August 2005 The Las Vegas
Electric Vehicle Association (LVEVA) will meet on the third Saturday of each month during 2005. Meetings will be held at the Clark County Library on 1401 E. Flamingo Road from 10:15 AM to 12:15 PM. Members will be displaying their
own electric cars and answering questions before and after the meeting. August 06 EV Workshop September 03 EV Workshop
October 01 EV Workshop November 05 EV Workshop December 03 EV Workshop Richard Furniss, President Newsletter Editors and Contributors: WATTS HAPPENING Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association web site Call for Information: 1. Ebike1 Progress Report by Adam Howard
Editor's Note: This Ebike1 update chronicles the ongoing work to develop an Electric hub- motor bicycle by LVEVA members Adam Howard, Al Sawyer, Jan and Mike Himber. The team is using a hub motor and controller to drive the front
wheel of the bicycle with a Nickel-Metal Hydride battery pack. Their original design substituted "NoMorFlats" solid rubber inner tubes for standard pneumatic bicycle inner tubes but they found that there was an increase in rolling
resistance. There was also a difficulty installing the inner tubes inside the original bicycle tires. One solution was to substitute an "Amerityre", a solid rubber tire with the tire tread already imprinted on the outer part of the
rubber tube. The Amerityre company is located in nearby Boulder City, Nevada with distributors in the Las Vegas area. More information can be found at: Adam Howard's notes are as follows: July 30, 2005
"I took the Amerityre up to the home of Jan and Mike today. Mike and I I then went on a test ride in the afternoon. Attempts to determine the
difference in the ride between the "NoMorFlats" tube and the Amerityre was inconclusive at first because the speedometer on Ebike1 was not working. I realigned the sensor, got it working and went on another short test ride. I got up to about 17 mph on the short street in front of the house. I think that is pretty good. I also found acceleration to be decent.
Tomorrow, I am planning a longer ride on the flats in the morning while it is not too hot. I ordered and received a test instrument called a Watt's Up meter. Here is the Tomorrow I would like to strip the wires and test it on a small load. In the After measuring the wheels and finding that the circumference is different between the old July 31, 2005
Distance: 7.4 miles The Amerityre is performing very well. I notice a little shaking in the handlebars, but feel it's not due to the tire. Rather, the wheel may be slightly "out of
true" and is settling in. It also may be the pavement in that Al and I took out the new digital "Watts Up" meter. After reading the instructions, we hooked it between a sealed lead acid battery and
the inverter. We then plugged a fan into the inverter. The meter measured eight different values for us. Perhaps next week we will figure a way to put it on Ebike 1." Great job Adam, Al, Jan and Mike on your pioneering efforts
with these new technologies! Thank you for sharing the outcome of your research with everyone. All of our web site and visitors and newsletter subscribers at the LVEVA are looking forward to your next report!
