New Products & Services part.3
Every citizen a driver: The technology for self-driving cars is here – so let’s use it
Tuesday 7 July 2015
Tuesday 7 July 2015
As we continue to digest the wonder that is the driverless electric car, the experts now bring us a “platoon” of electric taxis, moving together in such perfect harmony that they can all but eliminate wind resistance and cut vehicle emissions. It should be ready by 2030, though no one has considered why a platoon of taxis is much use to anyone. Still, the principle seems sound enough. The odd thing, perhaps, about the driverless electric car – and indeed taxi cab – is why it has so far not colonised our roads.
Google and Apple are, it seems, trying to bring us the first electric driverless vehicle, taking their imperial ambitions into the territory traditionally occupied by Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen and so many other traditional makers – which are also pushing ahead with their own technologies. It’s all go. The technology is already out there, or much of it, in the most mundane family transport. Satnav, once confined to a few high-end vehicles and an expensive option, now comes “as standard”, as the car folk say, in plenty of hatches. 'Move a little further up the automotive food chain and you will find radar and adaptive cruise control. This means that your car can be left on a motorway, say, and will brake and accelerate its own way from A to B, within the speed limit.
All you need to do is to stay awake and steer. When you arrive at your destination, it will park itself. Blind-spot sensors are an especial help to protect cyclists. Linking all these systems is the way to create a driverless car. It needn’t be powered by electricity, but if it is, then it potentially adds huge environmental benefits. Many of us cannot wait for the time when those unable to drive will be able to hop into such a car, punch in an address and let the car take the strain while we find better things to do. Every citizen a driver; great idea, but how will we fit them on to our already crowded roads?
www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/every-citizen-a-driver-the-technology-for-selfdriving-cars-is-here--so-lets-use-it-10370310
Google and Apple are, it seems, trying to bring us the first electric driverless vehicle, taking their imperial ambitions into the territory traditionally occupied by Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen and so many other traditional makers – which are also pushing ahead with their own technologies. It’s all go. The technology is already out there, or much of it, in the most mundane family transport. Satnav, once confined to a few high-end vehicles and an expensive option, now comes “as standard”, as the car folk say, in plenty of hatches. 'Move a little further up the automotive food chain and you will find radar and adaptive cruise control. This means that your car can be left on a motorway, say, and will brake and accelerate its own way from A to B, within the speed limit.
All you need to do is to stay awake and steer. When you arrive at your destination, it will park itself. Blind-spot sensors are an especial help to protect cyclists. Linking all these systems is the way to create a driverless car. It needn’t be powered by electricity, but if it is, then it potentially adds huge environmental benefits. Many of us cannot wait for the time when those unable to drive will be able to hop into such a car, punch in an address and let the car take the strain while we find better things to do. Every citizen a driver; great idea, but how will we fit them on to our already crowded roads?
www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/every-citizen-a-driver-the-technology-for-selfdriving-cars-is-here--so-lets-use-it-10370310
Driverless cars and 'super-Uber' robot taxis could 'cut carbon emissions by 90%
STEVE CONNOR SCIENCE EDITOR Monday 06 July 2015
Driverless cars and “super-Uber” fleets of robot taxis have the potential to disrupt the car-owning democracy that has shaped urban planning and personal transport over the past century, a study has concluded. The rise of autonomous vehicles combined with the ability to order personal taxi rides epitomised by the Uber app could revolutionise personal transport and cut carbon emissions by more than 90 per cent, scientists have found.
Autonomous robo-taxis could in the next couple of decades become cheaper and more efficient than privately-owned vehicles, which could amount to the biggest change in personal transport since the invention of the internal-combustion engine, they said. An analysis of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per mile showed that autonomous electric vehicles used as a fleet of driverless taxis would by 2030 have emissions that are 63 to 82 per cent lower than a future privately-owned hybrid car, and 90 per cent lower than a current petrol-driven private car.
Almost half of these savings are the result of the intelligent planning of each journey where, for instance, smaller taxis are used for ferrying one or two people travelling on their own, and larger ones are used for three or four passengers travelling with luggage. Scientists believe that the savings in fuel and money and the increased efficiency of moving people around mean that robo-taxis could be both technologically and socially “disruptive” with the ability to transform personal transport and the use of the road network in the coming decades. “When we first started looking at autonomous vehicles, we found that of all the variables we could consider, the use of autonomous vehicles as part of a shared transit system seemed to be the biggest lever that pointed to lower energy use per mile,” said Jeffery Greenblatt of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, where the study was conducted.
The key requirements for the transport breakthrough are vehicles that can drive safely along pre-programmed routes – already being developed by Google and a number of car manufacturers – and an intelligent taxi-booking service that can match the size of a vehicle with the number of people booking each journey. “Most trips in the US are taken singly, meaning one or two seat cars would satisfy most trips. That gives us a factor of two savings, since smaller vehicles mean reduced energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions,” Dr Greenblatt said. Further savings could be made by including things such as “platooning”, where a number of driverless vehicles are driven closely together in a row to reduce wind resistance, as well as deploying smoother acceleration and braking, he said. “These are all incremental, but they do add up. However, we didn’t even include these effects in our baseline results, and we still get huge savings without them,” said Dr Greenblatt, the lead author of the study published in Nature Climate Change.
The scientists found that electric cars would still be more expensive than private petrol-fuelled vehicles if they were only driven for 12,000 miles a year – the US national average – but they become progressively cheaper when driven for between 40,000 and 70,000 miles a year, the typical mileage of a taxi. Even further savings could be made if taxis are shared between different passengers going to the same destination – something that is easier to arrange with an intelligent taxi-booking service.
www.independent.co.uk/news/science/driverless-cars-and-superuber-robot-taxis-could-cut-carbon-emissions-by-90-10369503
Autonomous robo-taxis could in the next couple of decades become cheaper and more efficient than privately-owned vehicles, which could amount to the biggest change in personal transport since the invention of the internal-combustion engine, they said. An analysis of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per mile showed that autonomous electric vehicles used as a fleet of driverless taxis would by 2030 have emissions that are 63 to 82 per cent lower than a future privately-owned hybrid car, and 90 per cent lower than a current petrol-driven private car.
Almost half of these savings are the result of the intelligent planning of each journey where, for instance, smaller taxis are used for ferrying one or two people travelling on their own, and larger ones are used for three or four passengers travelling with luggage. Scientists believe that the savings in fuel and money and the increased efficiency of moving people around mean that robo-taxis could be both technologically and socially “disruptive” with the ability to transform personal transport and the use of the road network in the coming decades. “When we first started looking at autonomous vehicles, we found that of all the variables we could consider, the use of autonomous vehicles as part of a shared transit system seemed to be the biggest lever that pointed to lower energy use per mile,” said Jeffery Greenblatt of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, where the study was conducted.
