Ice Energy introduces utility-scale smart grid solutions

Ice Energy has launched utility-scale smart grid solutions for cost-effective distributed energy storage and renewable portfolio resource integration.

The company's solutions for utilities integrate its "effectively lossless distributed energy storage technology, with closed loop, two-way control, and an advanced software infrastructure to permanently reshape the load curve, and fundamentally transform energy system efficiency and reliability".

Frank Ramirez, CEO, Ice Energy said the company is poised to extend its solution to meet the large scale demand of utility companies in need of smart grid solutions to help them meet escalating peak system demand and effectively integrate intermittent renewable resources.

Ice Energy has worked with its investment partner, Energy Capital Partners, to develop a project capital and business model to immediately support large scale system deployments for utilities.

Ice Energy's solutions enable utilities to realise the full potential of distributed load management by addressing peak system cooling loads. This makes it possible for utility companies to use cleaner, less expensive off-peak power to produce and store energy for use during peak demand periods -- permanently lowering peak demand, reducing carbon emissions, and lowering the cost of service. The company says it permanently and transparently shifts cooling energy consumption to off-peak hours, with no negative impact to consumers.

ABB and EDF Energy Networks join hands

Power and automation technology group ABB and EDF Energy Networks are to work on a collaborative research, development and demonstration project in the UK to install an SVC Light with dynamic energy storage in a grid with a high penetration of wind power.

The installation will yield dynamic voltage control in an 11 kV distribution system and at the same time enable dynamic storage of surplus energy from wind farms, which can be utilised to level out peaks in grid loading.

According to EDF Energy Networks, this project will allow more renewable generation connections to existing electricity networks, and it will also demonstrate the value of energy storage. Using this strategy, the power harnessed from the wind can be put to more efficient use than would otherwise be possible.

The SVC Light with dynamic energy storage based on high-tech lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries will be constructed in Hemsby, Norfolk, and connected to the distribution network between Ormesby and Martham in Norfolk, England. It will be in operation by the end of 2009.

The installation will improve the usability of power from wind farms and avoid the destabilising effect it can have on the grid.

The project is being financially supported through industry regulator Ofgem's Innovation Funding Incentive scheme.

SVC Light is part of ABB's FACTS portfolio. The term FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems) covers a number of technologies that enhance the security, capacity and flexibility of power transmission and distribution systems, as well as enhance productivity and power quality in industry. SVC Light is a unique power semiconductor technology based on power transistors (IGBT).

Beacon Power tests its first megawatt of flywheel energy storage

Beacon Power Corporation has built and tested an integrated matrix of ten high-power flywheels that operated together to absorb and supply a full megawatt of electricity.

The system, located in Beacon's Tyngsboro Mass. headquarters, will be the first of up to five megawatts of flywheel-based regulation capability that will be produced this year and commercially deployed to generate revenues from the provision of regulation services.

Until now, Beacon had been building and running individual flywheels in preparation for its first full megawatt implementation. Based on internal testing of an integrated matrix of ten flywheels, the company says its one-megawatt Smart Energy Matrix can ramp up and down to absorb and supply a full megawatt of power.

Bill Capp, president and CEO, Beacon Power said, "We've proven that a matrix of our Smart Energy 25 flywheels, together with associated electronics, software and other components, can store and release a megawatt of electricity."

Beacon will begin system testing in conjunction with ISO New England, during which time the flywheel matrix will respond to actual ISO test signals to absorb and supply power. This plan will allow the company to meet its schedule to interconnect live to the grid and to begin performing frequency regulation services under an ISO New England Alternative Technologies Pilot Program scheduled to start on November 18th.

The ISO New England Alternative Technologies Pilot Program, which was announced last month, will provide revenue for regulation services until permanent market rules have been developed. This process is expected to take approximately 18 months.

DOE to develop solar power storage and heat transfer projects

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced 15 new projects, for up to approximately $67.6 million, to facilitate the development of lower-cost energy storage for concentrating solar power technology.

These projects support President Bush's Solar America Initiative, which aims to make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional forms of electricity by 2015.

Selected projects are expected to promote DOE's goal of reducing the cost of CSP electricity from 13-16 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) today with no storage to 8-11 cents/kWh with six hours of storage by 2015, and to less than seven cents/kWh with 12-17 hours of storage by 2020.

