Bio-fuels, electric cars don't suit India: Ramesh

Minister of state for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh came down against the use of bio-fuels in automobiles, saying food security concerns were the priority.

On the sidelines of an automobiles event in New Delhi, Ramesh said, ''We should take a cautious approach towards it (bio-fuel) as its production would require land and crops. It will be difficult as there are other needs like food security in the country.''

According to the minister, there are differences between India and other countries that produce bio-fuels, as the country is faced with enormous population and shortage of land. This precludes the mass production of bio-fuels, which are procured from crops, plants and trees, although such fuels are environment friendly and cleaner than fossil fuels.

''We are a country of a billion people adding ten million every year, and we have serious food security issues. Diverting land or crops for bio-fuels cannot be a sustainable option,'' the minister said.

His comments seem to contradict the union government's stand. The government has given a directive of blending of bio-fuel with diesel. In 2007, the government had mandated addition of 5 per cent of bio-fuel (ethanol) in diesel. An indicative target of 20 per cent blending of bio-fuels, both for bio-diesel and bio-ethanol, by 2017 has been proposed.

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Manhattan Parking Lots to Get EV Chargers

The expansion of the charging points for electric vehicles will soon reach several parking lots in Manhattan thanks to the Car Charging Group, an EV charging solutions provider which will begin installing such systems in parking lots.

The parking lots in question belong to Icon Parking Systems. Some 200 locations will benefit from the services provided by the Car Charging Group following the deal signed with Icon. The company that will install the chargers will also own, maintain and upgrade them, sharing the profits in an undisclosed manner with Icon.

The chargers to be installed at the locations are Level 2 (220-240 volts) stations sourced from Coulomb, but the possibility of Level 3 chargers making it into parking lots is also open to discussion.

There is no precise word yet on how much charging your EV in a Manhattan parking lot will cost, but Andrew Kinard, president of the Car Charging Group says that in some states, where the billing by the kilowatt-hour isn't allowed, it would cost $3 for one hour of charging.

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ODOT seeks money for electric vehicles, NASA runway strip

Plug-in electric cars in Oberlin and a new runway for NASA Plum Brook Station in Erie County are on Ohio’s wish list for new transportation projects.

Local and state officials hope to score federal money that would pay for the projects, which are among a dozen requests compiled this week by the Ohio Department of Transportation. The state transportation agency is seeking a share of $600 million available through the U.S. Department of Transportation program known as TIGER II, the second round grants from the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program.

ODOT is seeking $11.29 million for the Plug-in Electric Vehicle program to deploy 136 plug-in electric cars and trucks and 864 charging stations around Ohio, including in Oberlin.

The program would make electric car trips available, while studying the effects of plug-in electric cars and trucks on the road. The program also would reduce emissions and fuel consumption while creating up to 191 jobs, including 156 jobs in vehicle manufacturing.

One partner in the project is CityWheels, a Cleveland-based car-sharing agency that lets members drive cars when needed. The agency also has cars available in Oberlin.

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Land-speed record set for battery-electric vehicles

A team of Ohio State University engineering students has set a world land-speed record for a battery-electric vehicle this week.

Professional driver Roger Schroer guided the university team’s Venturi Buckeye Bullet 2.5 car to an average speed of 307.7mph on 24 August 2010.

The lithium-ion battery-powered car eclipsed the previous 245mph world land-speed record for battery-electric vehicles, which was set in 1999 by White Lightning, driven by Pat Rummerfield.

The team anticipated making further tries at besting its time this week but decided to stop after trying to replace the vehicle’s broken clutch - too much torque from the motor ripped apart the half-inch steel teeth that connect the motor to the gearbox.

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Six Clean Energy Markets That Will Change Life as We Know It in the Next Five Years

Renewable energy is receiving a big push from the Obama Administration and from governments around the globe. Stimulus packages and government incentives for green technology have created jobs and established new industry, which in turn has sparked a brighter outlook on the world's economy. Going into 2011 and beyond, SBIEnergyhas identified six clean energies that will not only gain double-digit growth in the next five years, but will also alter the lifestyle we know today.

Electric Vehicles -- For years the marketing and advertising from government and car companies alike have boldly stated that electric cars will take over the car industry "real soon now." Now, electric vehicles, in the form of hybrids that combine both gas and electric motors, are finally beginning to do just that. The world populace is accepting hybrid electric vehicles, giving them equal weight as an option in their car purchases. Just how quickly this market will grow depends on several factors including gas prices, government incentives and vehicle price. According to market research from SBI Energy worldwide hybrid electric vehicle sales will double from just under 700,000 units sold in 2009 to 1.5 million passenger hybrid vehicles sold in 2014. Exponential HEV market growth will occur in smaller existing markets such as Europe, Australia and South Korea, and in new markets such as India and China where product sold will increase from 95,000 vehicles in 2010 to 440,000 vehicles in 2014, a phenomenal 47% compound annual growth rate.

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US-based Neah Power may acquire EKO Vehicles

US-based Neah Power Systems has announced that it has signed a letter of intent with Bangalore-based Eko Vehicles, a manufacturer of electric two wheelers to explore acquisition or merger plans. Neah Power Systems is into development of fuel cells for the military and portable electronic devices. No transaction details were disclosed.

According to a statement from Neah Power Systems, this combined venture is expected to provide additional opportunities for the expansion of product lines and global growth. Both companies are undertaking due diligence efforts to determine the viability and the structure of the combination.

Eko Vehicles, is a 3-decade-old company based in Bangalore with experience in non-polluting powered vehicle design, testing and manufacturing, industrial consulting and business management. The company is developing “Rapid Battery Charging Stations” at several locations in Bangalore and Mysore to enable customers to charge Eko electric vehicles in under 15 minutes. EKO is planning to introduce electric three-seater, three-wheeler and four-seater, omni-type four-wheelers with the same capabilities.

The company is understood to have mandated PriceWaterhouseCoopers to raise around Rs 25 crore as part of its expansion plans. According to investment bankers, Mahindra & Mahindra were also understood to have shown interest in having an alliance with Eko Vehicles.

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