Discover NREL Newsletter
Discover NREL is published by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This newsletter brings you news and information about the Laboratory.
September 2007
In this Issue
Research Highlights
NREL/Boeing Spectrolab Team Wins Research and Development Award
A solar cell produced by Boeing Spectrolab under a subcontract with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory has earned a R&D 100 Award, also called the "Oscars of Invention," from Research & Development (R&D) Magazine.
The NREL/Boeing Spectrolab R&D 100 Award for 2007 recognizes the High-Efficiency Metamorphic Multi-junction (HEMM) Concentrator Solar Cell, the first solar cell to break the 40 percent conversion efficiency barrier—the solar equivalent of breaking the four-minute mile.
The Boeing Spectrolab HEMM approach represents a powerful new technology for designing super-efficient multi-junction solar cells.
The HEMM solar cell is a triple-junction device—a solar cell with three layers—that uses "mismatched" materials. Typically in a triple-junction cell the atoms are evenly spaced, which generally results in superior electrical performance. But, with the HEMM approach, the atoms are unevenly spaced, giving designers more materials to choose from to create even higher-efficiency solar cells.
The HEMM solar cell has a conversion efficiency of 40.7 percent at 240 suns. This means that when sunlight concentrated up to 240 times the normal intensity of the sun is focused onto the cell, 40.7 percent of that solar energy is converted into electrical energy.
The results of the cells efficiency were confirmed by NREL's Photovoltaic Cell and Module Performance Characterization section. This brings to 40 the number of R&D 100 Awards earned by the Laboratory. The award will be presented at R&D Magazine's formal awards banquet in Chicago on Oct. 18. Read More
Unique Quantum Effect Found in Silicon Nanocrystals
NREL researchers, collaborating with Innovalight, Inc., have shown that a new and important effect called Multiple Exciton Generation (MEG) occurs efficiently in silicon nanocrystals. MEG results in the formation of more than one electron per absorbed photon.
Silicon is the dominant semiconductor material used in present day solar cells, representing more than 93 percent of the photovoltaic cell market. Until this discovery, MEG had been reported over the past two years to occur only in nanocrystals (also called quantum dots) of semiconductor materials that are not presently used in commercial solar cells, and which contained environmentally harmful materials (such as lead). The new result opens the door to the potential application of MEG for greatly enhancing the conversion efficiency of solar cells based on silicon because more of the sun's energy is converted to electricity. This is a key step toward making solar energy more cost-competitive with conventional power sources.
The silicon nanocrystals produced by Innovalight, Inc., a thin-film solar cell developer based in Santa Clara, California, were studied at NREL as part of a collaboration between NREL and Innovalight scientists.
The findings represent an important extension of the range of semiconductor materials that exhibit MEG and are a further confirmation of pioneering work by NREL Senior Research Fellow Arthur Nozik, who in 1997 predicted that semiconductor quantum dots could exhibit efficient electron multiplication and hence increase the efficiency of solar cells. Read More
Energy Lab to Evaluate Performance of UPS Hybrid-Electric Vans
The UPS diesel hybrid delivery vans are expected to improve UPS fleet fuel economy and decrease vehicle emissions, while maintaining the same reliability and overall performance as conventional vehicles.
NREL is collecting and analyzing maintenance, fuel economy and other vehicle performance data from 50 UPS hybrid diesel step delivery vans powered by an Eaton Corp. electric hybrid propulsion system.
Funded by the DOE's Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity (AVTA), NREL's Fleet Test & Evaluation (FT&E) team is performing a 12-month evaluation of some of these 50 hybrid vans at UPS locations in Dallas and Phoenix.
As part of a year-long demonstration project, the FT&E team will collect and analyze maintenance, fuel-economy and other vehicle performance data on the vans, which are being used in delivery service. The diesel hybrid delivery vans are expected to improve UPS fleet fuel economy and dramatically decrease vehicle emissions, while maintaining the same reliability and overall performance as conventional vehicles. NREL will publish its findings in late 2008.