The key requirements for the transport breakthrough are vehicles that can drive safely along pre-programmed routes – already being developed by Google and a number of car manufacturers – and an intelligent taxi-booking service that can match the size of a vehicle with the number of people booking each journey. “Most trips in the US are taken singly, meaning one or two seat cars would satisfy most trips. That gives us a factor of two savings, since smaller vehicles mean reduced energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions,” Dr Greenblatt said. Further savings could be made by including things such as “platooning”, where a number of driverless vehicles are driven closely together in a row to reduce wind resistance, as well as deploying smoother acceleration and braking, he said. “These are all incremental, but they do add up. However, we didn’t even include these effects in our baseline results, and we still get huge savings without them,” said Dr Greenblatt, the lead author of the study published in Nature Climate Change.
The scientists found that electric cars would still be more expensive than private petrol-fuelled vehicles if they were only driven for 12,000 miles a year – the US national average – but they become progressively cheaper when driven for between 40,000 and 70,000 miles a year, the typical mileage of a taxi. Even further savings could be made if taxis are shared between different passengers going to the same destination – something that is easier to arrange with an intelligent taxi-booking service.
www.independent.co.uk/news/science/driverless-cars-and-superuber-robot-taxis-could-cut-carbon-emissions-by-90-10369503
The German automaker aims to make only electric vehicles by 2025.
A lot will happen within the next decade: Not only may African elephants may go extinct due to poaching, but 1/3 of the polar bear population may die off due to humanity’s unsustainable habits. One car company is seeking to reduce the likelihood of these happenings, however, by aiming to produce only electric cars within the same time period. Just recently, BMW announced that all of its vehicles will be electric within the next decade. The German automaker has dedicated a lot of money and effort the past few years into Project i, a subdivision of the company dedicated to building, in eco-friendly factories, fuel alternative vehicles. By 2025, then, the brand will transition all of its lineup to cars that run only on electricity.
As The Hollywood Reporter shares: “The cars would be driven by separate electric motors powering the front and rear wheels” and “a small gasoline engine would be used to generate electricity to extend the range of the batteries. The automaker’s decision is based primarily on increasing restrictions by the EU on carbon emissions, and partly on the success hybrid and electric cars have had in the market. Ever since Tesla’s Model S SUV was released in 2012 and began dominating the eco-friendly market, other car companies have aimed to follow suit and compete with the company.The electric Model X is supposed to be launched this fall and more than 20,000 people have already put in $5,000 deposits to guarantee theirs. The first two cars from BMW’s Project i, the $43,000 i3 electric and the $135,000 i8 supercar, have also done well in the market. At present, the i3 is the fourth best-selling electric car in the United States.
With vehicles taking the blame for mass carbon production, and in effect decline of species like the polar bears, other companies are ‘going green’ as well. Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Audie are also jumping on the electric bandwagon and releasing their own electric models within the next three years. General Motors is also getting in on the action, having released images of its Bolt vehicle, which will retail at #30,000 being a highly priced electric expected in 2018.
With all these car companies phasing to electric, will gas pumps one day be a thing of the past?
www.trueactivist.com/bmw-to-only-produce-electric-vehicles-within-10-years
A lot will happen within the next decade: Not only may African elephants may go extinct due to poaching, but 1/3 of the polar bear population may die off due to humanity’s unsustainable habits. One car company is seeking to reduce the likelihood of these happenings, however, by aiming to produce only electric cars within the same time period. Just recently, BMW announced that all of its vehicles will be electric within the next decade. The German automaker has dedicated a lot of money and effort the past few years into Project i, a subdivision of the company dedicated to building, in eco-friendly factories, fuel alternative vehicles. By 2025, then, the brand will transition all of its lineup to cars that run only on electricity.
As The Hollywood Reporter shares: “The cars would be driven by separate electric motors powering the front and rear wheels” and “a small gasoline engine would be used to generate electricity to extend the range of the batteries. The automaker’s decision is based primarily on increasing restrictions by the EU on carbon emissions, and partly on the success hybrid and electric cars have had in the market. Ever since Tesla’s Model S SUV was released in 2012 and began dominating the eco-friendly market, other car companies have aimed to follow suit and compete with the company.The electric Model X is supposed to be launched this fall and more than 20,000 people have already put in $5,000 deposits to guarantee theirs. The first two cars from BMW’s Project i, the $43,000 i3 electric and the $135,000 i8 supercar, have also done well in the market. At present, the i3 is the fourth best-selling electric car in the United States.
With vehicles taking the blame for mass carbon production, and in effect decline of species like the polar bears, other companies are ‘going green’ as well. Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Audie are also jumping on the electric bandwagon and releasing their own electric models within the next three years. General Motors is also getting in on the action, having released images of its Bolt vehicle, which will retail at #30,000 being a highly priced electric expected in 2018.
With all these car companies phasing to electric, will gas pumps one day be a thing of the past?
www.trueactivist.com/bmw-to-only-produce-electric-vehicles-within-10-years
AeroMobil Flying Car
AeroMobil. Beautiful flying car. Beautifully integrated. Transforms in seconds from an automobile to an airplane. Gives you freedom to move.
AeroMobil is a flying car that perfectly makes use of existing infrastructure created for automobiles and planes, and opens doors to real door-to-door travel. As a car it fits into any standard parking space, uses regular gasoline, and can be used in road traffic just like any other car. As a plane it can use any airport in the world, but can also take off and land using any grass strip or paved surface just a few hundred meters long. The current flying car prototype AeroMobil 3.0 incorporates significant improvements and upgrades to the previous pre-prototype AeroMobil 2.5.
It is now finalised and has been in regular flight-testing program in real flight conditions since October 2014.
The AeroMobil 3.0 is predominantly built from advanced composite material. That includes its body shell, wings, and wheels. It also contains all the main features that are likely to be incorporated into the final product, such as avionics equipment, autopilot and an advanced parachute deployment system. AeroMobil 3.0 also implements a number of other advanced technologies, such as a variable angle of attack of the wings that significantly shortens the take-off requirements, and sturdy suspension that enables it to take-off and land even at relatively rough terrain.
www.aeromobil.com/about
AeroMobil is a flying car that perfectly makes use of existing infrastructure created for automobiles and planes, and opens doors to real door-to-door travel. As a car it fits into any standard parking space, uses regular gasoline, and can be used in road traffic just like any other car. As a plane it can use any airport in the world, but can also take off and land using any grass strip or paved surface just a few hundred meters long. The current flying car prototype AeroMobil 3.0 incorporates significant improvements and upgrades to the previous pre-prototype AeroMobil 2.5.
It is now finalised and has been in regular flight-testing program in real flight conditions since October 2014.
