Alternative Energy Timelines

What technological options, available or on the horizon, appear best suited to the goals of ensuring the availability of energy, reducing risks associated with reliance on oil, and stabilizing greenhouse gas emissions?
In this conversation, Rutgers researcher Paul Falkowski and NJIT R&D Vice President Don Sebastian explore alternative ways to meet future energy needs and consider possible timelines for different scenarios. A professor of geology and biological oceanography, Falkowski serves as acting director of the Rutgers Energy Institute. Sebastian is a chemical engineer and research manager who has led statewide initiatives in areas such as nanotechnology and stem cell research.
Listen to the interview

Added: 04/22/2008 08:00 PM

Clean Energy Alliance and U.S. DOE launch partnership for Clean Energy Technology

Rutgers Eco-complex as part of The Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) ,  recently launched a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy to support commercialization of clean energy technologies. With the support of a $1.2 million grant of American Resource and Recovery Act funds,  the Clean Energy Alliance, through its nationwide incubator membership, will provide a complete range of services to U.S. small businesses. The services will include technical support, business planning, finance and banking, legal and accounting, marketing, communications, outreach, networking and accessing capital.

Paul G. Falkowski said the science behind the New Jersey proposal is sound

Read more: Paul G. Falkowski said the science behind the New Jersey proposal is sound

Rutgers Campus Energy Reduction Competition

Facilities and Capital Planning along with the Campus Deans are sponsoring a Campus versus Campus Electric Energy Reduction Competition 

• Where: Busch, College Avenue, Cook, Douglass, and Livingston
• Who: You are in competition for the campus you reside on
• What: The winning Campus will receive a roving trophy

Energy Conservation Tips
Click here to look for weekly updates on the facilities web site.

Rutgers Energy Institute - Fifth Annual Symposium

REI Annual Symposium

The Rutgers Energy Institute hosts a symposium every year in the spring.  Speakers from academia, industry, and government will be hosted for keynote addresses on topics relating to energy science, engineering, economics, and policy.

The 2010 Energy Symposium by the Rutgers Energy Institute provided faculty, students, staff, government officials, and community members with the opportunity to learn about the new methods, processes, and initiatives being developed by energy thinkers at Rutgers, in New Jersey, and across the country.

If you are interested in participating in our next annual conference in 2011, please email Program Coordinator, Beatrice Birrer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Fifth Annual Symposium on Energy Innovation 2010

SPEAKERS: Gerald Stokes (Associate Laboratory Director for Global and Regional Solutions, Brookhaven National Laboratory), Michael Trachtenberg (CEO and CTO of Carbozyme), Michael Walsh (Executive Vice President Research, Chicago Climate Exchange), and Stephen Mayfield (Director, San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology, UCSD and co-founder of Sapphire Energy).

• REI Director, Paul Falkowski, presentation - See on Scribd - Welcome and Introduction on YouTube
• Gerald Stokes presentation "The Challenge of Implementation: the New York State 80 by 50 Plan" - See on Scribd - View on YouTube
• Michael Trachtenberg presentation "Energy and Environment" - See on Scribd - View on YouTube
• Michael Walsh presentation "The Role of Exchanges and Standardization in Reducing Emissions at Scale" - See on Scribd - View on YouTube
• Stephen Mayfield presentation "The potential of micro-algae for the production of biofuels and bio-products"- See on Scribd - View on YouTube

Rutgers part of Energy Innovation Hub team to receive $122 million

August 24, 2010
Department of Energy awards Rutgers $3 million to pioneer new energy-efficient building designs as part of Philadelphia based team led by The Pennsylvania State University. The following are the Rutgers researchers:  Clint Andrews ( PI), Peggy Brennan (Co-PI), Monica Mazurek ( Co-PI), and  Dunbar Birnie, AJ Both, Frank Felder, Moshen Jafari, Rachel Shwom (Participants).

Washington, D.C. - A team led by The Pennsylvania State University will receive up to $122 million over the next five years from the Department of Energy to establish an Energy Innovation Hub focused on developing technologies to make buildings more energy efficient. The Energy Innovation Hub will be located at the Philadelphia Navy Yard Clean Energy campus, and will bring together leading researchers from academia, two U.S. National Laboratories and the private sector in an ambitious effort to develop energy-efficient building designs that will save energy, cut pollution, and position the United States as a leader in this industry.