The evaluation of UPS' new diesel hybrid vans follows a 2002 UPS/DOE demonstration of 13 compressed natural gas delivery vehicles in UPS' Hartford, Conn., fleet. NREL's FT&E team also provided direction and analysis on that project. Read More
Construction Begins on NREL's Renewable Fuel Heating Plant
NREL broke ground in September on a renewable energy project that will displace a majority of the Laboratory's on-site natural gas use. The Renewable Fuel Heating Plant (RFHP) will use a wood-fired (biomass) combustion boiler to burn wood wastes and forest thinnings. The RFHP is projected to offset nearly 80 percent of NREL's current South Table Mountain campus natural gas use. The project is scheduled for a May 2008 completion.
NREL Car Owners Recognized for Support of Hybrid Technology
Hybrid Electric Vehicles typically combine the internal combustion engine of a conventional vehicle with the battery and electric motor of an electric vehicle. The combination offers low emissions, with the power, range and convenient fueling of conventional (gasoline and diesel) vehicles.
Thirty-seven NREL employees gathered on Aug. 1 near the NREL Visitors Center to have their photo taken beside their Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), showing that NREL employees "walk the talk" when it comes to sustainability.
HEVs typically combine the internal combustion engine of a conventional vehicle with the battery and electric motor of an electric vehicle. The combination offers low emissions, with the power, range, and convenient fueling of conventional (gasoline and diesel) vehicles. The inherent flexibility of HEVs makes them well suited for fleet and personal use.
Because of their higher fuel economy, the 37 HEVs shown in this photo could save more than 6,500 gallons of gasoline per year compared with 37 average passenger vehicles (assuming 14,000 miles driven per year).
Most drivers spend about 12 cents per mile for gasoline or diesel while HEV owners spend about nine cents per mile. More than 60 NREL employees own HEVs.
Awards and Recognition
A paper co-authored by Research Fellow Michael Seibert and NREL post-doc Alexandra Dubini on using gene-transcription profiling to better understand the complex metabolism of a green alga at the whole cell level was chosen by the Faculty of 1000 Biology for quick review and was given an exceptional rating. The exceptional rating indicates the paper is an important contribution to the field of plant science. The work was sponsored by DOE's Office of Science and may lead to future improvements in algal hydrogen production.
The Faculty of 1000 Biology is an online research service that comprehensively and systematically highlights and reviews the most interesting papers published in the biological sciences based on the recommendations of a faculty of more than 2,300 selected leading researchers.
Additional co-authors of the paper include Matthew Posewitz with the Colorado School of Mines and Arthur Grossman and post-doc Florence Mus with The Carnegie Institution at Stanford University.
To learn more, visit "Anaerobic acclimation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Anoxic gene expression, hydrogenase induction and metabolic pathways" (PDF 1MB). Download Acrobat Reader
Working with NREL
New Technology Transfer Office Director Named
Tom Williams
Tom Williams was recently named director of NREL's Technology Transfer Office. Williams has been performing as deputy director since 2005 and has been at NREL since 1991. While at the Laboratory, Williams has contributed to NREL's technology transfer strategy and operations as well as the commercialization of NREL technology through negotiation, execution and maintenance of NREL partnerships with industry. These partnerships include CRADAs, sponsored research and licensing agreements for NREL intellectual property.
NREL Extends Research Agreement with Xethanol
NREL has extended a research agreement on cellulosic ethanol feedstocks with Xethanol, a biotechnology driven ethanol production company. The agreement was extended through March 31, 2008, adding six months to the original period of performance.
"Extending this CRADA with Xethanol is another step NREL is taking to develop the technologies that will help the nation meet presidential and Department of Energy goals of reducing the country's dependence on imported oil," NREL Commercialization Manager Rich Bolin said.