The AeroMobil 3.0 is predominantly built from advanced composite material. That includes its body shell, wings, and wheels. It also contains all the main features that are likely to be incorporated into the final product, such as avionics equipment, autopilot and an advanced parachute deployment system. AeroMobil 3.0 also implements a number of other advanced technologies, such as a variable angle of attack of the wings that significantly shortens the take-off requirements, and sturdy suspension that enables it to take-off and land even at relatively rough terrain.
www.aeromobil.com/about
Researchers study inexpensive process to clean water in developing nations
June 9, 2015 By Jennifer Swales
What would happen if a common tree had the potential to turn cloudy, contaminated water into clean, safe drinking water for millions in need?
Penn State researchers are hoping to find out using the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree. Lack of potable water is a huge problem in many developing countries. According to UNICEF, 783 million people worldwide are without improved drinking water, and the World Health Organization estimates that lack of proper drinking water causes 1.6 million deaths each year from diarrheal and parasitic diseases. Part of the problem is that many of these countries must import expensive chemicals to clarify the water, limiting the amount they can afford to produce. But there may be an alternative.
The Moringa oleifera tree grows abundantly throughout many tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
It reaches fruition in only six months and is already being used in many areas as a food source. The seedpods, seeds, leaves, roots and flowers are all edible and nutritious. In addition to these benefits, something in the tree’s seeds has the ability to kill bacteria and clarify water. “That has been known for some time,” says Stephanie Butler Velegol, environmental engineering instructor at Penn State. Women in ancient Egypt reportedly rubbed Moringa seeds on their clay water pots, and dried powder from crushed seeds has been used as a handwash for many years.
In recent years, the water-clarifying ability of Moringa powder was found to be due to a positively-charged protein called the Moringa Oleifera Cationic Protein (MOCP). When you crush the seeds and add them to water, this protein will kill some of the microbial organisms and cause them to clump together and settle to the bottom of the container. However, the dried seed powder alone is not ideal for water purification because the organic matter from the seed will remain in the water, providing a food source for any bacteria that have not been killed. As a result, water treated with this seed does not remain safe to drink after some time in storage.
In 2012, Velegol and a team of Penn State researchers published a paper showing that MOCP can easily be attached to grains of sand. When the sand is mixed with unsafe water, bacteria stick to the sand and are killed. The newly-clean water can then be removed and stored for later use. Then the sand can be rinsed to remove the organic matter and “recycled” for another round of purification. In Velegol’s most recent study, published in the April edition of Langmuir, she, along with chemical engineering assistant professor Manish Kumar and chemical engineering students Kevin Shebek, Kathleen Lauser, Allen Schantz and Ian Sines, used a combination of cryogenic electron microscopy and fluorescence assays to discover that the cationic protein isolated from Moringa seeds kills water-borne bacteria by causing their cell membranes to fuse. This study revealed the mechanism by which MOCP turns polluted water into safe drinking water.
But there are still questions to be answered before the Moringa protein can be used on a large scale to purify water. One question is which Moringa seeds are most efficient in water clarification. The researchers knew that leaves and seeds harvested in different seasons differ in nutrient content, but did the seeds’ ability to kill bacteria also vary based on the season and the seed’s maturity level? “One of the biggest challenges in using Moringa seeds for cleaning water is that people don’t know which seeds work and don’t work,” Velegol says.
This is a problem because if people use the wrong seeds, they will think their water is clean when, in fact, it’s not.
So the researchers teamed up with Bashir Abubakar, a botanist from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria. Abubakar brought four kinds of seeds of different maturity levels and harvest times from Nigeria to Penn State. The researchers then studied their mass, oil content and ability to kill bacteria and clarify water. They found that the extracted protein of mature dried seeds collected in the rainy season is most effective, followed by mature dried seeds collected in the dry season.
Abubakar, a native of Nigeria where about 66 million people do not have access to safe drinking water (UNICEF), foresees benefits to using Moringa that go beyond providing clean water to poor communities. “The farmers will have an additional income, because not only will they be growing Moringa for food, but they can also grow large plantations of Moringa for the seed,” he says. In addition, the money saved by using the locally grown seeds to clarify water could then be used for other projects. “You can divert the money for other infrastructural and societal needs, either to improve the farmlands or to construct roads,” he says.
This research is the foundation for larger scale studies. The researchers are now seeking funding for those studies.
The Penn State College of Engineering Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Initiative (CERI) for Undergraduates funded a majority of this research. Bashir Abubakar’s research at Penn State was supported by a grant from the Raw Materials Research and Development Council in Abuja, Nigeria. Also participating in the study were Darrell Velegol, Distinguished Professor of chemical engineering, and Ricky Bates, professor of horticulture.
http://news.psu.edu/story/358048/2015/06/09/research/researchers-study-inexpensive-process-clean-water-developing
Penn State researchers are hoping to find out using the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree. Lack of potable water is a huge problem in many developing countries. According to UNICEF, 783 million people worldwide are without improved drinking water, and the World Health Organization estimates that lack of proper drinking water causes 1.6 million deaths each year from diarrheal and parasitic diseases. Part of the problem is that many of these countries must import expensive chemicals to clarify the water, limiting the amount they can afford to produce. But there may be an alternative.
The Moringa oleifera tree grows abundantly throughout many tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
It reaches fruition in only six months and is already being used in many areas as a food source. The seedpods, seeds, leaves, roots and flowers are all edible and nutritious. In addition to these benefits, something in the tree’s seeds has the ability to kill bacteria and clarify water. “That has been known for some time,” says Stephanie Butler Velegol, environmental engineering instructor at Penn State. Women in ancient Egypt reportedly rubbed Moringa seeds on their clay water pots, and dried powder from crushed seeds has been used as a handwash for many years.
In recent years, the water-clarifying ability of Moringa powder was found to be due to a positively-charged protein called the Moringa Oleifera Cationic Protein (MOCP). When you crush the seeds and add them to water, this protein will kill some of the microbial organisms and cause them to clump together and settle to the bottom of the container. However, the dried seed powder alone is not ideal for water purification because the organic matter from the seed will remain in the water, providing a food source for any bacteria that have not been killed. As a result, water treated with this seed does not remain safe to drink after some time in storage.
In 2012, Velegol and a team of Penn State researchers published a paper showing that MOCP can easily be attached to grains of sand. When the sand is mixed with unsafe water, bacteria stick to the sand and are killed. The newly-clean water can then be removed and stored for later use. Then the sand can be rinsed to remove the organic matter and “recycled” for another round of purification. In Velegol’s most recent study, published in the April edition of Langmuir, she, along with chemical engineering assistant professor Manish Kumar and chemical engineering students Kevin Shebek, Kathleen Lauser, Allen Schantz and Ian Sines, used a combination of cryogenic electron microscopy and fluorescence assays to discover that the cationic protein isolated from Moringa seeds kills water-borne bacteria by causing their cell membranes to fuse. This study revealed the mechanism by which MOCP turns polluted water into safe drinking water.
