Value Stream Analysis Improves Processes, Saves Money

Engineerblogger
Feb 23, 2012

An example Pareto chart from a value stream analysis shows the potential benefit of implementing VSA findings. (AFRL Graphic)

Engineers from the Air Force Research Laboratory have stimulated industrial base investments in infrastructure and technology by leveraging the value stream analysis (VSA) process to identify significant process improvement opportunities.

As a result, General Electric Aviation, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls Royce, together with some of their suppliers, invested in process improvements to produce an expected $34 million cost avoidance for current and future products. Because many of the manufacturing technologies are applicable to advanced turbine engine performance improvements, the potential for an additional $126 million cost avoidance for current projects exists.

For the last five years, AFRL's Manufacturing Technology Division (AFRL/RXM), in cooperation with General Dynamics Information Technology and TechSolve, Inc., has been conducting VSAs within the advanced turbine engine industrial base. Each VSA generated a list of potential process improvements, projected costs, and assessed the risks associated with achieving the anticipated benefits.

AFRL/RXM used the data from these VSAs to develop successful ManTech programs, including a program for the advanced machining of CMCs. This program yielded increases in material removal rates and a reduction in cutting tool costs by two orders of magnitude. Additionally, the 3D airfoil inspection process reduced the dimensional inspection of complex shapes from 60 minutes down to 3 minutes.

Industry has used this data to pursue lower risk process improvements. These process improvements have been implemented and are anticipated to yield benefits of $27 million. Process improvements that have been partially implemented through industry investment are anticipated to yield an additional $7 million. When implemented, processes that are still maturing could provide an additional $126 million in benefits. For industry, the return on investment is about 15 to 1 and it is even greater for the Air Force, at 28 to 1.

Source: Air Force Office of Scientific Research

Gas2 to build next generation plant for liquid hydrocarbon conversion

Engineerblogger
Feb 16, 2012

Scottish gas reforming company Gas2 has secured £5.5 million of funding to further the development of the next generation of gas-to-liquids (GTL) technology including the construction of a pilot reactor plant.

Gas2’s proprietary technology enables the conversion of natural gas to liquid hydrocarbon more economically and cleanly than has previously been possible with conventional large scale GTL technologies.

The company has developed a catalytic ceramic based porous membrane (pMRTM) that is used in its gas reforming (Syngas) reactors and fluid forming (Fischer Tropsch) reactors to create liquid hydrocarbons. This is an alternative technical solution to other developers of small to medium GTL who are using micro-channel technology.

The Gas2 approach is expected to result in considerably lower capital (CAPEX) and operational (OPEX) expenditure and a smaller environmental footprint compared to conventional GTL technologies.

Simmons & Company International Ltd were corporate finance advisors to the fundraising from existing shareholders including Lime Rock Partners LLP, Robert Gordon University and a group of private investors with substantial interests in the oil, gas and hydrocarbons processing industries

The investment will leverage further funding that will enable the construction of a pilot reactor plant to further test and demonstrate the technology on a 0.4 acre site at the specialist petrochemical research Wilton Centre in Cleveland in the North-east of England, and further laboratory work and computerised modelling in Aberdeen.

The company has recently increased its employee numbers to 16 people in Aberdeen. A further four operative jobs will be created in Wilton as the plant is commissioned. Existing Gas2 staff will work between the pilot plant and the operations in Aberdeen.

Mike Fleming, co founder & managing director of Gas2 said: “We are entering a new and exciting phase with the build of the pilot plant which will validate on a larger scale the commercial viability of the Gas2 process. We have a unique technology and process, and the commercial prize is great for a successful outcome.”

Applications for the Gas2 GTL technology include:

• stranded gas: transforming the economic viability of smaller, more remote gas reserves as well as shale and unconventional reservoirs;

• offshore ‘associated’ gas: offering a ‘gas disposal’ solution for unwanted associated gas thereby preventing flaring and enabling the development of remote oilfields where flaring is prohibited and /or gas reinjection wells are expensive or detrimental to reservoir performance;

• gas conversion to alternative end products including gasoline, diesel, waxes, ammonia, methanol, hydrogen and ethylene for industrial use.

Saad Bagach, managing director of Lime Rock said: “Gas2 has a new technology that has the potential to fundamentally disrupt the gas-to-liquids market. The global demand for new solutions is vast and the ability of Gas2 to secure this level of funding in today’s economic climate is a powerful indicator of confidence in the company and the potential of its technology.”

The pilot plant will be constructed in 2012 with testing underway by the end of the year. The commercialisation phase will commence in 2013. The technology will be commercialised as an integrated GTL system and as standalone Syngas and Fischer Tropsch reactors available on the market.

