Politecnico di Bari and the “H2U hydrogen-university” foundation of Monopoli. The meeting was attended, the rector of the Polytechnic, Nicola Costantino, president of the foundation H2U, Nicola Conenna, and the President of the Puglia Region, Nichi Vendola.

The project aim, lasting three years, is to increase the research on hydrogen topic. It is expected the initiation of an experiment (now in advanced stages of planning) on the use of internal combustion engines, fueled by a mixture of methane and hydrogen, the so-called hydromethane. This mixture would power cars with natural gas produced in the last two years and already in circulation, that is about half a million vehicles.

The tests involve some Apulian companies interested in investing in these issues and at which tests on the hydro-powered engines will be performed.

Source:  Eco delle città

Hyundai new FCEV – 403 mile range

- Hyundai has revealed its next generation fuel cell vehicle, the Tucson ix, which has a total range between refuelling of 403 miles, compared to 230 miles with the previous version. This means that the range is now equivalent to a gasoline vehicle.

It achieves this range by storing hydrogen at 700 bar. The previous generation, the Tucson, stored hydrogen at 350 bar.

The 700 bar fuel tank can store 5.6 kg of compressed hydrogen, compared to 3.5kg with the previous version. The new version also has a 21 kW battery for short term energy storage, whereas the previous version had a 100 kW super capacitor.

The “gasoline equivalent fuel efficiency” is calculated to be more than 70 miles per gallon, a 15-percent improvement over the previous version.

The overall volume of the fuel cell system was reduced by 20 per cent by modularising the fuel cell stack, balance of plant (BOP), inverter and high voltage junction box.