But there are still questions to be answered before the Moringa protein can be used on a large scale to purify water. One question is which Moringa seeds are most efficient in water clarification. The researchers knew that leaves and seeds harvested in different seasons differ in nutrient content, but did the seeds’ ability to kill bacteria also vary based on the season and the seed’s maturity level? “One of the biggest challenges in using Moringa seeds for cleaning water is that people don’t know which seeds work and don’t work,” Velegol says.
This is a problem because if people use the wrong seeds, they will think their water is clean when, in fact, it’s not.
So the researchers teamed up with Bashir Abubakar, a botanist from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria. Abubakar brought four kinds of seeds of different maturity levels and harvest times from Nigeria to Penn State. The researchers then studied their mass, oil content and ability to kill bacteria and clarify water. They found that the extracted protein of mature dried seeds collected in the rainy season is most effective, followed by mature dried seeds collected in the dry season.
Abubakar, a native of Nigeria where about 66 million people do not have access to safe drinking water (UNICEF), foresees benefits to using Moringa that go beyond providing clean water to poor communities. “The farmers will have an additional income, because not only will they be growing Moringa for food, but they can also grow large plantations of Moringa for the seed,” he says. In addition, the money saved by using the locally grown seeds to clarify water could then be used for other projects. “You can divert the money for other infrastructural and societal needs, either to improve the farmlands or to construct roads,” he says.
This research is the foundation for larger scale studies. The researchers are now seeking funding for those studies.
The Penn State College of Engineering Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Initiative (CERI) for Undergraduates funded a majority of this research. Bashir Abubakar’s research at Penn State was supported by a grant from the Raw Materials Research and Development Council in Abuja, Nigeria. Also participating in the study were Darrell Velegol, Distinguished Professor of chemical engineering, and Ricky Bates, professor of horticulture.
http://news.psu.edu/story/358048/2015/06/09/research/researchers-study-inexpensive-process-clean-water-developing
Dean Kamen & Coca-Cola Team Up to Bring Clean Water to Millions With a Revolutionary Device
Dean Kamen and Coca-Cola have teamed up to provide an innovative solution for providing clean water to those who need it. Today more than 1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water and using a process called vapor compression distillation, a single Slingshot device can purify more than 250,000 liters of water per year, enough to fulfill the needs of about 300 people. The Slingshot device created by Dean Kamen can do so with ANY water source - sewage, seawater, chemical waste - no matter how dirty. The Slingshot boils the water to steam and then compresses the water back into liquid form. The method uses no filters, no membranes and no chemicals to perform the process of distilling. The transformative and life-changing device is being rolled out within modular community market's called Ekocenters.
The community centers can be dropped into underdeveloped villages all over the world. The Ekocenter modular community markets are run by local women entrepreneurs and do not only provide safe water. They also provide solar power and Internet access. Working with the Coca-Cola company fifteen machines were built and installed in Ghana, and based on test results more Slingshots will be installed around Africa and Central America. The Coca-Cola Company is partnering with Solarkiosk, to roll out EKOCENTER in six countries in Africa and Asia in 2015.
Slingshot creator, Dean Kamen was also the mastermind behind dozens of medical-equipment inventions and, most famously, the Segway personal transportation device. Dean Kamen is a modern-day Thomas Edison. He holds hundreds of patents, and his creations have improved countless lives. His current projects include a robotic prosthetic arm for DARPA and a Stirling engine that generates affordable electricity by using “anything that burns” for fuel. The Slingshot, more than 10 years in the making, could have a bigger impact than all of his other inventions combined. Dean says that fifty percent of human disease today is caused by waterborne pathogens. Further, he says that two million children aged five and under die every year from bad water.
Faced with the challenge of how to get the purifiers mass-produced and into the hands of those who needed them a frustrated Kamen had the insight. “You talk to people that travel a lot and they say, ‘If there’s one thing you can buy anywhere in the world, it’s a Coke.’ You know the joke: A guy takes three weeks climbing to the top of Mount Everest; he gets to the top and buys himself a Coke. So I thought, Coke is something you drink, and they have coolers that are about the size of our machine, and they have bottling partnerships around the world. I’m going to go and try to convince them to do this.”
Fortunately, Coke CEO and chairman, Muhtar Kent was supportive. Kamen says, “within a couple of minutes of meeting Muhtar, I realized he’s not like an accounting guy; he’s a big-picture, global thinker. Derk Hendriksen, the general manager of the Ekocenter program shared, “We believe Coca-Cola’s business can only be as healthy as the community it is part of, so the well-being of the community is important to our long-term strategy.”
Kamen hopes to seed thousands of the units with local village entrepreneurs, in much the same way independent cell phone businesses have thrived and gradually changed the face of many impoverished areas around the globe.
http://upriser.com/posts/coca-cola-and-dean-kamen-team-up-to-bring-clean-water-to-millions-with-a-revolutionary-device
The community centers can be dropped into underdeveloped villages all over the world. The Ekocenter modular community markets are run by local women entrepreneurs and do not only provide safe water. They also provide solar power and Internet access. Working with the Coca-Cola company fifteen machines were built and installed in Ghana, and based on test results more Slingshots will be installed around Africa and Central America. The Coca-Cola Company is partnering with Solarkiosk, to roll out EKOCENTER in six countries in Africa and Asia in 2015.
Slingshot creator, Dean Kamen was also the mastermind behind dozens of medical-equipment inventions and, most famously, the Segway personal transportation device. Dean Kamen is a modern-day Thomas Edison. He holds hundreds of patents, and his creations have improved countless lives. His current projects include a robotic prosthetic arm for DARPA and a Stirling engine that generates affordable electricity by using “anything that burns” for fuel. The Slingshot, more than 10 years in the making, could have a bigger impact than all of his other inventions combined. Dean says that fifty percent of human disease today is caused by waterborne pathogens. Further, he says that two million children aged five and under die every year from bad water.
Faced with the challenge of how to get the purifiers mass-produced and into the hands of those who needed them a frustrated Kamen had the insight. “You talk to people that travel a lot and they say, ‘If there’s one thing you can buy anywhere in the world, it’s a Coke.’ You know the joke: A guy takes three weeks climbing to the top of Mount Everest; he gets to the top and buys himself a Coke. So I thought, Coke is something you drink, and they have coolers that are about the size of our machine, and they have bottling partnerships around the world. I’m going to go and try to convince them to do this.”
