National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Date: 2022-05-13
Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are reporting perovskite materials may hold the potential to play an important role in a process to produce renewable "green" hydrogen as a carrier to store energy as a substitute for fossil fuels used for transportation, in the production of ammonia, and for other industrial applications. Key to the successful use of hydrogen as a fuel is being able to meet the DOE Hydrogen Energy Earthshot -- a recently announced goal to cut the cost of clean hydrogen by 80 pct to $1 per kilogram within a decade.

The NREL research analyzed an emerging water-splitting technology -- solar thermochemical hydrogen (STCH) production -- which can be potentially more energy efficient than producing hydrogen via the commonly used electrolysis method requiring electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. STCH relies on a two-step chemical process in which metal oxides are exposed to temperatures greater than 1,400 degrees C and then re-oxidized with steam at lower temperatures to produce hydrogen.

The research looks at the system-level design and techno-economic analysis for integrating possible materials into a solar-fuel platform and supporting the DOE's HydroGEN program. The material discovery in the HydroGEN program involved machine learning, defect calculations, and experimental work to develop new perovskite materials. The researchers need to identify perovskites capable of handling the high temperatures required while hitting performance targets.

This work shows part of a portfolio of techno-economic analysis focused on hydrogen production pathways each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Electrolysis, for example, is commercially available and the electricity required can come from photovoltaics (PV). The PV cells used, however, only capture a section of the solar spectrum. STCH uses the entire spectrum. The concentrated solar thermal power enables STCH to create the chemical reaction. Active research to identify the best materials for the STCH process is critical to the success of this method for hydrogen production, the NREL scientists noted.

This research is funded by the DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office. NREL is the U.S. DOE's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy LLC. (Source: NREL, 10 May, 2022) Contact: NREL, Patrick Davenport, Zhiwen Ma, Genevieve Saur, www.nrel.gov; DOE Hydrogen Shot, www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-shot

More Low-Carbon Energy News National Renewable Energy Laboratory,  Renewable Hydrogen,  Green Hydrogen,  Hydrogen Earthshot,  

Greenbacker, Noria Energy
Date: 2022-02-11
NYC-headquartered sustainable infrastructure investor Greenbacker Capital Management, LLC is reporting an equity investment in California-based floating solar -- "flotovoltaics" -- developer Noria Energy.

Floating solar projects, which are developed on calm water surfaces such as hydroelectric dam reservoirs, wastewater treatment ponds, can reduce algae growth, slow evaporation and benefit from a cooling effect from the water beneath, leading to greater and more efficient clean energy generation.

According to National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), installing floating solar on the 24,000+ man-made reservoirs in the US could meet about 10 pct of the country's annual electricity needs.

Noria designed, engineered, and co-developed the nation's largest floating solar array, a 4.8-MW installation at the water reclamation facility in Healdsburg, CA. Noria also offers behind-the-meter solar projects both on land and floating. (Source: Noria Energy, Website, Feb. 2022) Contact: Noria Energy, Jonathan Wank, CEO, noriaenergy.com; Greenbacker Renewable Energy, Charles Wheeler, CEO,(646) 720-9463, generalenquires@greenbackerreneable energy.com, www.greenbackerrenewableenergy.com, www.greenbackercapital.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Noria nergy,  Greenbacker,  Solar,  Floating Solar,  

National Grid
Date: 2022-01-03
In the Empire State, National Grid is reporting a joint project with the Town of Hempstead to build one of the first and largest clean hydrogen projects in the country in Point Lookout on Long Island. For the project, National Grid will expand an existing hydrogen distribution system to heat approximately 800 homes and fuel 10 municipal vehicles.

National Grid is also working with the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the Advanced Energy and Research Technology Center at Stony Brook University to assess the compatibility of hydrogen blending in National Grid's existing gas infrastructure.

National Grid is also partnering with Standard Hydrogen Corporation to develop the nation's first multi-use, renewable hydrogen-based energy storage and delivery system in the N.Y. Capital region Subject to regulatory approval, the system will have the ability to power fuel cell automobiles, shift energy peaking, provide backup power, and blend hydrogen into the gas network from a single system.

National Grid has joined the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) Low Carbon Resources Initiative to focus on large scale deployment of technologies like hydrogen and RNG. National Grid is also part of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) HyBlend collaborative research project. (Source: National Grid, PR, Website, 15 Dec., 2021) Contact: National Grid, www.nationalgridus.com; NYSERDA, (518) 862-1090, www.nyserda.ny.gov; GTI, 847-768-0500 847-768-0501 -- fax, info@gti.energy, www.gti.energy

More Low-Carbon Energy News National Grid,  Green Hydrogen,  NYSERDA,  Gas Technology Institute,  RNG,  NREL,  

NREL
Date: 2021-11-05
According to Optimal Strategies for a Cost-Effective and Reliable 100 pct Renewable Electrical Grid, a research study conducted by the US DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), "incorporating energy efficiency measures can reduce the amount of energy storage needed to power the nation's buildings entirely with renewable energy." As more communities aim for 100 pct renewable energy, the study offers a strategy that could guide their paths -- one that shifts away from long-duration storage.

The NREL researchers considered solar and wind as the source of renewable energy, given that most plans for meeting the 100 pct renewables target take those into account. They also used the DOE EnergyPlus and OpenStudio building energy modeling tools to simulate energy demand, considering such factors as building size, age, and occupancy type. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration informed the scientists about the existing building stock characteristics and energy load used by the buildings. Further, the researchers separated the country into five climate zones, ranging from the hot and humid (Tampa, Florida) to the very cold (International Falls, Minnesota)along with New York City, El Paso, and Denver. Knowing the extremes of heating and cooling demands in each zone enabled the researchers to select the appropriate mix of renewable power sources to minimize any needed storage.