The agreement dates back to January, 2005, when the company obtained an exclusive, worldwide royalty-bearing license for a U.S. patent on claims directed toward a method of biomass feedstock separation. The technology was designed to effectively separate lignocellulosic material into lignin, cellulose and dissolved sugars. It also incorporates an innovative strategy that overcomes previously difficult separations. The new method enables wood or herbaceous biomass feedstocks to be fractionated by a highly efficient, single-phase process that produces very pure end products. These separated materials can then be efficiently fermented to produce ethanol, xylitol and other products.
Partnership Opportunities for Utility-Scale Wind Turbines and Ocean Energy Technologies
DOE's Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program recently released two Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) calls for proposals.
The first call is for companies or organizations interested in a research, testing or product development partnership. These cost-neutral CRADAs will leverage industry experience and needs with the technology research and development expertise available at NREL and Sandia National Laboratories to solve industry's key questions in utility-scale wind and ocean energy technologies. The program has budgeted approximately $1 million for in-kind laboratory-based technical support for these agreements and expects to budget additional funding next fiscal year for other proposals calls. The deadline for submitting proposals is Nov. 5. Read More
The second call is for developers, owners, operators and manufacturers interested in forming partnerships to test utility-scale wind turbines. The objective of the CRADA is to support industry efforts to improve reliability and performance of the utility-scale (500 kilowatt or larger) commercial wind turbine fleet intended for deployment in the United States. The turbines selected for participation will be erected at NREL's National Wind Technology Center, south of Boulder, Colo., for a period of one to three years. Tests conducted will include power performance, acoustic noise, structural loads, and power quality. The deadline for submitting proposals is Nov. 5. Read More
NREL Industry Growth Forum Brings Together Entrepreneurs and Investors
More than 450 participants are expected in Denver, Colo., Nov. 6-8 to attend the 20th NREL Industry Growth Forum—America's largest venture event focused exclusively on companies developing clean energy products.
NREL received 107 applications from clean energy companies to present their business plans and growth strategies at the forum. From the pool of applicants, a committee of more than 50 investors selected 31 company presenters. The presenters will receive feedback from a panel of investors and industry experts at the forum.
The forum will also feature NREL Technology Day on Nov. 6. On this day, NREL technology experts will present an overview of the lab's R&D activities, capabilities and industry partnership opportunities in such areas as photovoltaics, biomass, basic sciences and wind.
The previous 19 forums have raised more than $560 million in financing for clean energy entrepreneurs and startup companies. In addition, they've facilitated the formation of more than 25 strategic partnerships. Read More
Technology Transfer
NREL's Technology Transfer team routinely works with private and public sector agencies to move NREL-developed technologies and expertise into commercially viable products and businesses. The Laboratory offers research and technology development opportunities with industry partners, utilities, state agencies, universities, and other economic development organizations to foster the transfer and application of NREL's research expertise and technology. NREL does not, however, provide funding assistance to potential research partners under these types of partnerships. For more information on how to work with NREL, contact Rich Bolin in the Technology Transfer Office at 303-275-3028.
Spotlight On...
NREL's Sweating Manikin Turns Up the Heat
ADAM is composed of more than 120 segments, made of porous metal, that allow researchers to measure physiological responses such as sweating and heating.
Temperatures weren't the only thing rising in August. Interest in NREL's sweating manikin rose as well, drawing the attention of national media, such as Good Morning America and the New York Times.
The ADvanced Automotive Manikin (ADAM) is a manikin controlled by a physiological model of the human body to respond to changes in the environment. He breathes, heats, sweats and tells researchers how comfortable he is. Researchers put him into hot (or cold) cars to see how he feels and to see how they can make him comfortable.
ADAM's fundamental components are the more than 120 individually controlled surface zones. Each segment is a stand-alone device with integrated heating, temperature sensing, sweat distribution and dispensing, heat flux gauge and a local controller to manage the closed loop operation of the zone. The sweating surface is all-metal construction optimized for thermal uniformity and response speed.
