samples' chemical composition. Ultimately, they hope to develop deep-freezing techniques that may extend specimen preservation for much longer periods. If the pilot program is successful, EPA plans to expand it beyond its present 30,000-sample capacity. D
Hybrid vehicle project rolls into phase II The Department of Energy has given General Electric the go-ahead to build a hybrid-type passenger car for testing and evaluation. The Schenectady, N.Y.-based company is to deliver within 30 months two prototype vehicles that will be powered by a combination of gasoline and electricity. The hybrid vehicle is intended to use less fuel than conventional automobiles. It is being developed as part of DOE's Near Term Hybrid Vehicle Program. The GE project, which will cost about $7 million, is part of a
contract from the National Aeronautics & Space Administration's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., which manages the program for DOE. For building the prototype hybrid car, GE plans to modify a conventional Chevrolet Malibu 1979 model. A four-cylinder, 1.6-liter, gasolinetype Volkswagen engine will be supplemented by a 20-hp electric motor developed by GE. A microprocessor will help control the use of the two motors. Thus, for example, the electric motor will be used primarily at speeds less than 30 mph, including during parking and reverse-gear maneuvering. During high-speed driving, the gasoline engine will take over. Though the hybrid vehicle is expected to save only about 5% in overall energy use compared to a conventional automobile, it may save as much as 41% of the gasoline that such cars now are consuming. Planners believe that the hybrid vehicle could be set for mass production by the mid-1980 , s, costing an estimated $7600 (at 1978 levels) per unit. D
In a separate development, Atlantic Richfield is joining the growing number of large oil companies testmarketing gasohol. Arco says its tests, scheduled to start this month, are for gasohol using corn-based ethanol in the South Bend-Elkhart area of Indiana and for gasohol using ethanol derived from wood pulp in Hawaii. The two ethanol sources for the testing will be Archer-Daniels-Midland in Decatur, 111., and Georgia-Pacific in Bellingham, Wash. D
EPA suspends standards so plant can use coal
"Recent events in Iran have given new urgency to President Carter's warnings of our dangerous dependence on foreign oil supplies," EPA deputy administrator Barbara Blum says. To help alleviate this dependency by hastening the switch to coal, Blum has disclosed that EPA will permit New England's largest power plant—New England Power's Brayton Point station near Somerset, Mass.—to convert from oil to coal next month. Gasohol sparks study on new ethanol plant This action requires the temporary Favorably impressed after three I ested potential investors in ethanol, suspension of particulate emission months of testing the market for gas- citing 12 firms with 22 active plants in and opacity standards for two of four ohol (a fuel mixture of 90% gasoline the U.S. Corn wet milling is the pro- units of the Brayton Point station and 10% grain-based ethanol), Texaco cess of separating corn kernel into its through August 1980, with a possible is looking at the potential of a large components—starch, corn oil, gluten, extension until November. During ethanol-producing unit. The plan and fiber—for further processing into this waiver period, the utility must involves a partner, CPC Interna- a variety of products. begin t o install pollution-control tional, the large diversified food Building an ethanol unit at an ex- equipment to capture thç dust parcompany of Englewood Cliffs, N.J. isting milling operation would save ticles emitted from.the burning of The two companies have started a investment costs. In CPC's case, coal. In addition, the waiver—what feasibility study on a joint venture to Texaco adds that the Pekin site has EPA calls a delayed compliance produce up to 60 million gal a year another advantage since the plant order—is not expected to violate air (about 400 million lb) of fuel-grade burns coal for fuel. "We thus expect quality standards protective of public ethanol from corn at CPC's corn wet that more fuel would be produced health. milling plant in Pekin, 111. The study from less petroleum." The Brayton Point plant serves is expected to be completed in early parts of Massachusetts and New 1980. Ethanol production could start Hampshire, and nearly all of Rhode in mid-1981. Island. Its conversion to coal will reThis plant alone could almost triple duce the region's dependence on oil U.S. production of fuel-grade ethanol more than 400,000 bbl a month and from the small current total, estiprevent an "outflow of $8 million a mated at 36 million gal a year by the month." New England Power cusDepartment of Agriculture in July. tomers will realize these savings Texaco listed limited ethanol supply through the fuel adjustment charge as one of its major reservations about on their electric bills. entering the gasohol market (C&EN, The two Brayton Point units are Aug. 20, page 5). expected to be burning coal and in Under the proposed joint venture compliance with all state and federal with CPC, Texaco would market regulations by July 31,1982. A third ethanol from the new plant through unit will be converted to coal by 1983, its gasohol sales. Test-market sales of but a fourth unit at this station is not gasohol to date in Indianapolis, Bossuitable for conversion. ton, and New York City areas have Brayton Point is the first power shown "very favorable" customer plant in New England, and one of acceptance, Texaco says. Texaco is about 100 in the U.S., to convert from now considering other test areas. oil to coal. EPA says that other utiliCPC's possible entry into cornties, including New England Power's based alcohol is no surprise. USDA Decision to consider ethanol plant was Salem Harbor station, are considering singled out corn wet millers as inter- based on gasohol marketing tests the conversion to coal. D 8
C&EN Nov. 26, 1979
