Tufts Energy Forum Blog

Energy Abroad Panel a big hit!

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 03:04:00 +0000

We were very excited by the interest in our Energy Abroad event (check out the article in the Daily about us!), and we think everyone learned a lot about how other countries handle their energy issues. A special thanks to our panelists who included:

Adrian Dahlin on about peace and renewable energy in the Middle East
Seth Rau on energy issues in Germany
Andrea Stewart on nuclear energy in France
Sara Harari on Copenhagun and a path to a better future
Paige Colton on hydropower in Chile

If you want to see the presentations, or would like to learn more about the topics discussed, please contact us at tuftsenergyforum@gmail.com.

GIM Success!

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 16:17:00 +0000

Thanks to all of you who attending our GIM! For those of you who missed it, we had a riveting discussion on Keystone XL and its implications for both the environment and the economy. If you want to learn more about the issue, here are a couple sites you can visit:

Keystone XL and its relation to Asian markets: http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/09/13/13greenwire-keystone-xl-tests-us-canada-energy-ties-as-asia-7643.html

New York Times "Topic" page on oil sands: http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/o/oil_petroleum_and_gasoline/oil_sands/index.html

Anti-Keystone XL activist page: http://www.tarsandsaction.org/

Tufts Energy Forum GIM

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 02:13:00 +0000

Hello Jumbos and welcome back to the Hill! TEF is gearing up for our new semester, and can't wait to see each and every one of you at our General Interest Meeting on Thursday, September 22nd at 9:00pm in Eaton 206.

If you have any questions, contact our co-presidents Paige Colton (paige.colton@tufts.edu) or Carolyn Boudreau (carolyn.boudreau@tufts.edu).

Nuclear power in the wake of Fukushima and Women's Microfinance Initiative

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:46:00 +0000

Hello everyone,

Welcome back from Spring Break! I apologize for the lack of updates on the blog lately, but exams get to the best of us. So, tonight, two updates for the price of one!

Tonight (March 28^th), we met to discuss the recent events in Japan and how they might affect perception of nuclear power worldwide. We began our discussion with a brief explanation from Rose on how nuclear reactors work. Inside a nuclear reactor, radioactive material breaks down into isotopes and releases heat energy. This heat energy is then converted to steam and the steam runs a turbine like in a coal power plant. The decay is controlled by enrichment, maintaining a critical mass, and control rods that absorb radiation to prevent the chain reaction of radioactive decay from getting out of hand. A meltdown occurs when the breakdown becomes uncontrolled.

The Fukushima reactors in Japan were a GE design from the 1960s. They were touted as being more cost effective, but concerns were raised at the time about their safety. In this incident, the reactors failed because the seawalls were too short to prevent seawater from reaching the backup generators. These plants are the same design as about 20 US reactors. While this explosion was caused by a lack of foresight in planning for possible disasters, other meltdowns like Three Mile Island (in PA) and Chernobyl were cause by human or mechanical failure. Overall, however, this doesn’t seem to be affecting the public reaction.

TEF members questioned where the line is between safety and cost effectiveness. We decided that it is essential to take into account the location of the plant, and that the main challenge would be to create some sort of global regulation. Nuclear power seems to be a necessary alternative to fossil fuels, as it supplies about 20% of the U.S.’s electricity. We also wondered what some of the effects of this meltdown would be, such as when people would be able to return to the area and how long the radiation would take to disperse.

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Two weeks before spring break, on March 7^th, we heard a presentation from Victoria Stevenson, a Tufts sophomore majoring in history and philosophy. She’s interested in energy initiatives and going green. Her mother started the Women’s Microfinance Initiative, which has now expanded to include Sustainable Energy Initiatives. This NGO provides microloans to women in Uganda and Kenya. Some of their energy initiatives include fuel efficient stoves to reduce the health and environmental cost of cooking, which is traditionally done on wood or charcoal stoves or open fires, and hand held and home solar products to reduce the use of kerosene lamps.

She stressed that, when going into another country, it is important to find out what the people want and to help them achieve their goals. In the case of energy projects, the first question to ask is “What do the people want or need?” Some common uses of energy are transportation, lighting, cooking, and heating. Then determine what energy sources are viable within the community structure. Finally, look for sources of funding.

