Open innovation & solar: a new horizon is in the heart of coal country

Many visions were created and developed over the years, the show in the direction of what calls Economist Jeremy Rifken of the third industrial revolution: a network economy, where the whole system is interactive, integrated and seamless. This integration of energy sources is currently and will create still completely new opportunities for cross-industry relations in the coming years. For Rifken, the third industrial revolution will become a new era of "distributed capitalism" in the existing and new businesses and homeowners energy player. Unfortunately not Rifken the decompress mechanism like distributed capitalism functions on the level of raw materials, i.e. the kind and wise, will be there in which by answering the question below:

How do we create the necessary communication to ensure connections (formally/informally) to the emergence of the third industrial revolution?

Provides an important piece in this puzzle, a team of global pioneers come together to understand to the morphogenesis of human creativity at the base by experimenting with open innovation and solar development synergistically interact to increase technological change over the course of time. A living lab or iLab in the heart of Central Appalachian coal country develop, many organizations that make up the Central Appalachian sustainable development (CASE) network, to identify integrative synergies between traditional and new energy resources.

Barcelona LOW3 derived project of living Labs can be understood as a "holistic infrastructure for research and innovation and have the potential to draw off, tools for teaching, connects all three activities within the creative real world based on user co-creation and open innovation." The iLab open innovation Consortium is to develop exactly that of a peer-to-peer network, where "human creativity" used across multiple connected peers. Each participant of the Consortium provides a portion of their resources iLab participants directly.

Many regional universities, including the West Virginia University and University of Pikeville as anchor institutions serve an integral resource of the Consortium as an open curriculum and participates actively in the implementation of innovative educational strategies, based on experimental or integrative approaches to interdisciplinary research and development. An active member of the consortium of open innovation, explains Professor Peter Hackbert Berea College, that he excited a first course titled "applied sustainability: development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem" start this summer.

The development of an ecosystem open is about solar innovation already underway. This strategy allows partner companies proprietary thresholds to optimise internal returns and competitiveness to identify and identify external or shared innovation opportunities. The iLab-partner, the solar gardens Institute, believes that this innovation strategy provides an ideal setting, for the assessment of new business models.

Managing Director of the Institute garden solar on the joy Hughes, declared that it "their own shared renewable projects develop interest in local community groups to see. In addition, these communities of people, can the already projects - the ' solar gardener "completed have to learn." Hughes said, pointedly if "Tools such as software, business structures, and financial models in an open-source manner between groups, this inevitably can be shared to accelerate the development process."

Professor Hans Shaffer, a member of the iLab development team and a global expert in living Labs, underlined the importance of integrating solar development tools within a central IT platform. "The long-term sustainability of any open innovation strategy is very dependent on created on the quality of relations and effective use of mechanisms to ensure that the relational stability of these relationships in the course of time." Fortunately, the iLab team is one of the leading solar platform development, working with us is for us. "

CEO of geo adjuster, the nation forward and largest solar energy marketplace, David Levine put his enthusiasm for being a part of, what he "next generation" referred to as solar development strategy and regional transition. "The concept of a laboratory for clean-tech life in an environment traditionally used for fossil fuels is exciting." In some cases many residents in the territories are not aware of their dilemma and often that defend practices very, the most destructive to their well-being. It will be interesting to see if we can break this cycle and the kickstart is a culture of innovation, abundance and boost."

In a recent article in home power magazine, Kelly Davidson offers a clear statement that illuminates the transition strategy of the iLab. Companies that are commissioned in this proactive strategy "with the challenge of preparing Williamson for life. after the coal Production slowed in the region, and mining are increasingly automated and less labour intensive, need Williamson and coal to survive communities of new sources of income and new jobs. "

Based on what is commonly known in evolutionary circles, said West Virginia native and global expert for solar development, Murphy Poindexter, that "barriers breed innovation and power is an invaluable asset for this reason West Virginia's low-cost." He continued to openly stating that "solar makes no sense in our State now through this barrier and open innovation, maybe that is the only way to resolve this issue."

