Summary: More than 30% of US energy and 90% of oil consumption are used for roadway transportation. Hybridization and electrification of vehicles on roadways are considered as major strategies for reducing dependence on oil and greenhouse gas and meeting the aggressive fuel economy standards. Hybridization of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles with motors run on electricity from batteries can significantly improve fuel efficiency while electrocution allows switch of the fuel to...

Summary: Due to growing populace and standard of living, many terawatts of energy will be needed in the near future. The sun is the largest source of carbon-neutral and renewable energy that we have available and it is the only source that can provide terawatts of energy without depleting rapidly or causing major environmental and climate concerns. To fulfill this role, revolutionary approaches to solar energy conversion are needed that provide energy at very high efficiency at very low...

Summary: The wind turbine drive‐train is an integral part of the turbine that converts rotational kinetic energy from the wind to electrical energy. Ensuring reliable and robust operation of the drive‐train necessitates developing an accurate dynamic response model that includes its aero‐dynamic interaction with the wind, torsional and translational responses of its mechanical components, as well as electro‐mechanical interaction at the generator. This presentation will describe a...

Summary: Transitioning to a sustainable low-carbon energy system poses one of the great challenges of the 21st century. The Energy Innovation Series brings leaders from government, law, finance, industry, and academia to discuss key aspects of this challenge and some of the innovative approaches and solutions being fashioned across a range of sectors. During academic year 2012-13, the series will focus on the changing energy mix in the United States and abroad, the implications of shale gas...

Summary: The electric power system is currently composed of generators with large spinning masses whose speeds are tightly coupled together. These masses offer a store of rotational kinetic energy that naturally gives inertia to the average speed of the system. This inertia offers a first line of defense that is tapped during sudden power imbalances. Installing a large fleet of wind farms will result in hours of the year when many traditional generators are turned off. The result may be a...

Finding More Water in San Diego or How to Get Blood from a Turnip: The Story of the San Diego Hydrogeology Project Wes Danskin Research Hydrologist USGS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Many parts of the world have an increasing population, and a commensurate need for more water. But how to increase the supply when hydrogeologic information is limited? The USGS San Diego Hydrogeology project faced this quandary in 2001. What to do...