Lithium-ion batteries are important for the proclaimed «Energiewende», the transformation of the energy system. They are needed for the storage of electricity from fluctuating renewable sources or for the operation of electric vehicles. However, high costs still represent a major challenge, which has to be faced for the technology to be competitive. After three years of research, a team headed by Professor Wilhelm Schabel and Dr. Philip Scharfer of the Thin Film Technology (TFT) group of the KIT Institute of Thermal Process Engineering has succeeded in increasing the speed of intermittent production of the electrode foils representing the actual energy storage systems to 100 meters per minute. So far, 25 to 35 meters per minute have been the industrial state of the art. Within the project «Competence E,» the scientists developed a revolutionary coating technology, by means of which it is not only possible to produce continuous coatings, but also patterns featuring high precision. A patent has been filed for this invention.

When producing an electrode foil, a slurry containing the active material, carbon black, binder, solvent, and additives is applied onto a substrate foil made of copper (for the anode) or aluminum (for the cathode). The coating is often processed continuously, however intermittent coatings are associated with a superior processability for subsequent process steps. «In case of intermittent coating, defined start and stop edges are required no matter the coating speed,» Schabel explains. «In our process this is achieved by a membrane that quickly moves back and forth in a controlled manner in the coating head, i.e. in the slot die.» Other movable parts are not required. This results in high frequencies of up to 1000 electrode patterns per minute and highly precise coating. By optimizing membrane parameters, the process can be adapted in-situ to the properties of the coating medium. In their «Roadmap for Battery Production,» the German Engineering Association (VDMA) defined the goal of reaching a coating speed of 100 meters per minute until the year of 2030. This goal has already been scored by KIT scientists today.

With this new technology, electrode production can be increased by a factor of 3 at about the same investment costs. As a result, production costs of lithium-ion batteries can be reduced drastically. With a similar process, the KIT scientists have already produced electrodes for electric vehicles in pilot scale successfully. Dr. Andreas Gutsch, head of «Competence E» at KIT, points out: «The new coating technology in combination with the helix technology developed and patented by KIT for the production of spirally wound lithium-ion batteries, offers the potential of reaching cost leadership.»

The Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive: Electric driving without compromises

With its torquey electric motor, the B-Class Electric Drive offers lively and effortlessly superior fun at the wheel over a range of around 200 kilometres — all locally emission free. Full climate control for the interior as standard and some innovative optional extras, such as the recuperative braking system with radar support or the RANGE PLUS range extender, add to the car’s ride comfort and everyday practicality. The B-Class Electric Drive will be available to order from 3 November, with deliveries starting before the end of 2014.

The new B-Class Electric Drive surprises with an especially dynamic driving experience: it provides noticeably powerful acceleration and glides almost noiselessly along country roads. The new electric Mercedes offers the driver and up to four passengers the familiar high standards of ride comfort in a high-class, spacious and precision-designed interior. The B-Class Electric Drive combines dynamism and driving pleasure with zero local emissions.

Powerful drive with brisk acceleration

The electric B-Class was developed by Mercedes-Benz in collaboration with TESLA Motors. The two companies share many years of cooperation in the field of electric mobility. The battery for the predecessor model of the smart fortwo electric drive, for instance, comes from TESLA. For the B-Class Electric Drive, Mercedes-Benz is once again availing itself of the extensive know-how available from the electric car pioneer and is using the TESLA drive system in its own vehicle.

Quiet, locally emission-free motoring is ensured by an electric motor generating more than 132 kW. Typically for an electric drive system, this develops its maximum torque of more than 340 Nm straight away from idling speed. This is approximately equivalent to the torque from a modern, naturally aspirated three-litre petrol engine. The result is noticeably powerful acceleration from a standstill. For the standard sprint from zero to 100 km/h, too, the electrically powered B-Class requires only 7.9 seconds. Effortlessly superior driveability and exhilarating driving pleasure with a high level of dynamism are thus guaranteed in every situation.

