Mars Exploration News  
Business Leaders, Laboratory Tours Highlight Energy Research Showcase

illustration only
by Staff Writers
Blacksburg VA (SPX) Nov 15, 2006
Business and government leaders, speaking at the Energy Research Engagement Showcase at Virginia Tech on Nov. 29 and 30, will address renewable and non-renewable energy opportunities and challenges and Virginia's efforts to commercialize energy research. Speakers include Tom French, senior vice president for nuclear engineering at AREVA NP Inc. and Mitch King, president of Old Mill Power Company.

AREVA NP Inc., headquartered in Paris with regional subsidiaries in the United States and Germany, is a leader in the design and construction of nuclear power plants, and the supply of fuel, maintenance, and modernization services. Old Mill Power Company of Charlottesville sells electricity produced using low environmental impact, renewable, or nondepletable primary energy sources.

The showcase offers business and community leaders the opportunity to learn about energy-related activities, research, and results at universities in Virginia. The agenda will also include discussions on energy policy, environment, infrastructure, and efficiency.

The luncheon speaker is Richard J. Peltz, alternate federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission, a federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life.

ARC has released a comprehensive energy blueprint that provides a strategic framework for the promotion of new energy-related job opportunities throughout the Appalachian Region. The blueprint examines non-renewable and renewable energy opportunities based on the competitive potential of Appalachia's energy resources and current and emerging energy technologies.

Other speakers are Rick Siger, deputy secretary of Commerce and Trade, speaking at the opening reception Wednesday evening, Nov. 29, and John Warren, director of the Division of Energy of the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy, speaking at the first session of the day on Thursday, Nov. 30.

Members of the panel discussions will include Gordon Michaels, chief technology officer of Energy and Engineering Sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Michael Karmis, professor and director of the Virginia Coal and Energy Research Center; Mike Carruth of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership; Jonathon J. Miles, professor in the Department of Integrated Science and Technology at James Madison University; Michael J. Schewel, partner with McGuire Woods and former Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade; and Richard Hirsh, professor of and director of the Consortium on Energy Restructuring at Virginia Tech.

Ten tours will be offered, including the biofuels lab, where modest reaction conditions are demonstrated for creating products from biomass; the Center for Intelligent Material Systems and Structures to see energy harvesting for small electronics; the Center for Power Electronics Systems to see fundamental converter integration/packaging technologies; the Center for Sustainable Mobility at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute; the Future Energy Electronics Center to see working prototypes of high efficiency power conditioning systems for fuel cells, solar photovoltaic devices, and thermoelectric generators; a tour of several power-efficient high-end computing prototypes; the Microwave Processing Research Facility, which is studying and simulating the use of stockpiles of radioactive waste to create fuel pellets; the Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design Center for Advanced Vehicles; chemistry labs where supramolecular complexes and nanomaterials are created to convert solar light to other useable forms of energy such as hydrogen; the Power Grid Situation Awareness Monitoring System; and Virginia Tech's Fuel Cell Experimental Research Labs.

The showcase will foster commercialization of research from Virginia universities in the energy and energy-related environmental fields, enhance public-private partnerships that will make Virginia a leader in energy security and sustainability, stimulate economic development, and facilitate the adoption of profitable energy solutions. Sponsored by Virginia Tech's Office of Economic Development and the Deans' Task Force for Energy Security and Sustainability, the showcase is part of Virginia Tech's "Energy Ideas" initiative, a year-long series of events designed to increase dialogue within the university and acquaint the public with Virginia Tech's efforts related energy innovations.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Virginia Tech
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Republicans Eye Alternate Drilling Bill
Washington (UPI) Nov 13, 2006
U.S. House Republicans have said they will settle for a more modest offshore drilling bill after Democratic victories effectively killed a previous plan. U.S. Rep. John Peterson, R-Pa., said he would push more a smaller measure that allows for a small amount of offshore exploration, similar to a bill passed by the U.S. Senate, The New York Times reported Monday.









  • Could NASA Get To Pluto Faster? Space Expert Says Yes - By Thinking Nuclear
  • NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter
  • Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission
  • Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program

  • China And Russia Discuss Lunar Project
  • Escaping Gasses From Moon Expose Fresh Surface
  • The Moon Not As Dead Cold As Believed
  • Scientists Discuss Indian Manned Space Mission

  • SpaceEdutainment Theme Park Investor Road Show Blasts Off With KPMG Plan
  • KFC Hopes Aliens Will Want To Buy Junk Food
  • Space Flight May Be As Easy As Making A Golf Putt As Space Tourism Begins
  • No More Space For Space As Tickets Sell Out

  • Making Old Horizons New
  • Scientist Who Found Tenth Planet Discusses The Downgrading Of Pluto
  • New Horizons Spacecraft Snaps Approach Image of the Giant Planet
  • Does The Atmosphere Of Pluto Go Through The Fast-Freeze

  • Jovian Junior Red Spot Growing Stronger
  • Exploring Europa By Way Of The Arctic
  • Junior Spot Zips Past Great Red Spot On Jupiter
  • Gemini Captures Close Encounter Of Two Jupiter Red Spots

  • Venus Express Marks One Year In Orbit
  • Complex Meteorology At Venus
  • Flying Over The Cloudy World
  • Venus Express Spies Double Vortex

  • NASA Sees Into The Eye Of A Monster Storm On Saturn
  • NASA Study Shows Titan And Early Earth Atmospheres Are Similar
  • The Lone Pale Blue Dot As Seen By Cassini
  • Astronomer Describes An Eerily Beautiful Sight As Cassini Spys Faint New Rings

  • Spacehab Subsidiary Wins 20 Million Dollar Spacecraft Facility Contract
  • France Selects MSC Software Solutions To Design The Space Systems Of The Future
  • Making Cloudy Days No Problem For Laser Communications
  • Cornell Astronomers Are Optimistic About Observatory's Future Despite Arecibo Cuts

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement