Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in
Saudis invest in silicon nanowires, trying to bury battery breakthrough?
All right everyone, it's time to warm up your conspiracy theories. Back in December we reported on a potential breakthrough in battery technology from Stanford University's Professor Yi Cui. Dr. Cui developed a silicon nanowire material for use in battery electrodes. The beauty of the tiny wire bundles is that they have exponentially more surface area than a conventional flat surface electrode. That allows the electrodes to absorb and release far more electrons for greater energy density. Now we have news that Cui has received a $10 million grant for the expansion of his research. The money will be used to hire more students and staff for Cui's research lab at Stanford. All this is well and good, except ... the money is coming from Saudi Arabia. The new King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in the oil-rich monarchy is giving grants to Cui and eleven other researchers around the world. Cui and the other grant recipients will spend time each year at the new university helping to develop curriculum. The important question is what conditions are put on the research results. Will silicon nanowires ever see the light of day?
[Source: Palo Alto News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
josh 8:23PM (4/13/2008)
Yes, they will see the light of day. King Abdullah isn't a dumb guy and he is quite obviously investing in the future. It's that simple.
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Radlib 8:35PM (4/13/2008)
I have a very different take on it: Muslim countries want to get a piece of whatever is coming after oil. Let's not forget that Kuwait purchased several of GM's two-mode hybrid SUVs. Obviously, they don't really care about fuel economy like we do, but they recognize that oil won't be with us forever. I think the Saudis know that battery electric vehicles (and hybrid electric vehicles) are the future. Owning the patents on this technology helps to make petroleum one of many ways for them to make money off of energy.
So, Saudi Arabia, I hate your laws. I hate your treatment of women. I hate your spread of virulent Islam. But I applaud your investment in this innovative new technology.
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BlackbirdHighway 9:11PM (4/13/2008)
There are reports circulating that Ghawar is already up to 30% water cut. The "twilight in the desert" may be closer than most people want to accept.
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EVan 9:15PM (4/13/2008)
KAUST is a brand new university in Saudi Arabia spanning 14 square miles and attracting some of the brightest professors in the world.
At the engineering school I graduated from they just offered 8 students a package of full ride scholarships which will pay for ALL of their undergrad education here domestically and then provide for their graduate studies in Saudi Arabia. The university is brand new and they're trying hard to recruit top talent right from the forfront.
This investment has nothing to do with burying technology and more to do with encouraging the development of promising technology.
The Saudi's realize that an economy dependent on natural resources is an unstable and volatile one and are trying to diversify now while they are doing well.
Sam, I'd suggest reading this article before you make uneducated headlines like the one above...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenophobia
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Andrew 9:19PM (4/13/2008)
Way to be alarmist, AutoblogGreen. C'mon, if I want crap like that I'll go watch FOX.
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schni 10:19PM (4/13/2008)
Hehe, that was funny, Andrew 8-)
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GreyFlcn 10:28PM (4/13/2008)
Well, the reason for this post is largely because Chevron really did bury large format NiMH automotive batteries.
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Nathaniel 10:46PM (4/13/2008)
I think its more than plausible that people/companies/countries with vested interests in oil might want to bury battery technology, at least for a time so they can continue to milk oil.
It may not be the case at all, and they may realise that over the next 10yrs, electrics are going to continue to gain more and more marketshare so they want to get in on it right away to gain an early advantage.
But we have seen big oil bury things on us before, i'm sure thats why the article is questioning the motives of this, its something that every environmentally concious person should be asking.
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Yanquetino 10:48PM (4/13/2008)
Sorry, Andrew, but I think that this IS worth reporting. I, for one, am extremely disappointed in Cui. I would rather have to drag my research out for years, funding it out of my own pocket, than accept one penny from that Medieval culture.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a85_1179140337
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Mort 10:50PM (4/13/2008)
No tinfoil, the Sauds know that their oil can't meet the needs of the world alone now, much less in the future. They are investing in many projects, they must invest, or die. Tar Sands, Phoenix motorcars, technology. They aren't stupid. I'm glad someone is steering the ship in the right direction.