This novel approach for solar development can a new precedent for clean-tech innovation nationwide. In collaboration with the Mingo County redevelopment authority, sustainable Williamson expands currently this open innovation strategy on a comprehensive assessment of the integrated energy includes: control and response, memory, large amounts of data and a number of clean-tech - production facilities for the residential, commercial and utility-scale sectors require.

Simply, the evolution of communication has begun.

The information and opinions in this blog are solely those of the author and not necessarily the RenewableEnergyWorld.com and company, the advertising on this Web site and other publications. This blog has been posted directly by the author and has not been reviewed for accuracy, spelling or grammar.

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Solar Decathlon: Spotlighting American innovation

If the US Department of energy its first Solar Decathlon on the National Mall in 2002 instead of American energy issues grew nervous for the first time in decades. Natural gas prices had skyrocketed, California had recovered just from rolling blackouts and the events of 9/11 and our continued dependence on foreign sources of energy were foremost in our minds.

In the meantime as America his drop in rankings in mathematics and the sciences, request for stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skilled workers increased to the point that the STALK grew three times faster than other positions jobs. While we lag behind many Asian and European countries stem areas, there were advance studies in the fields of STEM a growing movement in education policy and curriculum elementary school and college-level, to improve the competitiveness of the United States in these areas intended.

Energy and education met in this timed Solar Decathlon in Washington, D.C., culminating in more than a dozen solar 2002 apartments temporarily erected in front of the Capitol and toured driven by thousands of visitors from all over the world. Office of energy efficiency and renewable energy solar technology program made possible, reinforced this new, experimental program outside the traditional work of the DOE through the initiative of Dr. Richard King, and together moved to college students from different academic fields of architecture, engineering, natural sciences, communications, interior design and others - the most cost effective, attractive, and energy efficient solar-powered home.

Decathlon used a "If you build it, they will come" - bring strategy, the solar energy as a viable solution for our energy and education challenges in the foreground: when you train and encourage innovative thinkers to the students, the students will turn in educating the public about affordable renewable energy systems available today. The program encourages innovation while driving product awareness, promotes growth in new markets; In the meantime require promoting STEM skills in our students, the creative integration with other areas. The most important physics had to work hand in hand to make the landscape gardener, the home function as a system.

The prosperity and the Solar Decathlon to reach over the past decade (there are programs in China and Europe the Solar Decathlon now), as well as larger programs such as the SunShot initiative that 2011 has funded since the beginning, more than 150 solar technology work to leverage private dollars and innovations. Leaving alive their birthplace of Washington, for the first time, biennial Solar Decathlon will start in California this year with a bevy of collegiate teams from around the nation - and worldwide - presented like solar's role in the diversification of the energy mix of the country and growing.

With 120,000 Americans at more than 5,600 enterprises builds the U.S. solar industry helps our houses and shops makes; and presented by the new technologies and designs on the Solar Decathlon, it is clear that the United States is a global competitors - both in education and solar deployment.

Ask the way, as she and her team their solar house for this competition planned every hard-working students at the Solar Decathlon in Orange County, and between the talk of blinds you hear a themed panels, LEDs, light, and water treatment,: it is built to win. And this is good news for all of us.

The information and opinions in this blog are solely those of the author and not necessarily the RenewableEnergyWorld.com and company, the advertising on this Web site and other publications. This blog has been posted directly by the author and has not been reviewed for accuracy, spelling or grammar.

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Stricter emission limits rules spur clean energy innovation

"Set by these standards, will be business opportunities that will be created, it" Browner said yesterday in an interview with Bloomberg television's Peter Cook for "Capitol gains" Feb. air 10.

"There are companies that can develop new technologies," she said. "Maybe we will investigate more about renewable energy. We seek to improve energy efficiency."

President Barack Obama said in his second term inaugural address, that he responds, referring to droughts and stronger hurricanes, set up a possible conflict on threats posed by climate change, with owners of coal-fired plants including Southern Co. of Atlanta and American Electric Power Co. of Columbus, Ohio.

Browner, a former adviser to Obama, said that the Administration in addition proposes that the EPA for new installations will propose rules to emissions from existing plants to the rules.

