“For 22 years, Popular Science has honored the innovations that surprise and amaze us – those that make a positive impact on our world today and challenge our views of what’s possible in the future,” said Mark Jannot, Editor-in-Chief of Popular Science. “The Best of What’s New Award is the magazine’s top honor, and the 100 winners – chosen from among thousands of entrants – represent the highest level of achievement in their fields.”

“An environmentally responsible battery with no power compromise, PowerGenix batteries answer the call for a new generation of high performance rechargeable batteries,” said PowerGenix CEO Dan Squiller. “By developing a battery with no performance sag, we’ve removed the stigma of underperforming rechargeable batteries that has stunted the industry’s growth. As we ready our batteries for a major rollout to retail outlets across North America, we’re thrilled to have exceeded the rigorous criteria of Popular Science editors and honored by this validation of our technology.”

Building on the high-power-producing nickel-zinc chemistry first developed by Thomas Edison, PowerGenix developed its battery technology to solve several of the key hurdles initially hindering its commercialization. The resulting 1.6-volt batteries deliver 30 percent more power than conventional rechargeable technologies and match the 1.5-volts of disposable alkalines that most gadgets, such as digital cameras and flashlights, are designed for.

In addition to offering advanced rechargeable battery performance, PowerGenix’s NiZn batteries are also safe, non-combustible and nontoxic. Certified by independent third party testing to meet Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) standards, PowerGenix’s batteries contain no heavy metals such as lead, cadmium or mercury.

PowerGenix’s NiZn batteries are one of only five rechargeable chemistries to receive certification from the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) for collection and recycling at its more than 50,000 drop-off points in North America.

A profile of the batteries will appear in the December issue of Popular Science. Currently, the batteries are available at online retailers Amazon.com, DepotEco and GreenBatteries.com.

About Best of What’s New

Each year, the editors of Popular Science review thousands of products in search of the top 100 tech innovations of the year; breakthrough products and technologies that represent a significant leap in their categories. The winners – the Best of What’s New – are awarded inclusion in the much-anticipated December issue of Popular Science, the most widely read issue of the year since the debut of Best of What’s New in 1987. Best of What’s New awards are presented to 100 new products and technologies in 11 categories: Automotive, Aviation & Space, Computing, Engineering, Gadgets, Green Technology, Home Entertainment, Security, Home Technology, Personal Health and Recreation.

About Popular Science

Founded in 1872, Popular Science (www.popsci.com) is the world’s largest science and technology magazine, with a circulation of 1.3 million and 7.1 million readers. Each month, Popular Science delivers “The Future Now,” reporting on the intersection of science and everyday life with an eye toward what’s new and why it matters. Popular Science is published by the Bonnier Corporation (www.bonniercorp.com), one of the largest consumer publishing groups in America and the leading media company serving passionate, highly engaged audiences through more than 40 special-interest magazines and related multimedia projects and events.

About PowerGenix

PowerGenix has developed and patented a high-power and low-cost Nickel-Zinc battery for power intensive electronics, toys, power tools and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). PowerGenix Nickel-Zinc batteries are a higher performing and environmental friendly replacement for Nickel-Cadmium and Nickel Metal Hydride batteries in the multi-billion dollar rechargeable battery market–providing a smaller, lighter and highly recyclable alternative to existing technologies.

Antenna Group (for PowerGenix)
Michael Weiss, 415-977-1926
michael@antennagroup.com

PowerGenix NiZn on sale now at
http://www.depoteco.com

For a limited time receive $5.00 off  PowerGenix NiZn 8 pack or the PowerGenix NiZn 1 Hour charger and 4 AA combo pack.

Amazon users,  if you are a Depoteco@Amazon or  Ecobatteries.net user receive instant $5.00 off at our Amazon.com and Amazon Web Stores.

Offer Expires Soon!!

Two C  or two D adapters per UPC code/receipt combo per customer.

To qualify for the free C or D adapters, purchase one or more of the following:

• Buy any one PowerGenix Charger Kit -Quick or Fast

• Buy two PowerGenix AA 4 pack

• Buy one PowerGenix AA 8 pack

Next:

1. Clip out the UPC code

2. Make a copy of your receipt

3. Download this PDF

4. Fill out the PDF form and mail, with original receipt and UPC, to:

Sustainable Results

Attn: Battery Adapter Offer

390 Carrol Ct, Ste F

Brentwood, CA 94513

Remember to indicate on the form your preference for either a C or D adapter. Two C or two D adapters per UPC code/receipt combo per customer.

