Department of Energy Archives – The Green Optimistic

Department of Energy’s Green Initiatives Still Alive, Despite Trump

Nicholas Say — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 17:32:25 +0000

As of yet, President Trump hasn’t de-funded the DoE and shut down badly needed sustainable energy programs. His appointee Rick Perry is making the rounds, and appears to be interested in creating connections with level headed backers of green technology. Many of the future programs that the DOE will offer come down to the new […]

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Largest Energy-Saving Regulation to Date Released

Samantha Joe — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 12:43:24 +0000

The United States is getting serious about energy saving.The Department of Energy (DOE) oversees and creates rules that govern energy efficiency of both household and commercial products. In the past six years, the department has ordered 34 new or updated appliance standards, covering more than 40 different types of products. The newest piece of energy […]

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Solar Powered Hydrogen Fuel – The Rebellion

Benji Jerew — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 16:07:25 +0000

Hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric vehicles have one very important thing in common: they’re both emissions-free sort of. While it’s true that hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric vehicles do not generate any emissions in themselves, their upstream emissions cannot be ignored. Really, it all depends on where the power grid gets its electricity […]

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Lithium-Ion Battery Lifespan Explained

Benji Jerew — Sat, 31 May 2014 00:45:10 +0000

The lithium-ion battery, like other rechargeable battery types, only has a few hundred cycles in it before its performance begins to degrade, although exactly “why” has been elusive. Actually, rechargeable battery degradation is the anti-EV cult’s main point, that the production and recycling of a lithium-ion battery could be worse than the emissions generated by […]

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Department of Energy to Fund Zero-Emissions Cargo Transportation Technology

Benji Jerew — Mon, 05 May 2014 19:39:55 +0000

While zero-emissions transportation is still a fairly new field, zero-emissions cargo transportation is practically unheard-of. Cargo transportation, the backbone of which, at least in the United States, is the over-the-road (OTR) tractor trailer and the diesel locomotive, generates millions of metric tons of greenhouse gases. OTR tractor trailers, for example, generated ≈400 MMT (million metric […]

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Fisker Automotive’s DOE Loan Bought by Hong Kong Investor, Richard Li

Benji Jerew — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 18:19:22 +0000

It seems that Fisker Automotive just might get that second chance it’s been needing since it stopped making cars over a year ago and filed for bankruptcy protection. After suffering a series of unfortunate events, Fisker Automotive seemed like it was ready to fold. After receiving part of its promised funding from the US Department […]

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Solana Power is United States’ First Molten Salt Solar Power Plant

Adele Hall — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 15:51:47 +0000

Solana Power, southwest of Phoenix, Arizona is ready to come online as the first solar plant in the U.S. to use molten salt for energy storage. It has taken $2 billion in funding, and a Department of Energy loan guarantee to reach this point. It has also added 2 million jobs. The plant features hundreds […]

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Hydrogen Fuel Cell Funding Still Available, DOE Grants $9 Million

Benji Jerew — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 14:31:24 +0000

One of the major factors that have enabled the development and commercialization of advanced powertrain systems, such as hydrogen fuel cells, has been federal backup, via grants, loans, and incentives. One might think that, after spectacular failures, such as A123 Systems and Fisker Automotive, the US Department of Energy [DOE] would be hesitant to dole […]

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eGallon: Department of Energy’s New Measurement Unit for Electric Vehicle Energy Efficiency

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:02:33 +0000

Times are changing and so do measurement units. Because people in the U.S. are used to thinking of gasoline consumption in miles per gallon, and electric/plug-in hybrids have to do with kilowatt-hours, the Department of Energy is now introducing a measuring unit called the eGallon. The eGallon, as they define it (and it will be […]

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Tesla Motors Just Repaid Entire 2010 Loan, 9 Years Ahead of Deadline

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:17:04 +0000

Good breaking news today: Tesla Motors repaid its entire loan to the U.S. Department of Energy that it received in 2010. This ends all kinds of malicious talks about them not having money or the government failing to back successful companies in the alternative energy/transportation sector. Here’s an e-mail I got from them a few […]

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Tesla Motors Set to Pay off DOE Loans Even Faster, Has to Raise the Cash First

Benji Jerew — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:55:41 +0000

Tesla Motors has become quite a driving force with stock prices trending upwards, great reviews, and steady sales. Tesla Motors has also managed, in a market of other failing electric-vehicle ventures, to bring a great vehicle to market and make a profit while at it. Production is now at full speed and Tesla Motors expressed […]

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Bob Lutz asks, “Should the US Bail Out Fisker Automotive?”

Benji Jerew — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:39:49 +0000

There are plenty of moves by the US government that have controversial, bailing out General Motors and Chrysler [and other companies] is one of them. Should Fisker Automotive have this same consideration? Large automobile manufacturers like General Motors and Chrysler were hanging on by a thread. In order to stabilize them, maintain production, and save […]

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Wireless Inductive Charging Gets Boost From DoE

Benji Jerew — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 07:31:01 +0000

Plugless Power in Whytheville, VA will use a US Department of Energy [DOE] grant to implement its wireless inductive charging receivers on electric vehicles. Electric vehicles could really get going if there was a way to easily charge them whether you are at home, at work or shopping. True, charging stations are available in different […]

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Thin Film Solar Efficiency Record Set by First Solar

Leigh Hutchens — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 03:32:05 +0000

First Solar, an innovator in solar energy, has just set a new world record for solar cell conversion efficiency. The company set the record with its cadmium-telluride (CdTE) thin film solar cell. CdTE solar cells can be produced quicker and cheaper than conventional solar cells. First Solar hopes this will eventually decrease the cost of […]