As temperatures are controlled and manipulated in ADAM's environment, the resulting skin heat transfer rates are reported to a physiological computer model. The model computes skin and internal temperature distribution and surface sweat rates. This information is sent back to the manikin, which generates the prescribed skin temperatures, surface sweat rates and breathing rates. The ongoing loop provides an ever-changing measurement tool to assess human thermal comfort in a transient environment. The data is also delivered to a thermal comfort model, which predicts human perceptions of comfort.
This way of predicting human responses can be used in a variety of testing environments including automobiles, aircraft, military vehicles, flight suits and more.
"ADAM has helped evaluate clothes for astronauts to wear underneath their spacesuits, and devices to warm injured soldiers," said one of his creators, John Rugh, a senior mechanical engineer.
ADAM also has helped test and prove new concepts in the automotive industry such as using lightweight mesh seats in cars for better air circulation across the seat back.
"Even with the current air conditioning (AC) systems, such a seat could reduce the energy used by the AC system by three or five percent," Rugh said. "But we could do far better. The required AC thermal load can be significantly reduced by reflecting the solar load and ventilating the parked car."
ADAM enables researchers to work with the automotive industry to incorporate a wide variety of advanced climate control technologies, leading to a new generation of cars and trucks with AC systems that could reduce the nation's consumption of gasoline by 3.5 billion gallons per year. To learn more, visit "The Story of Adam" (PDF 659 KB). Download Acrobat Reader
Events
Upcoming Events
For information on events sponsored by NREL, industry partners and universities, visit Meetings and Events.
2007 Solar Decathlon
Oct. 12-20, The National Mall, Washington, D.C.
The Solar Decathlon is a competition in which teams of college and university students compete to design, build and operate the most attractive, effective and energy-efficient solar-powered house. The public is invited to observe the powerful combination of solar energy, energy efficiency and the best in home design. Read More
Recent Publications
The following publications and other information products are available online through the NREL Publications Database. The database contains bibliographic information about publications developed or written by NREL staff and subcontractors from 1977 to the present. Many publications are available electronically as Adobe Acrobat PDFs. Download Acrobat Reader.
EPAct Fleet Information & Regulations, State Alternative Fuel Provider Rule Annual Report Activities and Accomplishments in MY 2006/FY 2007 (PDF 320KB)
This fact sheet details the compliance activities of EPAct- covered state and alternative fuel provider fleets in model year 2006. Results published in this report show that fleets continue to successfully meet their EPAct requirements by using alternative fuel technologies.
EPAct Fleet Information and Regulations, State and Alternative Fuel Provider Rule Success Story Innovative Policies Boost E85 Use in Illinois (PDF 996 KB)
This fact sheet describes the successful E85 program implemented State of Illinois. Through several innovative public policies, Illinois has increased the number of public E85 stations to more than 140.
Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) - Do You Want to Reach Your Agency's Energy Efficiency Goals? (PDF 183 KB)
The Federal Utility Partnership Working Group (FUPWG) can help you reach your agency's energy efficiency goals. FUPWG brings together Federal agencies and utilities to identify, develop, and successfully implement cost-effective energy efficiency, water conservation, and renewable projects at Federal sites nationwide. This two-page fact sheet describes FUPWG's mission, vision and objectives.
FEMP - Federal Energy Efficiency through Utility Partnerships (PDF 165 KB)
FEMP's Federal Utility Program actively fosters partnerships between Federal agencies and their facilities with local utilities. The purpose of the partnerships is to jointly plan and implement energy efficiency, water conservation, and renewable energy projects at Federal facilities nationwide. This two-page fact sheet elaborates on this program.
FEMP - Invest in UESCs Today to Meet Your Energy Efficiency Goals! (PDF 182 KB)
This two-page fact sheet explains utility energy services contracts and their benefits.
About NREL
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by Midwest Research Institute and Battelle.
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