After Gutenberg

Since batteries cannot absorb nearly all the power that is available from regenerative braking because the chemical reaction in a battery is much too slow for this and more than 50% of this energy is wasted, developers are experimenting with combinations of energy storage to extend the range of electric vehicles.

This blog previously wrote about energy storage that integrated batteries and super capacitors. The capacitors are a better way to store as electricity kinetic energy quickly recovered with regenerative braking / suspension systems. Their quick discharge ability then make super / ultra capacitors suitable for release of high current to boost acceleration.

This blog also lamented its ignorance of power electronics in yet failing to understand how exactly the bank of ultra capacitors and the lithium battery pack would interact. Well, not to worry, Dr. Anderman to the rescue.

According to Electrifying Times, Dr. A. is president of Advanced Automotive Batteries, which is a consulting firm that carries out technology and market assessments and organizes an annual industry conference. Dr. A. conducted over 35 site interviews with key players in the industry, including all major automakers, automotive system suppliers, and battery producers on three continents to produce Advanced Automotive Battery and Ultracapacitor Industry Report, which will be published in April 2007. And, Advanced Automotive Batteries is willing to sell me the report. Lucky me!

The teaser for the report acknowledges that combining an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) with electric drive is “now finding commercial acceptance as an effective means of raising fuel efficiency without sacrificing vehicle performance, thus combating global warming, pollution, and dependence on the supply of fossil fuels.” But, make no mistake, Dr. Anderman is selling the party line: plug-in hybrids “are unlikely to gain notable market share, in spite of wide publicity about them in the press-due to the lack of a suitable and affordable battery for this architecture.”

And, besides the Big Oil – Big SUV complex, it would seem that Otto motive suppliers are backing such a market assessment, to include key players such as European giants Robert Bosch and Continental, U.S.-based Delphi and Cobasys, and Japanese giants Hitachi and Denso, which ET reports “are working to integrating battery modules into a total energy-storage system, an area where the average battery manufacturer lacks experience.” The cooperation of major suppliers in the transportation industry thus allows Big Oil – Big SUV abridgment of grid-able hybrid development to concentrate on the above average, electricity storage developers. An example would be the recent joint venture between Cobasys and A123systems.

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman appointed a pusher to develop programs to cure our oil dependency. It would be difficult to find any greater effrontery by the Oily Administration to the concern expressed by growing numbers of the Public over global heating that the appointment of Lee Raymond, former CEO of Exxon-Mobil to chair a panel on future energy policy.

Toward such ends, Big Oil must combat the movement toward cleaner energy since there, grid-able hybrid development holds the high ground. Understand that sophisticated power electronics development, to which the 2007 Advanced Automotive Battery and Ultracapacitor Industry Report alludes, also affords greater integration between clean, renewable energy sources and grid-able vehicles since they have in common a grid connection, power electronics and energy storage. In other words, the picture of the plug-in hybrid in the foreground with a horizontal axis wind turbine in the background with a backdrop of clear blue sky.

Part of the approach to combat the movement toward cleaner energy is to muzzle climate scientists and pay well for counter arguments. Part of the approach is legalistic, unleashing the corporate lawyers against any state or local regulation that might acknowledge and restrict automotive pollution and demand greater efficiency. Part of the approach is managing research and development, so that patents and business agreements prevent widespread adoption of alternative propulsion. And, a big part of re-investment of their obscene profits is a political approach, i.e., transportation policy dictates energy policy that dictates foreign policy that dictates a third carrier task force deployed to the Middle East to defend “democracy”. Lastly, a part is public relations, FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) about innovation and “spin” about innovation that the Big Oil – Big SUV complex is touting as a viable alternative, viable herein defined as continuing to be profitable for Big Oil, and does not necessary mean the viability of the billions of non-investors populating the Globe.

EEStor hopes to produce a 52 kW pack of ultra capacitors for $2,000. If true, this would be industry changing. One commentator was quick to imagine such energy storage in a Tesla Roadster.

There is little opposing such a massive and entrenched Gorgon. Yes, there are some signs of innovation, but as yet no breakthrough in energy storage development. The dark horses in the contest are other, non-electric forms of energy storage. And, then there is our secret weapon, code name “Wenatchee“.