The department shared selections for negotiations of award under the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), Advanced Heat Transfer Fluids and Novel Thermal Storage Concepts for Concentrating Solar Power Generation.

DOE Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy John Mizroch said, "These projects will not only spur innovation in concentrating solar power technology, but they will help meet the President's goal of making clean and renewable solar power commercially viable by 2015."

Proposals were selected from the following categories: Advanced heat transfer fluids research and development (R&D); Thermal energy storage R&D; and, Thermal energy storage near-term demonstration.

For more information, click here: http://www.energy.gov/news/6562.htm

Assessing the potential of nanoscopic meadows in driving electric cars

A report has highlighted that nanoscale meadows of grass and flowers could hold the key to increasing the amount of energy that can be stored in ultracapacitors, devices tipped to replace batteries in high-demand applications like electric cars.

The approach adopoted by Hao Zhang at the Research Institute of Chemical Defence in Beijing, China, and colleagues at Peking University is as follows: It is being said that this purpose can be served by creating nanoscale meadows of fuzzy flowers of manganese oxide (MnO), a material with a much greater capacity for ions than activated carbon.

The usually resistant MnO can be charged up to attract the ions it can store so well, and consequently the nano-meadow performs 10 times better than MnO alone. The nanomeadow's complex structure is resistant to the mechanical degradation that reduces the performance of ultracapacitors over time. The energy capacity of the new device drops by just three percent after 20,000 charge and discharge cycles, better than other high-capacity designs.

According to NewScientist.com, Mike Barnes at the University of Manchester, UK, says this is an interesting approach to improving ultracapacitor performance. But he points out that that a design ready for market needs to be even more resistant to physical degradation. In vehicles, ultracapacitors are charged during braking, which might happen about 60 times per hour in urban situations.

Flywheel systems bound to gain ground in the UPS space: analysis

Environmental factors and low-cost have propelled the European flywheel UPS market, according to an analysis from Frost & Sullivan.

The firm, in its analysis, European Flywheel UPS Markets, has shared that the market earned revenues of over €25.4 million in 2007 and estimates that it will reach €58 million in 2014. It highlighted that "green" initiatives have encouraged the gravitation towards environmentally friendly technologies such as flywheel UPS systems. The European Commission energy efficiency action plan has also helped drive the uptake of flywheel UPS systems.

"Although the technology has been in existence for a long time, it has seen widespread acceptance and increased uptake only over the past three or four years," said Frost & Sullivan's programme manager Malavika Tohani. "Flywheel UPS systems use kinetic energy, eliminating harmful emissions and disposal issues and reducing the impact on the environment."

"The total cost of ownership for a flywheel UPS is less than that of the battery-based UPS, primarily because of the lower operational costs," she said. "Moreover, this technology is energy efficient and space saving since it does not require huge storage space for batteries or cooling systems that are a part of conventional UPS systems."

It stated that ongoing efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and prevent climate change have triggered interest in alternative energy storage technologies. As awareness spreads and manufacturers ramp up R&D efforts, flywheel systems are bound to gain ground in the UPS space.

Plug Power to integrate Maxwell’s ultracapacitors into its fuel cell systems

Plug Power Inc. has selected Maxwell’s Boostcap ultracapacitors to enhance performance and energy management in its line of GenDrive power units.

The company, an integrator of fuel cell-based power solutions for zero-emission material handling vehicles, has finalised a purchase order for Maxwell’s Boostcap MC2600 2,600-farad ultracapacitor cells.

According to Maxwell, the combination of technologies is another example of the synergy between hydrogen fuel cells’ extended energy output and ultracapacitors’ short duration burst power capabilities.

Andy Marsh, president and chief executive officer, Plug Power Inc. said that GenDrive power units provide a high-efficiency, low-maintenance “drop-in” replacement for lead-acid battery packs in electric lift trucks. The GenDrive system delivers enhanced productivity by eliminating the downtime associated with the changing and charging of lead-acid batteries.

On decision to integrate Maxwell’s ultracapacitors into its fuel cell systems, Marsh said ultracapacitors’ burst power capabilities for lifting, as well as regenerative braking for energy recuperation and longer operating life make them an ideal complement to hydrogen fuel cells in this application.

PowerGenix signs deal with PowerEagle

PowerGenix has entered into a supply agreement with PowerEagle, a manufacturer of electric bicycles in China.

Under the agreement, PowerGenix will supply its nickel-zinc (NiZn) cells for pack fabrication into the entire product line offered by Veloteq, PowerEagle’s North American sales and distribution partner, beginning in 2009.

