energy

Dec 15, 2015

Energy-Saving Tips for Winter Break

Turn off the lights when you leave for the winter holiday break next week to help the university avoid energy costs while everyone is away. Since the program began in 2004, the university has saved $2.76 million. 

Dec 11, 2015

Domain Size and Purity Key to Efficient Organic Solar Cells

As solar energy becomes more popular, the drive to create more efficient, less expensive solar cells increases. Solar energy is abundant, but the devices we use to collect that energy have an efficiency problem – currently, the most efficient polymer-based solar cells operate at a shade under 11 percent efficiency. A major reason behind this… 

Jun 24, 2015

Distributed Technique for Power ‘Scheduling’ Advances Smart Grid Concept

Researchers have developed a new technique for “scheduling” energy in electric grids that advances the smart grid concept by coordinating the energy being produced and stored by conventional and renewable sources. 

Apr 8, 2015

Duke Energy Grant to Fund Renewable Energy, Diversity Efforts at NC State

New grant powers smart grid, diversity efforts. 

Mar 4, 2015

The Internet of Energy

A resurgent America needs a smarter power grid. At the FREEDM Systems Center, NC State researchers are leading the charge to create it — alongside their partners in industry, government and academia. 

Feb 18, 2015

Keep Warm, but Remain Frugal

Frozen? Probably so, but don't crank the heat too high and don't get sloppy with your energy usage on campus. The power delivery systems aren't designed to handle these extremes. 

Feb 11, 2015

NC State Researchers Land UNC System Research Grants

NC State is a key partner in five of six grants awarded as part of a new, statewide initiative designed to advance strategically-important collaborative research projects in North Carolina. 

Jan 23, 2015

New Technique Helps Probe Performance of Organic Solar Cell Materials

Researchers have developed a way to determine the role that a material’s structure has on the efficiency of organic solar cells, which are candidates for low-cost, next generation solar power. The finding will help guide future research and development efforts. 

Jan 14, 2015

New Material, Technique Efficiently Produce Hydrogen, Syngas Fuel Feedstock

Researchers have developed a technique that uses a new catalyst to convert methane and water into hydrogen and a fuel feedstock called syngas with the assistance of solar power. 

Dec 9, 2014

Moving Toward a Cheaper, Better Catalyst for Hydrogen Production

Hydrogen could be an important source of clean energy, and the cleanest way to produce hydrogen gas is to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. But the catalyst currently used to facilitate this water-splitting reaction is platinum. And that’s a problem. 

Nov 10, 2014

New Materials Yield Record Efficiency Polymer Solar Cells

NC State researchers have found that temperature-controlled aggregation in a family of new semi-conducting polymers is the key to creating highly efficient organic solar cells that can be mass produced more cheaply. 

Oct 27, 2014

Biofuel Breakthroughs

The biggest barrier to better biofuels is small but stubborn. NC State biotechnology experts explain the challenges of breaking down the plant cell wall. 

May 28, 2014

‘Nanodaisies’ Deliver Drug Cocktail to Cancer Cells

Biomedical engineering researchers have developed daisy-shaped, nanoscale structures that are made predominantly of anti-cancer drugs and are capable of introducing a “cocktail” of multiple drugs into cancer cells. The researchers are all part the joint biomedical engineering program at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

May 20, 2014

Researchers Test Distributed Computing as Defense Against Cyberattacks on Power Grids

Imagine a cyberattack that does serious damage to the U.S. power grid. The results wouldn’t be pretty. The power grid is complicated, divided up into sections that cover everything from a single municipal area (like New York City) to large regions (like the entire state of California). But each of those sections is controlled by… 

Apr 7, 2014

Organic Solar Cells More Efficient With Molecules Face-to-Face

New research from North Carolina State University and UNC-Chapel Hill reveals that energy is transferred more efficiently inside of complex, three-dimensional organic solar cells when the donor molecules align face-on, rather than edge-on, relative to the acceptor. This finding may aid in the design and manufacture of more efficient and economically viable organic solar cell…