Wind Direction ForwardScience CommunicationsPublished on Aug 28, 2012 Wind-Energy - A Revitalized Pursuit was issued by Sandia Laboratories in 1974. This report discusses challenges of the “energy crunch” and the U.S. goal to maintain high standards of living by developing “promising energy sources that are (1) vast, (2) environmentally acceptable, and (3) economically competitive.” The authors felt that wind energy was a feasible solution. Devising ways to efficiently harness the wind is an ongoing pursuit of scientists around the world. The wind mills of the past have evolved into high-tech wind turbines, governed by complex computer systems. These control systems continue to be more and more important as turbines become larger, with more flexible and lighter components. Advanced controls are necessary to prevent damage and possible malfunction of the turbines. Facilities for testing new control systems at the National Wind Technology Center are described in the fact sheet Advanced Wind Turbine Controls Reduce Loads. Read more about wind energy in the DOE Science Showcase: Wind Power and watch Energy 101: Wind Turbines (YouTube) to learn about the fundamentals and future of wind energy.
Daphne Evans, OSTI Staff Read more... |
Energy in the ForecastScience CommunicationsPublished on Aug 13, 2012 If you can accurately predict the weather, you may be able to predict how much energy can be generated from wind turbines. That was one objective of the “Great Plains Wind Energy Transmission Development Project,” completed in 2011, to “develop a wind energy forecast system, and demonstrate its efficacy in scheduling power output from wind farms in the Great Plains.” The forecasting system described in the report was comprised of three elements, a software component using various weather prediction models, a wind energy output model, and a graphical user interface. Read more... |
Manipulating Matter on a Molecular ScaleScience CommunicationsPublished on Jul 09, 2012 Nano=one billionth Nanotechnology=the manipulation of matter on an atomic and molecular scale DOE scientists are working to identify immediate and future ways to utilize this precision science. Check out Nanoscience and Nanotechnology: From Energy Applications to Advanced Medical Therapies, a video discussion of why nanotechnology is important and how it is useful in various fields, from Dr. Tijana Rajh at Fermilab. Then watch Nanoscience at Work, Creating Energy from Sunlight, from Paul Alivisatos, Berkeley Labscientist and an authority on artificial nanostructure synthesis. Read more... |
Fuel cell vehicle…working toward an enviro-friendly car of the futureProducts and ContentPublished on Jun 21, 2012 Hydrogen fuel cells are being widely tested as a potential for meeting future transportation needs. In the technical report, Controlled Hydrogen Fleet and Infrastructure Demonstration and Validation Project, available from the Information Bridge, the U.S. Department of Energy, Mercedes-Benz & Research Development, North America (MBRDNA), Chrysler, Daimler, Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), BP, DTE Energy and Next Energy endeavor to substantiate fuel cell technologies for infrastructure and transportation as well as evaluate technology and commercial market suitability. Tests were performed through the operation and fueling of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in practical situations, including variations in climate, topography, and driving conditions. Read more... |
Perfecting the fuel improves the cell…Products and ContentPublished on Jun 08, 2012 A large portion of DOE fuel cell research is about improving the fuel. Many fuels contain contaminants that can damage the cell and impede the processes involved. Developing methods for removing impurities from fuels may help improve their efficiency and environmental impact, thereby increasing their marketability. In Fuel Quality Issues in Stationary Fuel Cell Systems, from the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division at Argonne National Laboratory, researchers point out contaminants of particular concern because of their effects on the functionality and resilience of fuel cell systems, and suggest strategies for clean-up. Read more... |
OSTI and Reference LinkingTechnologyPublished on May 13, 2008 OSTI actively supports the practice of Reference Linking. Read more... |
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