Toshiba to build new battery factory

Wed Dec 24, 2008 1:29 AM EST
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TOKYO — Toshiba Corp. said Wednesday it would build a new factory to boost production of advanced rechargeable batteries that can be used in hybrid cars and electric vehicles.

The plant is to begin production in late 2010 and will increase Toshiba's manufacturing capacity to several million cells per month from its current level of 150,000 cells, according to spokeswoman Hiroko Mochida.

The company will invest "several tens of billions of yen" in the plant, she said. The Nikkei business newspaper reported the cost would be between 20 billion yen and 30 billion yen ($220 million - $330 million).

Toshiba said in a press release it had selected a site in northwest Japan as the main candidate for the new factory.

Lithium ion batteries are lightweight and well-suited for electronics such as laptop computers and mobile phones, but lose capacity over time and have been the subject of massive product recalls due to safety issues including overheating and even exploding.

Toshiba says its new batteries are safer than existing batteries, can be quickly recharged, and last longer than current batteries, offering ten years of continual use with a daily recharge.

It calls the new type of battery "Super charge ion Battery," or SCiB, and began shipping units in April. While the batteries can be used in electronics, the company targets larger applications such as electric vehicles and industrial power supplies.

They are currently used in an electric bike made by Cannondale Sports Group that offers quick recharge times, and Toshiba is in talks with other companies, including a major automobile manufacturer, Mochida said.

Batteries are still a minor business for Toshiba, one of the world largest makers of flash memory chips used to store information in gadgets like portable music players and digital cameras. The company also has a large nuclear power plant business.

Demand for flash memory has fallen as consumers cut spending on electronics, and last week Toshiba it will cut output by 30 percent.

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Described below is a more "EFFICIENT METHOD" to power all kinds of vehicles using "WIRELESS ELECTRIC POWER" as recognized by an Award Certificate also shown below which was presented to writer in New York City, New York, USA on June 12, 2008.

July 10, 2008 NEWS RELEASE – Go to www.teslasociety.com & News Items #11, #12, #87, #88, #89 for details

DONALD LESIAK of Parma, Ohio USA is a "2008 Stevie Award Finalist" in Category of "Best  Product Development Executive in USA" of the "American Business Awards" in "Competition with 2600 Applicants and is "1 of 3 of 131 Finalists" with Awards presented at NYC Times Square, NY on June 12, 2008 based upon Article titled as shown below prepared by Donald Lesiak, Monday, December 10, 2007 - Published on Wednesday, December 12 & 15th, 2007 by the Erie Chinese Journal, Twinsburg, Ohio USA, 20,000 circulation in 6 USA States + put on Internet - Donald R. Lesiak is a Professional Engineer, Certified Manufacturing Engineer – Robotics, Certified Government Financial Manager & former Adjunct Instructor, Kent State University USA and can be reached in USA at 440-845-4129 or E-Mail: tip-age@ix.netcom.com

PROPOSED "WIRELESS" USA PATENTED SOLUTION TO WORLD ENERGY PROBLEM (+OIL WARS, and OIL PIRATES AT SEA HIJACKING OIL TANKERS with $100 Million of OIL ON-BOARD - added revision)

Did you ever hear of Nicola Tesla born July 10, 1856, a Croatian-Serbian immigrant to the USA who first arrived in New York City on June 6, 1884 and went right to work for Thomas Edison.  Keep in mind that Edison was a proponent of direct current (dc) electric power and invented the electric light bulb.  Tesla was a University educated Electrical Engineer who invented the initial brushless alternating current induction motor in 1882 when in Croatia and was awarded a USA patent on it in 1887.  He then constructed the initial brushless alternating current induction motor which he demonstrated to the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (now IEEE) in 1888.  In the same year, he developed the principles of his Tesla Coil and began working with George Westinghouse at the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co.'s Pittsburg Labs.  Westinghouse listened to his ideas for polyphase systems which would allow transmission of alternating current electricity over large distances but over wires. (today's electrical grids which are expensive and problematic).  Tesla sold some of these patents to George Westinghouse and in 1893 they designed and built ac-generators for the Chicago World's Fair and the World saw light for the first time on a gigantic scale using ac-power.  In 1895 they installed ac-generators at Niagara Falls, PA and then extended power lines to Buffalo and now we have ac-electric power worldwide.  It is now proposed that the power lines go "wireless" using some of Tesla USA patents issued in the early 1900s.  Just think of the worldwide possibilities?

