|
|
Even in a weak economy, the cleantech industry is bringing jobs to the U.S. Demand for renewable energy solutions continues to grow and cleantech manufacturers have greater power to create jobs and boost the domestic economy. Renewable Energy World recently reported on how energy innovation helps job creation and detailed the many government, university and other organizations, such as New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), which are creating programs to invest in cleantech advances.
We don’t win the contest of who pays their workers the least, but the U.S. has an entrepreneurial spirit gifted by innovation, that is equaled by no other country in the world. Small tech companies like Ioxus, who win business with great designs, are a key to quality job creation in the U.S. Numerous successful and established companies grew from small start-ups, including many cleantech manufacturers. Additionally, for small and micro-cap companies, the rate of job creation is much greater than that of large corporations.
Ioxus is committed to manufacturing ultracapacitors entirely in the U.S. and helping to keep green jobs here. We moved to the former Soccer Hall of Fame building in Oneonta, NY last July, with the intention of bringing more green jobs into New York. In 2011, Ioxus employed 19 people. Now, we have 52 employees, and this number will continue to grow quickly in the coming months. We’re just one example of the many start-up companies across the U.S. creating jobs in great numbers; all combined, cleantech start-ups have a major impact on economic growth.
(Ioxus employees after the opening of our new manufacturing facility this July)
Green technology is increasingly important for reasons beyond job creation, such as decreasing reliance on fossil fuels. With more focus on the industry it will grow along with the number of available jobs. Ultracapacitor volumes will see 25 to 45 percent compounded annual growth during the next decade, which will inevitably increase the number of jobs created in the industry.
Posted in Uncategorized
|
Tagged clean, cleantech, Ioxus, jobs, manufacturer, NYSERDA, renewable energy, super capacitors, tech, U.S., ucap, ultracap, ultracapacitor, ultracapacitors
|
Ultracapacitor manufacturers are not required to follow any compliance standards, unlike manufacturers in other industries. Because there are no specifications, all companies test their products differently. Customers frequently ask about compliance standards, but because tests are not standardized, buyers cannot equally compare products. The ability to weigh different options should be an important factor in how buyers choose their products.
Ioxus already performs several standards tests on its products. For example, our 3,000F iCAP cell went through the following tests:
- Restriction of hazardous substances directive (RoHS) – This is a European-specific test that ensures the product is not manufactured with materials restricted in Europe.
- Chinese RoHS – This is a Chinese-specific test ensuring there are no materials restricted by China present.
- European Conformity (CE) – Ensures the product complies with all of the European Safety Standards.
- UL 810A – The requirements of this test cover ultracapacitor use in equipment such as electronic products, uninterruptible power supplies, emergency lighting, engine starting and power equipment.
- International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 60068-2-6 – This tests the cell to determine its sensitivity to vibration and ensure it will perform reliably in use.
- IEC 60068-2-27 and IEC 60068-2-29 – These shock tests make certain the cell is durable and can handle sudden applied forces.
- United States Military Standard (MIL-STD) 202G, Method 203C – This random drop test drops the cell 750 to 1,000 times, confirming it can handle rough conditions. Ioxus’ iCAP cell is the only product on the market that has passed this test.
Passing these tests shows the end user that the cell is more reliable. It can be used in high shock and high vibration applications without the cell experiencing any worsened performance or damage. For example, a rugged cell can be used reliably in windmills which, over time, have a high number of revolutions. In automotive applications, ultracapacitors are exposed to wide ranging temperatures and high vibration conditions. Ensuring the ultracapacitor can handle these conditions and perform well over time is important to the user.
Agencies such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) need to establish compliance standards for the benefit of both manufacturers and customers. Ultracap manufacturers should measure capacitance, equivalent series resistance (ESR), cooling requirements, cycle testing, maximum current, and duty cycles, which are all important to customers. Customers can purchase the product knowing it complies with these standards so they don’t have to do their own internal testing. Manufacturers would be able to better market their products against competitors, and could see better market adoption.