Veloteq acknowledged that PowerGenix’s NiZn batteries will enable the company “to achieve optimum performance while reducing power system size and weight.”

For its part, Veloteq investigated both nickel metal-hydride and lithium-ion technologies, but found that under deep discharge conditions only PowerGenix’s NiZn provided the high storage capacity that its power systems require while meeting Veloteq’s safety and reliability mandates.

As per the information available, PowerGenix’s power systems will be featured in both Veloteq’s “power-on-demand” models, powered exclusively by the electric motor, as well as “power-assist” models that require manual pedaling assisted by the electric motor.

PowerGenix batteries will also be incorporated in future product developments including an electric motorcycle that complies with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) standards.

PowerGenix’s batteries will allow Veloteq to increase the power output and range of their bikes while still achieving battery pack weight savings of 60 percent.

By providing more power and runtime in a smaller and lighter form factor, PowerGenix’s NiZn batteries allow ebike users to travel 40 miles on a single charge costing as little as three cents, five to six times less expensive compared with lead-acid batteries. In addition, charge time is cut down 75 percent to about 1 to 2 hours, providing enhanced mobility and longer travel ranges for ebike commuters, stated the company.

Europe’s largest PV energy storage development project initiated

A new Franco-German project, focusing on the development of a new concept in energy conversion and storage for grid connected photovoltaic (PV) systems, has been launched.

The project, titled SOLION, has been initiated by Saft, Conergy and Tenesol.

SOLION has been recognised by the Eureka/Eurogia and Tenerrdis programmes, and is supported by the French Ministry of Economy Finance and Employment (DGE) and the German Ministry of Environment (BMU). A German utility (E-ON), three German research institutes (ISEA, ISET & ZSW) and one French research institute (INES -CEA) are associated with this project.

The project will introduce large lithium-ion batteries into PV systems on the largest scale ever tested in Europe.

The objective is to develop an integrated energy kit able to be produced on an industrial scale for decentralised on-grid, residential PV systems.

The 75 systems will be deployed in Germany and France. These trials will validate the performance of the system, its economic viability, the added value of energy storage in an on-grid PV system and the benefits for stakeholders.

Storage will enable solar energy to be "time shifted" to periods of peak demand or when there is no sun in order to allow self consumption or grid support. As of now, grid-connected PV systems, without energy storage, are directly fed in.

Altair gears up for 1MW battery-based energy storage demonstrator

Altair Nanotechnologies has completed the 500th full depth cycle of a lithium titanate battery developed for the US Navy.

The company termed the development as a significant milestone, as it stated that by getting associated with a large-scale operation like a Navy destroyer, Altair’s battery technology is proving its worth. Plus, this collaboration also paves the way for a “safe, less costly, and environmentally sustainable substitute for turbines that use increasingly costly imported oil.”

The “Mark 0, Characterization Module” allows the Navy to test and better understand the unique properties of Altair batteries. For example, capacity tests show that the battery has lost only about one percent of total capacity. It is anticipated that early next year, Altair will deliver a 1MW battery-based energy storage demonstrator.

Referring to the launch of a new battery backup system, Terry M. Copeland, chief executive officer, Altair said: “Given the number of ships to which Altair’s technology could be applied, this electrical storage and rapid power delivery system could reduce the Navy’s consumption of fuel by tens of millions of gallons each year. Once proven, our technology could be used by, not only the US Navy, but commercial and foreign buyers.”

With an Altair battery installed as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), a vessel could avoid the cost of keeping the backup generator online. If there is a problem with the primary generator, the battery would provide enough power to get a second unit up and online.

Altair’s $2.5 million contract is funded as part of a $3.5 million United States Navy programme that includes independent product testing by the Navy. Additional funding of $5 million has been approved by Congress for FY 2008.

Scottish hydro power untapped: study

A study has highlighted that there is enough untapped hydro potential to power nearly 600,000 homes in Scotland.

It shows there are still 657MW of financially viable hydro electricity schemes to exploit. That is about half the amount of hydro capacity already installed in Scotland. The study says there are 1019 financially viable schemes and a total of 128 new dams would be required.

The study, carried out on behalf of the Scottish Government to assist the Hydro Sub Group of the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FHSG), recommends that immediate attention should be paid to speeding up the application process for hydro-electric schemes. At present, applications for projects bigger than one megawatt are dealt with by ministers and smaller ones by local authorities.