The Supreme Court ruled that the Agency had to act, if the emissions were found to "endanger public health and welfare", said Browner. "EPA this scientific statement made, so now they have to do this."

Existing installations

When the EPA imposed the same requirements for existing plants for new plants, "about 25 percent of the gas plants, carried out in the country, that standard would meet not" drawn Institute, an industry-based Washington Group for publicly traded utilities are, Thomas Kuhn, President of Edison Electric, said during a Feb. 6 interview at Bloomberg headquarters in New York.

In response to a question, Browner said, it remains to be seen whether the rules, companies will force to develop gas-trapping technology in response.

The Obama administration is considering action on an array of other energy issues, including the control of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking extracts gas from shale and possible export of liquefied natural gas over objections from manufacturers such as Dow Chemical Co.

"The games-changer is natural gas," said Browner, is a member of the Advisory Board of the Bloomberg administration. "The question is, what natural gas for coal, and ultimately on renewable energy and efficiency as we will go forward."

Gas-glut

Advances in drilling in shale formations have produced a glut of natural gas. Futures prices for the fuel on the New York Mercantile Exchange since July 2008's leading investment in natural gas at the expense of other forms of generation including coal and nuclear energy 75 percent declined.

Hydraulic split, led to regulate the EPA, though the "probably not likely", said Browner the Agency from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. If you leave the task to the States, as proposed by Republicans such as representative of John diplomat from Illinois, "We go to a variety of needs, to see which will quite frankly be hard on industry," said she.

In the first four years, loan guarantees for wind and solar-energy projects exhibited the Obama administration and increased standards for cars in addition to write rules for power plants.

"We have a real opportunity to position the United States in the global demand for clean energy technology," said Browner.

Copyright 2013 Bloomberg

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Energy shortages innovation hub tackles of the rare earth metals

The Energy Ministry on January 9 selected Ames Laboratory for a price of $120 million within five years for the creation of an energy innovation hub, solutions to the shortage of rare earth metals and other materials, the impact on US energy security will look. The new critical materials Institute (CMI) in Ames, Iowa, is a researcher from the Department of Idaho National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, as well as incorporate the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and academia, and the private sector.

The new hub focuses on the technologies with which the United States better use of available materials and the need for the materials to eliminate, that are subject to disruptions. Many materials from the Department as security-critical are considered in wind turbines, solar cells, electric vehicles and used energy-efficient lighting. The Department 2011 critical materials strategy report that challenges five metal of the rare earth metals (dysprosium, Terbium, europium, neodymium and yttrium) dissemination of clean energy technologies can affect the supply in the coming years. In the last few years have the Energy Ministry and scaled other work on these challenges. Recent investments have Department advanced research projects Agency energy and Office of energy efficiency and renewable energy more than 40 million $ in magnet, motor and generator research supported.

CMI will use in a larger, coordinated efforts, these existing research programmes. The hub will address challenges throughout the lifecycle of these materials. Cross-cutting research, including development of computational tools and supply chain and economic analysis, the basic science will be also necessary to support needs in all areas of challenge. Selected by an open national competition with a rigorous merit review process, which relied on external experts, is made by the Department of energy since 2010 CMI the fifth energy innovation hub. See Energy Department press release.

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New public private partnership to help U.S. manufacturing innovation

The Obama management announced the launch of a new public-private Institute for the production of innovation on August 16. The new partnership, the national additive manufacturing innovation Institute, competitions on chose a first prize of $30 million in federal funds, get through $40 million of the award-winning Consortium matched. The consortium includes industrial companies, universities, schools and non-profit organizations at the Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia "tech belt."

Announced 9 March 2012 President Obama his plan invests $1 billion to catalyze a national network of up to 15 production innovation Institute to the country that would serve as regional hubs for the production. The President called for Congress to this proposal Act and the national network of manufacturing innovation to create. Institute on additive manufacturing invest five federal agencies - the departments of Defense, energy and trade, the National Science Foundation and NASA - together committed $45 million in a pilot project. Additive manufacturing is a process of making dreidimensionaler solid objects from a digital model. See the White House press release.

