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DOE awarding $35M to 11 projects for hydrokinetic turbine development; ARPA-E SHARKS

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Projects will work to reduce the LCOE through multiple approaches, including increasing generation efficiency, increasing rotor area per unit of equivalent mass, lowering operation and maintenance costs, minimizing potential impacts on the surrounding environment, and maximizing system reliability. University of Virginia.

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Virginia Tech professor proposes simple biomass-to-wheel efficiency analysis to inform decisions on biomass/biofuel/powertrain combinations; the advantage of sugar fuel cell vehicles

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However, notes Virginia Tech Prof. fertilizers, pesticides, farm machinery), energy conversion coefficients among different energy forms and sources, system boundaries, and so on. Energy Environ. Each element can be analyzed separately and adjusted individually; most of which have data well-documented in literature.

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DOE FCTO selects 11 fuel cell incubator projects for up to $10M in awards; exploring alkaline exchange membrane FCs

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An alternative is the alkaline environment of the AEMFC. Conversely, there are several factors that either limit or have been perceived to limit AMFCs. Center for Transportation and the Environment. Virginia Tech. Proceedings from the Alkaline Membrane Fuel Cell Workshop Arlington, Virginia May 8-9, 2011.

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USDA and DOE award $12.2M to 10 research projects to accelerate bioenergy crop production and spur economic impact

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Overall, the USDA and DOE projects are designed to improve special crops to be grown for biofuels—including selected trees and grasses—by increasing their yield, quality and ability to adapt to extreme environments. Eric Beers, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg. Bartley, University of Oklahoma, Norman.

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DOE NETL selects 12 fossil-fuel power systems projects for funding

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Success will lead to increased operational reliability of the chemical looping technology with impacts for CO2 capture from solid and gaseous fuel conversion. DOE: $750,000 Non-DOE: $187,500 Total: $937,500 (20% cost share). The Ohio State University. DOE: $750,000 Non-DOE: $705,000 Total: $1,455,000 (49% cost share). Ohio University.

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Lifecycle Study Finds Algae as Bioenergy Feedstock Has Higher Environmental Impacts than Conventional Crops in Energy Use, GHG Emissions, and Water Use; The Importance of Using Waste Streams

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Model scope includes all upstream processing of biomass material; conversion to liquid or solid fuel is intentionally excluded. Biofuel conversion processes were excluded from the scope of the analysis. Five Life Cycle Burdens for Production of One Functional Unit of Energy (317 GJ) Algae, Corn, Canola, and Switchgrass in Virginia.

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DOE Selects Seven Projects for University Coal Research Program

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The projects aim to improve the basic understanding of the chemical and physical processes that govern coal conversion and utilization, by-product utilization, and technological development for advanced energy systems. West Virginia University, Morgantown, W.Va. West Virginia University will collaborate with NexTech Materials, Ltd.,

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