Source: Gas2

Solar thermal technology seen bolstering renewable energy adoption

 Engineerblogger
 Jan 5, 2012

 
The quest to develop an improved renewable energy storage system is intensifying, as researchers continue to make progress in their drive to spur the adoption of green technology.

One of the biggest hurdles facing the widespread adoption of solar panel and wind turbine systems is that they are still reliant on the whims of nature. Solar panel arrays are capable of generating a substantial amount of electricity when the sun is shining, but energy storage technology has not progressed as rapidly, confounding experts.

However, engineers are growing increasingly optimistic that solar thermal power could overcome the energy storage obstacles currently facing clean technology companies. The New York Times reports that researchers are betting the energy generation scheme, which harnesses the sun's heat to boil water and create electricity, can circumvent storage issues and potentially drive clean adoption throughout the U.S.

Scientists contend that the water used in solar thermal systems can be used to heat salt, which would effectively store energy for later usage. Such a system is optimal, according to experts, because it would supply energy to homes and businesses during the nighttime hours when the sun is no longer helping to drive energy generation.

More specifically, researchers and industry experts are hoping that solar thermal power plants could help meet electricity demand during peak demand hours, designated between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Renewable energy company SolarReserve is currently constructing such a power plant in the Nevada desert, and executives from the firm asserted it should be operational by next year.

Moreover, BrightSource, a company that is backed by more than $165 million in financing from California-based technology giant Google, plans to build three separate solar thermal plants in the Golden State. While BrightSource's facilities would begin generating energy in 2016 and 2017, they are projected to have a massive electricity generation capacity.

In total, the two firms' four solar thermal plants would be able to power tens of thousand of households on a typical summer evening – a feat today's solar panel systems are not capable of accomplishing.

Admittedly, there are hurdles solar thermal technology companies must overcome, but high-profile companies besides Google, including Chevron and Good Energies, are investing in it. Engineers assert that solar thermal plants could play a crucial role in energy production by the end of the decade, and while they will not replace conventional solar panel systems, they will complement them by generating electricity at night.

It is often difficult to connect renewable energy systems to the U.S. electric grid, experts say, with the nation's power supply network plagued by power outages and other grid disruptions. Balancing the supply and demand of energy has become increasingly important and complex, and solar thermal plants could help augment electricity production during times of elevated consumption levels. This would help power providers ensure demand is met, and as a result, would reduce the frequency of power outages.

The San Jose Mercury News reports that state legislation in California is also helping drive the creation solar thermal technology plants. California signed into law regulations mandating power providers derive more than 33 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020. With time quickly dwindling, utilities are working feverishly to comply with the stringent laws, variations of which other states have passed.

Clean energy advocates such as SolarReserve chief executive Kevin Smith are bullish on solar thermal technology.
"As we move forward, we'll get more and more traction with the fact we can provide more capacity," he said.

 Source: Knovel

Clean cash: finding funds for environmental technologies

The Engineer
Nov 28, 2011

Clean-tech covers a variety of sectors and business types, including marine energy

The green-technology sector needs to access private capital in order to become more energy efficient, says Adam Workman of the North West Fund for Energy and Environmental

The clean-technology sector is the most significant growth opportunity for the UK’s engineering industry. With the economy no longer self-sufficient for its oil and gas needs, we must invest now into developing new sources of energy and becoming more energy efficient.

Although clean technology and the ’green economy’ are high up on the political agenda, over the next few years investment will be driven largely by the private sector. However, a lack of understanding of how to access capital alongside limited resources could leave the UK trailing behind.

For this transition to occur, we need to appreciate the hurdles facing energy and environmental businesses in accessing private finance. First, the clean-technology sector covers an extremely wide variety of sectors and business types, which can be confusing to generalist investors. Overlaying this with a market reliant on public policy typically places the sector in the ’too difficult’ box for all but the specialist investor.

To decrease this knowledge gap, companies seeking investment need to appreciate this information asymmetry when engaging any investor for the first time.
Second, with competition for funding becoming more intense, any business that applies for funding needs to get it right first time. Businesses need to invest in their own management teams if they are to have the best chance of succeeding in securing finance. Taking on external advisers, or even an experienced non-executive director, will help a business to make a quality proposition for funding, but also aid in strategy and positioning the firm for long-term growth.
To read more click here...

Researchers Draft Blueprint to Boost Energy Innovation

Engineerblogger
Nov 24, 2011



The U.S. government could save the economy hundreds of billions of dollars per year by 2050 by spending a few billion dollars more a year to spur innovations in energy technology, according to a new report by researchers at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Achieving major cuts in carbon emissions in the process will also require policies that put a substantial price on carbon or set clean energy standards, the researchers find.

The report is the result of a three-year project to develop a set of actionable recommendations to achieve “a revolution in energy technology innovation.”