The researchers define long-duration storage as "energy storage systems that meet electricity demands for more than 48-hour durations." Therefore, long-duration energy storage provides power days or months after the electricity is generated. However, most long-duration storage technologies are either immature or not available everywhere. The NREL researchers calculated reaching the last 75 pct to 100 pct of renewable energy would result in significant increases in costs associated with long-duration energy storage. Instead of focusing on storage, the researchers emphasized the optimal mix of renewable resources, oversized generation capacities and investments in energy efficiency. The researchers note that multiple pathways exist to reach 100 pct renewable and, as the costs and performance of technologies change, new pathways will emerge, but they identified a key pathway that is achievable today.

The researchers also determined that over-sizing renewable capacities by a factor of 1.4 to 3.2 and aiming for 52 pct to 68 pct in energy savings through building energy efficiency measures lead to cost-optimal paths depending on region of the country. The report notes that making homes and offices more energy efficient reduces the amounts of renewable resources needed, decreases the amount of storage, and cuts transmission costs, ultimately supporting the implementation of a carbon-free energy system.

The NREL study was funded by the DOE Building Technologies Office (BETO). NREL is the U.S. DOE's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development.

Download the NREL report HERE . (Source: US DOE, NREL, 2 Nov., 2021) Contact: NREL, Report Authors Sammy Houssainy, William Livingood, 303-384-7490, William.Livingood@nrel.gov, www.nrel.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News NREL,  Energy Efficiency,  Energy Storage,  

National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Date: 2021-11-05
With more than $2 million in DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) funding, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), North Carolina State University and IBM are studying how to best grow photosynthetic algae and efficiently sort municipal solid waste (MSW) for use as biofuel feedstocks.

NREL and its partner researchers will develop and demonstrate an open-source, freely available, and fully functional smart MSW management system. The use of photosynthetic microalgae to capture and store greenhouse gases, such as CO2 from the atmosphere is quickly getting scientists' attention. A team of researchers aims to improve the capture and storage efficiency of CO2 by coupling algae cultivation as photosynthetic and biocatalysis systems to a "mechanical tree" harboring a passive direct air capture unit. Researchers will also study mechanisms using biological, engineering, and analysis approaches to understand how algae might be engineered to better store CO2 as cell biomass, as well as develop novel CO2 delivery approaches in combination with the introduction of a highly effective carbonic anhydrase protein, according to the NREL release. (Source: NREL, Bio Market Insights, Nov., 2021) Contact: NREL. Zia Abdullah, Program Manager, (303) 275-4051, www.nrel.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News National Renewable Energy Laboratory,  Biofuel,  Biofuel Feedstock,  

NREL
Date: 2021-09-08
The US DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) reports it is in the late stages of prototype testing a new thermal energy storage technology that uses inexpensive silica sand as a storage medium. Economic Long-Duration Electricity Storage by Using Low-Cost Thermal Energy Storage and High-Efficiency Power Cycle (ENDURING) is a reliable, cost-effective, scalable and can be constructed using existing infrastructure such as retired coal- and gas-fired power plants.

ENDURING uses electricity from surplus solar or wind to heat silica sand as a thermal storage material. Particles are fed through an array of electric resistive heating elements to heat them to 1,200 degree C. The heated particles are then gravity-fed into insulated concrete silos for thermal energy storage. The baseline system is designed for economical storage of up to a 26,000 MWh of thermal energy. When energy is needed, the hot particles are gravity-fed through a heat exchanger, heating and pressurizing a working gas inside to drive turbines and spin generators that create electricity for the grid. Once discharged, the spent, cold particles are once again fed into insulated silos for storage for charging.

As a storage medium, abundant silica sand is stable and inexpensive at $30-$50/ton, and has a limited ecological impact both in extraction and end of life. Particle thermal energy storage is a less energy dense form of storage, but is very inexpensive ($2-$4 per kWh of thermal energy at a 900 degrees C charge-to-discharge temperature difference). The energy storage system is safe because inert silica sand is used as storage media, making it an ideal candidate for massive, long-duration energy storage. (Source: NREL, , Sept., 2021) Contact: NREL ENDURING Project, Zhiwen Ma, Principal Investigator, 303-275-3784 Zhiwen.Ma@nrel.gov, www.nrel.gov/research/staff/zhiwen-ma.html, www.nrel.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News NREL,  Energy Storage,  Thermal Energy Storage,  

GE Renewable Energy, LM Wind Power
Date: 2021-07-30
GE Renewable Energy, LM Wind Power and GE Research, in partnership with the US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are reporting completion of the 2020 Automated Blade Finishing programme aimed at improving wind turbine blade quality, manufacturing, advancing knowledge of composite processing together with sensing, robotics and automation to develop low-cost solutions for wind blade finishing with potential to increase throughput by 30 pct.

The programme is supported by the DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) , Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) . AMO, through the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation awarded NREL $800 000 which was matched by $400 000 from OEDIT and $600 000 in company matching contributions. (Source: GE Renewable Energy, PR, July, 2021)

More Low-Carbon Energy News GE Renewable Energy news,  LM Wind Power news,  Wind Blade news,  Wind Energy news,  NREL news,  

GE Renewable Energy, LM Wind Power
Date: 2021-07-30
GE Renewable Energy, LM Wind Power and GE Research, in partnership with the US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are reporting completion of the 2020 Automated Blade Finishing programme aimed at improving wind turbine blade manufacturing auomation, quality, and advancing knowledge of composite processing to develop low-cost solutions for wind blade finishing with potential to increase throughput by 30 pct.

The programme is supported by the DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO), Colorado's Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) . AMO, through the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation. (Source: GE Renewable Energy, PR, July, 2021) Contact: LM Wind Power, www.lmwindpower.com; GE Renewable Energy, www.ge.com/renewableenergy/home

More Low-Carbon Energy News GE Renewable Energy,  LM Wind Power ,  Wind Blade,  

Babcock & Wilcox
Date: 2021-07-12
Akron, Ohio-headquartered Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) and the U.S. DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are reporting an Intellectual Property Option Agreement that gives B&W field-limited exclusive rights to negotiate a licensing agreement that would allow B&W to market an advanced, particle-based thermal energy storage technology currently in development.