Allow 6- 8 weeks for shipping. Offer good from October 1st-December 31st 2009 while supplies last.

EXPERIENCE THE POWER

Performance advantages of NiZn battery demonstrate need for mWh—a new measure of battery capacity

Challenge: The Need for a New Measure of Battery Capacity

Rechargeable batteries were first commercialized in the mid-1960s and have since undergone numerous technological advances. Unfortunately, the way in which battery capacity is measured—typically in amp hours (ah) or milliamp hours (mAh)—has not evolved to keep pace with the introduction of new technologies.

The mAh rating is a product of a battery’s current and time rating, omitting an essential element of battery power and capacity: voltage. mAh served as a valuable measurement gauge of battery performance when all batteries provided equal or similar voltage. However, an alternate measurement called milliwatt hour (mWh), which multiplies mAh by voltage, delivers the more informative and precise measurement needed to analyze and compare today’s differentiated battery market. The mWh specification can help businesses and consumers understand the true capacity of batteries to provide energy to a load.

Limitations of mAh

Today, batteries and battery packs are commonly described based on two separate characteristics: voltage and mAh (the product of current capacity over a finite time period). For example, an AA-cell Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) battery may have a rated capacity of 800 mAh, and an open circuit voltage of 1.2 volts. These separate conventions have served the industry well when comparing batteries with similar chemical characteristics, but they are far less useful when comparing battery systems with dissimilar chemistry.

A significant limitation of the mAh designation becomes evident when mAh is used to compare two batteries with varying voltages, such as NiCd and Nickel-Zinc (NiZn) batteries. Because NiCd batteries have an open circuit voltage of 1.2 volts and NiZn batteries have an open circuit voltage of 1.6 volts, a NiCd cell rated at 800 mAh does not deliver the same performance as a NiZn cell rated at 800 mAh,. To compare and understand the performance capability of the two batteries, open circuit voltage must be factored into the measurement, which by definition the mAh specification does not do.

A better alternative: mWh

To detail more precisely the performance differences between batteries, the mAh rating—which is the product of current and time—must be enhanced to include voltage. As the product of current, time and voltage, the mWh rating delivers this much-needed measurement improvement.

Returning to the example of NiCd and NiZn cells that are each rated at 800 mAh, the mWh rating reveals the substantial performance difference between the two batteries. With an open circuit voltage of 1.2, the mWh rating of the NiCd cell would be 960 mWh (800mAh x 1.2v).  Comparatively, the NiZn cell would have a much higher rating of 1280 mWh (800mAh x 1.6v).

Yes, only by employing the mWh rating does it become evident that there is a significant capacity difference between NiCd and NiZn—a difference that is masked by the limitations of the mAh rating.

Solution: Practical Applications of the New mWh Specification

To demonstrate the many benefits of the mWh specification, we will examine a few common electronic equipment applications for which businesses and consumers depend on a thorough understanding of battery capacity and performance. 

Example 1: Digital Photography

Digital photographers want battery packs that provide a high number of total camera flashes with minimal reboot time between each shot. Using mAh, typical NiMH and NiZn battery packs appear nearly identical; only by implementing the mWh designation do the performance advantages of the NiZn battery packs become evident.

A typical NiMH battery pack may offer a digital camera user a total of 250 flashes before needing a recharge. The NiMH battery pack might be comprised of four AA-cell NiMH batteries with a rating of 800 mAh. A comparably sized NiZn battery pack (four AA cells) may also have a rating of 800 mAh rating, and yet the NiZn battery pack can achieve 400 digital camera flashes and lower reboot time throughout the cycle life.

Representational view of NiZn vs. NiMH discharge in a camera application

One reason for the performance difference between the two battery types is that digital cameras, like all electronic devices, have a minimum operating voltage that must be sustained to ensure successful operation. Because NiMH systems typically start at a significantly lower pack voltage than NiZn systems, the NiMH system will fall below the minimum operating voltage of the camera before its NiZn counterpart. Despite the fact that the NiMH battery pack may not have used the entire energy capacity of the pack, the minimum voltage cut-off of the device renders the additional capacity useless.

Because NiZn delivers greater mWh capacity it’s able to provide steady-state optimal performance over a larger portion of the system discharge. This correlates to not only more shots or flashes per charge, but also more responsive electronic performance. In the case of a digital camera this translates into quicker flash recharging and processor speed to allow for shorter recovery time between shots.

