Clean Fleet Articles

United States Now Produces More Renewable Energy than Nuclear Energy

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According to the most recent issue of the “Monthly Energy Review” by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), with data through June 30, 2011, renewable energy has passed another milestone as domestic production is now significantly greater than that of nuclear power and continues to close in on oil. During the first half of 2011, renewable energy sources (biomass & biofuels, geothermal, solar, water, wind) provided 4.687 quadrillion Btus of energy or 12.25% of U.S. energy production. By comparison, renewables accounted for 11.05% of domestic production during the first half of 2010 and 10.50% during the first half of 2009.

Chevron Launches Largest Solar Enhanced-Oil-Recovery Project with BrightSource

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Chevron Technology Ventures launched an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) demonstration project to test using solar energy to produce oil. The 29MW project uses BrightSource technology including 7,644 mirrors to focus the sun’s energy onto a solar boiler. The steam produced is injected into oil reservoirs to increase oil production. The project is the largest of its kind in the world.

Solar Power Charging Electric Cars

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The movie Sideways added to the fame of the central coast of California with rolling hills covered with live oak, dramatic cliffs descending to the Pacific Ocean, and grapes harvested for premium wines. For electric car drivers, the central coast has another reason for fame. Rabobank, a financial leader in 48 countries and headquartered in the Netherlands, has installed a network of electric car chargers that use the solar power installed on bank branch roofs. The charging network is a perfect match for early adopters of electric cars who prefer to charge with renewable energy.

Electric Car Chargers for Central Parking System with 2,200 Locations

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Central Parking System and its subsidiary USA Parking have announced the rollout of electric car charging. Central Parking, with 2,200 locations and over one million parking spaces, clients include some of the nation’s largest owners and operators of mixed-use projects, office buildings, hotels, stadiums and arenas as well as airports, hospitals and municipalities. Car Charging Group will install, own and operate the charge points. The chargers are made by Coulomb Technologies. Central Parking charge points will be part of the ChargePoint® Network.

Electric Cars with Lowest U.S. Prices

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Here are 10 pure electric and plug-in hybrid cars expected to be sold with starting prices between $29,125 and $39,995 in the U.S. in 2012 and 2013. The list includes small city cars, 5-seat hatchbacks full of electronic wonders, and a crossover SUV. At the top of the low cost list, at least for now, is the Mitsubishi I electric car can now be reserved for $29,125. The following is our list of electric cars….

2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Test Drive and Review

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Sitting behind the wheel of this new Toyota Prius Plug-in (PHV), I wonder how the driving experience will compare with the Chevrolet Volt, my Nissan LEAF, and other members of the Prius family. Next month, Toyota starts the online order process for the Prius PHV with a starting price of $32,000 for dealer deliveries in early 2012. Online, buyers can configure their Prius PHV, start the order, and then select a Toyota dealer to continue the process.

Lexus RX 450h – Excellent Hybrid SUV with Optional AWD

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Now you can have an excellent SUV without sacrificing premium features, comfort and good fuel economy. The Lexus RX450h is a stylish 5-seat, 5-door, SUV that delivers 28 miles per gallon (mpg) city, 32 highway, and 30 overall. For an extra $1,590 you can get the all-wheel drive (AWD) version for better handling on snow and ice and still get 28 city, 30 highway, and 29 overall. The FWD 2011 Lexus RX 450h has a suggested starting price of $44,735 and the 2012 are $500 higher.

Electric Vehicle and Smart Grid Networks

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Thousands of electric cars are now communicating with owner’s smart phones, charging stations, and service networks. These EVs plug into smart grids that use network communications to charge off-peak, monitor and improve reliability. When I use my Blink EVSE to charge my Nissan Leaf, the charger sends a packet of info to the charging network every 15 minutes using Sprint. The charger is communications-ready supporting CDMA, Wi-Fi, and powerline communications.

Hyundai Making 2,000 Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles

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The most popular way to extend the range of an electric vehicle is to add a small gasoline engine coupled with a generator as done in the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid. The most popular way to extend the range of an electric bus is to add a fuel cell that generates added electrons. During the Winter Olympics, 100,000 riders were transported up Whistler’s 12 percent grades on 20 hydrogen fuel cell electric buses. Now SUVs made by Hyundai-Kai, General Motors and Toyota are also testing Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles.

Electric Car Platform Architecture from Volvo and Siemens

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Volvo and Siemens are in joint development of electric drive technology, power electronics and smart charging technology for electric cars including plug-in hybrids. This Scalable Platform Architecture will be used in current and future electric vehicles. These systems will be integrated into the Volvo C30 Electric and the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid Diesel Crossover SUV.

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