December 15/22, 2008
Perspective
"There is no leadership at
the national level and the misinformation that is spread by the
existing energy companies and special interest groups is exceptionally
misleading. On the other side, media hype based on press releases
or other non-refereed reports can lead to unrealistic expectations."
- from Q&A
with Robert Birkmire
|
News
RESEARCH
Corn ethanol is better than cellulosic ethanol but neither one is
a solution to the problems of global warming, air pollution and energy
security. [more]
RESEARCH - SOLAR CELLS
Shape the surface of an amorphous silicon solar cell into a forest
of microscopic cones and you can make the cells absorb twice the sunlight.
[more]
RESEARCH - SOLAR CELLS
Form titanium dioxide into the exact structure of a leaf and you can
make the semiconductor absorb more visible light than its bulk form.
[more]
RESEARCH - FUSION
Hit the right type of helium gas with the right frequencies of high-power
radio waves and you have an efficient way to drive extremely hot gas
around inside a fusion reactor. [more]
RESEARCH - BIOFUELS
Extract oil from spent coffee grounds, then chemically alter the oil,
and you have a biofuel from the remains of your morning fuel. [more]
RESEARCH - BIOFUELS
Genetically modify the common E. coli bacteria to produce energy-dense
alcohols and you have a potential route to inexpensive biofuels. [more]
LAB NOTE - SOLAR CELLS
IBM has launched another World Community Grid project, this time aimed
at providing compute power to Harvard researchers who are working
on efficient, inexpensive organic solar cells. [more]
FUNDING - BIOFUELS
The US Department of Defense has awarded $20 million to General Atomics,
Inc. to research and develop commercial processes for producing jet
fuel from algae. [more]
Features
The return of science, the enormous task, the Apollo-like effort required,
and ideas for remaking the nation's energy infrastructure.
|
December
11, 2008
Check out the Department of Energy's Petroleum Reduction Planning
tool (PREP), a nifty calculator that helps you reduce your fuel use.
[more]
Features
Q&As
Special Report
Energy
in transition: researchers talk about Obama and our future
Feeds
News  | Blog
E-mail
headlines
Technology Research News
News and views from elsewhere
Michael Kanellos, Greentech Media
Berkeley: Radical Hotbed of Energy Efficiency
Eric Wesoff, Greentech Media
Can a Startup Save the US Auto Industry?
Greentech Media
Is the Light Bulb of the Future an Old TV Tube?
Earth2Tech
Obama
Wants Gore to Help Repower America
Scientific American
Obama's
First 100 Days
Greentech Media
Splitting
the Thin-film Difference
Wall Street Journal
Hot
Question: How Big Should Solar Get?
New York Times
Battery Maker Bets on Silver-Zinc for Laptops
Green Car Congress
BP
and Chinese Academy of Sciences To Establish Clean Energy Commercialization
Center
New Scientist
Whatever happened to the hydrogen economy?
Xconomy
The
Roots of Power: How Voltree is Tapping Tree Energy to Save Forests
Greentech Media
Tapping America's Secret Power Source
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