The project, part of the Energy Technology Innovation Policy (ETIP) research group in the Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, included the first survey ever conducted of the full spectrum of U.S. businesses involved in energy innovation, identifying the key drivers of private-sector investments in energy innovation.

The researchers also surveyed more than 100 experts working with an array of energy technologies to get their recommendations for energy R&D funding and their projections of cost and performance under different R&D scenarios. They then used the experts’ input to conduct extensive economic modeling on the impact of federal R&D investments and other policies (such as a clean energy standard) on economic, environmental, and security goals.

The research team identified industries that would most benefit from increased innovation investment. The report recommends the largest percentage increases for research and development in four fields: energy storage, bio-energy, efficient buildings, and solar photovoltaics.

The report, titled Transforming U.S. Energy Innovation, recommends doubling government funding for energy research, development and demonstration efforts to about $10 billion per year. The modeling results suggest that spending above that level might deliver decreasing marginal returns.

The modeling done for the report projected that investing more money in energy innovation without also setting a substantial carbon price or stringent clean energy standards would not bring big reductions in greenhouse gas emissions -- largely because without such policies, companies would not have enough incentive to deploy new energy technologies in place of carbon-emitting fossil fuels.

The researchers also propose ways for the government to strengthen its energy innovation institutions, particularly the national laboratories, so that the United States can get the most bang for its buck in its investments in energy innovation. The report concludes that the national laboratories suffer from fast-shifting funding and lack incentives for entrepreneurship.

The researchers also find that the performance of public-private partnerships and international partnerships on energy innovation would benefit from gathering information about the performance of previous projects.

The ETIP project is part of the Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program and Environment and Natural Resources Program at the Kennedy School. Professor Venkatesh Narayanamurti and Associate Professor Matthew Bunn were the principal investigators for this work, and the research team was led by Dr. Laura Diaz Anadon, ETIP director. The project was supported by a generous grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Source: Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University

Additional Information:

• To read the Full Report 
• To view the Executive Summary 
• To view the Policy Brief

Headwinds: Turbine Makers, like Solar Manufacturers, Could Be in for a Shakeout

Spectrum.ieee.org
Nov 2, 2011

Energy guru Daniel Yergin tells a nice story in his latest book about how a Danish farm equipment manufacturer, Vestas, took advantage of California subsidies in the late 1980s to initiate a world revolution in wind generation.

Today, however, the pioneering wind companies like Vestas are running into the same headwinds makers of photovoltaic panels have encountered--the prospect of declining European and North American subsidies, combined with growing competition from low-cost Chinese manufacturers. Wind is much closer than solar to being commercially competitive, and so the situation is not quite as dire. But wind also, by the same token, has achieved higher penetration, which means that the best on-land sites are getting exhausted even as the ability of grids to keep absorbing more intermittent energy is increasingly challenged.

On Monday this week, Vestas shares fell one fifth, after the company issued a third-quarter earnings warning. Share values already had declined 50 percent from this year's high, largely because of reported delays in turbine projects and a German turbine factory.

Smelling blood, critics of high subsidies for renewable energy are going after wind. On Oct. 11, the Manhattan Institute--a neoliberal think tank in (you guessed it) Manhattan--issued a short article highly critical of wind's costliness and alleged climate benefits.

Though the Manhattan Institute often produces well-researched and strongly conceived reports that interest even people of sharply different ideological persuasions, its report on "the high cost of wind energy as a carbon-dioxide reduction method" is not one of its better efforts.
To read more click here...

Millions in research to take graphene out of the lab

Engineerblogger
Nov 9, 2011

 

Mikael Fogelström and Sergey Kubatkin are two of the Chalmers researchers investigating the supermaterial graphene. The cryostat in the picture is used to cool graphene samples to one hundredth of a degree above absolute zero.  
Photo: Jan-Olof Yxell

 

The graphene production process needs to be improved and made more reproducible. The researchers will develop reliable synthesis methods designed to produce high-quality graphene surfaces. Following that, the material will be investigated and processed at the nano level, ultimately to be used for specific components with far better performance than today's electronic devices. 

 

“We are now achieving critical mass, and will benefit from valuable cross-fertilization between several research areas, all of which are involved in graphene,” says Mikael Fogelström, the project coordinator. “The money will be used for everything from producing graphene to developing a variety of products, with basic research into experimental and theoretical physics along the way.”

 

The Chalmers researchers have already achieved several important breakthroughs with graphene, despite the fact that the material was first produced as recently as 2004. One example is a new standard for the quantum of resistance – a “tuning fork” for calibrating the correct resistance in electrical instruments and devices. State-of-the-art resistance standards are based on silicon or gallium arsenide. These are difficult to manufacture, and the method only works at extremely low temperatures and in large magnetic fields. A new generation of resistance standards based on graphene are at least as accurate as those in use today, while benefitting from being substantially easier to produce and use.