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Department of energy, USDA invest in biofuel innovation

The Department of energy and the U.S. Department of agriculture (USDA) on July 25 announced a $41 million investment in 13 projects that take a more efficient biofuels production and feedstock improvements. Work through the joint biomass research and development initiative economically and ecologically sustainable energy sources, USDA and the Department of energy renewable biomass to develop and increase the availability of renewable fuels and organic products.

The five shared-cost projects are the Quad County corn cooperative GALVA, Iowa, retrofitting is to add value to its products and contribute to the U.S. environmental protection agency targets for cellulosic ethanol production of an existing facility for maize starch ethanol. It includes the agricultural research to optimize utilization in Peoria, Illinois, the various oil seeds for oil quality service National Center for agricultural research and help return with recombinant inbred lines to production strategies. Visit the website of biomass research and development initiative.

The Energy Ministry and USDA announced also its $10 million funding for eight research projects, the application of biomass of genomics to improve of much promising biofuel feedstocks and more efficient, low-cost energy to drive. These projects are using genetic mapping, to promote sustainable biofuels production, through the analysis and to maximize the genetic characteristics such as feedstock durability, tolerance of the raw materials and various environmental impacts and the potential be used for raw materials for energy production. For example, Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, the genetic architecture of millet examine biomass yield component characteristics of field-based analysis using the raw material physical and genetic characteristics identified. Since 2006, which invested Genomics feedstocks for bioenergy research program almost $70 million help, important genes influence to identify biomass yield and quality of raw materials and to speed up breeding efforts to improve the bio-energy-relevant features. See the press release of Ministry of energy and the list of genomics projects.

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Green machine: Saint-Gobain NOVA innovation competition taps North American startups

Saint-Gobain, has joined co-present the world's largest construction companies of the materials chapter (USGBC-NCC) to the company NOVA innovation competition with the U.S. Green Building Council - Northern California. Competition rewards start Greentech and innovations in sustainable products, new materials, highly efficient solutions, clean technology and renewable energy sources with cash prizes and access to partnership opportunities with Saint-Gobain offers Cleantech companies around the world.
The deadline to submit entry is 30 June; Finalists win the chance their innovative companies the top management team of Saint-Gobain in a live speed dating format to the 2012 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in San Francisco on November 15 pitch.

NOVA identifies external car, the international group of Saint-Gobain analysts, and evaluates start up companies for partnerships with Saint-Gobain believes companies, there is a thriving entrepreneurial community in the United States and Canada, and exceptional contributions to the NOVA innovation competition 2012 expected as it for the first time in North America is hosted.
John Crowe, President and CEO of which Saint-Gobain Corporation and member of the NOVA said: "we have a responsibility maintain for start-ups, which otherwise would have had no access to bring to their innovation, be it sustainable building solutions or technologies for renewable energy on the civilian market."

At Greenbuild NOVA external venturing awards a winner of the first place with $50,000 and second and third place winners with $25,000 and $10,000 or. Winner also works with NOVA, a variety of partnerships with the company such as licensing, manufacturing or commercial agreements to explore equity participation or joint venture.

Rakesh Kapoor, Director, Saint-Gobain Northboro R & D Center and NOVA external car, says that companies that provide missing for growth but gain the ability to market the most advantages of the NOVA innovation competition.
"Since 2006, we in dozens of promising startups in the United States and in Europe, with a select few rises to above the competition innovation invested", Kapoor said. He adds that the award-winning companies thrive with access to the global market through Saint-Gobain established distribution channels and above all the support, resources and expertise that innovation comes from nearly 350-year history of the company of construction of materials.

The 2012 NOVA innovation competition come the extensive list of progressive companies that has evaluated external car NOVA since 2006, participants and winners will be part of an elite group of more than 40 existing partnerships.
Earlier in this spring on the Cleantech Forum in San Francisco, announced Saint-Gobain it the innovation competition with USGBC-NCC co-present would. Sheeraz Haji, CEO of Cleantech Group, said the i3 platform creators and producers of Cleantech Forum innovation competition emerging companies would provide the power of a global partnership to unlock new markets, increasing their brand and to validate their technology.