Fortunately, Coke CEO and chairman, Muhtar Kent was supportive. Kamen says, “within a couple of minutes of meeting Muhtar, I realized he’s not like an accounting guy; he’s a big-picture, global thinker. Derk Hendriksen, the general manager of the Ekocenter program shared, “We believe Coca-Cola’s business can only be as healthy as the community it is part of, so the well-being of the community is important to our long-term strategy.”
Kamen hopes to seed thousands of the units with local village entrepreneurs, in much the same way independent cell phone businesses have thrived and gradually changed the face of many impoverished areas around the globe.
http://upriser.com/posts/coca-cola-and-dean-kamen-team-up-to-bring-clean-water-to-millions-with-a-revolutionary-device
Toyota to share fuel cell technology with auto industry
7 January 2015, source edie newsroom Brad Allen
7 January 2015, source edie newsroom Brad Allen
Toyota will share 5680 fuel-cell related patents, including key components of the hydrogen-powered Mirai (pictured)
Japanese carmaker Toyota has announced it will freely share all of its hydrogen fuel cell technology in order to spur development of low-emission cars around the world. Toyota will share 5680 fuel-cell related patents, including key components of the hydrogen-powered Mirai, launched yesterday at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
The hydrogen fuel cell patents will be available until 2020 to carmakers who produce fuel cell vehicles and energy companies who establish and operate fuelling stations. "When good ideas are shared, great things can happen," said Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations at Toyota USA. "The first generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, launched between 2015 and 2020, will be critical, requiring a concerted effort and unconventional collaboration between automakers, government regulators, academia and energy providers."
Collaboration
As part of licensing agreements, Toyota will request - but not require - that other companies share their fuel cell-related patents with Toyota for similar royalty-free use. "By eliminating traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the development of new technologies and move into the future of mobility more quickly, effectively and economically," added Carter. Last June, Elon Musk's Tesla Motors took a similar step in making its patents available to other carmakers. Toyota also taken steps to establish the refuelling infrastructure needed to support a future fleet of hydrogen cars, offering loans and logistical support to build 31 hydrogen stations in California and the US North-East.
Future plans
In the UK, Toyota rival Honda is being equally proactive in hydrogen infrastructure, having opened the UK's first
commercial-scale hydrogen refueling facility in Swindon last October. Toyota is one of a record number of carmakers at CES in Las Vegas, with several manufacturers showing off auto-pilot cars, which will reportedly boost productivity.
www.edie.net/news/6/Toyota-to-share-fuel-cell-technology-with-auto-industry-hydrogen-patents
Japanese carmaker Toyota has announced it will freely share all of its hydrogen fuel cell technology in order to spur development of low-emission cars around the world. Toyota will share 5680 fuel-cell related patents, including key components of the hydrogen-powered Mirai, launched yesterday at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
The hydrogen fuel cell patents will be available until 2020 to carmakers who produce fuel cell vehicles and energy companies who establish and operate fuelling stations. "When good ideas are shared, great things can happen," said Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations at Toyota USA. "The first generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, launched between 2015 and 2020, will be critical, requiring a concerted effort and unconventional collaboration between automakers, government regulators, academia and energy providers."
Collaboration
As part of licensing agreements, Toyota will request - but not require - that other companies share their fuel cell-related patents with Toyota for similar royalty-free use. "By eliminating traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the development of new technologies and move into the future of mobility more quickly, effectively and economically," added Carter. Last June, Elon Musk's Tesla Motors took a similar step in making its patents available to other carmakers. Toyota also taken steps to establish the refuelling infrastructure needed to support a future fleet of hydrogen cars, offering loans and logistical support to build 31 hydrogen stations in California and the US North-East.
Future plans
In the UK, Toyota rival Honda is being equally proactive in hydrogen infrastructure, having opened the UK's first
commercial-scale hydrogen refueling facility in Swindon last October. Toyota is one of a record number of carmakers at CES in Las Vegas, with several manufacturers showing off auto-pilot cars, which will reportedly boost productivity.
www.edie.net/news/6/Toyota-to-share-fuel-cell-technology-with-auto-industry-hydrogen-patents
Toyota patent share to speed hydrogen powertrain development
06/01/2015 in All News, Car Manufacturer News Author Tim Rose
06/01/2015 in All News, Car Manufacturer News Author Tim Rose
Toyota is set to make more than 5,000 patents related to fuel cell technology available to the automotive industry in a bid to speed up hydrogen powertrain development. The global patents include those regarding fuel cell stacks, high pressure hydrogen tanks, fuel cell fuel cell system software control and hydrogen production and supply. Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations at Toyota Motor Sales, USA, said: "At Toyota, we believe that when good ideas are shared, great things can happen."
Carter said the first generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicles due to be launched between 2015 and 2020 will be critical, requiring a concerted effort and unconventional collaboration between automakers, government regulators, academia and energy providers. Toyota has a history of opening its intellectual properties through collaboration and previously licensed related patents for hybrid vehicles. But this is the first time that Toyota has made its patents available free of charge.
Patents related to fuel cell vehicles will be available for royalty-free licenses until the end of 2020, while patents for hydrogen production and supply will remain open for an unlimited duration.
www.am-online.com/news/2015/1/6/toyota-patent-share-to-speed-hydrogen-powertrain-development
Carter said the first generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicles due to be launched between 2015 and 2020 will be critical, requiring a concerted effort and unconventional collaboration between automakers, government regulators, academia and energy providers. Toyota has a history of opening its intellectual properties through collaboration and previously licensed related patents for hybrid vehicles. But this is the first time that Toyota has made its patents available free of charge.
Patents related to fuel cell vehicles will be available for royalty-free licenses until the end of 2020, while patents for hydrogen production and supply will remain open for an unlimited duration.
www.am-online.com/news/2015/1/6/toyota-patent-share-to-speed-hydrogen-powertrain-development
Notice Of The H2 Refuel H Prize Competition
As authorized in Section 654 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the Department of Energy (DOE) is announcing the $1 million H2 Refuel H-Prize competition, allowing teams from across the United States to compete and develop systems that generate and dispense hydrogen from resources commonly available to residences (electricity or natural gas), for use in homes, community centers, businesses or similar locations, to supplement the current infrastructure roll-out and reduce barriers to using hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Competition ends—October 31, 2016: Data will be analyzed to determine winner Award of $1 million prize, if the Panel of Judges determines that there is a winning entry.
www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/10/28/2014-25596/h2-refuel-h-prize-final-guidelines
H2 Refuel H-Prize Aims to Make Fueling Hydrogen Powered Vehicles Easier than Ever December 30, 2014
Just as charging your electric vehicle at home or place of work is becoming more widely available to the American consumer, what about bringing other fuels to this market? Many gaseous fuels, including propane for your grill and compressed gases at paintball parties, are safe and popular, and millions of homes have natural gas safely and conveniently available for cooking, clothes dryers, fire places, and furnaces. Even home fueling of your natural gas vehicle is now possible for consumers who can’t easily access a natural gas fueling station. The H2 Refuel H-Prize is challenging America’s innovators to develop systems that make it just as easy to fuel hydrogen powered vehicles, using energy sources delivered to most homes and businesses (electricity and natural gas).
The H-Prize is intended to incentivize researchers and entrepreneurs to think outside the box on topics related to hydrogen. Because hydrogen used in a fuel cell produces only water, electricity and heat, there are absolutely no other emissions and power can be safely and efficiently produced for a huge range of applications ranging from portable power to charge your laptop and cell phone, to large stationary power plants as well as buses, cars, and forklifts. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) are now available for lease in limited regions both in the United States and in other countries and major automakers have announced plans for the commercial sales, whetting the appetite of consumers.
And consumers are interested. FCEVs take only a few minutes to refuel and can travel 300 miles between re-fueling (one FCEV was even validated by DOE to be capable of driving up to 430 miles on a single fill) and they have great performance with zero emissions from the tailpipe. Even though states like California have plans to build many hydrogen stations or add hydrogen dispensers to existing gasoline stations, this will take time. If early consumers can make their own fuel to refuel their car, they don’t need to worry about the distance to the nearest hydrogen station.
To help connect consumers to hydrogen fuel, the H2 Refuel H-Prize is offering a $1 million prize to the winner of a competition to design and demonstrate small scale systems for on-site hydrogen generation and dispensing that can be used in locations like homes, community centers, or businesses for fueling vehicles. Small scale hydrogen production systems using either water electrolysis or natural gas reforming have been demonstrated before but meeting all the H2 Refuel criteria for fueling, capacity, pressure and cost, to name a few, has still not been demonstrated. Hence the H2 Refuel H-Prize: teams will have two years to design, build, and demonstrate a system that will be independently validated to meet the criteria described in the
H2 Refuel H-Prize Final Guidelines Federal Register Notice. The Energy Department is working with the Hydrogen Energy Foundation, which is the administrator of the H-Prize.
Whether you just want to find out what’s happening with the competition, read the full guidelines, or ask questions, visit hydrogenprize.org to learn more. If you’re interested in finding others to team up with, you’ll find a place post your information. If you just want to follow the action, registered teams will be able post information and updates.
www.hydrogenprize.org/h2-refuel-h-prize-aims-to-make-fueling-hydrogen-powered-vehicles-easier-than-ever
Competition ends—October 31, 2016: Data will be analyzed to determine winner Award of $1 million prize, if the Panel of Judges determines that there is a winning entry.
www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/10/28/2014-25596/h2-refuel-h-prize-final-guidelines
H2 Refuel H-Prize Aims to Make Fueling Hydrogen Powered Vehicles Easier than Ever December 30, 2014
Just as charging your electric vehicle at home or place of work is becoming more widely available to the American consumer, what about bringing other fuels to this market? Many gaseous fuels, including propane for your grill and compressed gases at paintball parties, are safe and popular, and millions of homes have natural gas safely and conveniently available for cooking, clothes dryers, fire places, and furnaces. Even home fueling of your natural gas vehicle is now possible for consumers who can’t easily access a natural gas fueling station. The H2 Refuel H-Prize is challenging America’s innovators to develop systems that make it just as easy to fuel hydrogen powered vehicles, using energy sources delivered to most homes and businesses (electricity and natural gas).
The H-Prize is intended to incentivize researchers and entrepreneurs to think outside the box on topics related to hydrogen. Because hydrogen used in a fuel cell produces only water, electricity and heat, there are absolutely no other emissions and power can be safely and efficiently produced for a huge range of applications ranging from portable power to charge your laptop and cell phone, to large stationary power plants as well as buses, cars, and forklifts. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) are now available for lease in limited regions both in the United States and in other countries and major automakers have announced plans for the commercial sales, whetting the appetite of consumers.
And consumers are interested. FCEVs take only a few minutes to refuel and can travel 300 miles between re-fueling (one FCEV was even validated by DOE to be capable of driving up to 430 miles on a single fill) and they have great performance with zero emissions from the tailpipe. Even though states like California have plans to build many hydrogen stations or add hydrogen dispensers to existing gasoline stations, this will take time. If early consumers can make their own fuel to refuel their car, they don’t need to worry about the distance to the nearest hydrogen station.
To help connect consumers to hydrogen fuel, the H2 Refuel H-Prize is offering a $1 million prize to the winner of a competition to design and demonstrate small scale systems for on-site hydrogen generation and dispensing that can be used in locations like homes, community centers, or businesses for fueling vehicles. Small scale hydrogen production systems using either water electrolysis or natural gas reforming have been demonstrated before but meeting all the H2 Refuel criteria for fueling, capacity, pressure and cost, to name a few, has still not been demonstrated. Hence the H2 Refuel H-Prize: teams will have two years to design, build, and demonstrate a system that will be independently validated to meet the criteria described in the
H2 Refuel H-Prize Final Guidelines Federal Register Notice. The Energy Department is working with the Hydrogen Energy Foundation, which is the administrator of the H-Prize.
Whether you just want to find out what’s happening with the competition, read the full guidelines, or ask questions, visit hydrogenprize.org to learn more. If you’re interested in finding others to team up with, you’ll find a place post your information. If you just want to follow the action, registered teams will be able post information and updates.
www.hydrogenprize.org/h2-refuel-h-prize-aims-to-make-fueling-hydrogen-powered-vehicles-easier-than-ever
Tigo Energy MMU, Maximizer Management Unit & MU-GTWY Gateway
Sale Price: $379.99
MMU-ES Energy Maximizer Management Unit for series configurations. Including 1 Gateway and 3 Months of Complimentary Monitoring.
Get up to 20% more energy from your solar panels by integrating the Tigo Energy® Maximizer™ system. Designed for residential, commercial and utility scale photovoltaic solar arrays, the Tigo Energy® Maximizer™ system optimizes the power output of each solar panel, delivering module-level data for operational management and performance monitoring.
The Tigo Energy Maximizer Management Unit (MMU) communicates between the Module Maximizers and the Inverter, controls processes in real time and sends data to a remote server in order to allow multiple users to observe and interact with the monitoring system.
Key Benefits:• Optimize the energy harvest of your PV system
• Accelerate system payback
• Maximize the power output of individual modules
• Reconsider previously rejected projects because of unfavorable shade or orientation
• Maintain best-in-class conversion efficiency
• Manage your PV system with module-level analytics to minimize operational costs and keep the system at peak performance throughout its lifetime
• Introduce an unprecedented level of safety for new and existing PV solar installations (patented)
• Simplify the balance-of-system design, especially for high Voc or thin-film modules
Top 3 Reasons to use the Tigo Energy® Maximizer™ system
Opimization:
The Tigo Energy output optimization starts with dynamic module balancing – a Module Maximizer (patented) attached to each module manages the energy harvest and sends information to the Maximizer Management Unit for reporting and control.
Tigo Energy Module Maximizers are key components of the system which reside at each module (one per solar module), connecting in a series topology. The complete Tigo Energy System includes:
Safety:
The MMU includes the Tigo Energy ® PV-SAFE™ button - a unique onsite safety feature located on the front of the Maximizer Management Unit. With one push of the red button, an onsite operator or emergency personnel can deactivate the entire array for maintenance or emergency purposes (patented). PV-Safe enables each module to be electrically removed from the high voltage DC cabling limiting the voltage exposure to the open-circuit voltage (Voc) of a single module. As part of the Tigo Energy system, this function can be activated with the safety button or via a remote management console. The system can be installed, maintained or approached by fire personnel without the exposure to voltage levels typically in excess of 400 volts.
Data Monitoring:
Secure remote access to the MMU via the Tigo Energy MaxiManager software applications is available through any internet-enabled computer, with views available for system owners, installers, power plant operators and em ergency services personnel. Simple, easy-to-understand graphics allow for quick analysis of the real-time output and historical performance of each system, and the ability to view and remedy system faults, error codes or alerts.
Tigo Energy MMU, Maximizer Management Unit & MU-GTWY Gateway
Get up to 20% more energy from your solar panels by integrating the Tigo Energy® Maximizer™ system. Designed for residential, commercial and utility scale photovoltaic solar arrays, the Tigo Energy® Maximizer™ system optimizes the power output of each solar panel, delivering module-level data for operational management and performance monitoring.
The Tigo Energy Maximizer Management Unit (MMU) communicates between the Module Maximizers and the Inverter, controls processes in real time and sends data to a remote server in order to allow multiple users to observe and interact with the monitoring system.
Key Benefits:• Optimize the energy harvest of your PV system
• Accelerate system payback
• Maximize the power output of individual modules
• Reconsider previously rejected projects because of unfavorable shade or orientation
• Maintain best-in-class conversion efficiency
• Manage your PV system with module-level analytics to minimize operational costs and keep the system at peak performance throughout its lifetime
• Introduce an unprecedented level of safety for new and existing PV solar installations (patented)
• Simplify the balance-of-system design, especially for high Voc or thin-film modules
Top 3 Reasons to use the Tigo Energy® Maximizer™ system
Opimization:
The Tigo Energy output optimization starts with dynamic module balancing – a Module Maximizer (patented) attached to each module manages the energy harvest and sends information to the Maximizer Management Unit for reporting and control.
Tigo Energy Module Maximizers are key components of the system which reside at each module (one per solar module), connecting in a series topology. The complete Tigo Energy System includes:
- Tigo Energy® Module Maximizer™ (one per solar panel)
- Tigo Energy ® Gateway (GTWY)
- Tigo Energy ® Maximizer ™ Management Unit (MMU)
Safety:
The MMU includes the Tigo Energy ® PV-SAFE™ button - a unique onsite safety feature located on the front of the Maximizer Management Unit. With one push of the red button, an onsite operator or emergency personnel can deactivate the entire array for maintenance or emergency purposes (patented). PV-Safe enables each module to be electrically removed from the high voltage DC cabling limiting the voltage exposure to the open-circuit voltage (Voc) of a single module. As part of the Tigo Energy system, this function can be activated with the safety button or via a remote management console. The system can be installed, maintained or approached by fire personnel without the exposure to voltage levels typically in excess of 400 volts.
Data Monitoring:
Secure remote access to the MMU via the Tigo Energy MaxiManager software applications is available through any internet-enabled computer, with views available for system owners, installers, power plant operators and em ergency services personnel. Simple, easy-to-understand graphics allow for quick analysis of the real-time output and historical performance of each system, and the ability to view and remedy system faults, error codes or alerts.
Tigo Energy MMU, Maximizer Management Unit & MU-GTWY Gateway
Tigo Energy 300W Solar Panel Maximizer DC Optimizer
Sale Price: $47.89
Module Maximizer ES050V300W-4W, 52 Voc Max DC input, 16 to 48Vdc input range, 300W maximum power, MC4 connectors
Get up to 20% more energy from your solar panels by integrating the Tigo Energy® Maximizer™ system. Designed for residential, commercial and utility scale photovoltaic solar arrays, the Tigo Energy® Maximizer™ system optimizes the power output of each solar panel, delivering module-level data for operational management and performance monitoring.
Get up to 20% more energy from your solar panels by integrating the Tigo Energy® Maximizer™ system. Designed for residential, commercial and utility scale photovoltaic solar arrays, the Tigo Energy® Maximizer™ system optimizes the power output of each solar panel, delivering module-level data for operational management and performance monitoring.
Specifications
Input Rated Power 300 W
Maximum Input DC Voltage 52 V
Peak Power Tracking Voltage 16-48 V
Maximum Continuous Current (Imp) 9.5 A
Maximum Input Current 10 A
Maximum Output Power 300 W
Maximum Continuous Current 9.5 A
Input Rated Power 300 W
Maximum Input DC Voltage 52 V
Peak Power Tracking Voltage 16-48 V
Maximum Continuous Current (Imp) 9.5 A
Maximum Input Current 10 A
Maximum Output Power 300 W
Maximum Continuous Current 9.5 A
Battery for Backup Power & Off Grid Energy
What battery type are you looking for?
Battery FAQ
How do I select the right battery for my application?
Proper battery selection may require the assistance of a knowledgeable battery sales/service technician.
What is the difference between a deep cycle battery, a starting battery, and a dual-purpose battery?
A deep-cycle battery has the ability to be deeply discharged and charged many times during its service life. It is designed specifically for powering electrical equipment for long periods of time. An automotive or starting battery is designed for brief bursts of high current and cannot withstand more than a few deep discharges before failure. This is why it is unable to start your car if you accidentally leave the lights on more than a couple of times. For applications where both engine starting and light deep cycling are required, a dual-purpose battery is often used. This type of battery is neither a starting nor a deep-cycle battery but rather a compromise between the two so it performs both functions adequately.
Can I use my deep-cycle battery as a starting battery?
deep-cycle batteries can be used for engine starting but starting batteries should not be used for deep-cycle applications. A deep-cycle battery may have less cranking amps per pound than a starting battery, but in most cases a deep-cycle battery is still more than adequate for the purpose of starting an engine.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of gel, AGM, and flooded lead acid deep cycle?