 

In another project, Chalmers researchers have produced a graphene transistor that operates at more than 10 gigahertz. They are now working on producing one capable of reaching into the terahertz range – in other words faster than 100 gigahertz. This may become possible thanks to a large grant that Mikael Fogelström’s research group received earlier this year from the Foundation for Strategic Research – SEK 28.5 million over a five-year period.

 

“Graphene has enormous potential in high-frequency electronics, and Chalmers is at the forefront of this research,” Mikael Fogelström says. “This material can open up a whole world of new possibilities. One example is “see-through cameras” that can see through clothes at security checkpoints. We are also hoping to find new applications unique to graphene in areas other than high-frequency electronics.”

 

Now that graphene research at Chalmers has stable financing for five years, the researchers are thinking of setting up a centre for graphene.

 

“It would be a good idea to get together with more graphene research groups, and perhaps form a national research centre”, Mikael Fogelström says. “That would be a good step to take for pursuing EU flagship funds.”

 

Chalmers has previously gathered together European graphene researchers for a major research initiative competing for what is known as “Future Emerging Technology Flagship” funds, providing finance of up to SEK 10 billion over 10 years. Next year, the EU will decide whether to convert the pilot project into a flagship. The new research grant from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation is believed to increase the chances of that happening.

 

Source: Chalmers University of Technology

 

 

Additional Information:

• To read more about the pilot project led by Chalmers that may become an EU scientific flagship 

• To read more about the researchers’ previous breakthroughs with graphene

Automotive Manufacturing in China: Low-Cost Production Image Fades

Engineerblogger
Oct 07, 2011


Wage inflation is hitting the Chinese automotive manufacturing market, doubling in a recent seven-year period (and are expected to double again by 2015 based on 2010 levels) according to a recent WSJ analysis that considers the evolution of Hyundai's consideration of the Chinese market. Moreover, the wage and labor climate for foreign producers in China appears to underpin a double standard between domestic and state-owned enterprises and those owned or operated by outside interests.

In this regard, a Hyundai executive cited in the article "pointed to a series of high-profile labor strikes that hit Japanese-run auto factories and others in China last year. Normally quick to break up organized worker walkouts, the government tolerated those strikes to a large extent last year, and minimum wages in some parts of China have been rising steadily since." Of course don't think for a minute that rising wages will deter the export ambitions of Chinese automotive manufacturing organizations (both OEM and lower tier suppliers).

As anyone who has studied how China manipulates export prices via currency controls and other methods (e.g., VAT rebate changes and incentives), it is no surprise that, "China's auto exports will continue to increase in part because of excess auto-production capacity in the country," according to the story. After all, if there is not a large enough middle class to consume the voracious state-sponsored output within domestic automotive production in China, then of course we all know what that will mean for the rest of the world.

Given this broader climate, when it comes to building total cost models for manufacturing in the region or working with Chinese automotive suppliers, companies should plan for large degrees of uncertainty in their forecast models for 2012 and beyond. After all, it's hard to know what the landed price (domestic or export) will be when it's really only up to one organization that sets it -- the politburo. Remember, the standard laws of supply and demand don't apply in a mercantilist state that exists to preserve the status quo for its leaders.

Source: Spendmatters.com

Like Hobos On The Outsourcing Train

Manufacturing.net
Oct 07, 2011

Outsourcing has been an enormously popular trend in manufacturing for the U.S. However, as popular as it is, and as much as it might make sense on paper, it doesn’t always produce the business benefit we seek. Consider the change that outsourcing means to your business before you jump on the train with everyone else.

I’m afraid that the title of this post is a little impolite, with a derogatory slant for each of us participating in outsourcing our manufacturing and production. I do intend to draw a simile between hobos jumping on a moving train for no other reason than to go somewhere else, and businesses that decide to outsource without a plan for how to deal with the change that such a decision implies.

I’m not a logistical expert, but I do know very, very well what it means to change processes, skill sets, and behaviors suddenly. Often, when we make business decisions that impose major changes, we neglect to consider the impact that the sudden change and the learning curve will have on our business and its performance.

This week I read about the delivery of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, three years late. Boeing’s explanation to the press for why the 787 was so late is that it was the first aircraft that Boeing had generally outsourced (other issues such as a 58-day labor strike also contributed). According to The Seattle Times, the 787 development cost more than twice what typical new jet developments cost, because of delays.1

Boeing isn’t the only business to struggle with on-time delivery after outsourcing production. Another business, coincidentally also in the airline business, and one where some of my friends and colleagues work, is also struggling. I won’t name it for the sake of respect to my colleagues’ confidences

This business, several years ago, boasted repeated on-time delivery numbers in the upper 90’s, some of the best numbers in the corporation. It needed to expand its production in order to meet demands and leaders decided, rather than expanding the operations, to begin outsourcing production and to use the existing facility only for final assembly.
Unfortunately, today the on-time delivery numbers are embarrassing enough that my contacts in the business don’t know what they really are. Suffice to say, some deliveries are more than 90-days late and they went an entire month recently without a single delivery.