Peltier-effect Solid State Cooling Systems by Stan Hanel Southern Nevada residents recently endured a record-setting heat wave with 9 straight days of temperatures over 115 degrees Farenheit. Air conditioning systems are a
necessity in the resorts, workplaces, homes and vehicles for all Southern Nevadans, including the many convention visitors and tourists, who come to this city during the hot summer months. At a recent LVEVA monthly chapter
meeting, LVEVA President Richard Furniss mentioned that Toyota Motor Company has been selling its Lexus Motors "flagship" LS430 luxury sedan for several years with a solid state Peltier-effect heating and cooling system embedded in
the front and back seats of the vehicle. Last year, an LVEVA summer newsletter profiled the past work of LVEVA members to develop electric-powered A/C systems in EV's, adding a 108-volt DC electric motor that would run off the
battery pack to drive the existing compressor system in LVEVA Vice-President Bill Yule's Hyundai EV conversion. One primary advantage of having the electric motor tied to the battery pack, independent of the traction drive motor,
meant that the car cabin could be pre-cooled, even remotely, before the driver entered the vehicle. The LVEVA article also explored some electromechanical compressors that were available on the market that integrated both the
electric motor/actuator and the mechanical components of the compressor into the same assembly. Peltier-effect Solid State Heating /Cooling Systems hope to take Air Conditioning and Heating Systems to an even more efficient
level by eliminating all moving parts as well as environmentally messy freon-based gas compression technology from the automotive cooling system altogether. Peltier-effect Solid State Heating/Cooling Systems have already been
developed and manufactured successfully on a small scale in the consumer market for many applications, including cooling electronic components in computers as well as an inexpensive car battery refrigerator for family cooling
containers during picnic outings. For automotive applications, embedding the heating/cooling pad in the car seat behind the driver or passenger can independently regulate a person's body temperature precisely, despite the
temperature of the vehicle cabin or outside air. To learn more about Peltier technology, one good online source that has a good summary of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) is TE Technology, a manufacturer of
ThermoElectric coolers at:
TE Technology is located at: Garfield Heidbreder Industrial Park According to this company, the definition of the "Peltier Effect" is: "The phenomenon whereby the passage of
an electrical current through a junction consisting of two dissimilar metals results in a cooling effect. When the direction of current flow is reversed heating will occur." The semiconductor industry found that it could create
ThermoElectric modules on silicon using similar technology that designs and manufactures electronic circuits. These ThermoElectric modules could take advantage of the Peltier effect by using current from a DC controller that
operates identically to an Electric DC Motor controller. The temperature controller uses MOS-FET transistors connected in an "H-bridge" circuit to allow bi-directional current flow to the ThermoElectric module to govern heating or
cooling. The amount of current flow can be regulated externally by turning a knob on a dashboard or car seat attached to a variable resistor that sends calibrated information to the controller PC board in the same way as using the
pedal on an EV to control motor speed. Thermistors can be integrated inside the ThermoElectric module to feed back temperature information from either the "hot" or "cold" side to help create very precise temperature regulation.
Here is a description of the "insides" of the ThermoElectric module technology from the same FAQ web page at TE Technology: "Thermoelectric modules are solid-state heat pumps that operate on the Peltier effect (see definitions).
A thermoelectric module consists of an array of p- and n- type semiconductor elements heavily doped with electrical carriers. The array of elements is soldered so that it is electrically connected in series and thermally connected
in parallel. This array is then affixed to two ceramic substrates, one on each side of the elements (Figure 1). Let's examine how the heat transfer occurs as electrons flow through one pair of n- and p- type elements (often
referred to as a "couple") within the thermoelectric module: Electrons can travel freely in the copper conductors but not so freely in the semiconductor. As the electrons leave the copper and enter the hot-side of the
p-type, they must fill a "hole" in order to move through the p-type. When the electrons fill a hole, they drop down to a lower energy level and release heat in the process. Essentially the holes in the p-type are moving
from the cold side to the hot side. Then, as the electrons move from the p-type into the copper conductor on the cold side, the electrons are bumped back to a higher energy level and absorb heat in the process. Next, the electrons
move freely through the copper until they reach the cold side of the n-type semiconductor. When the electrons move into the n-type, they must bump up an energy level in order to move through the semiconductor. Heat is absorbed when
this occurs. Finally, when the electrons leave the hot-side of the n-type, they can move freely in the copper. They drop down to a lower energy level and release heat in the process. In summary, heat is always absorbed at the
cold side of the n- and p- type elements. The electrical charge carriers (holes in the p-type; electrons in the n-type) always travel from the cold side to the hot side, and heat is always released at the hot side of thermoelectric
element. The heat pumping capacity of a module is proportional to the current and is dependent on the element geometry, number of couples, and material properties. Thermoelectric modules have no moving parts and do not require
the use of chlorofluorocarbons. Therefore they are inherently reliable and are virtually maintenance free. They can be operated in any orientation and are ideal for cooling devices that may be sensitive to mechanical vibration.