     Donald Lesiak of Parma, Ohio USA (a Cleveland suburb) as President/CEO of The International Profit And Growth Engineers, LLC (TIP-AGE) states that our mission as "Productivity Consultants" is to "Make the Sun Stand Still" just like the Polish Astronomer Nicolas Copernicus did about 532 years ago when he discovered that the "Planets Rotate About the Sun, Not the Earth" which was then proven by the invention of the telescope by Italian Astronomer Galileo.  Another concept not talked about much but is also part of our "Mission Statement" is "Mind Over Matter" (quotation author unknown).  Our philosophy is "Profit and Growth by Plan, not by Chance", "TODAY IS TOMORROW", and Pleasing Your Boss, the CUSTOMER, YOU".  I believe that "TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE THE SUN STAND STILL" with "WIRELESS" electric power worldwide at "commercial power levels".  How about laptop computers without batteries! 

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     When we assess our current World situation as to where we are now, and NOW define where we want to GO along with HOW we are going to get there gives all of us the capability of helping all of Mankind on Earth, and maybe even the rest of the Universe.  "What's wrong with the Uncommon, Common Good of the People for a Change Worldwide and then throughout the Universe?"

     It is for these reasons that I now propose the upgrade of the Cleveland Municipal Power Plant and others worldwide by utilizing "TESLA TECHNOLOGY" to enable the transmission of electric power at "commercial power levels" through the air or ground "WITHOUT WIRES" like Tesla did in Colorado Springs, Colorado USA from 1899 to 1900.  With 107 years of technology advancement since then, I believe "We have a sporting chance".  This is what then USA NASA Rocket Engineer Dr. Werner Von Braun said to then President John F. Kennedy when he asked Dr. Von Braun about the "Probability of Man going to the Moon and returning safely" and it was accomplished in July 1969.

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     It is with this kind of vision that I propose that the City of Cleveland's Municipal Electric Power Plant and others around the world be upgraded to a "Tesla Power Plant" and when we begin transmitting electric power through the air or ground at "commercial power levels", we will then be able to transmit electric power to Canada and other parts of the USA, then we can remove the gasoline engines and gas tanks from automobiles, trucks and other vehicles and replace them with electric motors in each wheel and also eliminate the transmission.   This is what I and others have called "possibility thinking" (author unknown) and disruptive technology.

     The automobile manufacturing companies worldwide today are probably pushing hard to make their cars all electric in anticipation of the arrival of Hydrogen Fuel Cells, but the questions that remain are how much will it cost and how soon will it happen considering the needed infrastructure?  I believe using the Tesla concepts of transmitting electric power through air or ground to an "ANTENNA AND POWER RECEIVER" in many kinds of vehicles is simpler and would provide a greater return on investment (ROI) for all of us.  Again, "What's Wrong with the Uncommon, Common Good of the People for a Change, Worldwide?"  Let the automobile companies and others continue to go all electric in their products because when they get done we will replace their Hydrogen infrastructure and Fuel Cells with a grossly more efficient system that Nicola Tesla envisioned over 107 years ago.  Again, together this is "Mind Over Matter" (author unknown).

     Now, when this happens, OPEC and other Countries with oil will not have to ship oil around the World.  All they will have to do is build TESLA ELECTRICAL TRANSMITTING TOWERS in their oil fields and transmit electric power through the air or ground at "commercial power levels" and away they go laughing all the way to the bank.  You could also do this wherever "Natural Gas" or "Coal" fields are located in place of shipping "Liquid Natural Gas" and coal around the World.  I have identified technology to convert coal to utilize "Tesla wireless power".

     In conclusion, "Opportunities never come to those who wait, but are captured by those who dare to go ahead" (author unknown).

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It seems to me that for years, many of those who are passionate about Nicola Tesla, if they even know about him since he has been removed from USA history, speak only about his great accomplishments that occurred in the past during his lifetime .  We know his great inventions were way ahead of his time and have actually helped us to get to where we are today economically and technologically in many of our Countries of the World.  However, TODAY, this is not enough and TODAY we must prepare the "Youth of Today" and the "Future Generations of Tomorrow" by "MAKING HISTORY NOW" and in the future, and not just by talking about the past.  We must do this by doing something constructive NOW, and which we should define and schedule to make it all happen SOON, and of course fund it!

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Having worked as a Consulting Engineer at RCA in Burlington, Massachusetts USA on the NASA Apollo Moon Shot Program, we got built to NASA White Room Specifications the 1st Digital Black Box that throttled the final Descent Engine successfully (automatically or manually as was required).  It was officially called the Apollo Descent Engine Control Assembly (DECA).  (THIS DOCUMENT IS PUBLISHED ORIGINAL)

2008 American Business Awards"

Presented to

Donald Lesiak, International Profit & Growth Engineers, LLC

for

Best Product Development Executive

 

President, The Stevie Award!

 

THIS AWARD IS PRESENTED IN RECOGNITION OF
AN OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN BUSINESS,
AS NOMINATED IN A COMPETITION ORGANIZED-
BY THE STEVIE AWARDS.                              1

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