Posted in Uncategorized
|
Tagged automotive, automotive electronics, blade pitch, compliance, energy, energy storage systems, hybrid electric vehicles, IEC, IEEE, NIST, specifications, specs, standards, ultracap, ultracapacitor, ultracapacitors, windmill
|
This week we acquired ultracapacitor manufacturer Power Systems, Ltd. from Japan. Power Systems brings us flexible, slim-pack electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) with an extensive customer base established in the Asia-Pacific region. Ioxus will continue to serve Power Systems’ blue-chip customer base in Japan as part of its ongoing expansion.
The Power Systems acquisition comes a year after Ioxus’ purchase of Advanced Energy Conversion (AEC), a company that specializes in advanced power electronics and ultracap module designs. Power Systems adds another critical technology asset to the Ioxus product family: flat prismatic ultracapacitor design in slim, flexible pouch cells.
Ioxus will continue to build on its superior technology, adding new thin cell designs that have already radically changed the way lithium-ion products are used in various applications. The acquisition substantially increases the scale of Ioxus’ business, especially in Japan, where Power Systems enjoys a significant share of the market for 100 Farad-plus-sized ultracapacitors.
We welcome the new addition to our Ioxus team and remain committed to providing the highest level of technology for a variety of energy storage applications.
Posted in Uncategorized
|
Tagged acquire, acquired, acquisition, advanced energy conversion, AEC, flexible, Ioxus, NY, Oneonta NY, pouch, Power Systems, prismatic, PS, slim, slim-cell, super cap, super capacitors, thin, ultracap, ultracapacitor, ultracapacitors
|
Around the world, wind turbine installations are up and are projected to increase significantly in the next several years. The inhibitors to widespread adoption are shrinking as better energy storage options solve the problems of consistent availability, adequate lifespan and affordability. In the U.S., however, the potential end of the federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) later this year could threaten the success of clean energy production in this country.
That’s why Ioxus has signed onto the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) petition asking Congress to extend the PTC. Letting the PTC expire is the equivalent of raising taxes on domestic renewable energy. That tax increase could have negative repercussions in an industry that has created jobs, fostered energy diversity and contributed to the long-term stability of electricity prices.
In its appeal for a four-year extension of the PTC, AWEA states that:
- Wind provided 35 percent of all new U.S. power capacity in the last four years.
- Equipped with the PTC, the wind industry has been able to lower the cost of wind power by more than 90 percent and provide power to the equivalent of 10 million American homes.
- The U.S. has generated 3.25 percent of its electricity from clean wind energy in the first half of this year.
- In Iowa, wind now generates 20 percent of the electricity year-round.
- The U.S. is capable of growing to Iowa’s level by 2030, generating 20 percent of its electricity from wind power on a national scale.
- That growth by 2030 could provide 500,000 American jobs in wind energy.
Technological innovation can take us much of the way toward cleaner energy production. However, other factors matter, as well. PTC is one way the U.S. can encourage success in domestic energy production, and we hope Congress will renew it for at least the next four years.
Posted in Uncategorized
|
Tagged blade pitch, capacitors, energy storage systems, federal, PCT, Production Tax Credit, super capacitors, ucap, ultracap, ultracapacitor, ultracapacitors, wind, wind turbine, windmill
|
This week we announced our work with REenergy Electric (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of wind turbine power control systems in Suzhou, China, who is using 50 megawatts of our ultracapacitor cells in its pitch control and main control wind turbine systems. We look forward to helping reach the wind power generation development requirements in China by providing the ultracapacitor technology necessary to encourage increased turbine installations.
The number of new wind turbine installations worldwide is expected to rebound through 2015, making it even more important for wind pitch control systems like those of REenergy Electric (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. to contain reliable energy storage solutions. The importance of implementing dependable energy storage solutions in turbine systems cannot be understated, which is why manufacturers are increasingly adopting ultracapacitor technology.