My contacts in the business have discussed many of their challenges with me in recent months, either seeking advice, or just sharing insights back and forth. From those discussions, it’s apparent that the root of the on-time delivery problem is that parts are not available to complete the assemblies. In other words, the outsourced production is not producing.

A related, contributing cause is the introduction of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that has resulted in logistics systems challenges. I say it’s related for two reasons. First, figuring out how to make the system work for the business led to some of the ordering and delivery mishaps. Second, the phenomenon surrounding the ERP system’s failure to produce better efficiency is the same as the one surrounding outsourcing’s failure to produce better efficiency; change happened.
To read more click here...

Analysis says electric vehicles sales not affected by incentives

Engineerblogger
Sept 29, 2011

A study by JATO Dynamics suggests government incentives are having little impact on the sales of electric vehicles.

According to JATO, demand for electric vehicles (EV) increased ten-fold to 5,220 across Europe in the first half of this year compared to the 500 registered in the same period last year.

Germany, where incentives amount to around €380 (£330) per vehicle, is the leading EV market with January–June registrations of around 1,000. Denmark has incentives which amount to some €20,600 over five years of ownership but registered fewer than 300 EVs in the same period.

Where incentives are similar — such as Spain and the UK at around €6,500 per vehicle — there is a wide gap between registrations. The UK registered 599 EVs and Spain 122.

Gareth Hession, JATO’s vice-president for research, said: ‘The discrepancies highlight the apparently low influence of price on purchase decisions across the region.

‘Given this, it’s reasonable to conclude that sales are more affected by other factors such as the degree of urban geography, market maturity and charging infrastructure than was previously thought.’

Other factors that JATO believes influences EV ownership are the rights to use bus lanes and free city centre parking, such as in Oslo, and exemption from congestion charges as in London.

Europe’s biggest EV markets in the first half of this year after Germany were France (950 units), Norway (850), the UK (600), Austria (350) and Denmark (280). Spain (120) and Italy (100) were at the bottom of the table.

In a statement Hession said the EV market is set for significant growth, adding: ‘As the market matures we might expect subsidies to exert greater influence as other considerations such as charging infrastructure are addressed.

‘As it stands today, even the large subsidies don’t address the majority of end user concerns around real world application, flexibility and fitness for purpose.

‘It will be critical for manufacturers to better understand the factors if they are to maximise customer engagement and sales growth.’

Source: The Engineer

Additional Information:

• Report: Incentives Fail to Stimulate European Electric Vehicle Sales

Military green investments could hit $10B by 2030

Engineerblogger
Sept 23, 2011

Breakdown of the DOD's energy use for operations and facilities. Eighty-one percent of operational costs go toward jet fuel, while 64 percent of facilities costs go toward electricity.

It's no secret to anyone following green tech that the Department of Defense has taken a particular interest in advanced biofuels, vehicle fuel efficiency, renewable energy, and building efficiency. But many may not realize to what extent the DOD has changed its policy, or the large impact this shift is going to have on the economy, according to a report released yesterday afternoon by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The report (PDF) asserts that the DOD is one of the world's largest institutional consumers of fossil fuels, consuming 300,000 barrels of oil a day in 2009. The DOD's energy cost for 2010 was $15.2 billion (PDF) with 74 percent going to operations and 26 percent going to facilities. About $11 billion of that was spent on liquid petroleum fuels, according to the report.

The study and the report, which took two years to complete, was overseen by retired Republican Senator John Warner, who is a former Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and former Secretary of the Navy. Warner is the senior policy adviser at the Pew Project on National Security, Energy, and Climate.

Aside from cost, a major nuisance of fossil fuel dependence is the danger involved in having to transport liquid fuels to combat areas, and the impact fuel availability has on the effectiveness of military operations. The DOD has estimated that 80 percent of supply convoy missions in Iraq and Afghanistan are for fuel, according to the report.

In view of that, the DOD has determined that incorporating renewables and other green tech into its energy ecosystem will improve security for the armed forces, as well as national security.

A move to less fossil fuel, especially in light of volatile oil prices, will also save the branches of the military money long-term both home and abroad, according to the report.

To that end, the DOD has set the ambitious goal of getting 25 percent of its energy needs from renewables by 2025.

The U.S. Air Force plans to be on 50 percent biofuels for all its domestic aviation needs by 2016. The U.S. Navy plans to reduce ship fuel consumption by 15 percent by 2020 compared to its 2010 levels. The U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marines both plan to get 50 percent of their needed energy from alternative energy sources by 2020.