If you would like more information, visit http://www.wmionline.org or email Victoria at victoria.m.stevenson@gmail.com. I strongly suggest you check it out and get more information! Also, I’d be happy to share my complete notes from the meeting. Just email me at carolyn.boudreau@tufts.edu.

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That’s all for now, but keep your calendar open next Monday during open block, when TEF will host a speaker from the EPA!

Another Upcoming Event!

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 19:32:00 +0000

Hello everyone,

We're going to try something new this week and attend a mechanical engineering lecture on “Heat Transfer Aspects of Thermal Energy Storage and Biomass Growth for Sustainable Energy Applications” by Thomas Bergman. This lecture is on Thursday, February 17th from 3:00 to 4:15pm in Anderson 112. After, at around 6:30, we'll gather and have a pizza dinner and discussion about the lecture and how the information presented in the lecture is related to the energy world. Even if you can't make the lecture, or if engineering is not your thing, stop by 155 College Ave, Somerville (across from Ellis Oval) to have some food and hang out!
We hope to see you on Thursday!

Here's some more information about the lecture:

Heat Transfer Aspects of Thermal Energy Storage and Biomass Growth for Sustainable Energy Applications

Theodore L. Bergman

Department of Mechanical Engineering

University of Connecticut

Thursday, February 17, 2011

3:00PM – 4:15PM

Anderson Hall – 112

Abstract: The challenge of providing sufficient amounts of energy for humankind is well known. Adequate supplies of energy are needed not only to fuel industrial productivity, but to supply safe drinking water and food for much of the world’s population, and to provide the sanitation necessary to control life-threatening diseases. This presentation will focus on two research topics pertinent to enabling broader use of sustainable energy sources. Specifically, current research dealing with (a) thermal energy storage for concentrating solar power electricity generation and (b) heat and mass transfer pertinent to the growth of biomass in high carbon dioxide environments, will be presented and discussed. The thermal energy storage focus is on the potential utilization of heat pipe or thermosyphon technology to promote efficient heat transfer in large-scale latent heat thermal energy storage systems. Experimental and analytical results will be presented. Experimental results that reveal the role of elevated carbon dioxide levels in promoting plant growth and affecting plant heat transfer will also be touched upon.

Bio: Theodore L. (Ted) Bergman received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kansas and Purdue University, respectively. After working in the power industry early in his career, Dr. Bergman has been a faculty member at The University of Texas at Austin (1985 - 1996) and the University of Connecticut (1996 - present). From 2008 to 2010 he served as Director of the Thermal Transport Processes Program at the National Science Foundation. Dr. Bergman has also served on the editorial boards of three journals, is a member of the International Center for Heat and Mass Transfer, and is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Beyond these and other research activities, Dr. Bergman is a co-author of a leading undergraduate text in heat and mass transfer that is used worldwide, has served as Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Connecticut, and as the Associate Dean for Research and Outreach, also in the School of Engineering at UConn. He has also held a number of administrative positions on an interim basis, both at the University of Connecticut and at NSF.

Upcoming Event: Gasland Movie Screening

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 01:53:00 +0000

Join Students for a Just and Stable Future and Tufts Energy Forum for a screening of the movie Gasland!

Wednesday February 23, 2011
8:00-10:00pm
Barnum 104

"The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of "fracking" or hydraulic fracturing has unlocked a "Saudia Arabia of natural gas" just beneath us. But is fracking safe? When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, ...he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination. A recently-drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND. Part verite travelogue, part expose, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown."

After the movie we will have a short discussion period as well as a chance for you to take action on this issue.

For more info on the movie, check out http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/

Notes from our GIM!

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 02:48:00 +0000

General Interest Meeting

Introductions

Board Introductions

Paige Colton, Co-President
Rose Eilenberg, Co-President

Minseok Marcelino Lee - Treasurer

Carolyn Boudreau - Communications Director

Charles Cushing - Advisor

Semester Goals

Focus on activities and involvement

More field trips:

Thermal power plant

Genzyme - Cambridge, MA energy efficient building

NH nuclear reactor - produces energy

One panel discussion

Collaboration with other group on campus
Ideas? Talk to Rose

Speakers

Recent graduates now working in energy fields

Professors doing research

Ideas? Talk to Paige

Energy research/Energy conferences

We can help you get funding

Conference funding if you do a small project/presentation afterwards

Energy related project

Tufts Energy Conference April 15-16
Tufts energy Solutions Challenge

Win $1000 for research
All entrants enter the Tufts Energy Conference for free
Tuftsenergyconference.com/get_involved/energy_challenge

Check your email!