B&W is part of NREL's "Duration Addition to electricitY Storage" (DAYS) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) team, which is developing an innovative electric particle heater, pressurized fluidized-bed heat exchanger, a long-term thermal energy storage system that stores energy up to 100 hours, and other technologies to allow power producers to store solar or wind energy to generate grid-scale power..

"B&W's fluidized-bed heat exchanger will be able to generate up to 135 MW of power for up to 100 hours from stored clean thermal energy with zero CO2 emissions. By facilitating long-term storage of zero-carbon, renewable energy, this technology enables power producers to deliver power to the grid 24-hours a day, including during periods of peak demand, or when solar or wind are not optimal conditions," according to the B&W release.

B&W and NREL are also in discussions to develop a prototype heat exchanger that can be scaled-up for a pilot demonstration as part of NREL's Economic Long-Duration Electricity Storage Using Low-Cost Thermal Energy Storage and a High-Efficiency Power Cycle (ENDURING) project. (Source: Babcock & Wilcox, PR, 12 July, 2021) Contact: Babcock & Wilcox, Ken Young, CEO, www.babcock.com; NREL, (303) 275-4051,www.nrel.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Babcock & Wilcox,  NREL,  Renewable Energy,  Energy STorage,  

Colorado State University, Innosphere Ventures
Date: 2021-06-09
In Denver, the Colorado State University (CSU) Energy Institute reports it will receive $1 million in new funding from the U.S. DOE to support low-carbon energy innovation and commercialization in Colorado and the region.

The award is part of the DOE's $10 million Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC) and will provide resources to enable the CSU Energy Institute to launch the Rockies/Plains Energy Accelerator for Commercializing Hardtech (REACH) -- in collaboration with Innosphere Ventures, the Colorado Energy Research Collaboratory (CERC) and 22 other ecosystem partners. REACH is tailored to the specific needs of the Rocky Mountains Great Plains region which produces 25 pct of the nation's energy.

Innosphere and CSU will plan, develop, and execute a growth strategy for clean energy innovation clusters throughout the region in partnership with public, private, non-profit, and higher education partners, and with support from CERC -- Colorado's inter-institutional partnership between CSU, University of Colorado- Boulder, Colorado School of Mines and the DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

EPIC is a $10 million funding opportunity created by the DOE Office of Technology Transitions to underscore the importance of regional clusters which increase productivity of area companies, drive the direction and pace of innovation, and stimulate the formation of new businesses, further reinforcing the cluster itself.

CSU is one of 10 recipients of the EPIC funding award. (Source: Colorado State University, PR, Website, 3 June, 2021) Contact: Colorado State University Energy Institute, Bryan Willson, Exec, Dir., Allison Vitt, Allison.Vitt@colostate.edu, www.energy.colostate.edu; Innosphere Ventures, Mike Freeman, CEO, www.innosphereventures.org; Colorado Energy Research Collaboratory, www.coloradocollaboratory.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Colorado State University ,  Clean Energy,  Renewable Energy,  Innosphere Ventures,  

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,nternational Marine Organization
Date: 2021-05-21
NREL reports it is investigating the use of marine biofuels to reduce sulfur and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping in an effort to meet the International Marine Organization (IMO) allowed amount of sulfur oxides emissions from ships.

The IMO's newest upper limit, which took effect at the start of 2020, reduced the sulfur content of ships' fuel oil to 0.5 pct from 3.5 pct targeting at least a 50 pct reduction in GHG emissions from international shipping by 2050, relative to 2008 levels. To reach the IMO goal, ship owners can either install sulfur scrubbers to reduce emissions, or they can adopt a different, low-sulfur fuel. Both options carry an additional cost.

The NREL-directed research provides a starting point for establishing the feasibility of ships using biofuels, including the economics of marine "drop-in" biofuels weighed against the cost of burning heavy fuel oil (HFO), which presently accounts for roughly 75 pct of the fuel used.

The research concluded that, if shipping had no competition, the U.S. has sufficient bio-feedstocks for producing substantial amounts of marine biofuels to displace fossil fuels. With ships using 400 million metric tpy of fuel, a blend of 5 pt biofuels translates to about 5 billion gallons.

The research was funded by the U.S. DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office and by the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration.

Download Biofuel Options for Marine Applications: Techno-Economic and Life-Cycle Analyses report details HERE. (Source: NREL, May, 2021) Contact: NREL, Eric Tan, Snr. Research Engineer, www.nrel.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News National Renewable Energy Laboratory,  Marine Biofuel,  Maritime Biofuel,  nternational Marine Organization,  

UL, NREL
Date: 2021-05-07
Northbrook, Illinois-based Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the US DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are reporting a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the further development and commercialization of Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus (SolarAPP+) software that will automate the permitting process for residential solar systems.

The SolarAPP+ enables local governments to shorten the time required to grant a permit from a national average of five business days to zero. NREL released a US DOE-funded pilot version of the free SolarAPP+ software in 2020. (Source: UL, PR, 5 May., 2021) Contact: UL, Steven Brewster, (847) 664-8425, ulnews@ul.com, www.ul.com; NREL, Wayne Hicks, (303) 275-4051, wayne.hicks@nrel.gov, www.nrel.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News UL,  NREL ,  Solar,  

US DOE
Date: 2021-04-21
In Washington, the U.S. DOE Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP) has announced it will work with 11 remote and island communities around the U.S and provide federal assistance to bolster their renewable energy and energy infrastructure, energy efficiency reduce the risk of outages, and improve their future energy and economic outlook, advance local clean energy solutions and improve resilience.

To that end, ETIPP will use a community-led and inclusive approach to identify the each community's energy challenges and provide strategic assistance and funding to help communities determine and direct their energy transition. The 11 selected communities include: Sitka, Alaska; Dillingham, Alaska; Eastport, Maine; Honolulu, Hawaii; Islesboro, Maine; Kauai, Hawaii; Nags Head, North Carolina; Ocracoke Island, North Carolina; Ouzinkie, Alaska; Sitka, Alaska; and Wainwright, Alaska.