And while all branches of the military have plans to upgrade bases and installations (PDF) with more efficiency for buildings, the U.S. Army has a "net zero" program under way to get its bases to produce as much energy and water as they consume, and reduce, recycle, and reuse their waste. Fort Bliss in Texas and Fort Carson in Colorado are on track to be net zero in all three categories by 2020.

There have also been myriad smaller rollouts and programs within the last few years.

The Navy began using algae-based shipboard fuel on a limited basis in 2010. The Army began replacing its light-use vehicles on military bases with electric vehicles and ordered military bridges made of recycled thermoplastic composite in 2009.

The Marine 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment at Forward Operating Base Jackson, and their Afghan national army counterparts have been using portable solar charges in Afghanistan that enable them to carry fewer batteries and more ammunition, solar tarps on tents to power lights, and solar panels to power mobile command centers and computers.

The report noted that the DOD's shift in energy policy is a wise choice in terms of saving money and improving its own security drastically in the coming years. But its switch is also a secondary way to protect American national security, by helping the country to become less dependent on foreign energy sources. As in other areas of tech, military investment in green technology will help it reach commercial maturity more quickly, the report said.

"In fact, the department has created a far-reaching memorandum of understanding with the Department of Energy to help accelerate the innovation process in service of the nation's energy and national security goals. DOD and DOE are working cooperatively on advanced batteries, energy efficiency, microgrids, and 'smart' technology," said the report.

Concurrent with this shift in policy, DOD clean-energy investments increased from $400 million in 2006 to $1.2 billion in 2009, a 300 percent increase. The institution plans to invest even more, projecting its green-tech investments will reach $10 billion annually by 2030.

Warner said he's not surprised that the DOD will once again be the leader in a new space as it's always been one of the earliest supporters of cutting-edge technology.

"The Department of Defense fostered the Internet, GPS, computer software, and other economically important innovations. Today, our uniformed men and women and their civilian counterparts are committed to transforming the way the department uses energy through efficiency and technology development. Their accomplishments and innovations are enhancing our national security, our economic security, and our environmental security," Warner said in a statement.

Source: Cnet.com

16 Projects To Advance Hydropower Technology

U.S. Department of Energy
Sept 6, 2011

U.S. Department Energy Secretary Steven Chu and U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced nearly $17 million in funding over the next three years for research and development projects to advance hydropower technology. The list of 16 projects in 11 different states can be found here.
To read more click here...

Investing in low-carbon vehicle R&D projects

Engineerblogger

Sept 5, 2011

Sixteen collaborative research and development (R&D) projects are to share funding to develop new low-carbon vehicle technologies.

Ultra-lightweight engine designs, advanced battery-management systems and the next generation of electric motors are three of the technologies to be developed with funding from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS).

TSB and BIS have jointly agreed to invest £10m in grants to the projects that will focus on achieving significant cuts in CO2 emissions for vehicle-centric technologies in low-carbon vehicles.

Iain Gray, chief executive of the TSB, said: ‘Through our low-carbon vehicle Integrated Delivery Programme we aim to integrate the low-carbon vehicle innovation chain in the UK from the science base through collaborative R&D to fleet-level demonstration.

‘By investing in such cutting-edge development, we are driving forward low-carbon vehicle innovation in a range of strategically important areas for the UK.’

The consortia developing the technologies will be led by companies that include Advanced Composites, Bladon Jets, Cobham CTS, Jaguar Cars and Morgan Motor Company.

Including contributions from the participating companies, the total value of the research and development projects is more than £19m.

Source: The Engineer

The research and development gap in the US

The Hill
Sept 2, 2011

America is in grave danger of loosing its edge. For over one hundred years, American leadership in science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing has been unrivaled. It has created for us not only one of the highest standards of living any civilization has ever achieved, but also brought American preeminence in the world and a strong national defense.

Now, unfortunately, this is all at risk due to the lack of long-term planning, little political will, and slowing investment in science and engineering research.

As every business leader knows, prosperity tomorrow requires investment today. This is true whether the economy is in a period of boom or bust. The United States will not simply “grow” its way out of economic malaise. We need a rebirth of innovation: new products, new ways of doing things, new scientific achievements.

Let’s looks at the facts about research and development (R&D). As a percentage of GDP, the U.S. ranks eighth, behind countries like Japan, South Korea, and even Iceland. In one of the most important areas—energy—in 2010 the Department of Energy invested just $2.27 billion on applied R&D, or just slightly more than 1/100th of one percent of GDP. As a point of comparison, that’s nearly $1 billion less than the amount ($3.1 billion) we’ll spend in 2011 providing a tax benefit for employee parking.