Egyptian Turm-oil: How is the crisis in the Middle East is Affecting Global Oil?

Presentation

Oil resources are heavily concentrated geographically

Especially commercially viable ones
76 largest sites contain 95% of known petroleum
Mostly concentrated in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait region
Canada/US oil in solid form, difficult to commercialize
95% of commercially viable oil is found in the Middle East
Egypt doesn't produce a lot of oil, but holds Suez Canal (important for transport)

NPR Clip - February 3, 2011

Evacuating staff from Egypt
Lead to higher prices? Yes
BP has the largest corporate oil presence in Egypt

Shut down new drilling
Production not depleted yet
Staying mum is best strategy for oil companies at this point

Oil companies know how to survive crisis zones

Safe houses for employees
Contingency plans
Patience

Egypt is a transportation hub

2% of world's crude travels through Suez

Price goes up when oil has to go around the Cape of Good Hope

No interruption yet

OPEC can make up with slack
Spread of protest to more oil countries is the worst fear
More drilling in US?

Or reducing oil consumption?

Discussion

If Suez canal/oil pipeline shut down, extra 6000 miles around Cape of Good Hope and extra danger (navigation)

How likely? Tariffs increase or shut down?

Unlikely to shut down

Large chunk of Egyptian economy

Could increase charge turmoil or no

New government not friendly? Increasing prices

Increasing to punish or just marginally to increase profit

Incident is just noise in price fluctuation - not very important country in energy

Developed market is recovering - is that raising the price?

Protests focused on Mubarak, economic troubles

Dictator more favorable to US than ultra-Muslim democracy

World intervention

To ensure transportation
Similar to Somalian incident

Is 2% a lot of world oil? Potential effect?

Oil pipeline - no oil pipeline is small
When one pipeline is bombed, whole thing is flammable and burns down -- catastrophic effect
Resources to deal with unrest and potential terrorist action?

Military and police focused on riots
When it's crazy, people go to mayhem

Companies probably have own security to protect pipeline

Unrest traveling throughout Middle East - Is unrest contagious?

From Tunisia -> Egypt -> Yemen -> Sudan -> Algeria
Those people get what they want, we should protest for ours
Ideas are contagious
If Egypt fizzles out, not giving hope to other countries

Depends on end of riots

Like Eastern Europe in late 1980s/1990s
Saudia Arabia and Libya are the US's biggest worries

Saudia Arabia falls, possibly leading to a 3rd invasion of the Middle East

Saudi Arabia probably has backup plans
Has been stable

Oil controlled by government

High poverty in region

Similarity between countries - Saudi Arabia specifically
Strong military ties

When new oil found, it retards democratization and encourages authoritarian - Resource Curse?

Lower taxes in oil-rich states
More government spending in oil-rich states
Egypt is oil-poor -> Saudi Arabia is more likely to stick with authoritarian rule
Potential for Iran to revolt?

Lots of natural gas
Disputes over oil - may have lots of oil undiscovered

Companies have been hesitant to invest

Oil is exceptional beyond other natural resources

Easier for government to control
Few companies because of high startup costs, no small companies
Many African countries don't pump/refine their own because of high costs

Economies in resourceful countries too focused on resource

Not enough diversification
Difficult to have sustainable growth

New technology will lead to claims of more oil

Can access deeper reserves
All oil estimates can be flexible

Only what you can access or what could potentially be accessed in the future?

How would America/Europe react?

Drill Baby Drill!

Likely based on past
Not big enough market disturbance for sustainable research
"Dependent on foreign oil" - another example
Investing in coal

Focus on another economically viable source
Electric cars - run on electricity mostly based on coal
20-40% efficiency from coal vs. 70-80% efficiency from oil

27% or more oil used for transportation

Increasing sustainable energy

We want to believe in this!
America might be better off with $200 a barrel oil - as a thought experiment
Typical American doesn't want nuclear

Although John McCain talked about it last Presidential election

Buying tech from China for renewables?