According to whether the driver wishes to drive economically or perhaps with more emphasis on comfort or sportiness, there is a choice of three driving programs. The driving programs at a glance:

— E+ (Economy Plus): This driving mode is configured for a defensive driving style and lends itself to driving at a constant, steady speed. The output here is reduced to around 65 kW, whereby the top speed falls to around 110 km/h on the flat. With kickdown, however, an output of 132 kW and a top speed of up to 160 km/h remain available.
— E (Economy): The philosophy here is a comfortable driving experience. The output is restricted to 98 kW, although of course even in this driving program, kickdown will summon up as much as 132 kW.
— S (Sport): Maximum output for maximum acceleration is the motto behind this mode, configured for sporty driving. Accordingly, the engine can call upon 132 kW.

Range sufficient for everyday use, audible warning system

In the interests of optimising the range, the top speed is electronically limited to 160 km/h. Depending on the driving cycle, the vehicle has a range of around 200 kilometres. This permits emission-free motoring not just in city traffic and on short journeys, but also over longer distances — such as those covered by many commuters on a daily basis.

The instrumentation of the B-Class Electric Drive is rounded off by functions that are specific to electric vehicles. One of the striking features is the power display in the right-hand circular instrument. When full power is demanded by the driver, the instrument pointer moves in a clockwise direction from the green zone towards the red zone, dropping back below the zero line when the vehicle is feeding energy into the battery through the recuperation feature.

As protection for pedestrians and cyclists, a specific Mercedes-Benz sound is generated (optional extra) at speeds of up to 30 km/h. Once over 30 km/h this is no longer necessary, as wind and tyre noise then begin to dominate.

Radar support provided as an option: intelligent recuperation

On the road, the electric drive makes its own contribution to a favourable energy balance by recovering energy under overrun conditions as well as by converting the kinetic energy produced during braking into electric power and feeding it to the battery. This process is controlled through the energy management system. The level of recuperation and thus of drag deceleration can be influenced by the driver via the brake pedal (approx. 10% of pedal travel). The potential recuperation performance depends, among other factors, on the state of charge and the temperature of the high-voltage battery.

Particularly effective energy recovery and thus an extension of the vehicle’s range are made possible with the optional extra of a radar-supported, recuperative braking system. The system also supports the driver in controlling proximity and speed. The system uses the data from the radar sensors of COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS to increase or reduce to zero, as appropriate, the level of recuperation and thus of deceleration.

If the system detects a slow-moving or slowing vehicle ahead, it triggers an increase in recuperation torque and thus a reduction in speed. If, on the other hand, any vehicle it detects is far in the distance or accelerating away, the vehicle will switch into energy-saving «sailing» mode, without recuperation. This is particularly useful in town or on fast roads with a slight downhill incline. When driving downhill in «sailing» mode or on a steep slope, an increase in recuperation will restrict acceleration. The effect here is comparable to changing down a gear. In conjunction with COMAND, the regulation is extended to take account of information supplied by the traffic sign recognition system as well as of speed limits stored in the navigation system.

With this optional equipment item, the driver is also able to use the steering-wheel gearshift paddles to switch between four stages of recuperation — from «sailing» through to a high level of recuperation with a sporty accelerator pedal curve. The following four recuperation stages are available:

— D+: «sailing» mode, no recuperation
— D: moderate recuperation
— D-: high recuperation
— DAuto: recuperation according to the traffic situation

Quick charging; RANGE PLUS range extended upon request

The power supply to the electric drive comes from a high-performance lithium-ion battery (capacity 28 kWh), which is compactly and securely fitted in the underfloor area between the front and rear axles, known as the ENERGY SPACE (see corresponding chapter).

The charger for the battery is located in the engine compartment. Charging is as straightforward as refuelling. Once the socket flap has been opened, the charging cable is connected to the vehicle and the power source, for example to a domestic socket, a public charging point or a Wallbox. With the latter, a full recharge of the battery is possible in just three hours or so (400 V, 3-phase, 16 A). At a normal domestic socket (230 V, single-phase) it is normally possible to recharge the B-Class Electric Drive overnight. With 16 A circuit protection, this only takes about 9.1 hours.

The control light on the vehicle socket will remain illuminated throughout the charging process. The vehicle cannot be started or moved during this phase. Information about the current state of charge is shown in the multifunction display. Following completion of the charging process, the charging cable may be removed.

The optional RANGE PLUS extends the range of the vehicle by as much as 30 km.

Activating the RANGE PLUS button in the upper control panel extends the chargeable capacity of the battery the next time it is charged i.e. more capacity is released. As over-frequent use of this function can reduce the lifespan of the battery more quickly, it should only be used when a long trip is planned or when there is only limited availability of charging points.