These projects are funded by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Energy Transition Initiative, Solar Energy Technologies Office, Water Power Technologies Office, and are supported by the DOE's Office of Electricity. Five regional stakeholder engagement partners will help communities identify and prioritize their energy resilience needs and connect them to experts from DOE's NREL, PNNL, Sandia National Laboratories, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories. (Source: US DOE, ETIPP, PR, 20 Apr., 2021) Contact: ETIPP, www.energy.gov/eere/energy-transitions-initiative-partnership-project-who-we-are

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Energy,  

NREL
Date: 2021-03-26
A just released National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) study commissioned by the city of Los Angeles has concluded L.A. can achieve 98 pct clean energy within the next decade and 100 pct by 2035.

To meet that goal, the NREL report recommends: building solar farms, wind turbines and batteries as fast as possible; install solar panels on rooftops, electric cars in garages and electric heat pumps in homes; and invest in energy efficiency and "demand response" programs that pay people to use electricity during off-peak periods.

The study says "the benefits would be immense: not only helping to counteract the climate crisis, but also slashing deadly air pollution from cars, trucks, power plants and gas furnaces, much of it concentrated in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color."

Download the LA100: The Los Angeles 100 pct Renewable Energy Study HERE. (Source: NREL, Mar., 2021) Contact: NREL, www.nrel.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News National Renewable Energy Lab,  NREL,  Renewable Energy,  

NREL
Date: 2021-03-24
A just released National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) study commissioned by the city of Los Angeles has concluded L.A. can achieve 98 pct clean energy within the next decade and 100 pct by 2035.

To meet that goal, the NREL report recommends: building solar farms, wind turbines and batteries as fast as possible; install solar panels on rooftops, electric cars in garages and electric heat pumps in homes; and invest in energy efficiency and “demand response” programs that pay people to use electricity during off-peak periods when solar and wind power are plentiful.

The benefits would be immense: not only helping to counteract the climate crisis, but also slashing deadly air pollution from cars, trucks, power plants and gas furnaces, much of it concentrated in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, the report notes.

Download the LA100: The Los Angeles 100 pct Renewable Energy Study HERE

More Low-Carbon Energy News NREL news,  Renewable Energy news,  

IBM
Date: 2021-02-19
IBM is reporting it aims to reach net-zero CO2 emissions by 2030 and will have reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 65 pct by 2025 compared to its 2010 emission levels. IBM notes its net-zero target is "based on the energy the company can actually consume, not on the purchase of unrelated, un-bundled renewable energy certificates."

The company also notes it will procure 75 pct of its worldwide electric power from renewable energy sources by 2025, and hit 90 pct renewable consumption by 2030. The company also plans to use carbon capture by 2030 to remove emissions in "an amount which equals or exceeds the level of IBM's residual emissions" or those emissions IBM still produces after exhausting all avenues to reduce is greenhouse emissions.

As we reported on 15 July, 2020, IBM, a Founding Member of the Climate Leadership Council, reduced its operational CO2 emissions by 39.7 pct since 2005, well ahead of its goal of a 40 pct reduction in CO2 emissions by 2025. The company also noted 47 pct of the electricity it consumed in 2019 came from renewable sources, keeping the company on track to get 55 pct of its electricity from renewables by 2025. (Source: IBM, PR, ZD Net, 17 Feb., 2021)Contact: IBM, www.ibm.com/us-en

More Low-Carbon Energy News IBM,  CO2,  Carbon Emissions,  Net-Zero Emissions,  

General Electric, LM Wind
Date: 2021-02-05
General Electric is reportings its GE Research, GE Renewable Energy, and LM Wind Power units were recently selected by the US DOE to research the design and manufacture of 3-D printed wind turbine blades.

The GE units will partner with the Oakridge National Lab (ORNL) and the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) on the 25-month, $6.7 million project to develop and demonstrate an integrated additive manufacturing process for novel high-performance blade designs for large rotors.

The project will deliver a full-size blade tip ready to be structurally tested, as well as three blade tips that will be installed on a wind turbine. (Source: General Electric, PR, OE, 5 Feb., 2021) Contact: GE Renewable Energy, www.ge.com/renewableenergy.com; LM Wind Power, www.lmwindpower.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News LM Wind,  Wind Blade,  GE Renewable Energy,  

Toledo Solar
Date: 2020-11-16
In the Buckeye State, Toledo Solar Inc. reports receipt of $1.7 million in grant funding from the US DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) to develop semitransparent cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaics, a solar-cell material that could be suitable for use in windows, building facades, and rooftop solar modules a new solar-cell technology believed to be suitable for integration into building construction.

The company will work with the University of Toledo's Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization Center, the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), and Project Vision Dynamics Inc. "to complete development of attractive, low-cost, high-efficiency solar window units and solar building facades through manufacturing innovations in CdTe module technology," according to the release. Prof. Michael J. Heben, the managing director of UT's Wright Center for Photovoltaics noted "Previously proposed options for incorporating photovoltaic power into building structures ave not made sense from a manufacturing point of view -- Toledo Solar's approach is entirely novel, and entirely doable, so the University of Toledo is very excited to be part of this effort."

Toledo Solar is the only U.S. manufacturer of CdTe thin film PV for both residential and commercial rooftop markets, according to the company website. (Source: Toledo Solar,PR, Toledo Blabe, 14 Nov., 2020) Contact: Toledo Solar, 567-202-4145, info@Toledo-Solar.com, www.toledosolar-inc.com; US DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office, www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-energy-technologies-office

More Low-Carbon Energy News Toledo Solar,  Solar,  

ORNL,NREL
Date: 2020-10-23
According to research by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), although tall, fast-growing trees are best for biomass/biofuel feedstock the amount of sugars contained within the cellulosic biomass that can be converted into fuels is equally important.