Their compact size also makes them ideal for applications that are size or weight limited where even the smallest compressor would have excess capacity. Their ability to heat and cool lends them to applications where both heating
and cooling is necessary or where precise temperature control is critical." Besides its extensive line of "off the shelf" ThermoElectric Modules that TE Technology manufactures, the staff of engineers at the company can also
create custom applications. Its location in Michigan near the production plants of the "Big 3" automakers and engineers would seem like a good place to adapt this technology to automotive use. Cost is always a consideration and
scaling up the technology for the inside of an automobile may still be "ongoing" research. According to a TE Technology FAQ: "For larger modules, coefficients of thermal expansion and costs tend to limit thermoelectric modules
to within a certain physical footprint. For cooling assemblies, the minimum size might be limited by the minimum requirements needed to provide sufficient heat sinking. The maximum size is limited by the requirements of the
mounting plates. If the plates get too large, then it becomes too difficult to maintain sufficient surface flatness. Generally, when more cooling capacity is required than what the typically largest size cooler can provide,
multiple coolers are used rather than using one giant cooler. Approximately speaking, the largest individual cooler has a footprint of approximately 254 mm x 177 mm (about 10 inches x 7.5 inches), such as our standard CP-218
(Editor's Note: Current List Price $563 for one, $524 for 10 or more) . There are always exceptions though; these are just general guidelines." The embedded seat module in the Lexus LS430 can also be a heater as well as a
cooler. Comparing the use of ThermoElectric modules as heaters in comparison to much less expensive Resistive Electric heaters, the company's FAQ web page had this to say: "If you are strictly heating, then a resistive heater
will most likely be a less expensive initial investment than a thermoelectric heater. However, a thermoelectric heater can have a higher Co-efficient of Performance (the ratio of the heat added divided by the input power) than a
resistive heater, so in the long-term, a thermoelectric heater might be less expensive than a resistive heater. As it is with cooling, the heating COP is dependent on the temperature difference. That is, the COP decreases (assuming
constant power input) as the temperature difference increases. This needs to be kept in mind when evaluating whether a thermoelectric heater would be appropriate. Also, a thermoelectric heater will typically provide more
responsive temperature control since it can, if necessary, provide active cooling as well." Editors' Note: TE Technology has designed companion Power Supply/Temperature controllers to the CP-218. These include the company's
Model No. TC-24-25 (standalone module) that currently lists at $584 for one and $554 for 10 or more as well as Model No.TC-24-25 RS232 (tethered to PC) that currently lists at $481 for one and $457 for 10 or more. Although
currently expensive for a hobbyist EV to implement (almost the cost of a whole battery pack of Lead Acid batteries for an EV), Toyota and some of the other big auto makers have the capability to achieve economies of scale and
integration that can build this technology into hybrid and general automotive electrical systems. At that point, Peltier-effect automotive parts will become available to hobbyists through secondary markets and salvage yards.
Nevada Public Utilities Commission Approves Six Renewable Energy Power Plants "May 03, 2003 The Nevada
Public Utilities Commission announced March 6 that it had approved six renewable energy power plant contracts, comprising geothermal and wind renewable sources. The contracts are expected to provide electricity to Nevadans at a
stable and reasonable rate.