Each battery is certified by Mercedes-Benz as a guarantee of performance. This ensures that any technical malfunction within a period of eight years after initial delivery or registration, or up to a mileage of 100,000 kilometres, will be corrected by Mercedes-Benz.

Convenient pre-heating or cooling as standard

The thermal management system of the B-Class Electric Drive encompasses on the one hand the air conditioning for the vehicle interior and on the other hand the cooling of the electric drive. This ensures that all components perform to full efficiency even on long uphill slopes or in high outside temperatures. The high-voltage battery is cooled via a low-temperature circuit. At very high temperatures this can be boosted by the coolant circuit of the air-conditioning system. For low temperatures, a battery heater is available.

For heating and cooling of the interior, the B-Class Electric Drive is equipped as standard with THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control. This uses a high-voltage PTC heater and a high-voltage air conditioning compressor. Using «Mercedes connect me», the driver can pre-heat or pre-cool the vehicle — depending on the temperature — in readiness for an individually defined departure time – see corresponding chapter.

ITM Power takes delivery of Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell vehicle

ITM Power,(AIM:ITM), the energy storage and clean fuel company, is pleased to announce that it has taken delivery of one of the first Hyundai ix35 fuel cell vehicles to arrive in the UK.

The vehicles being rolled out are a result of the pioneering £31m Hydrogen For Innovative Vehicles (HyFive) project funded by the FCH JU under the EU Framework 7 program. The project which brings together vehicle manufactures, commercial hydrogen fuel suppliers and government departments aims to make hydrogen vehicles a viable and environmentally friendly choice for motorists across Europe.

HyFive will see a total of 110 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles rolled out to various European locations including Bolzano, Copenhagen, Innsbruck, Munich, Stuttgart and London. These vehicles will be supported by clusters of hydrogen refuelling stations, twelve of which are already in existence, and a further six to be deployed.

Three of these new stations are currently being built by ITM Power and are set to be deployed in London by spring 2015 and each will include both on-site electrolyser systems and 700 bar refuelling capacity.

Until this time, the Hyundai ix35 will be used as a commuter vehicle, covering the 158 miles from Sheffield to London using the cleanest fuel possible, hydrogen. Because the vehicle has a range of 369 miles, it will mean it will only require one tank of hydrogen to make this round trip.

The vehicle refueller will be located on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. The site is very close to exit 33 of the M1 junction with the M18 and will be an important part of the UK hydrogen infrastructure roll out. Planning permission for the site has been granted and the commissioning process is now underway.

The hydrogen station will form a Hydrogen Mini Grid (HMG) facility consisting of a 225kW wind turbine and an ITM Power electrolyser and 220kg of hydrogen storage, enough to refuel 40 fuel cell vehicles. This approach allows the hydrogen to be produced on site, from just electricity and water, resulting in the Hyundai ix35 vehicle running on the cleanest hydrogen fuel available.

Graham Cooley, CEO, ITM Power PLC, commented: «We are delighted to be one of the first to run a fuel cell vehicle on the roads in the UK. This move helps to highlight that the motor manufactures are serious about rolling these vehicles out, which in turn signals the growing demand for hydrogen refuelling stations»

Tom Finnegan-Smith, Transportation and Highways Design Manager for Rotherham Borough Council commented: «Being one of the first regions within the UK to have a fuel cell vehicle is very exciting. The Council is an enthusiastic supporter of hydrogen as a clean fuel solution for South Yorkshire and we will utilise the opportunity to showcase the vehicle and the refuelling station to neighbouring districts».

Tony Whitehorn, President and CEO, Hyundai Motor UK commented: «Making the first UK customer deliveries of hydrogen-powered cars is a huge landmark for the industry. Hyundai is the first company in the world to start series-production of a fuel cell vehicle and is committed to rolling-out this technology in line with government plans to grow the refuelling infrastructure.»

NISSAN DELIVERS FIRST ALL-ELECTRIC TAXIS TO BARCELONA AND MADRID

Delivery marks significant milestone in the expansion of zero-emission transportation to Europe’s city centres

Madrid and Barcelona (Tuesday 21st October) — The era of the 100% electric taxi has arrived to Spain’s two largest cities, as Nissan delivered its first 100% electric taxis to Madrid and Barcelona. The introduction the Nissan electric vehicles — the Nissan LEAF to Madrid’s taxi fleet, and the e-NV200 taxi for Barcelona — brings the option of quiet, zero-emission travel to these bustling city centres.