The bottom line is that battery pack voltage is not accounted for by the mAh rating convention. The four-cell NiMH battery pack in this example has a pack rating of 4.8 volts (4 x 1.2 volts/cell), compared to the 6.4-volt pack rating of the four-cell NiZn battery pack. This is a significant difference that affects user experience but is overlooked by the mAh rating—and would be accounted for by the new mWh rating.

Example 2: Flashlights

Flashlights provide another example of the variable performance possible between two batteries with identical mAh ratings. A two-cell AA battery system powers many conventional flashlights, and for the sake of this illustration, both the NiCd and NiZn systems have the same mAh rating of 800.

A consumer who purchases either a NiCd- or NiZn-powered flashlight would expect similar performance, based on the identical mAh rating. However, the flashlight with the NiZn cells will produce brighter light throughout the cycle life of the batteries. The flashlight with the NiCd batteries will produce a light that is not as strong, and the light will dim more over time.

Comparison of flashlights using NiCd vs. NiZn batteries

Again, the reason for the performance disparity is the NiCd battery pack’s rating of 2.4 volts, compared to the NiZn battery pack’s higher rating of 3.2 volts. Only by factoring in the battery pack voltage using the new mWh rating can a business or consumer understand the significant difference between the two types of cells.

Example 3: Power Tools

The value of the mWh rating becomes most evident when considering battery packs such as those commonly used in cordless power tools. A battery pack is a combination of cells, and voltage (rather than mAh) is commonly used to measure expected performance. As compared to voltage alone, the mWh rating provides a more meaningful and detailed way to describe, compare and analyze battery packs.

Assuming mAh capacity of 800 for both the NiCd and NiZn cells, a 19.2-volt NiCd battery pack would be rated at 15,369 mWh (16 cells x 960 mWh), while a NiZn pack would be rated at 15,360 mWh (12 cells x 1280 mWh). If a battery pack with a minimum capacity rating of 15,000 mWh were needed for a cordless tool application, the mWh measurement makes it evident that 16 NiCd cells (15,000/960) would be needed, compared to just 12 NiZn cells (15,000/1280).

Using voltage alone for battery packs might suggest that the performance between NiCd and NiZn cells would be nearly identical. In fact, because fewer cells are required, a NiZn pack is more reliable since fewer inter-cell connections are needed. In addition, the battery pack is smaller, weighs less and costs less—all while delivering equal or greater performance. Furthermore, the benefits of reduced size and pack complexity are amplified as the power requirements of a device increase, making the differentiation in performance measured by the mWh rating greater as battery pack size increases for devices such as in electric bikes and vehicles.

Performance gains as battery pack size increases

Conclusion: mWh Specification Offers Greater Clarity and Precision

For decades, the mAh rating has provided a helpful guide to the relative performance of different batteries, but today’s new technologies require a new battery specification that delivers more detailed and comprehensive information about battery capability and performance.

As shown above, the value of the mWh rating is particularly evident when considering batteries of different chemistries that have similar or identical mAh ratings, and yet deliver vastly different performance. The comparison between NiCd and NiZn cells is particularly revealing because their mAh ratings are often similar, and yet NiZn cells are technologically advanced, offering high energy density, superior power density, and longer cycle and shelf life, as well as being nontoxic and easily recyclable.

For businesses and consumers, information is power. By factoring in voltage as well as current and time, the mWh rating offers a superior alternative to mAh—one that provides all the information necessary to make smart, informed decisions about battery capability and performance.

About PowerGenix

PowerGenix has developed and patented a high-energy density, high-cycle life and low-cost Nickel-Zinc battery targeting the market for energy intensive electronics and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). Specifically designed to utilize existing Nickel-Cadmium manufacturing processes, techniques and equipment, PowerGenix offers the supply chain scaling and security OEMs require. With its patented rechargeable Nickel-Zinc battery technology, PowerGenix is pursuing applications to replace existing Nickel-Cadmium and Nickel Metal Hydride batteries in the multi-billion dollar rechargeable battery market.

For more information about the advantages of Nickel-Zinc battery technology, contact PowerGenix today.

(858) 547-7300

info@PowerGenix.com

www.powergenix.com

Warranty is 1 year replacement -Free of Charge from Powergenix- San Diego, CA

Coming Soon to a Hybrid Near You: NiZn Batteries

Combining the time-tested reliability and power of the internal combustion engine with the low-rev efficiency and emissions-free locomotion of an electric motor, hybrid vehicles have proven extremely popular with the American public.  New hybrids are almost immediately in high demand, and with gas prices continuing to climb upward, the interest seems unlikely to flag anytime soon.