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meme 11:02PM (4/13/2008)
As for this "breaking news", I broke it a months ago over on Daily Kos:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/3/15/13449/4124
I have a google alert for Yi Cui, noticed his name was on a list of scientists from a Kaust grant, and pieced the story together.
"Well, the reason for this post is largely because Chevron really did bury large format NiMH automotive batteries."
Yeah, I mean, it's not like the Vectrix exists or anything. Or like Cobasys owns the rights only inside the US. Or like they lost a ton of money on large format batteries during the debacle and lawsuits with PEVE. Or like there's people clamoring for them in large volume.
God, why is every other green a tinfoil hat conspiracy theorist?
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AMcA 11:07PM (4/13/2008)
Yeah, they're going to bury it, just the way the did the water engine and various perpetual motion devices.
C'mon, folks, let's not get all silly conspiratorial here. Ideas don't disappear. Especially when there's money to be made.
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Mort 12:44AM (4/14/2008)
[quote]God, why is every other green a tinfoil hat conspiracy theorist?[/quote]
Hey, I wear my tin with pride, but as I wrote earlier this isn't making it heat up at all. Chevron-Texaco on the other hand ::shudders:: pure evil.
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Yanquetino 2:00AM (4/14/2008)
I can't believe some of you people.
"investing in the future"
"I applaud your investment in this innovative new technology"
"trying to diversify now while they are doing well"
"I'm glad someone is steering the ship in the right direction"
"Especially when there's money to be made"
Gawd. Kohlberg must be spinning in his grave.
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bloggersmosaic 2:18AM (4/14/2008)
interesting post
bloggersmosaic.com
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armmat 2:50AM (4/14/2008)
It's amazing...why does the obvious always have to be labeled a conspiracy theory. The same shit was applied to the 9/11 debacle with the official story with enough holes to make swiss cheese.
Conspiracy merely means an alternative to an official story. That's it.
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armmat 2:57AM (4/14/2008)
You guys who bad mouth the Saudis and call them medieval...whatever...but you're absolute idiots if you think they Saudis are working for and by themselves. They are an integral part of the US foreign policy and you can be damned sure that their interests are our interest and our interests are theirs. You think the Saudis are the ONLY one's interested in burying battery technology? Why don't you ask that Jabba the Hut CEO (now retired head of ExxonMobil was it?) who retired after a $500 MILLION DOLLAR retirement package? Think his types wouldn't be interested in continuing oil domination?
Some of you people who think these things don't happen...I don't know what to say...either some of you are really dense or in extreme denial. None of these people give a rats as what happens to you guys....so wake up.
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BlackbirdHighway 6:45AM (4/14/2008)
I used to laugh at all these tinfoil-hat conspiracy theories, then I read about Operation Northwoods. Those documents were signed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and confirmed to be real by the Pentagon. The US actually had plans to shoot down a civilian airliner full of people and blame it on Cuba, just to have an excuse to start a war. It's not tinfoil-hat, it's confirmed reality.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwoods
That certainly reset my idea of what should be derided as crazy conspiracy talk.
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Steve 8:43AM (4/14/2008)
I'm going to tilt my tinfoil hat in a different direction and try a different theory... Let's say you're Saudi Arabia. Count your assets: 1) Oil 2) Sand. you know you're running out of #1 but you're making good profit on it for now, but EV's are on the horizon. Then somebody finds a way to improve on battery technology using Silicone and you think "Hey, there's quite a bit of silicone in sand! WE can be the Saudi Arabia of that too! Let's go throw some money at developing the tech."
It is if nothing else, a plausible scenario...
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jcwinnie 9:47AM (4/14/2008)
Hey! Where can I get one of those nifty green tin foil hats?
"Will silicon nanowires ever see the light of day?" is an excellent question.
Another would be: "For what percent of the grant did you pay on you last fill-up, Sam?"
And, another would be: "What percent of the grant does U.S. subsidies provide?"
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