The Barcelona deliveries served as an important step in the execution of an agreement between Nissan, the City of Barcelona, and the Barcelona Metropolitan area which brings the Barcelona-built e-NV200 to the streets of the city where the revolutionary electric van is produced.

Jean-Pierre Diernaz, Director of Electric Vehicles for Nissan Europe, welcomed the news, commenting: «Declining air quality levels are a top concern across Europe and it’s great to see Madrid and Barcelona taking such positive steps in improving air quality through the incorporate of Nissan’s all-electric cars into their taxi fleets. These taxi bring a huge benefit not only residents but also for the drivers — thanks to the ultra-low running costs only an electric car can offer. This scheme demonstrates that sustainable transportation is easy and affordable for everyone.»

These initiatives reinforce Nissan’s continued commitment to electric vehicles as the market continues to develop. September was also the month in which 2014 sales of the pioneering family hatchback passed the 2013 total, with three months still to go.

Madrid:

Madrid has now its first 100% electric Nissan LEAF taxi, the best-selling electric vehicle in the world with more than 142,000 units sold globally. The event was held at Puerta del Sol in Madrid, where the «Zero KM» the measuring starting point of all the Spanish roads is located.

Antonio Berzal Prieto, the first 100% electric taxi driver in Madrid to choose electric technology for his business, declared «When I heard that the Nissan LEAF had been approved as a taxi for the city, I quickly looked into all the options it offered me. In addition to the environmental benefits, the costs of ownership are highly competitive and the car’s performance is excellent.»

Barcelona:

The delivery of the first three Nissan e-NV200 Taxis took placed during the Expo-electric Formula-e event, one of the most important meetings on sustainable mobility in Europe. Marco Toro, Nissan Iberia Managing Director and Antoni Vives, Deputy Mayor for Urban Habitat at Barcelona City Council, attended the event

The development and introduction of these first three e-NV200 Taxis units is part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed last year between Nissan, the Barcelona City Council and the Barcelona Metropolitan Area, which set out a number of different and significant measures to promote and to sustain the rollout of sustainable mobility in Catalonia Region. The e-NV200 began production in Barcelona in May, with the Catalan city building the electric commercial vehicle for the global market.

*****

About Nissan in Europe

Nissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseas manufacturer, employing more than 14,500 staff across locally-based design, research development, manufacturing, logistics and sales marketing operations. Last year Nissan plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced more than 695,000 vehicles including mini-MPVs, award-winning crossovers, SUVs and commercial vehicles. Nissan now offers 24 diverse and innovative products for sale in Europe today, and is positioned to become the number one Asian brand in Europe.

About Nissan Motor Co.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan’s second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 267,000 employees globally, Nissan sold more than 4.9 million vehicles and generated revenue of 9.6 trillion yen (USD 116.16 billion) in fiscal year 2012. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of over 60 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history.

The ORNL-led team used scanning transmission electron microscopy to take an atomic-level look at a cubic garnet material called LLZO. The researchers found the material to be highly stable in a range of aqueous environments, making the compound a promising component in new battery configurations.

Researchers frequently seek to improve a battery’s energy density by using a pure lithium anode, which offers the highest known theoretical capacity, and an aqueous electrolyte that can speedily transport lithium. The ORNL scientists believe the LLZO would be an ideal separator material, which is crucial.

«Many novel batteries adopt these two features [lithium anode and aqueous electrolyte], but if you integrate both into a single battery, a problem arises because the water is very reactive when in direct contact with lithium metal,» said ORNL postdoctoral associate Cheng Ma, first author on the team’s study published in Angewandte Chemie. «The reaction is very violent, which is why you need a protective layer around the lithium.»

Battery designers can use a solid electrolyte separator to shield the lithium, but their options are limited. Even the primary separator of choice, known as LAPT or LISICON, tends to break down under normal battery operating conditions.

«Researchers have searched for a suitable solid electrolyte separator material for years,» said ORNL’s Miaofang Chi, the study’s lead author. «The requirements for this type of material are very strict. It must be compatible with the lithium anode because lithium is reactive, and it also has to be stable over a wide pH range, because you can have an alkaline environment — especially with lithium air batteries.»