Ultracapacitors have already proven to be a better alternative to batteries in wind pitch control systems. Unlike ultracapacitors, which have long operating lives and withstand a wide range of temperatures, batteries have a limited lifespan and perform poorly in low temperature conditions. With more than 14,000 wind turbine installations throughout the world, ultracapacitors benefit electrical-based pitch control systems with increased reliability.
When paired with batteries, ultracapacitors increase the system’s power density and reduce strain on the battery. While providing higher energy density and storing more energy, the ultracapacitor simultaneously reduces the system size. These benefits directly allow for rapid renewable energy growth in the Chinese market.
Today we introduced our iCAP™ 3,000 Farad (F) ultracapacitor, a development prompted by feedback from our customers and markets around the world eager for more powerful, more durable energy storage cells. Ioxus developed the iCAP™ series for automotive, energy and other sectors pursuing cost-effective energy storage for renewable energy applications.
With the introduction of the Ioxus iCAP™ series, manufacturers gain:
- Unmatched durability and adaptability to support a wide array of applications;
- The lowest weight, lowest equivalent series resistance (ESR) and highest power density available in the market;
- The ability to pass the shock and vibe tests that competing products cannot; and
- Adaptability for myriad uses, including transportation drive, grid power storage, regenerative energy capture, backup power and uninterruptible power supply (UPS), ride-through, power conditioning, and renewable energy systems.
With this series of 3,000F ultracaps, Ioxus is giving the market the heaviest duty cycles and longest lifespans possible. This is all part of our effort to help our customers produce better applications, faster, more easily and at lower cost. These innovations at the ultracap level are fueling significant advances in smart grids, hybridized transportation, consumer electronics applications and many more industries.
Posted in Uncategorized
|
Tagged 3000F, capacitor, equivalent series, iCAP, Ioxus, low ESR, power density, resistance, super, supercap, ultracap, ultracapacitor, ultracapacitors
|
After we moved into our new headquarters at the former National Soccer Hall of Fame, Bill Schlesinger of WAMC Radio’s Earth Wise show hosted me as a guest on his program. Earth Wise took a tour of Ioxus’ facility to learn about some of the benefits of ultracapacitors in start/stop technology.
Now is a great time to talk about what those benefits are and what they will mean for the automotive market. President Obama’s proposal for increased corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for new cars and light trucks has put pressure on companies to create more efficient vehicles. Micro hybrids using start/stop technology, in which a regular combustion engine is turned off at a stop light and then quickly re-launched, cut down greatly on wasted energy.
Because ultracapacitors recharge quickly and can handle high cell cycles, they are a prime technology for start/stop applications. Their quick recharge provides the power boosts necessary for re-launching engines. Using an inexpensive, $150 component has great payoffs, as an ultracapacitor can improve efficiency in micro-hybrids by 10 to 15 percent. This technology is already popular overseas and is quickly gaining popularity in the U.S.
If the CAFE standards are reached, fleet-wide efficiency would practically double by 2025, increasing from 27.5 mpg to more than 54.5 mpg. This efficiency can easily be achieved through the use of ultracapacitors and a start/stop system. Consumers will appreciate increased fuel efficiency, since they won’t feel the sticker shock at the gas pump.
Posted in Uncategorized
|
Tagged automotive, automotive electronics, CAFE, energy, energy storage systems, EV, hybrid, hybrid electric vehicles, micro hybrid, start, start/stop, stop, ultracap, ultracapacitor, ultracapacitors
|
2011 is coming to a close, and there’s no better time than now to look back at some of the most exciting moments of the past 12 months. We’ve had an exciting year both at Ioxus and in the energy storage industry. Here are our favorite news stories of 2011:
- In April, we closed our Series B round of financing with a $21 million investment. We’ve used this funding to grow our sales, marketing and manufacturing operations as well as support research and new advancements in the energy storage industry.
- Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, voiced his confidence in ultracapacitors when he said electric vehicle (EV) industry growth has been hindered because of battery limitations, but now the industry is moving, “away from battery technology altogether, into the realm of the humble capacitor.”
