The United States has offered over $4 million in funds to support green vehicles. As much as $4.5 million in funding has been offered by the US government, as part of its Clean Cities program, to back ideas that could assist in boosting the adoption of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). Any project involving the use of alternative fuel sources for vehicles to increase acceptance and uptake will be supported. Whether the vehicles are entirely electric, are plug-in hybrids, or run on propane, ethanol, flex-fuel or natural gas, all such projects…
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New funding from DOE could help address hydrogen fuel production challenges
Hydrogen fuel production may make progress thanks to DOE funding The U.S. Department of Energy has announced some $4 million in new funding that is meant to address critical issues concerning the development of inexpensive hydrogen fuel production technologies and methods. The funding is part of the Obama Administration’s “all of the above” energy policy. This policy has the federal government pursuing several forms of renewable energy, as well as fossil-fuels, and has been the key to opening up funding for innovative energy projects that are taking place throughout the…
Read MorePlug Power wins new hydrogen fuel cell contract
DOE contract aims to examine the viability of hydrogen fuel cells Plug Power, a leading developer of hydrogen fuel cells, has been awarded a new contract from the U.S. Department of Energy. The contract, worth approximately $650,000, aims to demonstrate the viability of using hydrogen fuel cells to power refrigeration units in semi-trailer trucks. Such refrigeration units are often used to preserve perishable and frozen food products as they are shipped across the country. Fuel cells may be able to reduce the energy demands of such units and mitigate the…
Read MoreDepartment of Energy welcomes new Secretary focused on renewable energy
Moniz takes office and sets sights on renewable energy and efficiency The U.S. Department of Energy has a new Secretary and his name is Ernest Moniz. The agency’s former Secretary, Steven Chu, has billed Moniz as a promising individual that could help push the country toward a more sustainable future. Moniz himself has long been an advocate for renewable energy and had been considered to be a person that would encourage the Department of Energy to support renewable energy more aggressively in the future. Moniz is not focused entirely on…
Read MoreNew US Secretary of Energy may be a strong supporter of renewable energy
Ernest Moniz has a strong focus on renewable energy The U.S. Department of Energy is in need of a new chief, and the Obama administration has announced its primary nomination for the next head of the federal energy agency. President Obama has announced his support for Massachusetts Institute of Technology physicist Ernest Moniz as the next Secretary of Energy. Moniz is on track to replace Steven Chu, who announced his departure from the Department of Energy earlier this year. Moniz is being heralded as a “brilliant scientist” that can direct…
Read MoreSolar cell efficiency research gains more support from DOE
Solar cell efficiency funding increased Efficiency has long been a concern when it comes to the matter of solar energy. Solar cells are becoming a more attractive technology because of their acclaimed capabilities in efficiency, but solar cell efficiency has yet to reach a level that can be considered viable for widespread use. The U.S. Department of Energy has issued more funding in order to add momentum behind research concerning solar cell efficiency. These funds are expected to help in the production of record-breaking solar cells that could change the…
Read MoreARPA-E looks to seed breakthroughs in energy technology
ARPA-E announces new grants The Advanced Research Project Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) has announced a new round of grants that are meant to help encourage “transformational, breakthrough technologies” in the energy sector. ARPA-E is an offshoot of DARPA, an agency that is famously responsible for scientific and technological breakthroughs that have lead to phenomenon such as the Internet and cell phones. The U.S. Department of Energy oversees ARPA-E and is keen to see the agency’s latest round of grants produce some breakthroughs that could revolutionize the way energy is used and generated.…
Read MorePlug Power receives $2.5 million from Department of Energy
Plug Power chosen for new tow tractor project Plug Power, a leading developer of hydrogen fuel cells, will be receiving a $2.5 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy. Per the award, the company is to retrofit 15 electric tow tractors so that they operate using hydrogen fuel cells rather than traditional lithium-ion batteries. These vehicles will then be deployed at two FedEx departments at domestic airports in Tennessee and California. Natural gas will be used to produce hydrogen fuel at these airports, which will then be used to…
Read MoreApplied Nanotech wins SBIR grant from US DOE
