http://www.ernmag.com en-us Energy Research News (ERN) is an independent news publication dedicated to covering energy research in university, corporate and government labs. Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:00:00 GMT Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/122908/Nickel_nixes_platinum_in_plastic_fuel_cell_--_ERN_122908.html http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/122908/Nickel_nixes_platinum_in_plastic_fuel_cell_--_ERN_122908.html Put together the right type of plastic and the right form of nickel and you can make fuel cells without platinum or other rare metals. Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Wind_powered_electric_vehicles_top_study_--_ERN_121508.html http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Wind_powered_electric_vehicles_top_study_--_ERN_121508.html Corn ethanol is better than cellulosic ethanol but neither one is a solution to the problems of global warming, air pollution and energy security. Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Nanocones_soak_up_sunlight_--_ERN_121508.html http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Nanocones_soak_up_sunlight_--_ERN_121508.html 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. Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Leaf-shaped_material_harvests_more_light_--_ERN_121508.html http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Leaf-shaped_material_harvests_more_light_--_ERN_121508.html Form titanium dioxide into the exact structure of a leaf and you can make the semiconductor absorb more visible light than its bulk form. Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/DOD_pumps_$20m_into_algae_jet_fuel_--_ERN_121508.html http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/DOD_pumps_$20m_into_algae_jet_fuel_--_ERN_121508.html 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. Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Coffee_grounds_get_second_life_as_biodiesel_feedstock_--_ERN_121508.html http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Coffee_grounds_get_second_life_as_biodiesel_feedstock_--_ERN_121508.html Extract oil from spent coffee grounds, then chemically alter the oil, and you have a biofuel from the remains of your morning fuel. Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Engineered_E._coli_promise_biofuel_production_--_ERN_121508.html http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Engineered_E._coli_promise_biofuel_production_--_ERN_121508.html Genetically modify the common E. coli bacteria to produce energy-dense alcohols and you have a potential route to inexpensive biofuels. Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Public_grid_to_hunt_for_solar_plastics_--_ERN_121508.html http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Public_grid_to_hunt_for_solar_plastics_--_ERN_121508.html 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. Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Radio_technique_keeps_fusion_gas_in_place_--_ERN_121508.html http://www.ernmag.com/News/2008/121508/Radio_technique_keeps_fusion_gas_in_place_--_ERN_121508.html 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.