Dependence on foreign (Fill-in-the-blank)
Technology vs. Resources
Not binding like resources are
We could catch up - possibly by reverse engineering

Keep checking back for more updates!

GIM this Monday February 7th

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 20:19:00 +0000

Hello and welcome back to another semester at Tufts!

It’s been a while, but we're back and can't wait to get started!

The general interest meeting will be this Monday night at 8pm in Eaton 206. (That's right we have a new time).

Along with introductions of the new board and our goals for the semester, we will be discussing our favorite title (and worst pun) ever:

Egyptian Turm-oil:
How is unrest in the Middle East affecting global oil?

If you want to read up on the topic here are some articles:

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/egypt-oil-and-democracy/?scp=1&sq=oil,%20egypt&st=cse

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/business/global/31markets.html?scp=4&sq=egypt,%20oil&st=cse

Tonight's Meeting: The Report from RETECH

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:37:00 +0000

TEF all-stars Daniel Enking, Greg Hering, and Carolyn Pace traveled to Washington, DC in February as Tufts' delegates to the Renewable Energy Technology Conference and Exhibition (RETECH).

Tonight, each of them will be reporting back to us with some of their insights from the event.

Greg Hering will be giving a presentation about renewable energy and its influence on national security. He will talk about key policy changes and technological deployments needed to reduce the strategic importance of oil in global fuel mix. He will highlight where America is in this process and how far we have to go.

Carolyn Pace will share what she learned about municipal and state biofuels programs and the biofuels industry. She will highlight a few leaders in the industry, and what their ideas, presentations, and frustrations entailed.

Daniel Enking will give us an update on the latest installment of the Solar Revolution, focusing on solar PV. He will also enlighten us about where all of our stimulus tax dollars are going.

Come support your fellow club members, hear some cool stories, get advice on how to network at a major conference, and learn how to get TEF support to attend events like this in the future!

Sam Goodman at TEF

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:35:00 +0000

On Wednesday the 24th, TEF joined with Young Entrepreneurs at Tufts (YET) to host serial entrepreneur and Chinese-western business expert Sam Goodman.

Mr. Goodman delivered a fascinating presentation about his experiences as a global entrepreneur, and then introduced us to his newest project, AGreenGator.

This nonprofit Web 2.0 startup is being designed to bring together all of the web's best "green" resources, to help avoid duplication of efforts within the broader environmental community.

Finally, the evening closed with a great Q-and-A session about entrepreneurship, China, and AGreenGator.

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:25:00 +0000

Some snapshots from TEF's recent trip to the experimental nuclear reactor at UMASS Lowell!

Better Place & Electric Vehicle Strategies

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:10:00 +0000

Shai Agassi's TED talk | link
Better Place official site | link
Better Place Wikipedia article | link
Shai Agassi Wikipedia article | link

Some criticisms on Treehugger | link

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:39:00 +0000

Winter 2010 GIM

View more presentations from Tufts Energy Forum.

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:33:00 +0000

Tufts Energy Forum General Interest Meeting

Wednesday, January 27

9:00 PM

Eaton 206

TEF is undergoing a very exciting structural change in order to provide more opportunities for our members to get directly involved with the world of energy.

Starting this semester, in addition to attending weekly meetings, TEF members will have the option of signing up for SUBGROUPS. Each subgroup will meet once a week and, as a team, will work towards a specific real-world goal related to energy.

Below are descriptions of the initiating subgroups:

TEF | Advocacy

TEF | Advocacy is for those interested in the community-action side of energy issues. Members will make a difference by planning projects on campus or in neighboring towns, and supporting and advising local leaders in their attempts to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

TEF | Conference Planning Committee

TEF| Conference Planning Committee is responsible for organizing and carrying out the annual Tufts Energy Conference.

TEF | Content

TEF | Content will ensure that TEF meetings and events are educational and exciting by planning each semester’s speakers, films, roundtable discussions, debates, presentations, field trips, and any other events.

TEF | Digital

TEF| Digital will be in charge of producing and then maintaining the TEF website. The team will build on the rough draft of the site already created, and publish a finished product before the end of the semester. Web programmers and designers, copywriters and those with interest or expertise in digital advertising should consider joining this group.

TEF | Energy Business

This group will manage a mock portfolio of energy assets, learn about energy start-ups, and pursue other such interests by organizing opportunities for the club to tour local businesses and meet with industry professionals.

TEF | Media\Outreach

TEF| Media\Outreach will run the marketing component of all of TEF’s activities. Opportunities will include contributing to TEF publications (blog, newsletters), designing ad campaigns and "building the brand," designing the new website, and representing TEF at events.

TEF | Research

TEF | Research group will collaboratively identify a) a topic of interest (e.g. “Energy Microfinance in India”) and b) some tangible outcomes (e.g. a formal analysis for publication, or a policy memo) and design and execute a research project as a team, with the possibility of Tufts-funded travel

TEF | SUSSEN (Sino-US Student Energy Network)

TEF| SUSSEN will link up with students at top Chinese universities to exchange information, make contacts in the Chinese energy sector, and undertake joint research and projects.

We hope to see you at the meeting!

Upcoming Events

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:32:00 +0000

Monday, December 7

1pm-2:30pm

ETIP/Consortium Energy Policy Seminar

John Heywood, MIT

Opportunities for Reducing U.S. Transportation’s Petroleum Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Fainsod Room (Littauer 324, HKS)

Monday, December 7

4:00 pm

China Project Seminar

Edward Cunningham, HKS

Governing China’s Energy Markets: How is the World’s Larges Energy Producer Managed?

Maxwell Dworkin 119, 33 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA

Project Aims to Grow Algae On Boston High-Rise

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:55:00 +0000

via Matter Network - Clean Technology, Green News and Sustainable Business News by Gas 2.0 on 9/30/09

By Nick Chambers

The demise of retail giant Filene's Basement may have a positive effect on proponents of vertical urban farming and algae biofuels alike. Since 2007, the developers of a Filene's site in downtown Boston have been unable to find funding to move the project forward. But now Höweler + Yoon Architecture and their partner Squared have put forth a proposal to erect a temporary vertical, modular, algae bioreactor high-rise in its place.

Called the Eco-Pod, the project leaders intend it to immediately stimulate "the economy and the ecology" of downtown Boston simultaneously. Eco-pod is a temporary modular structure made of individual pods that can be disassembled if and when the Filene's project actually gets funded. According to the developers of Eco-Pod, each pod will produce biofuel and act as an incubator for scientists and companies to do research on growing algae and producing biofuel. The structure will also have open common areas to form a network of public parks and gardens.\

Taking advantage of the fact that algae can be grown vertically on non-arable land, the Eco-Pod expands on the idea of urban vertical farming and takes it one step further with a vision to make fuel locally in an urban setting. By placing the structure in the middle of a city, the developers hope to stimulate public interest in algae biofuels as well as create an interaction between the public and researchers.

The Eco-Pod's modules can be reconfigured as necessary to meet the changing demands of the structure by means of a "robotic armature powered by the algae biofuel." If the Filene's project ever takes off, the modules can be taken down by the robotic arm and redistributed to other parts of the city to infill other empty sites.

As with most projects of this type, this one seems designed by people who have little practical experience with the needs of scientists and the viability and profitability of making algae biofuels with current technology. While I appreciate the creativity of the venture, I think it is a bit too pie-in-the-sky to ever see the light of day. Sure it could be done, but it would likely be a money-losing venture-far from the economic stimulus that the developers envision.

Reprinted with permission from Gas 2.0

Energy Companies to Watch

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:35:00 +0000

A list of Top Energy Companies to Watch was just published in the MIT Technology Review. Check it out.

This Week's Readings

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:47:00 +0000

Renewable Energy in Germany (Wikipedia) | link
German Renewable Energy Law (Wikipedia) | link

Passivhaus
No Furnaces, But Heat Aplenty in "Passive Houses" (NYT) | link
Passivhaus Standard for Energy Efficient Design (100k House) | link

Nuclear
Viewpoint: The German Nuclear Phase-Out (BBC) | link

The Future
Next German Government to Cut Solar Subsidies (NYT) | link
Why Solar Won't Topple in Germany (Grist) | link

New Online Energy Networking Platform "Skipso" Launched

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:07:00 +0000

Skipso, a new online platform designed to connect different stakeholders in clean energy and clean technology to each other to accelerate sustainable innovation, is online and is currently in beta testing. Check it out.