Sheeraz also said: "this goes well beyond the provision of funds landmark competition and instead supports young companies establish to prove themselves on the global market, to maintain their business models and their customer base."

To learn more about the NOVA innovation competition, a start-up recommend or apply via the online form, please visit www.saint-gobain.com/innovationcompetition2012 before the 30 June 2012.

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DOE, an energy innovation to launch hub for critical materials research

The Department of energy announced its 31 May until to $ 120 million over five years in a new energy innovation invest hub to identify the problems and to develop solutions during the entire lifecycle of critical materials. Rare-earth elements and other critical materials have the unique chemical and physical properties - including magnetic, catalytic and luminous properties - are important for a growing number of energy technologies. These critical materials are also at a risk of supply disruptions. The new hub, financed by up to $20 million in the fiscal year 2012, will conduct, research activities both on a reliable supply of the U.S. rare earths and other critical materials, as well as search for efficiency and alternatives to reduce the critical materials, that are needed. The work is to U.S. leadership in energy-related production, including the production of electric vehicles, wind turbines, efficient lighting and other products ahead.

Universities, laboratories, nonprofit organizations, and private companies are allowed to compete and are called on partnerships, when submitting their proposals. The award selection is expected in the autumn. The fifth energy innovation hub be established for 2010 by the Energy Department. Find the press release energy Department, the energy innovation hubs Web site, and the funding opportunity announcement.

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Energy innovation: snails and Griddies

Ask to describe most people to Vanguard energy technology, and she call LED lights that certain forms of solar energy and new electric storage methods. But how about this – production of energy from a living body?

Journal of the American Chemical Society reported a "real-life scientific tail of the first electrified worm." Researchers have placed a fuel cell in a snail that naturally produced generates energy with sugar by the snail body.

Consider it the ultimate in distributed generation. The AMC sees potential for the small electrical devices may "for future spy cameras, microphones and other electronic eavesdropping."

-Researchers induced a stream in the living snail two electrodes of carbon nano-tubes inserted into their shell. They coated the electrodes with enzymes, to promote a chemical reaction. An electrode electrons from glucose in the snail body pulled and others used these electrons to oxygen molecules into water. Researchers found that electricity again generated the enzymes in the snail, who lived for several months with the implanted fuel cell.

Others have implanted electricity-producing biofuels in different animals, such as rats and rabbits, but only partially. This was the first time researchers generated electricity for a long period without harming the animal according to the journal.

"The worm with the implanted biofuel cell in a natural environment, produce sustainable electric micropower to enable different bioelectronic devices can serve" the authors were quoted saying.

At this point, it's hard to say where this research is - whether it will be quirky or depth. But the diverse innovation underline it, surrounding the electrical energy, an industry that saw little technological change for the first 100 years. Industry insiders used to say, that Thomas Edison to find the light bulb would practically unchanged if he were born again. This is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.

Griddie Awards

With this change the need comes to consumer education, especially, if they need to change their behavior in any way. Including electrical snails, if nobody wants to use it?

This is the second issue of the weekly blog: Griddies. These are the awards from the Association of demand response and smart grid 2012 issued 26-28, at its annual meeting in Washington, DC, June. The Association consumers in the new smart grid technologies began competition in recognition of the need of the industry this year. Instead of issuing a call for papers, sent a "inspiring examples of the work of marketing and communications, nonprofit interest groups, technology companies, creative agencies, public relations firms and professionals find call for creative"

The finalists are on the company's Web site, and there are some really consumers catch work. In one of my favorites, this one from reliant energy, a rapper named mega watt shows us all smart device at his villa digs. He tells us he keeps it "Real Time" and sings his song "Power Strip." In another, I liked, Green Mountain power line offers excellent cartoon that explains the meaning of the smart-grid in an appealing, clear, and concise way. Another reliant energy has a plug talk amusing, which asks questions online about energy and offers opportunities for those that they are right.

These are the finalists only as a pair. Take a look through the list on the site see, want you amused and impressed with how far the once gotten boring electric power industry be. The ADS plans, the finalists for a "town meeting vote" put to the Assembly in June. Check back. We list, the winners at RealEnergyWriters.com.