The researchers used atomic resolution imaging to monitor structural changes in LLZO after the samples’ immersion in a range of aqueous solutions. The team’s observations showed that the compound remained structurally stable over time across neutral and extremely alkaline environments.

«This solid electrolyte separator remains stable even for a pH value higher than 14,» Ma said. «It gives battery designers more options for the selection of aqueous solutions and the catholyte.» Catholyte is the portion of the electrolyte close to the cathode.

In lithium-air batteries, for instance, researchers have previously tried to avoid the degradation of the separator by diluting the aqueous solutions, which only makes the battery heavier and bulkier. With this new type of solid electrolyte separator, there is no need to dilute the aqueous electrolyte, so it indirectly increases the battery’s energy density.

Higher-energy batteries are in demand for electrified transportation and electric grid energy storage applications, leading researchers to explore battery designs beyond the limits of lithium-ion technologies.

The researchers intend to continue their research by evaluating the LLZO garnet’s performance in an operating battery. Coauthors are ORNL’s Chengdu Liang, Karren More, Ezhiylmurugan Rangasamy, and Michigan State University’s Jeffrey Sakamoto. The study is published as «Excellent Stability of a Li-Ion-Conducting Solid Electrolyte upon Reversible Li+/H+ Exchange in Aqueous Solutions.»

This research was conducted in part at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, a DOE Office of Science User Facility. The research was supported by DOE’s Office of Science.

«Energy access is fundamental to development: it brings improvements to all aspects of life, including education, communication, and health,» says IIASA researcher Shonali Pachauri, who conducted the study.

While increased energy access is widely agreed to be an important goal for development efforts, such as the UN Sustainable Energy for All Initiative, the climate impacts of increased access to electricity have been unclear. The new study is the first to examine the impact of electricity access on carbon dioxide emissions using two sources of retrospective data.

«This study shows that the climate impacts of expanding access are in fact very small,» says Pachauri. However, she adds, expanding low-carbon energy technologies in developing countries would bring many co-benefits beyond climate mitigation.

Pachauri used India as a case study because while the country still lacks electricity access for much of its population — around 400 million people — it has vastly increased access in the last 30 years. From 1981 to 2011, household electricity access in the country improved from around 25% to between 67-74% of the population, an increase of approximately 650 million people.

«India is at a similar stage to many other developing countries in terms of energy access» says Pachauri, «So we believe that these findings will be applicable on a broad scale to other developing countries.»

Using two data sources, the study found that improved electricity access in India from 1981 to 2011 accounted for approximately 50 million tons of CO2, or 3-4% of the rise in total national CO2 emissions.

Since electrification also tends to lead to increased wealth and participation in the economy, it can also lead to additional increases in emissions from indirect energy use through consumption. Pachauri found that when she took these factors into account, household electricity use would account for 156 to 363 million tons CO2, or 11 to 25% of emissions growth in the country. However, even with increased electricity use, Indian households still use less electricity than Chinese households, and less than 10% of households in the United States.

Researchers say that even though the emissions growth from expanded energy access is small, low carbon energy sources have additional benefits for developing countries and should be encouraged. Previous IIASA research including the 2012 Global Energy Assessment has shown a broad array of co-benefits from expanding low-carbon, sustainable energy technologies.

Pachauri says, «Low-carbon energy sources bring improved health, efficiency, and can also bring benefits to the economy and employment. And if international climate policies are introduced later, more investment in low-carbon energy sources would mean that developing countries are not locked-in to fossil fuel power and higher costs in the future.»

New Hampshire, USA —

More than two dozen legislators are pulling an all-nighter tonight (Monday March 10) on the Senate floor to talk about climate change and what actions must be taken.

The Senate Climate Action Task Force was formed in January, as a «wake-up call» by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to seek action inside outside Congress, and «change the minds around here» to «the catastrophe that’s unfolding before our eyes,» Boxer said then. «Our goal is to wake up Congress.»