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:53:00 +0000

In his presentation at the weekly meeting on September 23, David Cushing posited that $1 of consumption is approximately equal to 1 lb. of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere. From Mr. Cushing: "It is interesting to note the calculation below, which suggests that a cheeseburger is estimated to emit between 6 and 7 pounds of CO2, which is about the average price of a cheeseburger in dollars."

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In a report titled The Cheeseburger Footprint, Jamais Cascio estimates that the average cheeseburger generates between 6.3 to 6.8 pounds of CO2 emissions. He references Fast Food Nation, among other sources, to approximate the number of cheeseburgers consumed per American annually- roughly 150. Multiply that by a population 300,000,000, and the resulting collective carbon footprint of the American appetite for cheeseburgers is (conservatively) 195,750,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent (remember cows create methane which is a far more potent greenhouse gas than CO2).

Cascio goes on to calculate the global warming impact of driving SUVs in comparison to eating cheeseburgers. He concludes, “the greenhouse gas emissions arising every year from the production and consumption of cheeseburgers is roughly the amount emitted by 6.5 million to 19.6 million SUVs. There are now approximately 16 million SUVs currently on the road in the US.”

All things considered, our food choices may be as important, if not more, than our transportation choices when it comes to climate change.

Excerpt from the IEA's World Energy Outlook 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:55:00 +0000

Following IEA discussions with national governments, the UNFCCC Secretariat and a number of key climate change experts, Executive Director Nobuo Tanaka has taken the decision to exceptionally release a special early excerpt of the World Energy Outlook 2009 climate change analysis, and to make this available to all governments participating in the international climate change negotiations.

Check it out here.

Announcement from the Collegiate Energy Association

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:54:00 +0000

Open call for volunteers - International policy research project

The Collegiate Energy Association (http://collegeenergy.org/) is conducting a multi-disciplinary international policy research project under the guidance of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Association of American Universities. This approximately one semester long project will:

(1) Provide an overview of practices employed by universities around the world to support energy R&D, education, and technology commercialization in order to identify promising university approaches to these problems,
(2) Provide an overview of R&D and innovation policies being employed by various governments in order to identify promising practices at the national level, and
(3) Provide a rationale for government support of university R&D and innovation in energy in order to motivate recommendations for policy changes and/or new policy directions

The CEA has secured interest in the product of this project from various universities, the White House OSTP, the AAU, the US Department of Energy, and staffers from various Congressional committees. Participation in this project is open to all energy club members around the world (non-US students are especially encouraged to join!). If you wish to participate, please contact Kevin Huang at kjhuang@mit.edu by October 14.

This Week's Readings

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:29:00 +0000

This week our conversation topic is "Energy Poverty."

1) Energy Poverty 101 (Center for American Progress) | link

2) International Energy Outlook 2009 (Energy Information Administration) | link

3) Rural Energy & Development for 2 Billion People (World Bank) | link

Why it pays to be in energy. . .

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:21:00 +0000

The DOE announced today that it will be giving away $12.5 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money to support 80 graduate fellowships for a range of disciplines that will "help make significant contributions in discovery driven science. . . in energy and the environment."

The grant is available only to those currently enrolled in or attending graduate school, but it looks like they aim to make this an annual prize. For more info go to the DOE SCGF website.

Energy Updates 09/27/2009

noreply@blogger.com (Tufts Energy Forum) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:05:00 +0000

•The latest in OIL news - new discoveries are the highest in almost a decade.

•New website launched - It's Your Smart Grid tells you what a smart grid is, and why you should care. (Bonus points for sweet site design.)

•More on COP 15 - this article suggests that the end result of COP 15 will be a "global federalism on climate policy," with industrialized nation setting and enforcing their own emissions reductions goals out of personal interest, obviating the need for an unwieldy international legal framework. Even China is playing ball.