Generally, gel and AGM batteries have about 20% less capacity, cost about two times more, and have a shorter cycle life than comparable flooded lead acid batteries. However, Gel and AGM batteries do not need watering, are safer (no acid spilling out), can be placed in a variety of positions, have a slower self-discharge characteristic, and are more efficient in charging and discharging than flooded batteries (see table below). Gel batteries are more suitable for deep cycling applications whereas AGM batteries are more for light cycling and engine-starting applications.
What's better? 24 Volt or 48 Volt system?
Higher-voltage systems tend to be more efficient and put a lower load on the batteries. Factors other than the battery enter into the system's overall efficiency.
Battery for Backup Power & Off Grid Energy
How do I select the right battery for my application?
Proper battery selection may require the assistance of a knowledgeable battery sales/service technician.
What is the difference between a deep cycle battery, a starting battery, and a dual-purpose battery?
A deep-cycle battery has the ability to be deeply discharged and charged many times during its service life. It is designed specifically for powering electrical equipment for long periods of time. An automotive or starting battery is designed for brief bursts of high current and cannot withstand more than a few deep discharges before failure. This is why it is unable to start your car if you accidentally leave the lights on more than a couple of times. For applications where both engine starting and light deep cycling are required, a dual-purpose battery is often used. This type of battery is neither a starting nor a deep-cycle battery but rather a compromise between the two so it performs both functions adequately.
Can I use my deep-cycle battery as a starting battery?
deep-cycle batteries can be used for engine starting but starting batteries should not be used for deep-cycle applications. A deep-cycle battery may have less cranking amps per pound than a starting battery, but in most cases a deep-cycle battery is still more than adequate for the purpose of starting an engine.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of gel, AGM, and flooded lead acid deep cycle?
Generally, gel and AGM batteries have about 20% less capacity, cost about two times more, and have a shorter cycle life than comparable flooded lead acid batteries. However, Gel and AGM batteries do not need watering, are safer (no acid spilling out), can be placed in a variety of positions, have a slower self-discharge characteristic, and are more efficient in charging and discharging than flooded batteries (see table below). Gel batteries are more suitable for deep cycling applications whereas AGM batteries are more for light cycling and engine-starting applications.
What's better? 24 Volt or 48 Volt system?
Higher-voltage systems tend to be more efficient and put a lower load on the batteries. Factors other than the battery enter into the system's overall efficiency.
Battery for Backup Power & Off Grid Energy
Morningstar SL-300-115V-UL SureSine Inverter, 300W
Sale Price: $254.10
The SureSine is a 300 watt pure sine wave inverter (12 volt DC input) designed specifically for remote off-grid photovoltaic (PV) systems. It is an ideal inverter for rural electrification projects, telecom, remote cabins and weekend homes, and RV or caravans and boats. The SureSine's combination of performance, features and competitive price provides the best small inverter value on the market.
Improved Load Operation
Pure Sine Wave – Provides quality AC equivalent to grid power. A sine wave will extend the life of the household appliances (lights, TV, fans) and improve load performance. Toroidal transformer design – Generates good wave form throughout the range of input voltages. Outstanding Surge Capability – Handles a 200% surge during load start-up, to a maximum of 600 watts.
More Power Available
High Efficiency – A high peak efficiency will reduce heating and make more solar energy available for powering loads.
Low Self-Consumption – The SureSine consumes 450mA while powering loads. During no load conditions, solar energy is not wasted because the SureSine automatically powers down to stand-by mode, reducing self-consumption to one tenth of operating consumption.
Extremely High Reliability
Extensive Electronic Protections – The SureSine has extensive electronic protections that will automatically protect against faults and user mistakes such as short circuit, overload, high temperature and low voltage disconnect. Recovery from most faults is automatic. No Internal Cooling Fan – A key design objective since fans often fail in harsh environments and are noisy, consume power and blow dirt into the electronics. Tropicalization – The SureSine uses epoxy encapsulation, conformal coating, stainless steel hardware, and ananodized aluminum enclosure to protect against harsh tropical and marine environments.
Improved Load Operation
Pure Sine Wave – Provides quality AC equivalent to grid power. A sine wave will extend the life of the household appliances (lights, TV, fans) and improve load performance. Toroidal transformer design – Generates good wave form throughout the range of input voltages. Outstanding Surge Capability – Handles a 200% surge during load start-up, to a maximum of 600 watts.
More Power Available
High Efficiency – A high peak efficiency will reduce heating and make more solar energy available for powering loads.
Low Self-Consumption – The SureSine consumes 450mA while powering loads. During no load conditions, solar energy is not wasted because the SureSine automatically powers down to stand-by mode, reducing self-consumption to one tenth of operating consumption.
Extremely High Reliability
Extensive Electronic Protections – The SureSine has extensive electronic protections that will automatically protect against faults and user mistakes such as short circuit, overload, high temperature and low voltage disconnect. Recovery from most faults is automatic. No Internal Cooling Fan – A key design objective since fans often fail in harsh environments and are noisy, consume power and blow dirt into the electronics. Tropicalization – The SureSine uses epoxy encapsulation, conformal coating, stainless steel hardware, and ananodized aluminum enclosure to protect against harsh tropical and marine environments.
Other Features
More Information – The two LEDs provide important information to the user about system status and any fault conditions. An optional digital meter may be connected to the SureSine to display additional system information. Remote On/Off – Improves safety by making it easy to install the SureSine in an inaccessible location or enclosure.
Reduces system cost by avoiding the need to add an AC safety disconnect to the system.
Adjustability – Four DIP switches provide easy adjustability of several system parameters. Additional adjustability is possible via RJ-11 to RS-232 adapter to a personal computer and using Morningstar's PC software.
Morningstar SL-300-115V-UL SureSine Inverter, 300W
Charge Controllers
If you charge batteries with solar panels or have a grid tied system with battery backup, you need a charge controller.
Not using a charge controller seriously risks damaging the battery and potentially causes a safety concern. If you need help choosing the right charge controller Morningstar are our most popular brand of charge controllers.
Charge Controllers
More Information – The two LEDs provide important information to the user about system status and any fault conditions. An optional digital meter may be connected to the SureSine to display additional system information. Remote On/Off – Improves safety by making it easy to install the SureSine in an inaccessible location or enclosure.
Reduces system cost by avoiding the need to add an AC safety disconnect to the system.
Adjustability – Four DIP switches provide easy adjustability of several system parameters. Additional adjustability is possible via RJ-11 to RS-232 adapter to a personal computer and using Morningstar's PC software.
Morningstar SL-300-115V-UL SureSine Inverter, 300W
Charge Controllers
If you charge batteries with solar panels or have a grid tied system with battery backup, you need a charge controller.
Not using a charge controller seriously risks damaging the battery and potentially causes a safety concern. If you need help choosing the right charge controller Morningstar are our most popular brand of charge controllers.
Charge Controllers