“While we are unlikely to see much in the way of further large-scale developments, it is clear there is huge untapped potential – and a sustainable and profitable future in smaller and micro hydro schemes. Each scheme would have to be assessed on its own merits, but if we can turn the tap on to new hydro power we can tackle climate change and continue to stimulate economic growth,” said Energy Minister Jim Mather.

Sites with capacities of more than 1MW totalled 176, and the total capacity possible being almost 313MW. Six of the sites were in the 5MW-10MW range (total capacity 36.2MW) and 170 in the 1MW-5MW band (total capacity 276.6MW). The study identified 300 financially viable sites with capacities in the 500kW-1MW range (total capacity 193.2MW), and 543 sites with capacities below 500kW (total capacity 151MW).

Scotland has 1380MW of installed hydro capacity, excluding pumped storage, a further 104MW under construction, just over 5MW with consent to build and 16.1MW in planning. A further 27.2MW is in the scoping stage.

US healthcare organisation to eliminate lead-acid batteries

Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota have decided to replace the lead acid batteries used for back-up power in the hospitals’ data center.

The traditional battery backup system is being replaced by an environmentally-safe flywheel system will be used.

The children’s healthcare organisation, which is the seventh largest in the US, has decided to go ahead with VYCON’s VDC flywheel backup system. The VYCON flywheel UPS system has been in operation since April of this year.

Serving as Minnesota’s children’s hospital since 1924, the health care organisation has 332 staffed beds at its two hospital campuses in St. Paul and Minneapolis.

On being part of Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota green initiatives, VYCON’s chief marketing officer, Frank DeLattre said the flywheel UPS is superior to batteries in that it is a highly reliable protection system in the event of a power failure, and it does not contain any toxic elements.

The VDC units can replace traditional UPS batteries or work in tandem with batteries to provide instantaneous on demand power.

New England Power Pool to create pilot programme for energy storage

New England Power Pool (NEPOOL), the group of electric utilities, generators, and service providers within the ISO New England region, has unanimously chosen a pilot programme for alternative technologies, including energy storage, to provide regulation service.

According to Beacon Power Corporation, the programme’s schedule would allow service providers to be paid as early as mid-November. Beacon Power is currently building flywheel-based energy storage systems in Tyngsboro and intends to participate.

The “Alternative Technologies Regulation Pilot Program” allows for up to 13 megawatts of alternative technologies to be connected to the grid by various suppliers to provide regulation services.

Beacon Power, which is the only company that has yet publicly announced its participation, plans to connect up to five megawatts of energy storage adjacent to the company’s headquarters, beginning later this year.

Referring to the pilot programme, Bill Capp, Beacon Power president and CEO said, “Not only does Beacon intend to participate under the programme’s guidelines, we will also be able to earn revenue from the regulation services we provide.”

In early August, ISO New England and NEPOOL jointly submitted market rules to establish the programme to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for approval. FERC’s decision is expected within 60 days.

PSEG to tap market potential of CAES

PSEG Global has joined hands with energy storage specialist Dr. Michael Nakhamkin for a new joint venture.

The JV, called Energy Storage and Power LLC (ES&P), will exclusively market, licence, support the development and supervise project execution of the second generation of Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) technology.

Roy Daniel has been appointed as the chief executive officer to lead the venture.

Nakhamkin, who led the design and technical implementation of North America’s only CAES plant in McIntosh, Alabama, will be the chief technology officer.

Nakhamkin felt that the timing is right technically, environmentally and economically for a large-scale deployment of ES&P’s CAES technology.

“PSEG has the expertise and financial resources to bring this technology out of the development stage and into the deployment stage,” he said.

According to PSEG, the second-generation CAES technology offers following features:

· Greater scalability and a lower capital cost per megawatt-hour of power storage relative to other power storage technologies;
· A rapid power response rate, which is critical to enhancing grid stability and compensating for the intermittency of renewable energy resources such as wind and solar;
· The ability to arbitrage the difference between off-peak and on-peak power prices, a difference that has been increasing over time; and
· The use of proven, multi-source, standard components applied in a novel configuration resulting in lower capital cost with established processes and procedures.

According to redorbit.com, PSEG has committed $20 million over three years to the venture, and the amount could go higher.