Feedstock growers typically look at how many trees they can plant per acre rather than the quality and volume of fuel those trees will produce. To address the issue, the researchers analyzed 900 samples of black cottonwood trees -- a type of fast-growing poplar -- grown in Oregon to determine how variations in their size and composition affect feedstock quality and biorefinery economics.

The researh found the amount of fuel produced per-acre per-year and the minimum fuel selling price(MFSP) are most strongly connected to the size of a tree. Since a farmer would only plant the biggest and fastest growing trees, the researchers examined those and found that the size and sugar content in those trees were of nearly identical importance to the MFSP.

Download Economic Impact of Yield and Composition Variation in Bioenergy Crops: Populus trichocarpa report details HERE. (Source: US DOE ORNL, Center for Bioenergy Innovation, 19 Oct., 2020) Contact: Center for Bioenergy Innovation, www. cbi.ornl.gov; ORNL, Kimberly A Askey, (865) 576-2841, askeyka@ornl.gov, www.ornl.gvo

More Low-Carbon Energy News Biofuel Feedstock,  Lignin,  ORNL,  NREL,  Cellulosic,  

Electrochaea
Date: 2020-10-21
Munich, Germany-headquartered renewable methane technology provider Electrochaea GmbH reports the opening of its U.S. subsidiary, Electrochaea Corporation, in Sacramento to develop commercial opportunities and partnerships in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Electrochaea offers a climate-friendly solution to store wind and solar generated electricity and recycle CO2 in the form of renewable methane -- a substitute for fossil fuels and major advancement in transitioning to a clean energy economy.

Over the past six years, Electrochaea developed renewable methane from the lab to industrial-scale pilot plants in Denmark and Switzerland, feeding the national gas grids. In 2019 the company opened a third pilot plant at the U.S. DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, with support from SoCalGas. The company also has renewable methane projects under development in the U.S. (Source: Electrochaea Corporation , PR, Oct., 2020) Contact: Electrochaea Corporation, Mich Hein, CEO, Beth Bray US Communications Director, (773) 241-4948, beth.bray@electrochaea.com, www.electrochaea.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Electrochaea,  Methane,  

Natron Energy
Date: 2020-09-25
Santa Clara, California-headquartered Natron Energy, a leading supplier of high-power, long-life and fire-safe Sodium-ion batteries using Prussian blue chemistry, reports it has achieved Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listing for its BlueTray™ 4000 battery -- an industry first and major leap forward for safe, nonflammable battery technology that can be integrated into data centers and telecom companies at scale.

Natron's unique Sodium-ion technology enables energy storage products that are both higher-powered and safer than traditional options -- with none of the fire, toxic gas or thermal runaway risks associated with lithium or lead batteries. Unlike existing products, Natron's BlueTray™ 4000 is a self-contained, pizza box size unit no larger than a pizza box and requires no bolt-on external circuits, fire protective packaging or unreliable cooling systems. (Source: Natron Energy, PR Webdite, 24 Sept., 2020) Contact: Natron Energy, info@natron.energy, www.natron.energy

More Low-Carbon Energy News Natron Energy,  Battery Energy Storage,  

Advanced Biofuel
Date: 2020-08-31
A new study led by Colorado State University is predicting significant climate benefits stemming from the use of advanced biofuel technologies. Accounting for all of the carbon flows in biofuel systems and comparing them to those in grasslands and forests, the team found clear strategies for biofuels to have a net carbon benefit.

John Field, research scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Lab at CSU, said it has been a challenge for the biofuel industry to demonstrate commercial viability for cellulosic biofuels created from switchgrass and other non-edible plants.

The research team used modeling to simulate switchgrass cultivation, cellulosic biofuel production and carbon capture and storage (CCS), tracking ecosystem and carbon flows. Scientists then compared this modeling to alternative ways to store carbon on the land, including growing forest or grassland.

CCS technology is being used by at least one facility in Illinois that is processing corn to ethanol as a conventional biofuel to create ethanol, but these systems are not yet widespread. As part of the study, researchers created models to simulate what this would look like at a cellulosic biofuel refinery. "What we found is that around half of the carbon in the switchgrass that comes into the refinery becomes a byproduct that would be available for carbon capture and storage. The resulting byproduct streams of high-purity CO2 would not require much separation or clean-up before being stored underground," the study noted.

The research team analyzed three contrasting U.S. case studies and found that on land where farmers or land managers were transitioning out of growing crops or maintaining pastures for grazing, cultivating switchgrass for cellulosic ethanol production had a per-hectare mitigation potential comparable to reforestation and several-fold greater than grassland restoration.

Using switchgrass can be particularly helpful in parts of the country where planting more trees is not an option.

This research was partially funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the US DOE via the Center for Bioenergy Innovation, and the Sao Paulo Research Foundation in Brazil.

The study illustrates how deliberate land use choices support the climate performance of present-day cellulosic ethanol technology and how technological advancements and CCS addition could produce several times the climate mitigation potential of competing land-based biological mitigation schemes. These results affirm the climate mitigation logic of biofuels, consistent with their prominent role in many climate stabilization scenarios, the study concludes. (Source: Colorado State University, Green Car Congress, Aug., 2020) Contact: Colorado State University, Natural Resource Ecology Lab, John Field, (970) 491-1604, John.L.Field@colostate.edu, www.nrel.colostate.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News Advanced Biofuel,  Cellulosic Biofuel,  Switchgrass,  

Iowa State University
Date: 2020-08-26
Iowa State University researchers are studying ways to increase farmer interest in and profits from anaerobic digestion (AD) and renewable natural gas (RNG) made from manure and other low-value biomass. The research team is aiming to help resolve technical, economic and social issues believed to be hindering the growth of AD technology in the US.

The researchers see abundant possibilities for RNG in Iowa and beyond to address greenhouse gas emissions and to diversify farm income and reduce pollution in the state's waterways.