Source: Public Utilities Commission of Nevada press release (PDF 76 KB)"
Solargenix to build Solar Thermal Energy Farm in El Dorado Valley near Boulder City, Nevada Editors Note: In July 2005, Nevada Power authorized $15 million to go forward with this project in
cooperation with Solargenix Energy (formerly Duke Solar Energy Systems) and Sierra Pacific Resources, that was first announced as a PUC-approved project in January 2003. "Press Release: RALEIGH,
N.C., April 2, 2003- Duke Solar announced today that effective immediately, the company's name is SOLARGENIX ENERGY, LLC. The name change reflects the recent acquisition of the Framatone ANP DE&S ownership by the original
founders. SOLARGENIX ENERGY is the leading solar thermal company in the U.S. A full service renewable energy company, SOLARGENIX is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C. with regional offices in Sanford, N.C. and Las Vegas, N.V., and
engineering offices in Denver and Southern California" Las Vegas location: Web site: Press Release: Las Vegas, Nevada - January 6, 2003 [SolarAccess.com]
Pending final approval, for the first time in over ten years, a solar thermal power plant will be built on American soil. There are only nine solar thermal
plants - all located in California - known as SEGS plants that were built by LUZ International during the 1980s and 1990s. During construction of a tenth plant in 1991, the company filed for bankruptcy citing a combination of
eroding Renewable Energy incentives and plummeting energy prices, according to Hank Price, Parabolic Trough Technology team leader of SunLab at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). "In 1991, LUZ filed for
bankruptcy because they were unable to get construction financing for their tenth plant due to delays in the signing of the California solar property tax exclusion," said Price. "But declining energy prices and incentives
were the real problem that halted further expansion of trough power plants." Time has passed however, and things have changed since the 1991 collapse of LUZ International. New state requirements for Renewable Energy coupled
with successful research partnerships have revived solar thermal power plant technology. PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP Despite the bankruptcy of LUZ International, the nine
solar thermal plants in California performed up to expectations and have attracted attention once again as a viable source of Renewable Energy . "Because of the good operational experience of the SEGS plants, it seemed that
trough technology might be a lower risk CSP technology for developers," said Price. "So in 1998, the CSP program began to evaluate the potential for cost reduction of parabolic trough technology. Based on encouraging
results from a technology road mapping effort, the CSP program began to invest in parabolic trough R&D. Duke Solar's new thermal plant for Nevada is a result of the combined effort of those partnerships. The new plant may be
an echo of the past but developers are confident that lessons learned from nine SEGS plants applied to the new project coupled with favorable Renewable Energy Incentives will usher in a new era of solar thermal plants.
IMPROVED DESIGN "We operated them for more than
10 years and we learned a lot - we knew what kind of improvements we needed for the next one," said Cohen. "We don't currently have any plants like this, but most of our staff were working on the SEGS plants, in fact it's
a big part of why we started Duke Solar. Ten years later we have improved the technology and design. We did a lot of research including wind tunnel testing of the troughs. It's a big improvement and we think the overall solar field
will be 20 percent more efficient than the older designs." Among the improvements to the older design is an increase of co-generation efficiency. The SEGS plants use approximately 20 percent fossil fuels during overcast
weather and at night. With the new plant, only a two percent mix of fossil fuels will keep the system warm throughout the night, but it will be the first solar thermal plant of its size not to generate any electricity from fossil
fuels. Instead of relying on fossil fuels to handle the temperature change, the new design allows the equipment to handle the temperature fluctuations. The improved technology also helps the plant to be run by only 15 employees
- far fewer than the SEGS plants. There also won't be any on-site engineers or administration. Instead the plant will be remotely administered from Duke's headquarters in North Carolina. MEETING REQUIREMENTS The contracts are part of the two utilities' actions to comply with
legislation that requires the use of a certain percentage of Renewable Energy sources to generate electricity for customers within the state. The legislation contains an escalation provision that requires providers of electric
service to increase the use of Renewable Energy by two percent every third year, until the provider's energy portfolio accounts for 15 percent of its total energy sales. The requirement for solar-generated power must be 5 percent
of the total Renewable Energy portfolio. Cohen said an energy storage solution may be added at some point in the future to the thermal plant. One such possibility, which is still in a research phase, is a salt-based storage
system where salt is melted into a liquid and in turn stored at extremely high temperatures in a tank. After the sun goes down, heat exchanging systems can then run through the salt solution adding energy production capacity.