CapComp to distribute EDLC product in Europe

CapComp GmbH has introduced a new Electric Double Layer Capacitor (EDLC) type ESHSR-0360C0-002R7A in Europe.

The product is manufactured by NESSCAP Ltd. Korea. CapComp has gained the distribution rights for the same from the Korean company for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The German company added that it also open to enquiries from East and Western Europe.

According to the company, the product has a nominal capacitance of 360F /2.7V and is available in radial housing. Internal resistance (ESR) is specified with 3.2 milli-Ohm. 4 Snap-In contacts avoid incorrect polarity and improve mechanical stability on a PCB. The product is working in an operational temperature range of – 40°C ~ +65°C and manufactured according to RoHS standards.

CamComp highlighted that ultra capacitors in combination with batteries are opening new application areas for optimised mobile energy concepts.

The main applications are as follows: Un-interruptible power supply (UPS); security feature in Wind Turbines; board-net stabilisation in automotive application; energy recuperation; maintenance-free battery-replacement solution.

For specifications, click here:

http://www.capcomp.de/fileadmin/document_download/NESSCAP_Specifications/2_Snap-in_Type/EDLC_360F_-_2_7V_A.pdf

Johnson Controls-Saft bags $8.2 milion contract

The United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) has awarded Johnson Controls-Saft a contract as part of its broad battery technology research and development programme.

The contract is valued at $8.2 million.

The contract will focus on the development of lithium-ion battery systems for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and over the course of two years will seek to validate the commercial feasibility of lithium-ion technology for mass market PHEVs.

USABC, whose members are Chrysler LLC, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation, awarded Johnson Controls-Saft a similar contract in 2006 focused on lithium-ion battery systems for hybrid electric vehicles. It is one of several technology development consortia of USCAR, the United States Council for Automotive Research LLC.

According to USCAR, lithium-ion technology has the potential to dramatically change the personal transportation landscape for consumers. It can support multiple powertrain technologies, from PHEVs to fuel cell vehicles.

For its part, Johnson Controls-Saft is currently working on development of the complete PHEV system.

The system includes high energy capacity cells, battery management electronics, control software and an efficient thermal management system, all optimally packaged for safety and efficient integration into the vehicle.

Mary Ann Wright, who leads the Johnson Controls-Saft joint venture and is vice president and general manager for Johnson Controls hybrid battery business, said that specifically, key goals for this PHEV contract are to optimise cell and battery system design for 10-mile and 40-mile electric range vehicles.

Delphi sells its remaining 19.5 percent stake in EnerDel to Ener1

Ener1 has strengthened its position in the lithium-ion battery segment by acquiring exclusive ownership of EnerDel, including essential manufacturing and intellectual property assets from former JV partner Delphi Automotive Systems LLC.

Ener1 took the remaining 19.5 percent interest in EnerDel that it didn’t already own from venture partner Delphi, which has been in bankruptcy protection since 2005. Ener1 paid $8 million in cash and 2.9 million shares of Ener1 restricted common stock for the EnerDel stake.

Earlier this month, EnerDel indicated about its plans to expand its Indianapolis plant by the end of the year to start commercial production of 600-pound lithium-ion battery packs that will power a Norwegian-made all-electric car.

“We’re planning to expand rapidly. We’re scaling up to some big numbers,” said Charles Gassenheimer, chairman and chief executive of Ener1, had said, according to indystar.com.

EnerDel, which has a manufacturing facility near Indianapolis, has a contract to provide batteries to Norway’s Think Global over the next two years. In June, the companies announced the successful demonstration of an operational battery pack in a Think City electric vehicle.

EnerDel plans a 49,000-square-foot expansion and remodeling of its plant at 8740 Hague Road, where batteries are produced, according to a state-filed building permit. Currently, EnerDel does battery research at the plant and produces limited numbers of lithium-ion batteries for testing and development in electric cars and gas-electric hybrid vehicles.

LTC’s lithium-ion batteries target motor sports industry

Lithium Technology Corporation and Hybrid Racing AG have entered into an agreement to market specialised lithium-ion batteries to power advanced vehicles for the motor sports industry.

The applications will include batteries for cars, boats and planes to be used in consumer and professional racing vehicles.

On the development, Dr. Klaus Brandt, president and chief technical officer, LTC reiterated company’s belief that racing plays a significant role in pioneering the use of new technologies, such as lithium ion batteries. The company manufactures a range of cells with two different types of lithium ion chemistries, iron-phosphate and nickel-cobalt.

