What are 3rd and 4th generation biofuels and when are they coming?
Filed under: Biodiesel, Emerging Technologies, Ethanol
Back in the early days of mass-produced biofuels, corn-based ethanol and soy-based biodiesel were all the rage. But criticism about food vs. fuel and scalability abounded and, by 2008, cellulosic ethanol became known as a so-called second-generation-biofuel and, maybe, the answer to our oil-addicted prayers. Blame Congress, blame the economy, heck, blame T. Boone Pickens if you want to, but the fact of the matter is that in the two years since cellulosic ethanol’s big appearance, large-scale production of cellulosic ethanol has yet to reach levels that resemble anything close to significant. Still, first and second-gen biofuels account for 99% of today’s global biofuel production.
So, while the Gulf of Mexico starts to resemble the bruised arm of a heroin addict, let’s skip ahead to future biofuel technologies that, if they work, really could signal the beginning of the end of oil. Namely, 3rd and 4th generation biofuels.
What are 3rd and 4th generation biofuels? According to a new 150-page report available for the low-low price of $1,495 from GreenTech Media Research, 3rd-generation biofuel is basically advanced algae-based biodiesel while 4th-generation biofuels are created using petroleum-like hydroprocessing or advanced biochemistry. One such technology is the “solar-to-fuel” method (pictured above) developed by Joule Biotechnology which sounds pretty cool. In their model, sunlight, waste CO2 and engineered microorganisms combine in a “solar converter” to create fuel.
The summary of the report goes on to conclude that, by 2022, biofuels will account for almost eight percent of global oil volumes used for transportation. That may not sound like a lot, but it does represent a multi-hundred-billion-dollar market. Bring it on.
[Source: GreenTechMedia] Read more…
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Burdened Beast: 1400 Miles of TOTY Towing In A 2010 Ram HD
This weekend my assignment was to shake down America’s first three home-grown sub-compacts — the AMC Gremlin, the Chevy Vega, and the Ford Pinto — for Motor Trend Classic in Amherst Massachusetts, but the Pinto lived over twice as far away as the others and the car was an exceptionally low-mileage original example, so I offered to tow his trailer from greater Buffalo. What better vehicle could there be for this duty cycle than Motor Trend’s reigning Truck of the Year, the 2010 Ram Heavy Duty?
Naturally I requested an example equipped with the $7615 650-pound-foot 6.7-liter Cummins diesel, with its 9600-pound gross vehicle weight rating and 12,600-pound towing capacity. The $230 integrated trailer-brake controller should be probably be lumped in free along with the class IV receiver hitch on any heavy-duty diesel, as buying one of these to tow a pop-up camper or Hobie-cat (which do NOT need trailer brakes) would be like killing flies with an ACME anvil. In fact, I almost felt the need to apologize to fellow motorists and ecological Canadians for running this big honkin’ truck empty while shortcutting from Detroit across Ontario to Buffalo, but at least the Cummins stretches a gallon of diesel for a respectable 17-plus miles when unencumbered.
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Electric cars need steel bodies
The next generation of electric cars will need specifically designed steel bodies to exploit their green potential, according to the world’s biggest steel makers.
A new research project, the Future Steel Vehicle (FSV), is testing redesigned structural parts in an electric car’s bodywork, including the sills, front crash structure, roof and battery carrier, to cut weight and save energy.
Engineers are also weighing up a variety of steels to balance their strength in an EV body against the energy used in its manufacture. This will reduce the whole-life energy costs of an EV.
Previous steel industry projects have advanced the design of lightweight steel car bodies, doors and suspensions.
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Report: Toyota fixed faulty steering arms for over a decade before recall
Filed under: Budget, SUV, Truck, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Toyota
As investigations into how Toyota handled faulty steering relay rods in the company’s pickup trucks and SUVs continue, critics suggest that it’s quickly becoming clear that the company has mishandled repair and recall efforts. According to a USA Today article, Toyota had repaired vehicles with the defect for over 11 years in the U.S. before deciding to initiate a recall in Japan, and a recall for the 977,000 affected American vehicles didn’t occur until one year later.
To compound the issue, not all owners were contacted about the recall once it went into effect, leaving plenty of potentialy defective vehicles in the hands of the public. Some owners were even made to pay for the repair out of their own pockets without reimbursement from the automaker, especially after the vehicle was out of warranty. In some cases, Toyota made what it calls goodwill repairs for free.
The investigation into the defective steering relay rods comes after the federal government fined Toyota the maximum allowable $16.4 million earlier this year for failing to notify the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration of unintended acceleration issues in a timely manner. The automaker is currently the plaintiff in a class action lawsuit in California concerning the faulty steering relay rods.
[Source: USA Today]
Report: Toyota fixed faulty steering arms for over a decade before recall originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
New Morgan EvaGT Sportcar
British Morgan, dedicated to building exclusive sports cars, is preparing to premiere a new model – EvaGT 4 seater coupe. As expected, this car will be built on a modernized aluminum chassis borrowed from the Aero Supersports Coupe.
Body of new items will also be made of aluminum – extruded aluminum parts will be brought by hand at the plant Morgan.
For coupe Morgan EvaGT yet is only one engine – three-liter turbocharged engine in the BMW, which develops 306 hp and 400 Nm. Due to its low weight – roughly, 1250 kilograms – the new coupe can accelerate to sixty miles per hour in 4.5 seconds and its top speed was 273 kilometers per hour.
As expected, coupe EvaGT be released edition of just 100 copies. Orders for new product have already been taken, although its price has not yet formally announced.
Mogan EvaGT debut in August at the annual competition of elegance to Pubble Beach.
BMW teases new U.S.-only model lurking in the shadows
Filed under: Performance, BMW, Luxury
BMW teaser photos – Click above for high-res image gallery
If there’s one thing the auto world loves, it’s a good tease. BMW has been happy to oblige this afternoon by dropping three photos of a new model fit just for U.S. consumption. Details are fittingly scarce, though the company does say that it will drop full details on the world come Thursday. Since we’ve been left to our own devices, how about a little rampant speculation to get the ball rolling? Judging from the front fascia, we’re guessing the new car is gussied up M3. The smattering of M logos throughout the cabin leads us to believe that the new kid on the block will likely boast a more sporting pedigree than its brethren, and since the America-only 335is is already down the pike, another pepped up 3 Series wouldn’t make much sense.
From the looks of things, there’s definitely a dual-clutch cog box at play, though it’s unclear if that will be the only option. Now the only question is whether the company will tweak the V8 found in the M3 or whether it will leave it alone and instead make other upgrades, and there’s also the question of which bodystyle(s) the car will be available with, as the M3 is currently available in coupe, sedan, and convertible form. Keep your ears pinned back for more information later in the week. Until then, let your imagination run wild.
Gallery: BMW Teaser Photos
Oil: What’s the goal Mr. President?
Good for another 30 years
End foreign oil dependence when?
Buyers and fans of hybrid and plug-in vehicles want to do something to fight foreign oil dependence, pollution, etc.. So, we put our money where our mouths are and financially commit to reducing our personal responsibility. Unfortunately, however, there won’t be enough of us to end foreign oil dependence for decades according to a massive amount of evidence.
