MYGreen Education and Career » Graduate

Students at Northeastern University Convert Plastic Into Clean Energy!

Tracey A. Smith — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:02:21 +0000

Professor Yiannis and student with the Combuster, Northeastern University

Student researchers at Northeastern University have designed an apparatus to convert plastic waste into clean energy without releasing harmful emissions.

Under the leadership of Yiannis Levendis, distinguished professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, a team of undergraduate and graduate engineering students developed a waste combustor, which breaks down non-biodegradable plastics to create an alternative source of fuel. Their prototype was featured at the fifth annual MIT Energy Conference this past March. The team worked for nine months on the research, which, for the undergraduates, was their senior capstone project.

Often participation in research such as this is confined to graduate students, but Northeastern University is providing its undergraduate engineering students with the opportunity to be at the cutting edge of alternative energy technology.

For more information regarding Northeastern’s Engineering programs, visit their website.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to Add an Advanced Biofuels Process Development Facility

Tracey A. Smith — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:20:01 +0000

U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Cathy Zoi announced this week that the Department’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will build an advanced biofuels process development facility aimed at speeding the commercialization of advanced biofuels by allowing researchers and the private sector to test and integrate innovative technologies. The facility – funded with nearly $18 million from the Recovery Act – will be a publicly available facility where researchers can integrate process steps and test innovative technology pathways, such as those being developed at DOE’s Office of Science Bioenergy Research Centers. This facility will be the only one of its kind available for public use.

“The Department is committed to developing cost-effective and sustainable advanced biofuels. With this investment, we will vastly increase the capacity to test new innovative approaches on a larger, integrated scale,” said Assistant Secretary Zoi. “Scaling up these clean energy technologies is crucial to addressing climate change and building a strong, domestic clean energy economy.”

This facility is part of the Obama Administration’s continued commitment to building a robust and sustainable transportation system based on clean energy and domestic innovation. The Advanced Biofuels Process Development Unit (PDU) will leverage the efforts of the Department’s National Laboratories and the private sector to help move new technologies into the marketplace. The PDU will provide universities, national laboratories, and industry partners the opportunity to scale up promising processes discovered in their laboratories. Planned capabilities include unique pretreatment of biomass, enzyme production, fermentation for the production of multiple biofuels, and product purification in quantities sufficient for engine testing at partner institutions.

The PDU is scheduled to be fully operational by early 2011, and multiple possible sites for the facility are now being considered in the San Francisco East Bay region.

The Department’s Biomass Program has awarded nearly $718 million in Recovery Act funds to accelerate the commercialization of advanced biofuels and foster the growth of a sustainable U.S. bioindustry. These investments will facilitate the bioindustry’s ability to meet mandated production requirements for advanced biofuels, which increase from 950 million gallons per year in 2010 to 21 billion gallons per year in 2022. Advanced biofuels are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent and can be produced from diverse non-food biomass such as forestry and agricultural residues, mill wastes, energy crops, and sorted municipal solid waste.

Bioeconomy Institute at Iowa State University

Tracey A. Smith — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:00:57 +0000

The Bioeconomy Institute (BEI) at Iowa State University is an outgrowth of the Bioeconomy Initiative — a campuswide effort, launched in 2002, to investigate the use of biorenewable resources as sustainable feedstocks for producing chemicals, fuels, materials, and energy. Today, the BEI has over 160 faculty affiliated members who contribute to the Bioeconomy Initiative with over $51 million in cumulative sponsored research funding from industry and federal agencies ranging from the Department of Agriculture to the National Science Foundation.

Iowa State University recently established the first graduate program in biorenewable resources in the United States. While other universities offer certificate programs or minor programs related to biobased products and bioenergy, ISU offers M.S. and Ph.D degrees in this new field, as well as, a minor for students obtaining degrees in other majors.

The Biorenewable Resources and Technology program offers students from a wide variety of science and engineering backgrounds advanced study in the use of plant- and crop-based resources for the production of biobased products, including fuels, chemicals, materials, and energy.

The Bioeconomy Institute (BEI) is involved in numerous extension and outreach activities. BEI is sponsoring the following events in 2010:

Biochar2010: U.S. Biochar Initiative Conference

Date: June 27-30

Details: Biochar 2010 is designed to advance our understanding of the science and policy issues related to biochar as both an agent for carbon sequestration as well as an amendment for soils. Join scientists, engineers, policymakers, policy analysts, producers, and users at this event and learn of recent advances in biochar science, technology, and policy.