ELISA is a long-time energy writer. See examples of her work on Www.RealEnergyWriters.com

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DOE Offers Over $12 Million to Spur Solar Energy Innovation

DOE announced on February 8 more than $12 million in funding to speed solar energy innovation from the lab to the marketplace. The funding, which will be made available through the agency's SunShot Incubator program, will support advancements in hardware, reductions in soft costs, and the development of pilot manufacturing and production projects. Each awardee will make significant cost-share commitments.

The SunShot Incubator program, part of the SunShot Initiative, helps launch new startups and business units within existing companies to accelerate the innovative solar technology development. Since 2007, DOE has invested $60 million through the Incubator in promising technologies as they are brought from lab to marketplace. These investments have catalyzed $1.6 billion in private sector support.

The current funding opportunity builds on the SunShot Incubator Program's history of successful partnerships. Nearly 40 companies have participated in the Incubator, including Colorado-based PrimeStar Solar. In 2007, DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and PrimeStar began a cooperative research and development agreement to transition NREL's cadmium telluride solar technology to commercial production. Primestar later received a $3 million Incubator award to commercialize its low-cost photovoltaic solar panels. Primestar is now owned by GE, which has launched a $600 million investment in the Primestar and the construction of a large-scale manufacturing plant in Colorado that will employ more than 350 workers to produce state-of-the-art solar panels.

Applications are due April 9, 2012. See the DOE press release, the funding opportunity announcement, and the SunShot website.

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DOE's advanced battery start energy innovation hub

Innovation to start a hub for cutting-edge research on batteries and energy storage, with an investment of up to $120 million over five years announced their plans for a new energy DOE on 7 February. Hub focus on accelerated research and development of electrochemical energy storage for the transport and electricity the batteries and energy storage. The hub is financed at up to $20 million in fiscal year 2012, and guided by the basic energy Sciences programme he DOE's Office of science.

Universities, laboratories, nonprofit organizations, and private companies are allowed to compete and are called on partnerships, when submitting their proposals. Interdisciplinary research and development hub conducted over the new energy innovation will help to advance innovative energy storage and battery technologies. These technologies can be employed to improve the reliability and efficiency of the electrical network; Technologies for renewable energy, better as part of the electrical system to integrate; and the nation reduce dependence on foreign oil with electric and hybrid vehicles.

Energy innovation hubs to scientists and engineers in intellectual disciplines to quickly accelerate scientific discoveries and shorten the path from the laboratory with technological innovation to bring development and commercial deployment of critical energy technologies. With applications by 31 May 2012 full due 1 March 2012, apply the declarations of intent. The award selection is expected this summer. Find the press release of DOE, the funding opportunity announcement and the energy innovation hubs website.

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Austin Using Green Innovation to Beat the Utility Blues

Sewage treatment has always been a dirty business, dating back to the frontier days when "waste management" meant the guy who followed after the horses with a bucket and shovel. However, thanks to modern technology, there are ways to turn some of the treatment processes into clean energy that can power public infrastructure facilities.

The Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant in Austin, Texas, located on 1,200 acres of land along the Colorado River, is a national model for innovative approaches to improve the environment, such as reducing waste, producing compost, and protecting ecosystems. Each year, thousands of tons of biosolids, the nutrient-rich organic materials resulting from the treatment of sewage sludge, are anaerobically digested and composted with Austin's yard trimmings into an EPA-certified soil conditioner called "Dillo Dirt" (as in armadillo). This popular product is sold to commercial vendors for sale and use in public landscaping projects across the city. Demand for "Dillo Dirt" often exceeds available supply.

During the 1980s, an initial effort to improve energy efficiency at the plant started when two 400-kW converted diesel generators were installed. The generators were fueled by a mixture of digester biogas from the site and diesel fuel. This worked fairly well, but after 20± years the old generators are no longer serviceable or repairable, and in recent years the gas has had to be flared. Austin decided to use $1.2 million of its Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to replace the old equipment with modern "biogas-rated" generation equipment. Read the full story on DOE's Energy Blog.

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