Now they’re getting together for what’s being dubbed a «talkathon» about climate change, starting Monday evening after the final votes of the day until Tuesday morning at 9:00 am EST. (Technically this isn’t a filibuster because there’s no legislation being debated, so hopefully some shenanigans can be avoided.) Precisely what’s on their agenda isn’t clear; the goal appears to be simply putting the conversation in the spotlight, without advancing any specific legislation — or at least break some legislators’ pattern of ignoring climate change. Nevertheless, renewable energy is likely to be a big talking point, especially if conversations move into tax reforms, energy efficiency, strengthening state renewable portfolio standards (or even forging a national RPS), ways to incentivize renewables even more, or even some version of a carbon tax.

«We’re going to show the growing number of Senators who are committed to working together to confront climate change,» pledged Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). Offered Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.): «All you have to do is look at China to see what happens to your country when you throw the environment under the bus.»

For everyone at home who also wants to stay up all night to talk climate, there’s a Twitter hashtag (#Up4Climate) to follow all the activity. There’s also a petition you can sign to help raise climate change awareness.

Here’s the list of (so far) 26 Democrats and two Independents, representing a quarter of the Senate, who will be talking away through the wee hours tonight:

• Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
• Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
• Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
• Patty Murray, D-Wash.
• Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii
• Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.
• Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.
• Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
• Ron Wyden, D-Ore.
• Bill Nelson, D-Fla.
• Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.
• Benjamin L. Cardin, D-Md.
• Bernard Sanders, I-Vt.
• Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.
• Mark Udall, D-Colo.
• Tom Udall, D-N.M.
• Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.
• Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.
• Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.
• Al Franken, D-Minn.
• Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.
• Chris Murphy, D-Conn.
• Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.
• Angus King, I-Maine
• Tim Kaine, D-Va.
• Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
• Edward J. Markey, D-Mass.
• Cory Booker, D-N.J.

Lead image: The dome of the US Capitol building at twilight, via Shutterstock

You may have heard of extreme preppers. These are people who spend a large portion of their time preparing themselves, their homes and their families for what they believe is an inevitable disaster resulting from an economic meltdown, the spread of a deadly virus, climate change or another catastrophic event.  And hey, you never know, in the end these preppers may be the heroes of our time.

But have you heard about extreme not-in-my-backyard-ists? You probably haven’t because this isn’t a real phenomenon. At least not yet.  But we’re here to tell you that there are some pretty good examples out there of folks who seem to be willing to go to any extreme to stop a renewable energy project from coming about. 

With that in mind and in the interest of educating developers about what some people might say about their projects, here are a few examples.  Feel free to list your own NIMBY cases in comment section below.

Solar is So Ugly

Take the example of Jim and Frances Babb who spent years battling their local zoning board in a West St. Louis county in Missouri.

The couple simply wanted to install solar panels on their Victorian home and even though their homeowners association gave them a quick approval to do so, once they filled for a permit the city itself tried to pass an ordinance banning solar on the front or sides of a roof, which would have made their project impossible. The small solar industry in the town protested and the ordinance that eventually passed allowed ground mounts and all roof mounts as long as they were parallel to the plane of the roof as long as the homeowner went through planning and zoning and achieved a majority vote of the board of alderman.  The Babb’s made it through the PZ process and received approval, however the alderman voted 6-0 to deny them without offering them a reason.  So they were forced to file a lawsuit.  

A neighbor who was in opposition to the Babbs request said she thought the panels would look “trashy.”  Other neighbors felt that the ugly panels would lower their own home values. 

Even though the Babb’s ultimately prevailed, it took multiple hearings and a lawsuit and considerable added expense before the panels were finally installed.  You can watch a clip from one of the hearings in the video at this link.

The saga is still not over, either. Even though the courts allowed the Babb’s to install the panels now the city is up in arms about the permits that it was ordered to issue and never did, according to Frances Babb. Even though the system has been running for 17 months, the city wants the Babbs to apply for a new permit and allow their system to be inspected. The Babb’s have countered with their own motion to hold the city in contempt of court and are seeking damages and lawyer’s fees.  

Wind Turbines Ruin Views

On a much larger scale of extreme nimbyism, look no further than Cape Wind, a proposed offshore wind farm near Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The project has been in the works for more than 10 years and has seen lawsuit after lawsuit be brought against it.  The bottom line and the suspected reason for all of this opposition is that residents of the Cape, among whom are the very famous Kennedy’s, worry that the sight of 130 turbines about 5 miles out to sea will destroy their view of the ocean.

In a press release announcing that Cape Wind has again prevailed in its legal battles, the company noted that “Judge Walton rejected a long list of legal claims project opponents had raised, including arguments over navigational safety, alternative locations, alternative technologies, historic preservation, Native American artifacts, sea turtles, and the adequacy of the project’s environmental impact statement and biological opinions.”