Superheated liquid salt has proven a good medium for efficiently retaining heat. Cohen said this technology could conceivably add a much as four more hours of peak electrical generation to a solar thermal power plant. The
storage phase however is only a possibility and will depend on increased research and the economics of implementation. Cohen is confident however, that approval for the thermal plant is a near certainty. As developers wait for
word from the PUCN, Cohen wonders what might have been if California had made more of an effort to retain the incentives for solar thermal plants throughout the 1990s. "What happened after LUZ, with the cost of energy so
low, is that nobody looked at solar," said Cohen. "There was no real need or demand for large plants - I think it was a big mistake. If California had built more of these they would not be in the state they are in today.
Once it's paid for in 20 years, the energy is free. If I was the Governor of California I would build 20 of them."
Adriana Escobar Chanos—Nevada Deputy Attorney General and Renewable Energy Advocate Adriana Escobar Chanos arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada with her
family at 2 ˝ years old from Cali, Colombia. She graduated from Bishop Gorman High School in this city and met her future husband, George, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She and George married, went on to Law School in
California. After Law School, she became a deputy City Attorney in San Diego as a criminal prosecutor and gained trial experience. She later joined a law firm to work on international development. In 1995, she and her husband
returned to Las Vegas to form their own law firm. She is a member of both California and Nevada state bars. She began work in public office when appointed to the Nevada Taxicab Authority. Adriana was then appointed as a
commissioner to the Public Utilities Commission from 2001 to 2005, where she was one of the PUC leaders who restricted requests for rate increases by Nevada Power. She felt that Nevada Power made imprudent wholesale power purchases
and did not have a right to pass them on to consumers without penalty. As part of the PUC, she also helped pass "tiered electric rates" that reward low-energy consumers. In January, she became Nevada's Chief Deputy Attorney
General, appointed to be the state's Consumer Advocate. She manages the state's Bureau of Consumer Protection, with 32 employees, for prosecuting cases of consumer fraud, deceptive trade and anti-trust violations. She is also an
advocate for renewable energy and feels that Nevada can lead the way for the rest of the country in demonstrating how to utilize sources from solar, thermal and wind power. However, she tempers her advocacy with a realistic belief
that these sources still cost more than current fossil fuels and, for the short term, there will need to be a balance point in the state's energy policies.
More information about the Nevada State Bureau of Consumer Protection (BCP) can be found at: The Las Vegas Office of the BCP is located at: Office of the Attorney General
LVEVA Ongoing EV Projects & Workshops by Richard Furniss, LVEVA President
March 5, 2005 Making battery interconnect cables for EV's using Crimp and Solder methods. Each workshop will run from 10 AM to 3 PM (with an hour break for lunch) on the first Saturday of each month. For more information, contact Richard at telephone number: (702) 453-6196 or
email him at
Other ongoing club projects are listed on the LVEVA web site at:
EV Parts For Sale
US145 Batteries Available at Factory-Direct Prices---currently $62.10 This "Factory-Direct Price" is available to LVEVA club members if they use a trailer to pick up these batteries while purchasing directly at:
US Battery For more detailed information, contact LVEVA Vice-President Bill Yule at Telephone No: (702)566-0794 One 8-inch Advanced DC used motor-- asking price $800 One 9-inch Advanced DC used Motor--asking price $1200 Rudman PFC20 CHARGER used 4 times--asking price $1500
Contact William Kuehl, Email: Mike Chancey - Posted 06/25/00 Chrome "Electric" car emblems, just like the OEM
factory lettering. Okay, so you own a beautiful electric vehicle, but does the world know? Show them with these profession quality "ELECTRIC" emblems. Fabricated from weather resistant thermoplastic, these signs feature a
bright chrome like finish on the letter faces with a subtle matte black background. They mount easily with the self adhesive HighTack backing. Simply peel off the protective cover, and press the sign into place. Each sign is
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80th Street, Kansas City, MO 64131, or order online at: EV For Sale:
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