TCS2010: Symposium on Thermal and Catalytic Sciences for Biofuels and Biobased Products

Date: September 21-23

Details: TCS2010 brings together leading scientists and engineers to share the latest advances in thermal and catalytic science for biofuels and biobased products. The symposium will offer a mix of informative plenary sessions with experts in the field, interactive breakout sessions, facility tours, and networking opportunities.

Distance Based Graduate Program in Environmental Quality Management – Specialize in Air, Water, Waste, IPPC, H&S and EMS

SBurke — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:33:26 +0000

Through its Leicester City Campus in the United Kingdom (UK), De Montfort University offers distance learning based Graduate programs in Environmental Quality Management. International, as well as resident UK, students can obtain a Master of Science, Post Graduate Diploma or Post Graduate Certificate in this area, drawing from study modules of interest in Air, Water, Waste, IPPC, H&S and EMS streams.

Prior to 1992, De Montfort University was known as Leicester Polytechnic which was created in 1969 through the amalgamation of Leicester College of Technology and Leicester College of Art. The polytechnic was established as a corporation in 1989.

In 1992, following the official opening of the Milton Keynes campus by HM the Queen, De Montfort University was born, named after Simon De Montfort, Earl of Leicester who is widely credited with establishing the first parliament in England, in 1265. Today, De Montfort University has two campuses, Leicester City Campus and Charles Frears. The University has special arrangements with more than 80 universities and colleges in over 25 countries. It has approximately 20,500 students, 3,240 staff, and an annual turnover in the region of £132.5 million.

The Environmental Quality Management course is taught via distance learning, offering an excellent learning opportunity for students around the world. Students may choose to study modules relevant to their careers, from Air, Water, Waste, IPPC, H&S and EMS streams, culminating with the completion of a dissertation for the Masters degree.

Due to the flexibility and variety of this course, practitioners are attracted from industry and regulatory authorities. Graduates typically hold roles such as Environmental Manager, Strategic Environmental Planning Officer, Environmental Protection Officer, Waste Management Consultant, Production Services Engineer, Senior Environment Officer, Pollution Control Technician, Scientific Office, Water Quality Regulatory Officer, Waste Management Officer and many more.

The course is designed to be attractive to students from diverse backgrounds including mature learners who have been out of education for some time, and those who have recently graduated with a first degree. For those wishing to increase their employability in the sector by studying for a recognized qualification, the course is ideally suited. The modules are completed by distance learning with tutor support, allowing students to work and study at the same time. This course looks at techniques suitable for a temperate climate and whilst European Union (EU) Directives are discussed, the course then focuses on how the law has been implemented in the UK.

This flexible distance learning course is designed to meet the needs of practitioners within the environmental sector who wish to achieve an MSc. Students will study specially written distance learning materials supported by tutors with real world practical experience. Students study two modules from six (Air, Water, Waste, IPPC, EMS and H&S) to complete the Postgraduate Certificate and four for the Postgraduate Diploma. A 60 credit dissertation must also be completed for the award of MSc.

The course is continuous and modules commence three times a year (October, February and June). Each student receives materials on CD-ROM and via Blackboard (a virtual learning environment). The course operates on a rolling, modular basis and you join when a new module commences. Students are encouraged to attend an induction session at the start of the overall course, allowing them to meet key members of academic and administrative staff, and to familiarize themselves with studying by distance learning. Students are then supported through personal tuition with optional day tutorials.

Each module is based on a 15 week study timetable, although you can extend the study block to allow flexibility within a fixed framework. There are optional day tutorials for the Air, Water, Waste and IPPC modules. The Certificate/Diploma includes assessment through completion of post tests and assignments at the end of each module. The MSc level is assessed via a 20,000 word dissertation.

The fees are £4,200 (overseas students) £350 per 15 credit module 2009/10 fee subject to change in 2010/11. All overseas-status students who pay their fees in full at the beginning of the year will receive an early payment discount of £500. If you are an overseas-status student , you will be asked to pay £3,000 towards your tuition fees in advance when you accept your unconditional offer of a place at DMU. This will support your visa application (if required) by demonstrating that you are committed to studying at the University.

The University offers an unlimited number of £500 scholarships towards the tuition fees of overseas students wishing to study a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree starting in 2010 (subject to meeting criteria. There are also an unlimited number of £500 awards for DMU graduates who wish to return to DMU to study a full-time Master’s or PhD degree starting in 2010.

