Both Gas- and Steam to power EV battery range?

Nick Kurczewski is writing about extremely small (gas) turbines, which can extend the travel range of electric cars in his blog on the website of Green Car Advisor. He’s talking about the Dutch company MTT en the Israeli Company EVT Motors, but he forgets to mention Green Turbine BV. Although Green Turbine is mostly suitable for hybrid cars (the turbine can use the waste heat of the motor), it also can be used in electric cars with a gas turbine, because waste heat of a gas turbine can be used to drive Green Turbine.

So, what exactly is the Green Turbine?  Well, it’s a small (slightly larger than a football), lightweight and silent micro steamturbine with an output in the range of 1-15 Kw. It converts steam to electricity and also produces heat in this process. It can be driven by any fuell type (natural gas, propane etc.), waste heat, biomass and fuel cell.

Green Turbine

The turbine has been developed in the past five years by a small company called Green Turbine BV (it has also a Canadian version which is the company Green Turbine INC. info@greenturbine.net

Green Turbine is not developing a prototype, it actually has a working prototype. The only thing left, is the long term testing which is starting at the end of October.

Green Turbine can extend the efficiency of hybrid cars by 20-30%. As previously mentioned, it captures the waste heat of the engine exhaust and converts it into electricity. We calculated this percentage based on the following:

In hybrid or fuel cell cars about 10% of the waste heat can be recovered and converted to electricity. As waste heat is about 75% of the total energy input of a car, this 10% is substantial. It will boost total efficiency of a hybrid automobile between 20 – 40%.

Imagine what Green Turbine could do in an electric car, when it is placed after a gas turbine!

www.greenturbine.eu

http://blogs.edmunds.com:80/greencaradvisor/2009/10/jetsons-anyone-micro-turbines-could-give-maxi-boost-to-ev-battery-range.html

Energy efficiency can also lead to lower tax bills

The making of energy efficient improvements or installing alternative energy equipment is now made more attractive as U.S. home-owners (and businesses) can be eligible for bigger tax credits. By replacing old doors and windows, installing insulation, re-modeling and building with an eye toward energy efficiency, you don’t only save money over the long run but it may also result in savings in tax. The same goes with venturing into renewable energy sources, like solar energy, micro-turbines and purchasing a hybrid automobile. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 extends, expands, and simplifies federal income tax credits for homeowners who make energy efficient home improvements. The law extends consumer tax benefits through 2010; triples the total available tax credit from $500 to $1,500, and increases the tax credit to 30% of the cost of each qualified energy efficiency improvement.

Automobiles

If you were to buy or lease a new hybrid gas-electric or diesel automobile (truck, car or SUV) the tax credit amount could range from $250 to $3,400 depending on the fuel economy and the weight. Some heavy hybrid vehicles, for commercial purposes, are also eligible for tax credits. The tax credit is for vehicles ‘placed in service’ after December 31, 2006 and purchased on or before December 31, 2010. The vehicle tax credit is phased out for each manufacturer once that company has sold 60,000 eligible vehicles. At that point, the tax credit for that company’s vehicles will be gradually reduced over the course of another year. More information, including the list of eligible vehicles, can be found at:
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/corporations/article/0,,id=203122,00.html

Home energy- efficiency improvements
Consumers who purchase and install specific products in existing homes can receive a tax credit for 30% of the cost, up to $1,500, for improvements placed in service starting January 1st, 2009, through to December 31st, 2010. Think of exterior windows, insulation, exterior doors or roofs, central air conditioning, heat pumps, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and bio gas stoves. The improvements must be expected to last at least five years and must be installed in or on the tax payer’s principal residence in the United States. Manufacturers can certify (in packaging or on the company’s web site) which of their products qualify for the tax credit. Retailers, contractors, and manufacturers should be able to help you determine what levels of insulation and what other products qualify.

Geothermal Heat Pumps, Solar Energy, Wind Energy and Fuel Cells
Consumers who install solar energy systems (including solar water heating and solar electric systems), small wind systems, geothermal heat pumps, and residential fuel cell and micro turbine systems can receive a 30% tax credit for systems placed in service before December 31st, 2016.  The cap on geothermal heat pump and solar heaters through 2016 has been removed so that there is no longer a maximum.

For the eligible systems and further information on renewable tax credits, visit:
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits#c6