Applied Nanotech wins $999,990 grant Applied Nanotech, a research and commercialization organization with a focus on nanotechnology, has been awarded the Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The $999,990 grant will help Applied Nanotech develop new, lightweight hydrogen fuel tanks that make use of carbon nanotubes. Nanotechnology has gotten a great deal of attention in the realm of hydrogen fuel because of its potential to solve the problems that exist in fuel cells and storage tanks. Grant to fund research and development…
Read MoreNatural gas gives hydrogen fuel a chance to compete
Fracking may have given hydrogen the edge it needs to compete with batteries Hydrogen fuel may have a chance against batteries thanks to the growing availability of natural gas. The U.S. has undertaken a mammoth endeavor to extract shale gas from deep within the earth through a process known as fracking. Fracking has become a controversial practice, sometimes being accused of causing earthquakes and damaging ecosystems. The process produces natural gas, however, a simple fact that has won hydrogen fuel the support of the Department of Energy. Chu’s favor of…
Read MoreDepartment of Energy embarks on new initiative to promote alternative energy
Apps for Energy competitions seeks to raise awareness of alternative energy and efficiency The U.S. Department of Energy is looking to combine the worlds of alternative energy and mobile commerce technology with a new initiative. The agency has grown increasingly supportive of alternative energy and has taken note of the prevalence of mobile devices in U.S. society. In an effort to spread awareness of alternative energy, the agency has issued a call to developers of mobile applications, inviting them to participate in the first Apps for Energy competition, which is…
Read MoreDepartment of Energy announces new funding for hydrogen vehicles
Agency to provide funding for hydrogen vehicles used at airports The U.S. Department of Energy has announced new funding for the test and deployment of hydrogen-powered vehicles this week. The funding is part of the Obama administration’s “all-of-the-above” energy plan, which seeks to bolster the country’s use of various forms of energy, including fossil-fuels. The DOE has had a turbulent history with hydrogen fuel, but has recently grown more accommodating of the energy due to advancements made in fuel cell technology. The agency has recently begun backing the development of…
Read MoreU.S. and India partner to research biofuel
Biofuel research and development to take place in India The U.S. Department of Energy has announced that the University of Florida will be working with the Indian government on a new alternative energy project concerning biofuel. The initiative aims to research the uses of biofuel and develop a biofuel production system from non-food crops. The project will span a five-year period and is receiving $125 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. The project will also examine the use and development of solar energy. This particular aspect of…
Read MoreU.S. and UK team for ambitious offshore wind energy project
Offshore wind farm could be the largest in the Atlantic Ocean The United States and United Kingdom are to join forces to develop a new wind energy projects in the Atlantic Ocean. U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu is expected reveal more information regarding the partnership along with Edward Davey, Secretary of the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change. The partnership will be one of the largest collaboration on wind energy in the world and is likely to produce the largest offshore wind farm in the Atlantic Ocean.…
Read MoreCalifornia hydrogen energy system could make communities independent
California hydrogen power system has a bright future. Last year, the Department of Energy applauding the establishment of a new hydrogen energy system at the Orange County Sanitation District’s wastewater management facility in Fountain Valley, California. Since the system became active, the agency and other organizations have been keeping a close eye on its performance. The National Fuel Cell Research Center has been examining the system since it began operating and has released some promising information on how the system could be used to make Californian communities energy independent. Jack…
Read MoreHydrogen fuel cell funding in Japan tops $240 million
Hydrogen energy in Japan seems to be gaining significant momentum as the government continues to throw its support behind the alternative energy. This week, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced that hydrogen and fuel cell research funding in the company totals $240 for the current fiscal year. The announcement reflects the country’s long-standing favor for hydrogen fuel energy and other forms of renewable fuel. This love for hydrogen reached new highs in the months following last year’s earthquake and tsunami disasters that ravaged the country’s energy infrastructure. The…
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