energy

Jun 24, 2010

Grant Powers Electric Vehicle Projects

Staff members at NC State’s  Joyner Visitor Center and College of Education are getting charged up about electric vehicles. A grant from the North Carolina Solar Center will fund an outreach project. 

Jun 1, 2010

NC State To Play Key Role In DOE Team On Nuclear Energy Innovation

Experimenting with new designs and operation techniques for nuclear power plants is a tricky business, since even small changes can pose significant safety and financial risks. But the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is funding a major research initiative that will use computer models to develop innovative new approaches to nuclear power that will result… 

Jun 1, 2010

Research: Electric Fields Make Ceramic Production Quicker, Cheaper

Researchers from North Carolina State University have found that applying a small electric field results in faster formation of ceramic products during manufacture at lower temperatures, and enhances the strength of the ceramic itself. 

May 10, 2010

Study Paves Way For New Biofuels Models, Technologies

Biofuels hold promise as environmentally friendly sources of renewable energy, but which ones should industry and policy leaders focus their efforts on developing? A new study involving researchers from North Carolina State University offers detailed insights into how biofuel chemicals react when burned. Their data and new computer models pave the way for development of… 

Apr 30, 2010

Biofuels, Hold The Sugar

Imagine if we could make biofuels anywhere, without having to worry about biofuel crops competing with food crops. Well, the feds are now funding research that would make that possible. Modern biofuels are largely made from sugar. Basically, plants (like corn) take energy from the sun to convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds (like sugar)… 

Apr 28, 2010

Tucker Hall Working Off Waste

Tucker Residence Hall has been selected to participate in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s first national “Working off the Waste” competition. 

Apr 28, 2010

NC State Residence Hall Selected to Compete in National Building Competition

North Carolina State University’s Tucker Residence Hall has been selected to participate in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) first national “Working off the Waste” competition among commercial buildings to save energy and fight climate change. 

Apr 23, 2010

Trash May Be (Energy) Treasure Trove

Earlier this month, a New York Times article highlighted the fact that European countries are burning garbage as a renewable source of energy – but that similar efforts in the United States are lagging behind. The article cites a 2009 study which “came down strongly in favor of waste-to-energy (WTE) plants over landfills as the… 

Mar 18, 2010

NC State Top Green School

NC State University has been named one of the Top 5 Greenest Schools in the Southeast by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. 

Mar 11, 2010

NC State Named Top 5 Green School in Southeast

North Carolina State University has been named one of the Top 5 Greenest Schools in the Southeast by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. The March issue recognizes NC State for its aggressive commitment to a more sustainable future. Backed by achievements in energy, transportation and academic programs, NC State’s balanced approach to sustainability helped garner the No. 4… 

Oct 20, 2009

NC State Develops Material That Could Boost Data Storage, Save Energy

North Carolina State University engineers have created a new material that would allow a fingernail-size computer chip to store the equivalent of 20 high-definition DVDs or 250 million pages of text, far exceeding the storage capacities of today’s computer memory systems. 

Oct 7, 2009

Fill ’er Up – With Algae

Imagine filling up your car with fuel that comes from inexpensive algae that grow quickly, don’t use up freshwater supplies and can be cultivated in areas where they won’t compete with traditional food crops, such as corn or soybeans. Researchers at North Carolina State University are working to make that a reality, with a $2… 

Sep 17, 2009

Carolina Coal

NC State is perfecting a process to turn wood chips and forest residue into a coal substitute. 

Sep 4, 2009

NC State Researcher Receives Grant to Study Nuclear Safety, Waste Reuse

A North Carolina State University researcher has received an $800,000 grant from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to explore ways to reuse or otherwise safely dispose of waste from nuclear power plants. Dr. Gary Mitchell, professor of physics at NC State, will serve as lead investigator on the project titled, “Cross Sections, Level Densities and… 

Sep 3, 2009

NC State Receives NSF Grant to Discover Plant “Switchboards”

Lignin is the “glue” that holds trees together. It’s good if you need lumber for construction – bad if you’re trying to make biofuels. Researchers at North Carolina State University will trigger the genetic “on/off switches” in more than 10,000 trees to determine how each of the 33 lignin-producing genes impact the type and amount…