- In an exciting company development, we moved our headquarters to the former Soccer Hall of Fame in July. The new headquarters is five times larger in order to house our growing staff, and it also holds our state-of-the-art ultracapacitor manufacturing facility. Ioxus hosted NY politicians, officials and organizations for a great grand opening celebration.
- As confirmation of the growing global demand for ultracapacitors, Ioxus broadened its customer reach with a distribution partnership with WPG Americas this August.
- Impending CAFE standards mean automakers are searching for ways to improve fuel efficiency, and New York Times reporter Matthew Wald noted ultracaps as one such solution. Using an ultracap in combination with a battery will help meet the average 35.5 miles per gallon fuel requirement for 2016 models.
- In October, Ioxus was named to the prestigious Global Cleantech 100, chosen from more than 4,000 nominees. This recognition is further confirmation of the rising global use of ultracaps.
- This fall saw the launch of the first module in Ioxus’ iMOD series: the 16V/58F iMOD. The 16V iMOD provides high performance, high efficiency and high reliability in a ready-to-use package that undercuts existing market prices.
Here’s looking forward to 2012.
Image source: © HowStuffWorks or their respective copyright Holder.
With inevitable power outages or drastic changes in power demands, IT teams face a critical need to keep server applications running and provide memory and power backup. This is where ultracapacitors come in to provide memory and power backup for redundant array of independent disk (RAID) server applications. With several benefits beyond those of lithium-ion batteries, ultracapacitors are increasingly used in server memory applications to handle spikes in power supply. These advantages, all of which contribute to increased server efficiency, include:
- The ability to handle high charge and discharge rates
- A long lifespan of 10 years, meaning little to no maintenance required
- A wide temperature range tolerance from +70 degrees Celsius to -40 degrees Celsius
Installed directly on RAM chips, ultracapacitors are onboard, miniature uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for server memory. In the case of power outages or sags in available power, ultracapacitors provide short-term ride-through, allowing for the storage of memory that is in cache. This is especially important, as outages in these applications are costly — up to millions of dollars each minute.
The ultracapacitor protects the RAM from power spikes, and provide the necessary power to the memory during voltage disruptions. IT teams constantly look for new ways to improve server efficiency, and ultracapacitors will only become a more attractive option for memory and larger UPS power backups in the future.
Energy-efficient transit investment has been on the rise in Asia, South America and Europe. In the United States, the Transportation Department recently announced it will fund these projects, as well. In November, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said his department has granted $112 million to fund 46 projects in seven states, according to Reuters.
It’s the right time for the U.S. to move forward with greening mass transit vehicles and facilities. LaHood pointed to the job creation intent of the projects, but there are other major benefits, as well.
First, local governments are keenly interested in greener transit options. Reuters reported that the U.S. Transportation Department received 266 funding requests worth $1 billion. The biggest bulk of the $112 million will go to projects in Pennsylvania, followed by initiatives in California, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Texas and Washington.
Second, technology is ready to support these projects. We’re seeing a strong demand for hybridized asymmetric concepts, or an ultracapacitor and battery combination, in the commercial and transportation markets. Ultracapacitors support regenerative braking in hybrid buses and electrification of light rail, increasing fleet efficiency.
With ultracapacitors’ energy storage benefits, such as high power density and extremely long cycle life, hybridized public transportation is both possible and beneficial in terms of long-term savings and immediate environmental impact.
The announcement of government funding for energy-efficient public transportation has widespread implications. In Pennsylvania, it will lead to hybrid buses and more vehicles fueled by natural gas. In California, the grants will fund, “electric, hydrogen fuel cell, hybrid and diesel hybrid buses that emit fewer pollutants into the air and rely less on oil,” according to Reuters.
The funded projects will help limit the carbon footprint of public transit and reduce energy consumption. They’ll also contribute to changing the transportation norm in the U.S. (as is happening in many other countries) to one that embraces technology to put cleaner vehicles on the roads and rails.
|