It still remains to be seen if the wind farm will be built and its opponents have vowed to file lawsuit after lawsuit in hopes that the developer will eventually give up.

Even Horses Hate Wind Farms

While most of the Nimby claims come from humans, keep in mind that horses, too, have serious problems with wind farms. According to a story in The Irish Times last month, the bloodstock industry, that is the industry that breeds thoroughbred horses, is worried that Ireland is too lenient on where wind turbines can be sited and is requesting that changes be made to the wind energy development guidelines.

According to the article, a group of four horse organizations — the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, the Irish Jockeys’ Association, the Irish Racehorse Trainers’ Association and the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners — had filed a submission stating that thoroughbreds have “a highly-evolved flight response and were particularly sensitive to perceived visual or auditory threats.”

The submission also claimed that the “safety of the horses, and their riders and handlers could be in danger because of a turbine being located directly within their range of vision or hearing.”

These are just a few examples in an ocean of complaints about renewable energy projects.  List your favorite (or most aggravating) in the comments section below.

Lead image: Hand Holding Stop Sign via Shutterstock

We don’t cover climate change news all that much here on RenewableEnergyWorld.com. The reason for that is that we view climate change as just one bullet point in a list of reasons why renewable energy make sense: energy independence, grid stability through decentralized generation and resource depletion are also on that list.

But yesterday we received an announcement that we felt RenewableEnergyWorld.com readers would be very interested to hear. See, in response to shareholder pressure, ExxonMobil, the largest oil and gas company in the U.S., has agreed to release a Carbon Asset Risk report by the end of the month. The Carbon Asset Risk report would purportedly describe how ExxonMobil assesses the risk of stranded assets from climate change. 

It’s a look toward the future because today, with no carbon tax or real meaningful carbon regulations, ExxonMobil can continue the work that is doing exploiting oil reserves in deep, deep waters and through tar sands at great expense because it knows it will be able to sell that oil at a very high price.  However, if stricter carbon regulations were in place, some of ExxonMobil’s activities might not be economical, forcing the company to leave some of that oil and gas in the ground.  Shareholders deserve to understand that risk.

ExxonMobil’s agreement to release the Carbon Asset Risk report is in response to pressure from Arjuna Capital, the sustainable wealth management platform of Baldwin Brothers Inc., and As You Sow, a non-profit promoting environmental corporate responsibility. As You Sow had proposed a shareholder resolution last year that requested information “on the Company’s strategy to address the risk of stranded assets presented by global climate change, including analysis of long and short term financial and operational risks to the company.” 

According to a release by Arjuna and As You Sow:

World governments agree that if catastrophic warming over 2°C is to be avoided, no more than one-third of current proven carbon reserves can be burned. These reserves, currently on the balance sheets of the 200 largest coal, oil, and gas companies are valued at $20 trillion. Yet, a recent Unburnable Carbon report calculates that in 2012 alone, the 200 largest publicly traded fossil fuel companies collectively spent an estimated $674 billion on finding and developing new reserves – reserves that cannot be utilized without breaking the world’s carbon budget.

The shareholder resolution, which was supported by almost 20 percent of voting shares representing over $1 billion in assets, according to As You Sow, will be withdrawn as a result of ExxonMobil’s announcement.

In early 2014, RenewableEnergyWorld.com reported that financial optimism was a key theme for the year and ExxonMobil’s announcement is another clear indication that large corporations are taking notice of climate change and preparing for a low-carbon future.  If ExxonMobil is ready to acknowledge that its oil and gas profits will be much less in the future, perhaps it will start to look more seriously at investing in renewable energy today.

“The largest companies in the world are taking a more active, aggressive role than ever in wanting to profit from clean energy,” said Dallas Kachan in an interview earlier this year. Maybe sometime not too far away, we will all be taking our EVs to the ExxonMobil solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations.

Wouldn’t that be a shift?

Lead image: Storm Clouds Over Oil Rig via Shutterstock

That’s the conclusion reached by researchers at Sandia National Laboratories and others after a multiyear project sponsored by the Department of Energy’s Fuel Cell Technologies Office and the Boeing Co. Project support also came from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Altergy Systems and 11 other project partners.

