Zenn / EEStor update - test verifies ultracapacitor technology  

Cleantech.com has a report that there has been some successful testing of Eestor's ultracapacitor technology (I'll remain somewhat skeptical until this stuff finally makes it into a commercial product) - Zenn to increase stake in EEStor after test verifies ultracapacitor technology.

Toronto-based electric vehicle maker Zenn Motor (TSX:ZNN) said late today there’s truth to stealth ultracapacitor developer EEStor’s claims of high energy density across a broad range of operating temperatures.

And Zenn is putting its money where its mouth is: The company said it plans to increase its investment in EEStor to between 6.2 percent and 10.5 percent, depending on the actions of other shareholders.

EEStor first announced the technological milestones in late April. Zenn had the equipment verified by a third party, and then conducted the tests again.

As a result, Zenn said it plans to give EEStor a $700,000 milestone payment associated with the technological progress. Zenn previously made three milestone payments to EEStor totaling $1.3 million. A final $500,000 is due when EEStor ships its ultracapacitors. ...

In April, EEStor said its permittivity tests of the manufacturing grade chemicals showed that its composition modified barium titanate (CMBT) powders, the main material in the ultracapacitor technology, achieved relative permittivity of at least 22,500 over an operating range of -20 to +65 degrees Celsius. Permittivity is a measurement of how much energy can be stored in a material.

The results were a reflection of the ability to achieve higher energy density at the same voltage—an important step in commercializing electric vehicles.

EEStor said the claims were verified by Edward Golla, the laboratory director of Texas Research International in Austin, Texas. Golla was also the scientist hired by EEStor for third-party verification of the technology in August 2008 (see EEStor claims third party verification).

Zenn said today it commissioned Professional Testing of Round Rock, Texas, to test the equipment used in Golla’s test for EEStor. Professional Testing also tested the equipment after Golla performed the tests again on Zenn’s behalf.

The tests were conducted on hot-pressed dielectric layers manufactured on EEStor’s production line.

In August, EEStor announced it was able to attain very narrow particle size—another factor determining permittivity (see EEStor's Weir on ultracapacitor milestone). The company has also achieved high purification of its chemicals to allow working voltage without voltage breakdown. EEStor also said it can tune the constituents of its CMBT powders to operate within the paraelectric phase, meeting high working voltages.

Toronto-based Zenn Motor (TSX:ZNN) plans to incorporate ultracapacitors from stealthy EEStor into full-speed electric vehicles starting in 2010.

The news comes a day after EEStor received third-party verification that it passed its final technology milestone, leaving the company with the sole challenge of bringing its state-of-the-art energy storage system to commercial production (see Zenn to increase stake in EEStor after test verifies ultracapacitor technology).

Zenn CEO Ian Clifford told the Cleantech Group today that the announcement affirms that EEStor will be able to meet its promise to begin commercial production before the end of the year. That clears the path for highway-speed vehicles to incorporate the ultracapacitors in 2010—a slight delay from the fall 2009 target the companies established last year.