Battery Wars

Car manufacturers, no longer able to sell cars move to selling batteries for profit.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/28/battery-wars-automakers-seek-profits-in-supplying-ev-parts/

A very negative article on Li-ion.

GM is about to spend a huge amount of taxpayer dollars on technology that has not been proven even in small scale fleet tests.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/116718-li-ion-batteries-a-speculative-field-of-dreams

It is interesting that GM is pursuing this because they believe that there is no other technology available to them.

Sometimes you just need to do the math.

A little humor and insight on why new is always a hard sell.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/uptospeed/2009/01/shelby-supercar.html

If it's too good to be true is it too good to be true?

Power Grid Problems

A fascinating article about the US power grid and how far behind it is to Germany's. Even with an upgraded grid though Germany still is having problems due to demand peaking during the wrong time.

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/21747/?a=f

Choice quote,

"If Edison were to wake up today, and he looked at the grid, he would say ' That is where I left it,'"

Carbon nanotube based electrodes a possiblity

A new way of assembling carbon nanotubes to make for better battery electrodes.

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/21938/?a=f

More detail on the LG batteries for the Volt.

Interesting information on the Volt battery packs. Li-ion with a proprietary Zinc core.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20090112/ANA05/901120259/1186

Boston-Power gets $55MM more funding.

Bringing their total investment to $125MM.

http://www.crn.com/it-channel/212900489

$335MM available from the state of Michigan for Battery Development

Read all about it.

http://www.freep.com/article/20090114/BUSINESS03/90114066/Granholm+signs+battery+legislation+at+auto+show

Johnson Controls and SAFT

Johnson Controls and SAFT are supplying the batteries for Ford's ongoing Li-ion battery needs.

http://www.freep.com/article/20090113/BUSINESS03/90113064/Supplier+JCI+announces+battery+contract

The right battery...

For the right job at the right time.

http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/72738

Detroit wants to be the battery capital.

http://www.freep.com/article/20090112/COL06/901120376/WALSH++Rise+of+battery+power++new+automakers

Grants for Battery R&D

To spur the development of the technology locally in the US.

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200901121612DOWJONESDJONLINE000622_FORTUNE5.htm

GM's Volt Plans

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/01/12/ap5910341.html?partner=alerts

US Bailout Money

Is being spent to subsidize LG's production of Li-ion batteries for cars. A very interesting take.

http://www.glgroup.com/News/More-Public-Relations-Double-Talk-About-Lithium-Ion-Battery-Production-in-Michigan-31450.html

Chevy and Li-ion

Battery startup news from the center of the country.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/12/a-new-market-for-lithium-ion-battery-start-ups/

Smart Grids

Here's an interesting post on smart grids with a bunch of links to some interesting government proposals.

http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2008/12/infrastructure.html

Rare Earth Metal Market

NiMH batteries have limitations and Toyota is using that as a competitive advantage. That advantage a stockpile of a metal few people have heard of, lanthanum.

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090107/jack-lifton-age-technology-metals_3.htm

ReVolt Nominated for Redherring Global 100

The title says it all.

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090106005709&newsLang=en

Expensive Batteries Becoming Acceptable

The fact that a tech blog isn't worried that the cost of including silver in this battery chemistry is interesting.

http://i.gizmodo.com/5127037/zpowers-40-better-silver+zinc-batteries-coming-in-laptops-this-year

The touted benefits are drop in replacement for existing Li-ion batteries and the increase in battery life.

Energizer and Zinc Prismatic Batteries

Here is an interesting look at what Energizer is looking to produce in the realm of high capacity Zinc-Air fuel cells.

http://data.energizer.com/zincairprismatic/Default.html

No pricing yet, it appears that they are looking for OEM's to build these into devices.

Starting off the new year.

In order to start off the new year right. I am going to start collecting, sharing and conceptualizing how the US might begin to wean itself off of foreign energy. It is clear that there are a series of challenges facing alternative energy adoption in the united states including the cheapness of imported oil, the built-in infrastructure challenges, the current recession and the lack of access to capital for expanding production capabilities for technologies that already exist in the lab.