Over the past five years, Sandia and 14 institutional partners have been developing the fuel cell mobile light tower (H2LT) as a clean, efficient alternative to traditional lights powered by diesel generators.

California-based Multiquip Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of rental construction equipment, power generation, lighting and other industrial products, has built six.

Airport equipment and maintenance personnel at San Francisco International Airport and Saunders Electric crews at various Hollywood-area entertainment and awards shows, including the Academy Awards, have already realized the benefits of the clean and efficient H2LT as part of their regular operations. Other systems have been used by highway construction crews at Caltrans and the Connecticut Department of Transportation. One system was even deployed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to support the final space shuttle launch in 2011.

Market transformation and other successes

The goals of the pilot programs were to perform a variety of lighting tasks, assess the operation and reliability of the technology in a variety of potentially corrosive environments, reduce diesel emissions at deployment locations and help promote hydrogen fuel cell technology in new markets. The project has been deemed a major success in opening up new fuel cell markets that complement broader hydrogen energy markets, including the light-duty vehicle market, said Sandia project lead Lennie Klebanoff. Toyota Motor Corp., General Motors Co., Honda and Hyundai have all announced plans for hydrogen-powered vehicles.

«Since San Francisco International Airport and Saunders Electric are now using H2LTs as part of their regular operations, it is stimulating the demand for hydrogen in those regions and helping to create markets for its production and sale,» he said.

A key educational component emerged during the project as well, said Klebanoff.

«Wherever the H2LT was used or displayed, we engaged with local fire and building safety authorities and first responders, few of whom had prior knowledge of the physical or safety aspects of hydrogen and fuel cell technology,» he said. «After hearing our technology descriptions and seeing the different ways the H2LT was being used, those groups rapidly welcomed the technology as both reliable and safe.»

A paper describing the project, «Fuel cell mobile lighting: A fuel cell market transformation project,» was published in the Aug. 13, 2014 edition of International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.

Emissions-free, but quiet and tough

In addition to zero emissions, perhaps the most attractive feature of the fuel cell mobile light system is how quiet it is.

«The primary driver of the project from the outset was the lowering of greenhouse gas emissions, and, in fact, the H2LT system was not designed to minimize noise,» said Klebanoff. «Still, hydrogen fuel cell technology by its very nature is dramatically quieter than diesel generators, and this noise reduction is something that really excites users,» said Klebanoff.

The lack of noise, he said, is highly valued by highway construction crews, airport maintenance personnel and stage crews on entertainment production sets. Users would rather not deal with the odors and noise of diesel-based equipment.

Another important conclusion that was reached was that the fuel cell power system manufactured by project partner Altergy Systems is compatible with the rugged world of construction. Caltrans used one unit in rain, wind and snow in the Sierra Nevada range. The elements — and towing the lights about 1,100 miles up and down bumpy mountain roads — proved to be no problem for the robust fuel cell mobile lighting technology.

Lighting the way ahead

The price tag for a prototype fuel cell-powered mobile lighting system initially was roughly triple that of a traditional diesel-powered system.

Cost-cutting strategies Multiquip is considering include incorporating highly efficient light-emitting diodes (LED), which will allow a reduction in fuel cell size; reducing the size of the hydrogen storage tanks; and decreasing the required tank pressure rating. The cost of the current LED technology used with the system also is expected to decline.

«We had great customer feedback and interaction from these prototype units and most importantly all deployment has proven the dependability of fuel cells in the rough environment of the construction industry,» said Torsten Erbel, vice president for Product Management, Engineering and Customer Support for Multiquip Inc. «With this knowledge and the deployment of fuel cell powered vehicles, the hydrogen infrastructure will quickly develop to support our commercial plans for the fuel cell mobile light, allowing us to bring the environmental benefits of hydrogen to the construction business.»

«Overall, end users have been pleased with the performance of the hydrogen fuel cell mobile lighting system,» said Klebanoff. «We’re confident that the technology can now be commercialized and widely used in any application needing large-area lighting.»

Sandia has decades of experience in hydrogen and fuel cells systems and leads a number of other hydrogen research efforts, including the Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure Research and Station Technology (H2FIRST) project, a maritime fuel cell demonstration, a development project focused on hydrogen-powered forklifts and a recent study of California gas stations that can safely store and dispense hydrogen.