The development of biofuels is a major recommendation in Iowa's 2016 energy plan and the state economic development authority's 2018 Biomass Conversion Action Plan which has been funding research into various anaerobic digestion techniques.

According to a 2013 National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) inventory, Iowa produces more manure than any other state but the sources are not sufficiently concentrated to make digestion feasible or economically profitable.

Researchers hope to enhance the efficiency, reduce the costs and create ancillary income streams that will persuade farmers in Iowa and beyond to add AD to their operations. To that end, the researchers will explore the use of mixed prairie grasses and winter cover crops, such as annual rye, for AD.

The project is funded with a $10 million grant from the USDA. (Source: Iowa State University, PR, Aug., 2020) Contact: Iowa State University, Prof. Lisa Schulte Moore, Natural Resource Ecology and Management, (515) 294-7339, , www.iastate.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News Iowa State University ,  RNG,  Biogas,  Anaerobic Digestion,  

Northacre Renewable Energy,Bioenergy Infrastructure Group
Date: 2020-06-19
In the UK, Reading-based waste-to-energy specialist Northacre Renewable Energy Limited reports it is changing the technology to be used in its proposed, £200 million, 243,000 tpy Westbury plant from gasification to a conventional moving grate combustion process primarily due to supply chain uncertainty caused by Brexit.

Northacre Renewable Energy Limited (NREL) is special purpose joint venture established to deliver the Northacre energy from waste facility in Westbury. NREL is jointly owned by Bioenergy Infrastructure Group, a UK independent power producer specialising in energy-from-waste and biomass facilities, and The Hills Group, a Wiltshire-based company with business activities including waste management, quarrying of aggregates and building new homes. BIG invests in a number of energy facilities across the UK, including the Hull Energy Works facility, Evermore Renewable Energy and Birmingham Bio Power. (Source: Northacre Renewable Energy, PR, Lets Recycle, 17 June, 2020) Contact: Northacre Renewable Energy, northacre@bioenergyinfrastructure.com, www.northacre-energy.co.uk: Bioenergy Infrastructure Group, +44 (0) 118 929 8350, info@bioenergyinfrastructure.com, www.bioenergyinfrastructure.co.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News Biowaste news,  Waste-to-Energy news,  Biomass news,  Bioenergy Infrastructure Group news,  

National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Date: 2020-06-01
The US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) reports it is exploring the possibilities of using blockchain for renewable energy. To that end, NREL will work with energy utility, Exelon, and the Energy Web Foundation (EWF) to research blockchain for community-based energy markets.

The project will focus on enhancing coordination between utilities and consumers and finding ways to connect distributed energy resources (DERs) like solar panels to local distribution networks by using digital identity and hardware created by NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF).

NREL plans to leverage blockchain to create a scalable solution for electricity feeders, which can be customized as desired. Currently, they are running a virtual pilot that connects electric vehicles, smart appliances, batteries, and other components, to a blockchain.

NREL is a member of Blockchain for Optimized Security and Energy Management (BLOSEM), and provides expertise on accelerating blockchain adoption in the energy sector. The BLOSEM project is led by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and is funded by the Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium. (Source: NREL, COINGEEK, 30 May, 2020) Contact: NREL, Dane Christensen, dane.christensen@nrel.gov, www.nrel.gov; Excelon, www.exeloncorp.com; Web Foundation, www.energyweb.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News National Renewable Energy Laboratory ,  NREL,  Renewable Energy,  Exelon,  ,  

New Climate Institute
Date: 2020-05-06
The Berlin-based New Climate Institute (ICAT) Buildings Efficiency Guidance provides guidance for assessing the greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts of buildings sector energy efficiency policies. The guidance provides a stepwise approach for estimating the effects of policy design characteristics and barriers associated with regulatory and financial support policies on GHG impacts.

This guidance specifically covers regulatory and financial support policies that address both new building stock and existing building stock with retrofit. Users are guided on how to estimate the impacts of these policies for the residential sector, although this guidance may also be used for the commercial and public sectors. The guidance focuses on the assessment of impacts from built-in energy loads, including space heating, cooling, lighting and hot water. The guidance does not assess the impacts of appliances that are unrelated to heating, cooling and hot water.

ICAT assessment guides help policymakers and other users assess the impacts of countries' climate policies and actions. They can play a critical role in providing the information needed for effective policymaking, for implementing the Nationally Determined Contributions and for preparing reports under the enhanced transparency framework of the Paris Agreement and on progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. (Source: ICAT, May, 2020) Contact: New Climate Institute, Carsten Warneke, +49 221 999 83 302 c.warnecke@newclimate.org , www. climateactiontransparency.org/icat-toolbox, www.newclimate.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News New Climate Institute ,  ICAT,  Paris Climate Accord,  Building Energy Efficiency,  

NREL
Date: 2020-05-04
NREL reports it has joined with the Washington Clean Energy Testbeds at the University of Washington, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Toledo to form the US Manufacturing of Advanced Perovskites Consortium (US-MAPPS).

While perovskite cells have shown promise in the lab, more work remains to be done to ensure that the technology is ready for commercial success, according to NREL. Manufacturing, durability, and sustainability remain challenges and will be the consortium's research focus. Members of US-MAP will share R&D, validation, and pilot manufacturing, which will reduce development costs and technology risks for potential investors.

US-MAP has six major US-based industry players as founding members: BlueDot Photonics, Energy Materials Corporation, First Solar, Hunt Perovskites Technologies, Swift Solar, and Tandem PV. (Source: NREL, Renewable Energy Mag., 1 May, 2020) Contact: NREL, Center for Materials Science, Joseph J. Berry, 303-384-7611, Joe.Berry@nrel.gov, | HERE; US-MAP, HERE

More Low-Carbon Energy News NREL,  perovskite,  Solar,  

BrainBox
Date: 2020-04-29
Montreal-based autonomous building technology specialist BrainBox AI reports raising $12 million to further deploy its ground-breaking AI technology for buildings across North America and abroad.