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In Surprising Move, Obama Addresses Climate Change During Inauguration Speech

Leigh Hutchens — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:49:46 +0000

During his inauguration speech Monday morning, President Obama surprisingly addressed the need to fight climate change and the necessity of moving toward cleaner energy sources. During his first term, President Obama ran into considerable obstacles in his quest to combat climate change, and the topic itself became quite politicized. During Obama’s first term, his stimulus […]

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Shortage of Rare Earth Metals Dealt by The Department of Energy

Mila Luleva — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:01:13 +0000

In order to deal with domestic shortages of rare earth metals, The Department of Energy (DOE) has established a research hub that will develop strategies and find solutions to preserve the depleting resources.The rare earth elements are 17 in total and include scandium, yttrium and the 15 lanthanides (lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, […]

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US DOE Releases Web-Based Software to Determine Solutions for a Clean Energy Future

Leigh Hutchens — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 08:09:08 +0000

An energy analysis tool that helps educators and individuals determine future energy use scenarios has been created by the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). NREL, the primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development, is operated for DOE by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC. The […]

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Department of Energy Sponsors Contest to Find Top Energy-Saving Monitors

Leigh Hutchens — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 15:05:15 +0000

In an effort to lessen electricity usage, the US Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership with the International Clean Energy Coalition, is sponsoring a contest to find the more efficient energy-saving monitors. This initiative is part of the Clean Energy Ministerial that was launched in 2010 – a global forum launched by the DOE and […]

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Yolk-Shell Nanostructure Design Achieves Staggering Battery Performance

Leigh Hutchens — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 09:00:56 +0000

Stanford and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory scientists have used an ingenious yolk-shell design that allows them to store five times more energy in the sulfur cathode of a rechargeable lithium-ion battery than is currently possible with any other commercial technology. Scientists are optimistic about the design since the cathode had a consistent level of performance […]

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Startup Elio Motors to Buy GM Plant for Building 60 mpg Car

Leigh Hutchens — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:13:59 +0000

Elio Motors in Shreveport, Louisiana wants to by a former General Motors plant in order to manufacture and sell their low-cost, high MPH car. One green automaker, Bright Automotive, has already gone under in Shreveport while waiting for Federal funding. Bright Automotive had hoped to build a green, high MPG van, but could not hold […]

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Cost of German Solar Installations Markedly Lower than US

Leigh Hutchens — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 13:35:49 +0000

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have determined that solar installations cost more in the US than in Germany. They verified the total amount of solar power installed in Germany and the US is markedly different – with over five times as much installed in Germany. Both US and German installers paid about $1.80 per […]

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Cutting Edge Ceramics Could Compete with Metals in Future Greener Buildings

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 12:17:32 +0000

Scientists at the Department of Energy (DOE)’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) are currently testing new ceramic composites that may improve fuel efficiency of jet engines and reduce pollution. In addition to being very lightweight, these ceramic composites have the ability to tolerate extremely high temperatures. This may, one day, drastically improve the performance […]

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US Department of Energy Plans for the Future with Biofuel Projects

Leigh Hutchens — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 07:21:38 +0000

The Department of Energy has awarded $6.1 million to four biofuel-related energy technology projects, not least of which include engineered bioenergy crops and a molecular sieve for biofuel production. The DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E) awarded funding to 66 different projects, all involving biofuel-related energy. The projects focus on a host of varied technologies, […]

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The New Copper Zinc Tin Sulfide (CZTS) Solar Cells – Cheaper and More Efficient

Mike Sandru — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 17:59:02 +0000

Just when we were getting used to silicon solar cells, efficient – true, but so expensive, here comes a new discovery of solar cells that could turn the industry upside down. We’re talking about CZTS solar cells, which stands for Copper Zinc Tin Sulfide. What makes these so great: they “make this inexpensive.” This was […]

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Greenfire Energy Replaces Water With CO2 for Geothermal Extraction

Mike Sandru — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:55:10 +0000

Greenfire Energy stands to prove us how good projects, as long as they're really good, will stand out and receive funding. This project will get $2 million in funding for replacing water with CO2 in the process of extracting geothermal energy.

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Obama Plans an $8 Bln Green Energy Budget for 2012

Mike Sandru — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:47:19 +0000

The Department of Energy has $29.5 available billion for the fiscal year 2012. About $8 billion would be invested in solar, wind and advanced batteries. "Whomever leads in the global, clean energy economy will also take the lead in creating high-paying, highly skilled jobs for its people," the administration said about the budget.

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Electronically-Controlled Tintable Glass Inventors Receive Grant from DOE

Cristi — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:25:06 +0000

A Minnesota-based invention company called Sage Electrochromics, Inc has received a financial loan of $103 million from the Department of Energy for it's breakthrough glass innovation, a window that can be switched on or off to reject up to 98% of the sun's heat and light on a push of a button.

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Remarkable Lifetime Results for EV Batteries

Cristi — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:30:05 +0000

Scientists from Southern California Edison (SCE) have developed an tested for two and a half years a lithium-ion battery sub-pack with very encouraging results. The battery tested survived 180,000miles with no significant deterioration.

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New Method for Extracting Hydrogen from Green Algae

Cristi — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:24:25 +0000

Analyzing a single-celled green alga, researchers have found a fermentation process which was not known before that can revolution hydrogen production. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a soil or fresh water single-celled alga, produces its own energy by fermentation when it has no source of oxygen.

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