However, there are many downsides to hybrid technology that negatively affect both vehicle performance and the pocketbook of the American consumer.  The weight  of the combined battery and engine makes hybrids heavier than comparable vehicles.  Existing battery chemistry can be very expensive to create, as it can contain a variety of rare metals. Disposal may increase the cost of ownership, too, due to the presence of highly toxic materials.  Plus, popular lithium-ion batteries have a nasty tendency to explode.

But now, PowerGenix, a battery company based in San Diego, has developed an impressive, relatively environmentally friendly solution to the unique problems presented by hybrid-electric vehicles: nickel-zinc batteries.  NiZn, with its 30% increases in capacity and power over existing batteries of  similar size, is ideally suited for high-power, low-drain applications, such as HEVs. The use of a zinc, which is quite cost effective at less than a dollar per pound, offers excellent price savings compared to lithium-ion and metal hydride batteries.  Reduced toxicity increases the ease of disposal, and the more stable battery chemistry eliminates the chances of an unexpected explosion.

NiZn power is not a new technology. Thomas Edison worked with NiZn during his career, and the technology has been used in transportation before, powering a few streetcars in Ireland during the 1930s and ’40s. Until recently, however, the Achilles’ heel of NiZn batteries had been their cycle life limitations.

But recent developments in the use of electrolyte additives have created NiZn batteries good through hundreds of cycles, making them a viable alternative to existing technology.  Additionally, PowerGenix’ NiZn cells operate at 1.5v, the same voltage of existing disposable batteries, making them an ideal and longer-lasting replacement for the billions of alkaline batteries in use worldwide.

Realizing the potential of the technology, PowerGenix planned ahead, designing its NiZn batteries to be readily produced using existing infrastructure. “Technology design from the get go was for production on existing nickel metal-hydride and nickel-cadmium lines”, says PowerGenix CEO Dan Squiller. And the move has paid off—through an overseas supplier, PowerGenix will be able to produce some 1.2 million cells each day.

Like any other technology, NiZn batteries are not a magic fix. Existing zinc mining operations do have significant environmental downsides, and nickel, though used in most existing rechargeable batteries, remains a expensive. Still, these issues not withstanding, nickel-zinc batteries represent an exciting new frontier for hybrid vehicle development.

Source http://featured.matternetwork.com/2008/5/coming-soon-hybrid-near-nizn.cfm

Earlier this year, PowerGenix’s NiZn technology was certified by the RBRC for collection and recycling, becoming only the fifth rechargeable chemistry recognized by the program.  PowerGenix’s NiZn batteries contain no toxic heavy metals such as lead, cadmium or mercury and are the most recyclable rechargeable chemistry on the market.

Nickel and zinc are among the Earth’s most abundant elements, found virtually everywhere in our daily lives. These natural elements are found in the earth, in the food you eat and in a wide variety of products. Both elements are readily recyclable and many products on the market today come from these recycled supplies.

About Nickel

Nickel has many uses from construction materials to food preparation, but its many favorable characteristics make it an excellent choice in the use of high powered rechargeable batteries. For more information on nickel, its many uses and its metallurgical properties, visit the Nickel Institute.

Zinc Facts

Zinc’s unique properties allow it to be used in an array of products from cosmetics, to baby powder, to precision parts for automobiles, airplanes and appliances. The International Zinc Association notes that one of the most useful characteristics of zinc is its resistance to atmospheric corrosion. The ranking of zinc in the electromotive series of metals (an indication of a metal’s tendency to oxidize, or give up electrons) positioned below magnesium and aluminum but above cadmium, iron, nickel and hydrogen, make it an exceptional material to use in conjunction with nickel when designing a battery. The electronegative characteristics of zinc have made it a popular choice in a variety of primary (single use) battery technologies for many years.

Recyclability

More than 6.5 million metric tons of zinc slab, oxides, powders and dusts are consumed each year in the Western World, two million of which come from recycled zinc. In the United States, the Bureau of Mines estimates that with enhanced recovery, recycled zinc will ultimately account for more than 40% of the total amount of zinc used

Meanwhile, nickel’s resistance to corrosion means that when most nickel-containing products are eventually discarded, they are still intact and easily identifiable (e.g., a kitchen sink made of stainless steel). This aids in the collection and sorting of nickel-containing products for recycling.

Sustainability

While abundant, both nickel and zinc are finite resources. However, their innate characteristics and recyclability assure environmentally sensitive availability for long-term development. Unlike many other materials nickel and zinc can be recycled again and again while maintaining their physical and chemical properties. There remains the same amount of each element at the end of a particular product cycle as at the beginning.

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