R&D is not the only area where we are falling behind. Over the past two decades there has been an 18 percent decline in the number of students graduating with bachelor degrees in engineering, math, physics and geosciences in the United States.
To read more click here...

Industrial robot sales head for a record in 2011

Drives.co.uk
Sept 2, 2011

Global sales of industrial robots almost doubled last year to more than 118,000 as the market bounced back from a recession-hit 2009, when sales had almost halved. In its latest annual report, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) predicts that robot sales will rise by a further 18% this year to hit a record level of around 140,000.

The IFR expects the market to grow at a more modest 6% per year from 2012 to 2014, when annual sales will amount to around 167,000 robots. By then, the number of robots at work in factories around the world will total about 1.3 million.

IFR president Dr Shinsuke Sakakibara (above) warns however that it is “possible that due to a shortage of components and capacity problems, a part of these expected robot installations in 2011 will have to be shifted to 2012”. He adds that there are “certain risks” that could affect the IFR’s optimistic longer term forecast, such as a slow-down in the global economy, or even a new recession.

Global revenues from industrial robots grew by 50% last year to reach $5.7bn – although this is still below the figure for 2008. Including the costs of software, peripherals and systems engineering, the robotic systems market was worth around $17.5bn last year.

“The recovery of the global industrial robot market in 2010 was nothing less than remarkable,” comments the head of ABB Robotics, Per Vegard Nerseth (above), “and we continue to see increased interest and very strong growth across all sectors. Automotive industries are starting to reinvest, and when combined with the increased uptake in growth segments, such as electronics, solar and food & beverage, 2011 promises to be a record-breaking year for the robotics industry.”

The most dynamic markets last year were China, South Korea and the Asean region where sales almost tripled. Korea bought 23,500 industrial robots, putting it slightly ahead of Japan.

In the US, 111% more robots (14,380) were shipped during 2010 than in 2009, while in Europe the number sold (30,600) was 50% up on 2009 – but still below the peak levels of 2008 and 2009.

Germany bought around 14,000 industrial robots during 2010 – a 65% increase on 2009 and its third-largest number ever. As the German automotive sector bounced back, it ordered 172% more robots than in 2009. In Italy, robot sales rose by 57% to around 4,500 machines, after falling for two years in a row.

For the first time in 2010, global sales of robots to the electronics sector (totalling more than 25,000) outstripped those to the automotive sector (around 20,000). The IFR reports that robots are also becoming increasingly attractive for consumer products, allowing these products to be individualised with the robots providing the flexibility to switch rapidly from one product variant to another.
To read more click here...

Venture Capitalists Back Away from Clean Energy

Technology Review
Aug 11, 2011

As governments around the world are scaling back support for renewable energy, venture capitalists are shifting their clean technology investment strategy. They're focusing less on high-risk technologies and more on ideas that could have a faster payoff but a smaller impact, such as technologies for improving energy efficiency. The shift is raising concerns about how innovative energy technologies will be commercialized.

Venture capitalists have traditionally focused on companies with low capital requirements that can quickly get bought up or go public. Many Internet startups fall into this category. But in recent years, many venture capitalists have been enticed to risk longer-term, high-capital energy investments in clean energy, thanks to generous government subsidies in renewable energy markets. In particular, they spent hundreds of millions of dollars on solar-cell startups that need to build expensive equipment and factories to prove their technologies, and can take many years to generate a return on investment.

Now many venture-capital firms are going back to their roots. Dozens recently stopped making initial investments in clean technology companies, according to Dow Jones Venture Source. Many that continue to invest in clean technology are shifting to areas such as energy efficiency, which includes low-capital projects such as software for monitoring and reducing energy consumption, according to an analysis by the Cleantech Group.

The money that still goes to the solar industry is now directed to companies with small capital requirements. Rooftop solar panel installers are one example. (In June, Solar City got $280 million from Google to fund solar installations.) There's still some funding for solar-cell companies, such as for 1366 Technologies and Alta Devices, that are developing technology that the companies say can compete with fossil fuels. But "it's a harder place to raise funds for new ventures," says Sheeraz Haji, CEO of Cleantech Group.
To read more click here...

Daimler Leads German ‘Havens’ as Carmakers Reel

Bloomberg
Aug 11, 2011

Daimler AG (DAI) may be better poised than Renault SA (RNO) to recover from a selloff of European auto stocks, backed by strong cash reserves and resilient demand for Mercedes-Benz cars.

High-end carmakers such as Mercedes, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) and Volkswagen AG (VOW)’s Audi tend to weather downturns better than mass-market auto manufacturers like Renault and Fiat SpA (F), because wealthy consumers still have money to spend even when the economy slows, investors and analysts said.

“German premium-auto manufacturers are by far the best bet,” said Juergen Meyer, a fund manager with SEB Asset Management in Frankfurt. “BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Porsche are the most stable investment havens. I continue to be very relaxed” about the prospects for the largest luxury-car makers.

