energy

Mar 28, 2014

Finding the Mix: Solar Cell Efficiency a Delicate Balance

Research from North Carolina State University reveals that solar cell efficiency is based upon a delicate balance between the size and purity of the interior layers, or domains. These findings may lead to better designs and improved performance in organic solar cells. Polymer-based solar cells are intended to have two domains, consisting of an electron… 

Mar 19, 2014

New Technique Makes LEDs Brighter, More Resilient

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new processing technique that makes light emitting diodes (LEDs) brighter and more resilient by coating the semiconductor material gallium nitride (GaN) with a layer of phosphorus-derived acid. 

Feb 26, 2014

Superabsorbing Design May Lower Manufacturing Cost of Thin Film Solar Cells

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a “superabsorbing” design that may significantly improve the light absorption efficiency of thin film solar cells and drive down manufacturing costs. 

Jan 22, 2014

Why a New Catalyst for Hydrogen Production May Be a Big Deal

A research team led by Linyou Cao at NC State has shown that a one-atom thick film of molybdenum sulfide (MoS2  ) may work as an effective catalyst for creating hydrogen. Hydrogen holds great promise as an energy source, but the production of hydrogen from water electrolysis – freeing hydrogen from water with electricity – currently… 

Jan 22, 2014

Energy Use Drops Over Break

Students, faculty and staff helped NC State avoid more than a quarter-million dollars in utility costs over winter break. But a big reduction in the university's utility budget means we have to keep up the good work. Learn how to reduce your energy and water use on campus. 

Jan 22, 2014

Atomic-Scale Catalysts May Produce Cheap Hydrogen

Researchers at North Carolina State University have shown that a one-atom thick film of molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) may work as an effective catalyst for creating hydrogen. The work opens a new door for the production of cheap hydrogen. 

Jan 21, 2014

Study: Electric Drive Vehicles Have Little Impact on U.S. Pollutant Emissions

A new study from North Carolina State University indicates that even a sharp increase in the use of electric drive passenger vehicles (EDVs) by 2050 would not significantly reduce emissions of high-profile air pollutants carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides. 

Jan 7, 2014

New, Simple Technique May Drive Down Biofuel Production Costs

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a simple, effective and relatively inexpensive technique for removing lignin from the plant material used to make biofuels, which may drive down the cost of biofuel production. 

Jan 2, 2014

Researchers Find Ways for More Efficient Control of Wind Power

NOTE: This release has been revised since it was first posted Jan. 2. In the initial version, we stated that wind power’s potential to have a negative impact on the grid were primarily due to the variability of the wind. In fact, wind power’s potential to have a positive or negative impact on the grid… 

Dec 4, 2013

Inventor, Electronics Innovator Baliga Wins IEEE’s Highest Award

Dr. Jayant Baliga, a Distinguished University Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at North Carolina State University and founding director of the university’s Power Semiconductor Research Center, has received the Medal of Honor from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Previous winners of the award include radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi and microchip co-inventor… 

Nov 27, 2013

Nanoscale Coatings Improve Stability and Efficiency of Devices for Renewable Fuel Generation

Splitting water into its components, two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, is an important first step in achieving carbon-neutral fuels to power our transportation infrastructure – including automobiles and planes. Now, North Carolina State University researchers and colleagues from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have shown that a specialized coating technique… 

Nov 14, 2013

New Approach Advances Wireless Power Transfer for Vehicles

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed new technology and techniques for transmitting power wirelessly from a stationary source to a mobile receiver – moving engineers closer to their goal of creating highway “stations” that can recharge electric vehicles wirelessly as the vehicles drive by. 

Oct 15, 2013

The Housing Bomb: 5 Questions With Nils Peterson

Are we building our way to ruin? That’s the premise of a provocatively titled new book released this month: The Housing Bomb: Why Our Addiction to Houses Is Destroying the Environment and Threatening Our Society. Lead author Dr. Nils Peterson, associate professor of fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology at NC State, focuses his research on the… 

Sep 12, 2013

How Computer Models Help Keep the Lights on In Kenya

In Kenya, water is power. Literally. And to keep the lights on, Kenyan authorities want to know how much water they can expect in upcoming rainy seasons. That’s where computer models come in. Fifty-eight percent of Kenya’s power supply stems from the country’s hydropower system in the Tana River basin. That system will shut down… 

Sep 6, 2013

New Connection between Stacked Solar Cells Can Handle Energy of 70,000 Suns

North Carolina State University researchers have come up with a new technique for improving the connections between stacked solar cells, which should improve the overall efficiency of solar energy devices and reduce the cost of solar energy production. The new connections can allow these cells to operate at solar concentrations of 70,000 suns worth of…