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U.S. Universities Are Building a New Semiconductor Workforce

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Universities and community colleges are revamping their semiconductor-related curricula and forging strategic partnerships with one another and with industry to train the staff needed to run U.S. Intel arrives at Ohio State Ohio State University is using its chip-fabrication facility to train future engineers and technicians.

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As states continue to use less coal for electricity, driving electric vehicles becomes even cleaner

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The increases occurred only in Alaska (from 11% to 13%) and Oregon (from 2% to 3%). Michael Sivak is the managing director of Sivak Applied Research and the former director of Sustainable Worldwide Transportation at the University of Michigan. On the two extremes, coal and oil result in about 176 times the emissions from hydro.

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PNNL solar thermochemical reaction system can reduce fuel consumption in natural gas power plants by about 20%; future potential for transportation fuels

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PNNL’s thermochemical conversion device is installed in front of a concentrating solar power dish. A new concentrating solar power system developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) can reduce the fuel consumption of a modified natural-gas combined-cycle (NGCC) power plant by about 20%. Photo: PNNL. Click to enlarge.

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ARPA-E announces $11M for innovations in energy-water processing and agricultural sensing technologies; fourth, fifth OPEN+ cohorts

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Columbia University, Expanding the Boundaries of Autotrophic Nitrogen Removal for Energy-Efficient Clean Water Production – $1,620,136. Oregon State University, Freshwater Recovery System for Hydraulic Fracturing (FRESH-Frac) Using a Thermally-Actuated Nozzle-Demister – $2,972,000. Energy-Water Technologies cohort.

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Breakthrough in study of aluminum could yield new technological advances

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This is a “flat cluster” of one form of aluminum oxide that’s relevant to large scale productions of thin films and nanoparticles, and may find applications in transistors, solar energy cells, corrosion protection, catalytic converters and other uses. Wei Wang, Weimin Liu, I-Ya Chang, Lindsay A.

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ARPA-E selects 33 projects for $66M in awards; advanced biocatalysts for gas-to-liquids and lightweight metals

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The use of renewable and readily available solar energy reduces equipment costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Northwestern University. Northwestern University will engineer an entirely new biocatalyst for highly efficient methane activation, the first step required to convert methane into a liquid fuel. University of Michigan.

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Geothermal energy in US grew 5% in 2012; California the leader

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of renewable energy generation in the United States, with geothermal plants and small power units online in nine states including California, Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. According to the EIA, geothermal energy accounts for about 3.5% The US Department of Energy has invested roughly $37.5

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