Nissan plant using methanol to power parts movers
Executives at the plant near Nashville and the CEO of the methanol fuel cell provider, Oorja (Or-jah) Protonics of Fremont, Calif., said Nissan is the first automaker to make a commercial switch to the power cells that convert chemical energy in methanol into electrical energy without any combustion.
Nissan material handling manager Mark Sorgi (Sor-jee) said using the new OorjaPac system that will be powering 60 of the 4,400-pound "tugs" by October 1 will eliminate more than 70 electric battery chargers using almost 540,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. The net savings: $225,000 a year.
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Should California classify nuclear power as renewable?
SAN FRANCISCO - Although he admits it's a long shot, a member of the California Legislature from the district that includes the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant has introduced a bill that would add nuclear power to the state's list of renewable energy sources.
"I think that nuclear power is an important component of generating large-scale electricity that's good for the environment," said Jordan Cunningham, R-San Luis Obispo. "Without nuclear as part of the renewable portfolio, we're going to have tremendous difficulty meeting the state's climate goals without a significant cost increase on electricity ratepayers."
Established in 2002, California's Renewables Portfolio Standard spells…
