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Education Department
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) released the 2011 Fuel Economy Guide, providing consumers with information about estimated mileage and fuel costs for model year 2011 vehicles. EPA\'s Karl Simon joins us with details.
November 12, 2010 -
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The pilot facility will demonstrate the scalability of phosphorescent OLED technology and materials. DOE\'s Jim Brodrick explains how it works.
November 02, 2010 -
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The Office of Personnel Management gave the top award for Chief Human Capitol Officers of the Year to John U. Sepúlveda, assistant secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
October 22, 2010 -
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A smart electrical power grid could decrease annual electric energy use and utility sector carbon emissions at least 12 percent by 2030. We get details from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory\'s Rob Pratt.
October 18, 2010 -
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During chemical, biological, and radiological/nuclear atmospheric releases, the more information available about which way the wind is blowing, the better. To that end, WeatherBug, DHS and DOE are working together. Details from WeatherBug\'s Bill Callahan.
October 01, 2010 -
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The Department of Energy\'s inspector general said DOE\'s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy may have improperly hired a senior contract official and allowed officials to influence hiring by contractors, The New York Time reports.
September 28, 2010 -
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The main work phase on the largest and most comprehensive project in the nation to demonstrate how the electric grid can be used more efficiently and made more reliable has begun. We get details from Ron Melton, Director of the project.
September 23, 2010 -
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The Naval Postgraduate School is the latest agency to win in our Best of the Federal Government series.
September 19, 2010 -
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Fossil fuel power plants generate about two-thirds of the world\'s total electricity, and are expected to continue to play an important role in the years ahead. But, increasing energy demands worldwide means that there will be a need to better monitor power plants for signs of age and inefficiency, while stricter emission requirements will require higher levels of performance, capacity, and efficiency. The U.S. Department of Energy is about to fund five projects that will develop technologically sophisticated monitoring networks for advanced fossil energy power systems. The projects will support efforts by the Office of Fossil Energy\'s Advanced Research-Coal Utilization Science Program. They\'ll study new ways to develop and validate models of these networks; and the wireless, self-powered sensors used for advanced, next-generation power systems. They\'ll monitor the status of equipment, the degradation of materials, and the conditions that impact the overall health of any one component or system in the harsh high-temperature, highly corrosive environments of advanced power plants. These advanced networks will help enhance the overall reliability, performance, and availability of emerging near-zero emissions power production systems. $6.5 million will be invested in the projects, with nearly $5 million from the Energy Department and the remaining $1.5 million in cost share provided by the recipients.
September 14, 2010 -
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Technology developed at the Department of Energy\'s Oak Ridge National Lab will extend the life of light-emitting diode lamps. The invention could save U.S. municipalities millions of dollars every year in replacement fixture costs and maintenance, as the lamps are increasingly in demand for uses such as street lights and parking garage lighting. New graphite foam technology has been licensed to LED North America, which specializes in providing LED lighting products for municipal, commercial and industrial applications. Cooling LED lamps is critical to increasing their efficiency, considering that each 10-degree decrease in temperature can double the life of the lighting components. The newly licensed graphite foam offers many advantages over comparable heat sink materials such as copper and aluminum.
September 03, 2010 -
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A little wax and soap will help build electrodes for cheaper lithium ion batteries. According to a study in an August issue of Nano Letters, a new one-step method will allow battery developers to explore lower-priced alternatives to popular lithium ion-metal oxide batteries. Consumers use them in everything from cell phones to toothbrushes, and they\'re being tried in automobiles. But, most lithium ion batteries available today are designed with an OXIDE of metal such as cobalt, nickel, or manganese which are relatively heavy and expensive. Scientists with the Department of Energy\'s Pacific Northwest National Lab have been experimenting with cheaper metals and the more stable phosphate in place of oxide. Researchers say, paraffin can provide a good medium in which to grow lighter, cheaper electrode materials.
August 30, 2010 -
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Scientists with the Environmental Protection Agency have collaborated with the Department of Energy to develop new water quality software that enhances a local water system\'s ability to know when it\'s been intentionally, or unintentionally, contaminated. It assists both agencies in meeting goals connected to homeland security. Utilities can use the Canary software - in conjunction with a network of sensors - to quickly detect contamination, more accurately assess when and how to respond, and then issue warnings to customers if necessary. The software can help detect chemical and biological contaminants, including pesticides, metals, and pathogens. Canary is available worldwide as a free software tool to drinking water utilities. The software is currently being used by more than 600 users in 15 countries.
August 30, 2010 -
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In federal hiring, officials always have to strike a balance: fill the job as quickly as possible, while looking for the right candidate from as big a pool of applicants as possible. A new report suggests evaluating candidates is the weakest part of the entire hiring process.
August 27, 2010 -
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The Department of Energy has entered into an agreement with the Department of Defense to accelerate the development of clean energy technologies while enhancing national energy security. A Memorandum of Understanding between the agencies now covers energy efficiency and renewable energy. It calls for their collaboration on the use of alternative fuels, efficient transportation technologies and fueling infrastructure, grid security, use of the smart grid, energy storage, basic science research, and mobile/deployable power sources. It builds on existing cooperation between the Departments, and will broaden collaboration on clean energy technology research, development, and demonstration. The Defense Department aims to speed up the transfer of innovative energy and conservation technologies from the lab to use in the field. To that end, military installations are used as testing sites before such energy technologies are actually brought to the marketplace.
August 09, 2010
