Policy

Video of the week – Concentrated solar power

By / May 13, 2009

Just in time for the opening of Schott Solar’s new Albuquerque plant, where it plans on producing utility-scale concentrating solar power systems, here is a video that demonstrates the scale…

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Schott combines CSP and PV production in new New Mexico solar plant

By / May 13, 2009

Schott Solar this week cut the ribbon on new $100 million facility in Albuquerque to produce large-scale concentrated solar power receivers and PV units. Schott, which also has production facilities…

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Assessment of U.S. Cap-and-Trade proposals (circa 2007)

By / May 6, 2009

Yes, Cap-and-Trade issues are a great concern to lots of individuals engaged in manufacturing ceramic and glass products. And, yes, the issues are also of great concern to lots of…

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DOE lights up Biofuels with $800 million in new funding

By / May 5, 2009

DOE Secretary Steven Chu is keeping the jobs/energy ball rolling with an announcement today that the agency has allocated $786.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate…

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EFRCs to provide big down payment for materials research

By / May 2, 2009

First, I apologize for the length of this post (I’ve saved it for the weekend), but one of biggest “sleeper” stories in science in a long time is the DOE’s…

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$93 million to wind energy; $100 million to NREL facilities

By / April 29, 2009

The Obama administration continues to put money where its mouth is regarding energy innovation. And, they are doing it in a way that should prick up the ears of ceramic,…

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Chu to make another funding announcement Wednesday

By / April 28, 2009

With all due respect to Flo Rida, Steven Chu and the DOE are second to none when it comes to making it snow (the green stuff) this year, and he…

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NIST releases some details and timing on grid standards

By / April 21, 2009

Apropos to the announcement about DOE moving forward with funding for Smart Grid projects, NIST has unveiled a three-step approach for developing standards for such a grid. Although the DOE…

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DOE jumps into smart grid tech with $4 billion and a call for standards

By / April 21, 2009

The Obama administration seems to have decided to let others share some of the Department of Energy’s glory and let Vice President Joe Biden and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke make…

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DOE pumping $42 million into fuel cells

By / April 15, 2009

DOE Secretary Steven Chu announced today that it would target $41.9 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for fuel cell development. The money will be doled out to…

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