After the successful integration of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) Apollo/HHF Hybrid Concept car (HHCC) made by Gumpert and operated by Heinz-Harald Frentzen, President of Hybrid Racing AG and ex-Formula One (F1) racer and 1997 vice world champion, the parties concluded that there is an immediate need for LTC’s unique and innovative products in the advanced motor sports world.

The first race car utilising LTC's advanced lithium ion battery, the HHCC, uses a 3.3 liter V8 bi-turbo petrol mill with a 100kW electric motor. The 9kWh GAIA® battery is made of 90 high power 27Ah connected in series and weighs about 150 kilograms.

The battery includes an advanced battery management system (BMS) that transmits performance data via satellite for monitoring and enhanced performance control to the technical team. The battery is charged prior to races and recoups energy from braking during the race, as in PHEV mode. The electric range of the vehicle is approximately 50 kilometers.

MMC partners SCE and PG&E for its electric vehicle

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) is gearing for testing and evaluation of the new i MiEV (Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle) electric vehicle.

MMC has signed a letter of intent with Southern California Edison (SCE) to forge a unique collaboration for the vehicle. As a result, the small, four-passenger Mitsubishi i MiEVs will enter SCE’s prototype testing and evaluation programme.

Tohru Hashimoto, corporate general manager of the i MiEV Business Promotion Office of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation said the collaboration will provide a technical feedback on i MiEV vehicle and battery performance, as well as vehicle connection and integration into the electrical system.

MMC is to also partner with Pacific Gas and Electric Co to test its zero-emission electric car for use in the US. The company shared that the joint partnership with PG&E will yield valuable data and a greater appreciation of the practicality of an all-electric vehicle in California.

The i MiEV electric vehicle, which is based on Mitsubishi’s “i” gasoline-powered mini car on sale in Japan, adapts a zero-emissions state-of-the-art electric drivetrain.

For its part, SCE hopes to help Mitsubishi Motors gauge how electric vehicles will most effectively connect to the smart grid of the future and the next generation Edison SmartConnect advanced meters. In addition, the collaboration may explore future requirements for vehicle communication and connection, helping enable new customer values associated with home energy management and control. The collaboration also complements SCE’s existing work on plug-in hybrids and next-generation advanced batteries and their effective connection and control by Edison’s next-generation meters.

According to MMC, the company has been involved in testing of i MiEV has been occurring over the past two years with seven major utility companies in Japan. These programmes have quickened the pace and prompted Mitsubishi Motors to begin selling the electric vehicle in the Japan market. According to latimes.com, Mitsubishi will begin selling the i-MiEV in Japan starting in August 2009 for between $45,000 and $50,000, not including government incentives of more than $15,000. A non-electric version of the car retails in Japan for about $20,000.

As per the information available, the four-passenger vehicle is smaller than a Toyota Scion xD or Honda Fit, but larger than Mercedes’ Smart car. In the i MiEV vehicle, a durable 330-volt lithium-ion battery system is located under the floor deck and powers a permanent magnet electric motor. The battery, which can be charged in five to seven hours using 220-volt current, gives the i-MiEV a 75-mile range and a top speed of 81 mph.

ZENN Motor’s plans buoyed by certification of EEStor’s technology

ZENN Motor Company’s goal of developing zero emission vehicles including highway capable electric vehicles has received a major fillip with its strategic partner EEStor gaining the third party verified permittivity milestone.

ZENN, which is also an equity investor in EEStor (3.8 percent) with the option of increasing its position upon EEStor’s announcing third-party permittivity test results, is already gearing up for the commercialisation of EEStor's energy storage technology.

The company is targeting the launch of the cityZENN, powered by EEStor, in the fall of 2009.

The cityZENN is planned to be a fully certified, highway capable vehicle with a top speed of 125 kph/ 80 MPH and a range or 400 kilometres/250 miles. Powered by EEStor, the cityZENN will be rechargeable in less than five minutes, feature operating costs 1/10th of a typical internal combustion engine vehicle and be 100 percent emission-free.

ZENN also plans to expand its low-speed product line-up for the 2009 model year with a four-passenger and a utility low-speed vehicle.

The company has exclusive rights to EEStor’s technology in the following markets: All new vehicles up to 1400 kg (curb weight), net of battery weight; All retrofit conversions of existing internal combustion vehicles to electric; All golf carts and small to mid-sized utility vehicles