| September 3, 2009 | Vol. 3. No. 15 |
IN THIS ISSUE: U-M ENERGY NEWS, ENERGY NEWS, FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES and EVENTS
U-M ENERGY NEWS
University of Michigan's Stephen Forrest: 'We've got to commit to something'
Stephen Forrest doesn’t mind picking winners. In fact, he thinks it’s imperative. Forrest, the University of Michigan’s vice president for research and chairman of Ann Arbor SPARK, is a fervent proponent of leveraging university technology to reconstruct Michigan’s economy on the backbone of alternative energy and other technologies.
Contract cracks down on nuclear reactor structures
A recent energy contract is ensuring that the University of Michigan is continuing to be world-class in looking for cracks in the nuclear energy system. Two five-year contracts, totaling $2.4 million, from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory under the U.S. Department of Energy Light Water Sustainability Program are enabling U-M scientists to better understand how radiation, stress and corrosion can lead to cracking in the inner workings of nuclear reactors. That, combined with another three recent grants totaling $941,625, will continue advancing understanding of the stresses endured by nuclear materials.
Nuclear energy research at Phoenix Memorial Lab
As the world races for the next innovation in energy to break the addiction to fossil fuels, energy from the wind, sun and plants spend a lot of time in the limelight. Nuclear engineers are on a different research stage – focused not on its debut as a major player in energy generation, but on its second act, in two parts: Make existing nuclear reactors run longer and better, and innovate for tomorrow’s advanced nuclear plants. The University of Michigan has some of the best facilities in the world for testing evaluating and creating new materials subjected to the extreme environments in nuclear reactors. To learn more about nuclear energy, the history of the University of Michigan's Phoenix Memorial Lab and current research projects at the lab, visit http://www.energy.umich.edu/res/area_pml_research.html
Nuclear careers to heat up?
The Environment Report's podcast with University of Michigan's Bill Martin on the opportunities for nuclear engineering graduates
ENERGY NEWS
Feds: Plan needed to spur clean-energy jobs
A comprehensive federal plan to limit carbon emissions is the key to creating clean-energy jobs, federal officials said Wednesday. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Ed Montgomery, head of the Obama administration's effort to help struggling auto communities, used the Regional Clean Energy Economy Forum in Saginaw, MI to urge Congress to develop and approve a plan that will encourage companies to invest in the clean-energy sector, and generate demand for their products.
Plugging into the sun
Sunlight bathes us in far more energy than we could ever need—if we could just catch enough. Also see Can solar save us?
Some buildings not living up to green label
Builders covet LEED certification — it stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — as a way to gain tax credits, attract tenants, charge premium rents and project an image of environmental responsibility. But the gap between design and construction, which LEED certifies, and how some buildings actually perform led the program last week to announce that it would begin collecting information about energy use from all the buildings it certifies.
For a story and video on an Ann Arbor home in the process of attaining platinum LEED certification visit here.
Study shows more automakers are choosing EVs over plug-in hybrids and extended range electric vehicles
According to the director of EV solutions at the California based company Aerovironment, full EVs currently in the development stages and expected to be ready for production within the next three years outnumber the plug-in hybrids and EREV expected to reach the market within the same time frame.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Energy for Sustainability - Due 09/17/09
Funded by the National Science Foundation, this program seeks proposals in sun, wind, hydro (wave), biomass and geothermal. Research that generates enabling science and technologies for more efficient hydrogen generation and storage is supported by the program. Funding is approximately $100K / year for single investigators; small equipment proposals of less than $100K will be considered. Duration: 1-3 years. This is funding opportunity number: NSF PD 10-764.
Chemical and Biological Separations - Due 09/17/09
This NSF Chemical and Biological Separations (CBS) program supports fundamental research on novel methods and materials for separation processes. These processes are central to the chemical, biochemical, materials, energy, and pharmaceutical industries. The program encourages proposals that address emerging research areas and technologies, have a high degree of interdisciplinary thought coupled with knowledge creation, and integrate education and research. Funding is approximately 80K /year with a 5 year duration. Small equipment proposals of less than 100K will be considered. This is funding opportunity number: NSF PD 10-1417.
Visit http://www.energy.umich.edu/info/index.html for additional details and funding opportunities.
UPCOMING EVENTS
IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference
This year the conference will feature the theme of sustainability: hybrid, plug-in, fuel cell and battery technology.
Sept. 7 - 11
Dearborn, MI
University of Michigan 14th Annual Energy Fest
Tuesday, Sept. 15 - Central Campus
Thursday, Sept. 17 - North Campus
Keynote Speaker: Bill Weihl, Green Energy Czar at Google
Tues Sept. 15, 4 - 5:30 p.m.
1040 Dana Building, 440 Church St.
Ross Energy Club Carbon Symposium
Fri. Sept. 18
Michigan Ballroom, University of Michigan
The National Energy Summit & International Dialogue
Sept. 23 - 24
Washington, D.C.
ACEEE's 5th National Conference on Energy Efficiency as a Resource
Sept. 27-29
The Drake Hotel, Chicago
Organic Photovoltaics Summit USA
Oct. 15 - 16
Boston
The Business of Plugging In
Oct. 19 - 21
Detroit
Call for Papers: ASME 2010 4th International Conference on Energy Sustainability
Abstracts Due: Sept. 30, 2009
Conference: May 17 - 22, 2010
Phoenix, AZ
Visit http://www.energy.umich.edu/careers/opportunities for information on University of Michigan open faculty positions and opportunites in energy research.
www.energy.umich.edu Subscribe to Energy Highlights Unsubscribe top