BrainBox AI technology combines deep learning, cloud-based computing and autonomous decision making to support a 24/7 self-operating building. BrainBox AI's solution enables a building's HVAC system to operate autonomously, in real-time, to generate up to a 25 pct reduction in total energy costs and a 20-40 pct reduction in carbon footprint.

In the 11 months since its launch to market in May 2019, BrainBox AI has installed its self-learning technology in over 15 million square feet of commercial properties, across 15 cities on 3 continents. The company has gained significant traction in its home market of Canada, and the recent raise will enable rapid expansion in both existing and new markets.

BrainBox AI works in collaboration with research partners including the US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Institute for Data Valorization (IVADO), Montral's McGill University and others. (Source: BrainBox AI, PR , 28 April, 2020) Contact: BrainBox AI, Sean Neely, CEO and Co-Founder , 888 585 2630, www.brainboxai.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  Energy Monitoring,  

National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Date: 2020-04-20
Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are touting an innovative "six-junction" solar cell using 140 layers of semiconductor materials to achieve a conversion rate of 47.1 pct -- breaking the previous record set by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and Soitec of 46 pct set back in 2014.

The NREL scientists produced a six-junction solar cell, combining sandwiching multiple layers of materials that were fine-tuned to convert different portions of the light spectrum into electricity. While the layered solar cell design will almost certainly be cost prohibitive to produce at commercial scale compared to conventional silicon cells, it may find use in more niche applications, the NREL team said. Generally, the super high-efficiency solar cells are limited for use in spacecraft and satellites, where performance, space and weight are a premium. However, the researchers highlight that cells with such high conversion efficiencies would be ideally used in concentrated solar plants.

The researchers trialled their nearly 50 pct efficient solar cells with concentrated sunlight, producing the equivalent of 143 suns of solar intensity. Using unconcentrated light, the six-junction solar cells were able to achieve a conversion efficiency of 39.2 pct, which was also a new world record. (Source: NREL,PR, 14 April, 2020) Contact: NREL, John Geisz, Research Scientist, 303-384-6474, John.Geisz@nrel.gov, www.enrel.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News National Renewable Energy Laboratory,  NREL,  Solar,  Solar Scell Efficiency,  

RGGI, Pa DEP
Date: 2020-02-28
Following up on our 4 Oct., 2019 coverage, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell has defended Gov. Tom Wolf's (D) executive order directing the agency to develop rules for joining RGGI, a cap and trade regional program that charges power producers for the pollution they emit.

McDonnell's comments came in response to concerns from the House Appropriations Committee over how the state's share of the RGGI programs quarterly auction program would be used by the state, relative to climate change issues rather than unrelated programs and projects.

Sec. McDonnell assured the Appropriations Committee "improvements to public transportation, installing energy efficient windows, insulation, or appliances, or building out alternative fuel vehicle infrastructure" were among the projects the RGGI funds would be applied to.

Governor Wolf's executive order follows the implementation of aggressive clean energy targets announced last year, including a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 26 percent by 2025. Pennsylvania also became the 24th state to join the U.S. Climate Alliance -- a group formed in 2017 after President Donald Trump withdrew the nation from the Paris Agreement.

Critics of RGGI argue it will cripple Pennsylvania's economy, force fossil fuel plants into early retirement and drive up electricity prices. Critics note that Pennsylvania is the nation's number two natural gas producer and the region's top power exporter -- making it very different, economically, from the other RGGI participants. (Source: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, The Center Square, 26 Feb., 2020) Contact: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, www.dep.pa.gov; C RGGI, www.rggi.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News RGGI,  Carbon Emissions,  ,  

National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Date: 2019-12-18
Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are reporting discovery of a novel oxygenate molecule that can be produced from biomass to be used as a blend for diesel fuel. The initiative focuses on improving fuel economy and vehicle performance while reducing emissions.

The team used corn stover-derived molecules as the starting point for a range of potential fuel candidates. From here, the researchers relied on predictive models to determine which molecules would be best to blend with and improve traditional diesel. With the goal of developing drop-in biofuels that work with existing infrastructure. The intention is to blend the 4-butoxyheptane molecule into diesel fuel at a mixture of 20 - 30 pct Initial results suggest the potential to improve ignition quality, reduce sooting and improve fuel economy of the base diesel at these blend levels.

NREL is working with Yale University, Argonne National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory as part of the US DOE Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Co-Optima) initiative which is funded by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Bioenergy Technologies.

Performance-Advantaged Ether Diesel Bioblendstock Production by a Priori Design, the initiative's research paper was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (Source: NREL,PR, Dec., 2019) Contact: NREL, Derek Vardon, Senior Research Engineer, (303) 384-7763, Derek.Vardon@nrel.gov, www.nrel.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News National Renewable Energy Laboratory,  

Hewlett Packard ,NREL
Date: 2019-11-20
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) reports they will collaborate with the US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on the development of water and energy efficiency software for data centers.

HPE expects the three-year collaboration to train machine learning models to detect anomalies so that energy efficiency issues can be predicted and prevented. (Source: HPE, Storage Review, 18 Nov., 2019) Contact: HPE, www.hpe.com; NREL, www.nrel.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Hewlett Packard,  Energy Efficiency,  NREL ,  

RCAM Technologies
Date: 2019-11-20
US start-up RCAM Technologies reports it has been selected by and received funding from the National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium for contract negotiations as part of the consortium's second round of wind research and development projects. RCAM's award, which is one of two totaling $1.9 million, will go towards "proving the feasibility and advance the design" of the company's modular "3D Printing" concrete foundation.

The two-year project scope includes the conceptual design, preliminary design, and feasibility assessment of the fixed-bottom, suction-bucket support structure and heavy-lift-vessel alternative for the US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 15MW reference turbine.