Investors sold auto stocks as concern that a slowdown in the global economy heightened after Standard & Poor’s downgraded the U.S.’s credit rating and the European Central Bank began buying Italian and Spanish government bonds. The Euro Stoxx Automobile and Parts Index lost 40 billion euros ($57 billion), or 21 percent, of its value this month in the 14-member index’s worst run since November 2008.
To read more click here...

Efficiency drives major investments in automation and control technology

Engineerlive
July 27, 2011

Operating companies continue to invest heavily in automation and control technologies, both for new plants and revamps, in the drive for better efficiency., as Sean Ottewell explains.

Petrobras has selected Emerson Process Management to provide process automation technologies and services for the Petrochemical Complex of Rio de Janeiro (Comperj) in Brazil.

As main automation contractor for Comperj, Emerson will deliver engineering services and technologies for process automation and systems integration of the refining unit, selected utilities, and offsite operations that are part of the Brazilian energy giant’s project.

Built on an area of 45 million m2 – the equivalent of about 6000 soccer fields – the Comperj complex will be able to process 165,000 bbl/d of heavy crude when its first refining unit begins operations in 2013, and the same amount in a second unit expected five years later. This investment in Brazil’s refining capacity will help support the country’s expanding oil production. The project is also expected to generate more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction.
To read more click here...

Nissan and China partner Dongfeng to invest $8 bln

Engineerblogger
July 26, 2011

Nissan and its Chinese partner Dongfeng Motor Co. will invest 50 billion yuan ($8 billion) and launch around 30 vehicle models in China over the next five years, the Japanese auto giant said Tuesday.

The two firms also plan to increase sales from nearly 1.3 million vehicles in 2010 to more than 2.3 million units by 2015 and launch a fully electric zero-emission car for the Chinese market, Nissan said in a statement.

"Nissan's strong partnership with Dongfeng Motor Corporation has been the primary driver of its robust growth over the past eight years in the Chinese market," Carlos Ghosn, Nissan Motor's chief executive, said in the statement.

"The new plan, with its investments in capacity, products and innovation, will ensure that China continues to be Nissan's largest global market."

China, which overtook the US to become the world's top auto market in 2009, has become increasingly important for global players. Auto sales in China rose more than 32 percent last year to a record 18.06 million units.

But the sector has since lost steam after Beijing phased out sales incentives such as tax breaks for small-engined vehicles, introduced to ward off the impact of the global financial crisis.

The government is considering new incentives to revive the sector. But an industry group still predicted earlier this month that auto sales growth was expected to slow, despite showing a slight rebound in June.

Nissan said its Chinese joint venture planned to achieve and maintain a 10 percent share of the Chinese market over the next five years.

Ghosn told reporters at a press conference that Nissan currently has a 6.2 percent share of the market.

The two firms will also build a new manufacturing facility in the eastern province of Jiangsu, which will reinforce existing plants in other parts of the country to achieve the 2015 sales target, it added.

Sales of the first passenger vehicle sporting the Dongfeng Nissan brand Venucia are scheduled for next year, and a total of five new models will be launched under that brand.

Copyright © 2011 AFP

Rail News, "BART and BMW Unit Partner to Make New Generation Train Cars"and "South Korea to Invest $3.7bn in High-speed Rail"

Engineerblogger
July 25, 2011

BART and BMW Unit Partner to Make New Generation Train Cars


Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in San Francisco has signed an agreement with DesignworksUSA, a subsidiary of BMW Group, to create a new generation of train cars known as the Fleet of the Future.

Together DesignworksUSA and BART will create a concept for the next generation BART trains from the inside out that reflects the needs of customers and the future of transportation in the Bay Area.


DesignworksUSA will utilise the public input on the project gathered by BART's Seat Labs to design new generation cars.

The public will have an opportunity to review the resulting work this summer.

The new generation of train cars will be in service from early 2017, replacing most of BART's original train cars that are in operation today.


South Korea to Invest $3.7bn in High-speed Rail

South Korea has unveiled plans to invest $3.7bn in the expansion of the country's high-speed rail network in preparation for the country hosting the 2018 Olympic Games.

The rail project spanning 113km will link the central city of Wonju to host cities Pyeongchang and Gangneung in the east.

The proposed high-speed train connecting Wonju with Pyeongchang and Gangneung would travel at a speed of about 250km/h and will cut travel time from two hours to 68 minutes, while going to Gangneung will be reduced to 12 minutes.

The construction of the new Wonju-Gangneung railway will commence by the end of this year and is estimated to be completed by 2017, according to Bloomberg.

Samsung C&T Corporation and Hyundai Rotem Company are reported to have expressed interest in bidding for the rail contracts.