OREANDA-NEWS. April 28, 2010. On April 9, 2010, the Association of Russian Banks gathered for its ХХI Congress at the Columns Hall in Moscow. The annual forum of the country's major and most reputable banking association was attended by over 1500 delegates and guests, including commercial bank leaders and executives, representatives of the President Administration, Government, both chambers of the Federal Assembly of Russia, the Bank of Russia, representatives of the scientific public and foreign business circles. The Congress was covered by more than 250 Russian and foreign reporters.

The key issue on the agenda was devoted to modernization of the Russian banking system in the post-crisis period: bankization as a necessary condition. While appealing to the Congress, Garegin A. Tosunyan, ARB President, emphasized that the aspect influenced not only the banking system itself, but the Russian economy as a whole. The ARB head gave a detailed analysis of the main directions of legal, analytical, organizational work of the Association to strengthen the banking system stability and stir up crediting of economy.

British researchers developed a material which can store and discharge electricity.

Researchers from Imperial College London developed and already patented new material which can store and discharge electricity and which is also strong as steel and lightweight enough to be used for car parts. Material of carbon fiber and polymer resin mix could eventually act as both battery and body of electric vehicles. In such material carbon cloth is an anode, layer of glass fiber is the separator, and the film of metal foil is the cathode. In the role of the electrolyte acts a mixture of polymers that permeates all layers. The next step is the scientists are planning to develop the composite material so that it can be used to replace the metal flooring in the car boot, which holds the spare wheel. Dr Emile Greenhalgh, project coordinator the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial College London, says, “We are really excited about the potential of this new technology. We think the car of the future could be drawing power from its roof, its bonnet or even the door, thanks to our new composite material”. Yes, it will be expensive, but the researchers hope, like with all new technologies, that mass production will bring the cost down. The European Union is spending USD 4.6 million over three years to develop the technology and Volvo is considering building a prototype EV using a composite material. The researchers expect the material to shave 15 percent off the body weight of a car in five to six years and to be able to replace batteries in 10 years.