18 August 2009

Lean, mean, and green

A University of Connecticut professor implied a highly efficient system for generating and distributing energy could be as close as the nearest farm.

“This solution is truly homegrown, and its successful application can be critical for the U.S. and the world,” said Dr. Prabhakar Singh. He is director, Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center and UTC Endowed Chair Professor in Fuel Cell Technology.

One success story is from Singh’s backyard. “At the University of Connecticut, we have started a green campus initiative that features fuel cells that work on bio-derived fuel,” he said. “Like many universities, we have large schools of agriculture, engineering, and business. We have integrated all of these stakeholders into a technology system that produces carbon neutral biofuel that can be used in a fuel cell in the most efficient way possible.”

• Electricity goes to a micro “smart” grid for energy storage
• Heat is for buildings and dairy farms
• Carbon dioxide goes to the greenhouses that support our agricultural activities.

“The net result is that we are using an indigenous fuel resource with zero emission,” Singh said. “And there is no reason why this micro system cannot be replicated on other campuses and farms across the country and around the world, from Connecticut to Africa and Asia.”

According to Singh, materials scientists and engineers have the ability to champion new ways to generate energy, minimize environmental impact, and improve standards of living. “We must step up to show the way to a more secure, prosperous, and greener future,” he said.

Materials Science & Technology, the leading forum addressing structure, properties, processing, and performance across the materials community, will be at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, 24-29 October.

For more information about MS&T 2009, visit www.matscitech.org.