US – Page 166 – TechConnect Briefs

Replacing Crude Oil by Renewable Sugar through a Cell-free Synthetic Biology Technology

Percival Zhang Y-H., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, US

“What will replace oil and when” is one of the central questions for the coming sustainability revolution. Since approximately 70% of crude oil is used for the transportation sector in the USA, this question would [...]

Improvement of Biogas Production from Animal Manure via Bacteria Enrichment using CASCADE Technology

Zhi Y., Zhou C., Cascade Clean Energy, Inc., US

Computer Modeling: We applied a machine learning system – Computer Assisted Strain Construction and Development Engineering, or CASCADE for short, to a collection of organisms and found correlations and predictive patterns between the organisms’ genetic [...]

Advanced Biofuel Cell Composed of Highly Modified Electrodes for Biomedical Applications

Leung S.W., Lai J.C.K., Idaho State University, US

A biofuel cell comprised an anode and cathode modified with highly branched polymers, nano Au sol-gel, and reaction specified bioenzymes was constructed. In this study, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) were the enzymes [...]

Biomass Power Generation Using Liquid Tin Anode SOFC

Bentley J., Tao T., CellTech Power LLC, US

Currently biomass contributes only 1% of U.S. electric power despite available resources to provide over 20%. Barriers to increased use of biopower include low efficiency of current generators, high capital cost, low fuel energy, feedstock [...]

Catalytic Subcritical Hydropyrolysis of Waste Biomass into Gasoline Range Hydrocarbons

Tungal R., Shende R.V., South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, US

Catalytic aqueous phase reforming (CAPR) of the biomass has a great potential for the production of H2 and hydrocarbons. This study reports synthesis of novel nanoscale bifunctional catalytic material and its utilization in CAPR process [...]

Grid-Connected Photovoltaic System Parity with PJM Generation

Jansson P.M., Schmalzel J.L., Barreiro C., Rowan University, US

This research provides compelling economic and technical analysis of photovoltaic (PV) system performance in New Jersey and contrasts the generation availability marginal pricing on the world’s largest regional transmission organization (PJM). This analysis indicates that [...]

Design and Development of Photovoltaic Systems

Lyshevski S.E., Rochester Institute of Technology, US

Significant efforts have being concentrated on low-cost, efficient, renewable, sustainable, safe and portable energy sources and systems. Recently, different photovoltaic technologies, solar cells, energy storage and power electronics energy solutions have been emerged and under [...]

Characterization of Microcrystalline and Amorphous Thin Film Silicon Devices with Raman Spectroscopy

Wall M., Hodkiewicz J., Thermo Fisher Scientific, US

Raman spectroscopy is highly sensitive to even slight changes in morphology of highly symmetrical, covalently bonded materials making it an ideal technique to characterize Silicon films. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy is relatively insensitive to glass making [...]

CIGS PV Power Enhancement from Photonic Crystal Fiber Concentrators

Shepard S., Carver G., Louisiana Tech University, US

Two of the most promising means of reducing the cost per kilowatt of photovoltaic (PV) systems are: 1) to reduce the cost – which includes recent progress made in CIGS; and/or 2) to increase the [...]

Novel Building Integrated Solar Concentrators

Chatten A.J., Farrell D.J., Bose R., Dixon A., Poelking C., Gödel K.C., Mazzer M., Barnham K.W.J., Imperial College London, US

In developed countries 60% of the electricity consumed is attributable to commercial and public buildings. Even in the UK, the solar energy incident on buildings is more than 7x the electrical energy they consume. This [...]