According to its website, RCAM Technologies was "founded to develop concrete additive manufacturing technologies initially for wind energy technologies -- RCAM's vision for wind energy is to develop land-based and offshore wind turbine towers and substructures up to 200-meter tall at half the cost of conventional tall tower technologies." (Source: RCAM Technologies, PR, 19 November, 2019) Contact: RCAM Technologies, Jason Cottrell, CEO, www.rcamtechnologies.com; National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium, www.energy.gov/eere/wind/national-offshore-wind-rd-consortium

More Low-Carbon Energy News Offshore Wind Foundation,  

Equinor,Aker Solutions,NREL
Date: 2019-10-07
A new Offshore Wind California coalition of renewable energy companies is calling for the Golden State to commit to a goal of at least 10 GW of primarily floating offshore wind power in California waters by 2040.

The group that counts Equinor and offshore engineering company Aker Solutions among its members notes that U.S. East Coast states have about 22 GW worth of offshore wind commitments and are projected to see an estimated $70 billion in related supply chain spending by 2030.

The US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimates California's potential for offshore wind at about 112 GW, including about 8.4 GW in three Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) designated study areas. NREL also notes that floating wind platforms are a basic requirement for most of the state's offshore waters, which are too deep to support monopile or multi-leg jackets. (Source: NREL, Maritime Executive, Oct., 2019) Contact: NREL, www.nrel.gov; Aker Solutions, Fredrik Berge, Inv. Relations, +47 22 94 62 19, fredrik.berge@akersolutions.com, www.akersolutions.com; Equinor, Pal Eitrheim, VP New Energy Solutions, www.equinor.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Offshore Wind,  Floating Offshore Wind,  BOEM,  NREL,  Equinor,  Aker Solutions,  Offshore Wind,  

National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium
Date: 2019-09-13
The new federally-funded U.S. National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium reports awarding its first contract to the U.S. DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The $300,000 award will support NREL's work on the economic feasibility of shared mooring lines to cut deep-water floating wind farm costs by connecting adjacent turbine platforms and distributing load, resulting in fewer anchors and considerable savings.

The DOE-created consortium is funded with $20 million to conduct research and development to address technological barriers and lower the costs and risks of offshore wind in the United States. To that end, DOE and Department of the Interior (DOI) identified the following research areas to facilitate the development of the U.S. offshore wind industry: wind plant technology advancement; wind resource and physical site characterization, and; installation, operations and maintenance, and supply chain technology solutions.

The Consortium is administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Agency (NYSERDA). (Source: National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium, ENR, 11 Sept., 2019)Contact: National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium, www.energy.gov › eere › national-offshore-wind-rd-consortium; NYSERDA, Alicia Barton, Pres., CEO, (518) 862-1090, www.nyserda.ny.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Wind,  Wind R&D,  NYSERDA,  

DEWA,Stanford University
Date: 2019-08-07
In the UAE, the Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) reports it's Research and Development Center will collaborate with California's Stanford University on radiation cooling to improve the efficiency and performance of solar panels. The research will include the utilization of autonomous robots in monitoring and maintaining solar power plants, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to forecast the performance and production of photovoltaic solar plants in the short term.

The DEWA R&D Centre, situated at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, also has renewable and alternative energy co-operation agreements with the U.S. DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Spanish National Renewable Energy Centre, as well as the United Arab Emirates University and Khalifa University.

The UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 aims to position the UAE as a global leader in AI by 2031; the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 aims to diversify the country's energy mix and provide 75 pct of Dubai's total power output from clean sources by 2050. (Source: DEWA, MEP Middle East, Stanford, DEWA, Aug., 2019) Contact: DEWA, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO, www.dewa.gov.ae; Stanford, www.stanford.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News DEWA,  Solar,  Stanford,  PV,  

National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Date: 2019-07-12
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) reports it is one of nine organizations to receive US DOE funding to explore and develop technologies to reduce the environmental impacts of wind energy.

NREL will investigate and improve the effectiveness of ultrasonic acoustic deterrents that emit frequencies perceptible to bats to discourage them from approaching wind turbines.

Other technological innovations include thermal imaging cameras and specially developed radar technologies that detect and deter bats and other wildlife from approaching wind-turbine blades.

Identifying the best wind-wildlife mitigation technologies will enable more efficient and cost-effective wind energy projects. (Source: NREL,WindPower, 10 July, 2019) Contact: NREL, www.nrel.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News National Renewable Energy Laboratory,  Wind,  

ExxonMobil
Date: 2019-07-03
Irving, Texas-headquartered U.S. energy giant ExxonMobil is reporting an agreement with NYC-based Global Thermostat to advance carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology that can capture and concentrate CO2 emissions from the atmosphere and industrial sources with the goal of slowing climate change.

Should the technical readiness and scalability of the technology be determined, pilot projects at ExxonMobil facilities could follow, according to a MobilExxon press release.

As previously reported, ExxonMobil recently committed to spending as much as $100 million over 10 years with the U.S. DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) on research to bring lower-emission tech to commercial scale. (Source: ExxonMobil, PR, 1 July, 2019) Contact: ExxonMobil, Vijay Swarup, VP ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co., William M. Colton, VP Strategic Planning, www.exxonmobil.com; Global Thermostat, Dr. Graciela Chichilnisky, CEO, 646-798-6217, www.globalthermostat.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News ExxonMobil,  CCS,  CO2 Emissions,  Carbon Capture,  

Centrica,NREL
Date: 2019-06-24
Centrica Business Solutions -- Centrica's distributed energy and power business -- reports it has joined forces with the US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to study the integration of energy storage technologies.

Research will be conducted at NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) where the focus is on developing and demonstrating innovative energy systems and "second life" battery storage technologies. Second life batteries include batteries previously used in electric vehicles as a single unit for disparate applications. (Source: Centrica, NREL, newKerala, 23 June, 2019) Contact: Centrica Business Solutions, Fabio Mantovani, Director of Technology Strategy and Innovation, www.centrica.com; NREL, Martha Symko-Davies, Laboratory Program Manager, ESIF, www.nrel.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Centrica,  NREL,  Energy Storage,  Battery,