Click here for Energy Innovation Hub Website

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Rutgers-NSF IGERT Symposium on Biofuels and Bioenergy

International Summer Symposium on Biofuels and Bioenergy
June 2 - 4, 2010
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, G.H. Cook Campus, New Brunswick

June 2 at Cook Campus Center, Multipurpose Rooms A, B, C.
June 3-4 at Continuing Studies Conference Center
Invited speakers from Brazil, China, and South Africa.

• Agenda
• Invitation
• Flyer
• Register Now

For more information contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 732-932-8165 x206.
Sponsored by: Rutgers-NSF IGERT Project Renewable and Sustainable Fuel Solutions for the 21st Century

Symposium on Algal Genomics

Symposium on Algal Genomics by Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources

  Register

ARPS-E annouces $100 Million for Innovative Energy Research Projects

Department of Energy Announces $100 Million Available for Innovative Research Projects ARPA-E's 3rd funding opportunity to focus on grid-scale energy storage, electrical power technology, and building energy efficiency.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - At the inaugural ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit today, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced $100 million in Recovery Act funding will be made available to accelerate innovation in green technology, increase America's competitiveness and create newjobs. Today's announcement comes as some of the nation's top energy leaders and members of the scientific research community have gathered to ensure U.S. leadership in clean energy technologies.

"This is about unleashing the American innovation machine to solve the energy and climate challenge, while creating new jobs, new industries and new exports for America's workers," said Secretary Chu.

The ARPA-E's third round of funding opportunity is focused specifically on three technology areas: 

1. Grid-Scale Rampable IntermittentDispatchable Storage (GRIDS).
2. Agile Delivery of Electrical Power Technology (ADEPT).  
3. Building Energy Efficiency Through Innovative Thermodevices (BEET-IT)

Read more

Rutgers Campus Energy Challenge

Once again RU Facilities, with support from PSE&G, has organized a Campus Energy Challenge for the month of March.  All five NB campuses--Cook, Douglass, College Ave, Busch, and Livingston--will compete to see which can lower its electricity usage the most from last year.  The winning campus will have bragging rights for a year plus other prizes; the winner will be announced on Earth Day.

• Use your desktop lamp rather than ceiling lighting
• Use compact fluorescent lamps to save energy and cut pollution.
• For three copies or less, use the printer; for more, use the copier.
• Laser printers use 300 watts; inkjets use only 10, for similar quality.
• Using the "stand-by" button on your copier will lighten your energy load by 70%.
• A computer monitor uses 60 watts of power; turn it off if you leave for more than 10 minutes.
• Recycling paper reduces water use by 60%, energy by 70%, and cuts pollution in half.
• The facilities web site (http://facilities.rutgers.edu/Energy/Environment.html) has a list of helpful hints.  

Let's all build some habits that help RU conserve energy (and money).

pdf Download flyer for Campus energy 2010

Energy Regional Innovation Cluster Funding Opportunity Announced

By leveraging resources across the Federal government and building on regional strengths, we'll improve business opportunities, enhance our nation's global economic competitiveness and create sustainable, 21st century jobs

The Obama administration is working to build a sustainable national economy by accelerating the transition to a more entrepreneurial, innovation-driven society. Today, I am pleased to share with you that, working together, seven federal agencies have issued a unique joint funding opportunity encouraging consortia from regions across the country to compete for a combined investment of up to $129 million to accelerate the development of a Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) specializing in energy-efficient building technologies (E-RIC).

In this pilot project, the cluster will be supported through agency investments in technology and business development, with support for workforce education and training.

Read more

Rutgers scientists support carbon tax

New Jersey scientists oppose cap-and-trade, support carbon tax

Thursday, 24 December 2009 13:46

BY VIOLET SNOW

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

"Cap-and-trade is a pretty lousy idea," says Paul Falkowski, Ph.D., director of Rutgers University's Energy Institute. "It doesn't reduce emissions in the near term, and we have to reduce, not just keep emissions steady. If we put a cap on and start trading, we'll slowly get off a carbon diet, but it's not going to be a steep curve, and it's going to be painful."

Falkowski, who researches the carbon cycle - the uptake and release of carbon - in the oceans, is one of many scientists who view cap-and-trade, the creation of a market for carbon-based substances, as an impractical solution to climate change.

Read more: Rutgers scientists support carbon tax