Energy

Solar power in U.S. grows 37% in 2009

By / April 19, 2010

Despite the global economic recession, solar capacity in the U.S. increased by 37% last year to reach 2108 MW, according to figures from the Solar Energy Industries Association. The annual…

Read More

Energy project looking for policy fellows among students, young professionals

By / April 19, 2010

Americans for Energy Leadership has some opportunities for ceramic and materials science students, post docs and young professionals. AEL says it is now accepting applications for the position of “policy…

Read More

Monday materials mind candy: ‘Printed’ origami ceramic structures

By / April 19, 2010

As you can see above, ACerS Fellow Jennifer Lewis and her team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have figured out how to make intriguing and beautifully simple (yet…

Read More

Toyota to launch Li-ion Prius in ’11

By / April 17, 2010

According to a Reuters story, Toyota will launch Prius hybrid minivans using lithium-ion batteries early next year. A lithium-ion battery can pack more electricity than a nickel-metal hydride counterpart, enabling…

Read More

NIST offers $25M in TIP funding for advanced materials scale-up, modeling and production

By / April 16, 2010

NIST just announced that it is accepting proposals for its 2010 Technology Innovation Program that will provide $25 million in first-year cost-shared funding for innovative research on “Manufacturing and Biomanufacturing:…

Read More

Ceramic fill cooling tower provides efficient, durable air conditioning at university

By / April 16, 2010

Architects and engineers working at Armstrong American State University in Savannah, Ga., have installed an aesthetically pleasing ceramic water-cooling tower for the school’s student Union and Memorial College Center that…

Read More

2011 ‘Solar Decathlon’ building, materials innovation contest names student teams

By / April 15, 2010

The DOE just release the names of the 20 teams (some from multiple schools) who will be competing in next year’s Solar Decathlon that will take place in Washington, D.C.,…

Read More

Ohio’s first ‘solar highway’ to be created

By / April 14, 2010

According to a State of Ohio press release, the Ohio Department of Transportation is partnering with the University of Toledo to create the state’s first large scale “solar highway.” ODOT…

Read More

China’s construction moving ahead on CEFR ‘fast-neutron’ nuclear reactor

By / April 14, 2010

I just came across an interesting article from Nuclear Engineering International magazine from January indicating that China has broken ground and moving forward quickly on an experimental 65 MW fast-neutron…

Read More

Video of the week: Jim Marra on using ceramic and glass materials to treat and stabilize nuclear and other hazardous wastes

By / April 14, 2010

Jim Marra, an advisory engineer in the Materials Science and Technology Directorate of the Savannah River National Lab, is an expert on using ceramic and glass materials to convert extremely…

Read More