CleanTech OC Daily - 8/13/12

Monday, August 13, 2012


Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has hit the highest energy density yet for this type of battery through a new flexible battery technology. The design is a bendable, thin-film, lithium-ion battery that could be used in things like e-paper, wearable electronics and improved piezoelectric devices for harvesting energy from movement. KAIST researchers used inorganic thin films that have a high energy density as opposed to organic thin films that were bulky and poor performers.

The latest jobs data indicates that the U.S. auto industry is experiencing a turn around. Though there was not one solitary reason for the improvements, higher fuel efficiency is playing a critical role in the auto industry’s revitalization. When the industry bottomed out in 2009, 236,600 jobs have been created since that time.  Recovery has been so strong in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana (leading auto states), that auto jobs account for 38% of the total jobs added.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk spoke at the National Clean Energy Summit last week in Las Vegas, and said, “the challenge that Tesla faces over the next few months is scaling production enough to achieve a certain gross margin on our product so we can be cash flow positive. That’s extremely important. If we’re unable to do that, we’ll enter the grave yard with all the other car company startups of the last 90 years.” Tesla’s Q4 could be a make-or-break quarter with the tall order of shipping thousands of cars without making any major production mistakes.

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