For more information on the program or De Montfort University, please visit www.dmu.ac.uk

Business Accelerator for Sustainable Entrepreneurship and the Triple Bottom Line

Tracey A. Smith — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:04:58 +0000

The Business Accelerator for Sustainable Entrepreneurship (BASE) at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School begins its second year assisting early-stage sustainable businesses. BASE will connect the entrepreneurs in 15 organizations to a range of sustainability resources – from expertise to capital – to accelerate their growth and impact.

BASE is one of the first business incubators designed to support businesses that address the triple-bottom-line of financial profitability, social equity and environmental sustainability. The Center for Sustainable Enterprise at Kenan-Flagler created the interdisciplinary UNC program in 2008.

Its goal is to develop businesses that provide environmental and social solutions that model green business practices. It aims to strengthen communities by growing innovative, scalable green ventures and building the knowledge, talent and skill of North Carolinians.

BASE works to ensure the firms’ long-term success by providing expertise and resources during the crucial start-up phase. It assists a network of entrepreneurs by providing access to business coaching, workshops and training, and a network of entrepreneurs, investors and small-business experts.

The early-stage sustainable businesses that BASE will assist this year are:

•Alganomics, LLC in Southport, a producer of reliable, environmentally responsible, natural and renewable bio-products from algal sources (http://algaeresource.com/);

•Be Green, Be The Change in Morrisville, a manufacturer of 100 percent organic cotton T-shirts and baby clothing designed by consumers (http://www.begreenbethechange.com/);

•Builders of Hope in Chapel Hill, a nonprofit organization that recycles homes slated for demolition using green building standards and sells them at cost to workforce households (http://www.buildersofhope.org/);

•Carolina Wind Power in Wilmington, a developer of vertical-axis wind turbines designed to capture lower wind speed markets in rural areas and atop commercial facilities;

•Common Ground Green Building Center in Durham, a provider of retail showrooms specializing in eco-friendly products for building and home improvement and sustainable kitchen design (http://www.commongroundgreen.com/);

•Dulces Bakery in Durham, a social enterprise bakery of Latino inspired goods, including cookies, cakes, and other pastries;

•EcoMaintenance in Elizabeth City, a distributer of green cleaning supplies and provider of a green maintenance service that replaces harsh chemicals, caustic products and dangerous solvents (http://www.myecomaintenance.com/);

•Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, a brewery that uses seasonal farmed products, heirloom grains and Southern botanicals (http://www.fullsteam.ag/);

•Green Energy Lawn Care in Raleigh, a lawn-care company using emission-free mowers recharged by solar panels mounted on small fuel efficient trucks (http://www.greenenergylawncare.com/);

•Into Green Fashions in Greensboro, a retailer, wholesaler and manufacturer of bridal and special occasion dresses that seeks to make green apparel alternatives accessible and affordable;

•Liberación Juice Station in Pittsboro, an environmentally sustainable, green mobile juice bar that serves organic smoothies, fresh-pressed juices and teas using local ingredients http://www.liberacionjuicestation.com/LJS/Welcome_Bienvenidos.html

•Machen Advisory Group in Charlotte, offering property and facility management, brokerage, construction services, sustainable redevelopment, new development team assemblage, direction and project marketing (http://www.machengroup.com/);

•Oxide Architecture and Oxide Structure in Raleigh, a provider of architectural solutions and structural methods that are sensitive to societal and environmental well-being while attending to the needs of individual clients (http://www.oxidearchitecture.com/);

•Solar Art in Chapel Hill, a designer and manufacturer of aesthetically appealing solar structures that differentiate customers’ property; and

•Tec-Cel in Cary, a manufacturer of building block Li-ion cells that are incorporated into electric/hybrid vehicles and laptop computers.

These entrepreneurs will receive counsel from BASE mentors, master of business administration students and advisory board members; participate in networking events, training and workshops; have access to funding opportunities, service providers and the BASE resource network; and join a network of innovative sustainable entrepreneurs.

For more information:

Business Accelerator for Sustainable Entrepreneurship Web site: www.cse.unc.edu/base

Business Accelerator for Sustainable Entrepreneurship contact: Anna Koltchagova, (919) 962-4259, anna_koltchagova@unc.edu

MYGreen Education and Career » Graduate

Students at Northeastern University Convert Plastic Into Clean Energy!

Related posts

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to Add an Advanced Biofuels Process Development Facility

Related posts

Bioeconomy Institute at Iowa State University

Related posts

Distance Based Graduate Program in Environmental Quality Management – Specialize in Air, Water, Waste, IPPC, H&S and EMS

Related posts

Business Accelerator for Sustainable Entrepreneurship and the Triple Bottom Line

Related posts