Carnegie Mellon University

News Archives

Read more news in our Monthly Newsletters:

Friday, August 19, 2016

January 21, 2015

Are you REALLY saving the environment investing in a wind farm or solar power plant?

YouTube
Carnegie Mellon University's Inês Azevedo summarizes a paper developed with fellow researchers Kyle Siler-Evans, M. Granger Morgan, and Jay Apt that explores regional and technological aspects of this question. Watch video »


January 18, 2015

Pennsylvania needs and can afford a shale gas severance tax

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
CMU Ph.D. candidates Parth Vaishnav and Nathaniel Horner with CMU's Lee G. Branstetter, professor of economics and public policy, explore how the Pennsylvania economy will react to a shale gas severance tax that imparts no damage to the natural-gas industry. Read more »


January 5, 2015

Carnegie Mellon Alumni Make Forbes 30 Under 30 List for 2015 in Energy

Forbes
Three Alumni from Carnegie Mellon University have made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Energy for 2015. Hahna Alexander (E'12) and Matthew James Stanton (E'12) of Sole Power, with their energy-harvesting shoe insert, and Abe Othman (CS'12) of Building Robotics, a software-based system to help make buildings more energy efficient. Read more »


May 29, 2015

Tool Helps States Meet New Emissions Standards

December 10, 2014

Event: Bridging the Valley of Death: Successfully Moving Energy Breakthroughs from Lab to Market

The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation

The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation's Center for Clean Energy Innovation and Carnegie Mellon University’s Scott Institute hosted a panel to explaining how CMU's efforts can translate to other government and university programs. A panel of CMU start-ups and technology transfer experts discussed their recent successes as well as shed light on continued challenges to scaling up energy breakthroughs into transformative products. Watch video »


December 8, 2014

Energy Innovation Doesn't Just Happen: How Government Policies Destroyed and Regenerated the U.S. Wind Turbine Industry, Twice

The Energy Collective

CMU's Inês Azevedo co-authors this article outlining the lessons learned from wind policy history as the world looks to incentivize development of other energy technologies. More »


November 23, 2014

Will cutting carbon kill coal? Only if the industry fails to adapt

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

CMU's Ed Rubin outlines how the energy industry can develop new technologies that are economically viable while also successful in achieving long-term cuts in carbon emissions. More »


October 21, 2014

Carnegie Mellon: Bigger may not be better with battery makers

Networkworld.com

CMU researchers have found that when it comes to lowering the cost of batteries for cars, developing mass production factories for their fabrication might not achieve lower costs as predicted. More »


October 21, 2014

Is There Room for Agreement on the Merits and Limits of Efficient Lighting

The New York Times

CMU's Inês Azevedo comments on the importance of LED light innovations that were recently honored with the Nobel Prize. More »


October 21, 2014

Energy Storage Is Preventing Blackouts But Its High Cost Is Impeding Progress

Forbes.com

CMU's Jay Whitacre, founder of Aquion Energy, comments on the costs of energy storage. More »


October 19, 2014

Large-scale batteries are integral in shift to renewable energy

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

CMU's Gabriela Hug comments on energy costs and storage issues. CMU spin-off Aquion Energy, which makes large-scale batteries, is also referenced. More »


October 15, 2014

Study: Natural Gas Surge Won't Slow Global Warming

Associated Press

CMU's Granger Morgan says the study - which concludes that increasing natural gas use will keep cleaner technologies, such as wind and solar, from being used more - undercuts the argument "that cheap abundant gas will serve as a bridge to a low-carbon future." More »


October 15, 2014

How to control (or not) climate change in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Three CMU professors - Peter Adams, Neil Donahue and Kelly Klima - took part in a climate change discussion called "Building a More Resilient Pittsburgh." More »


October 15, 2014

CMU's Lee Branstetter Addresses UN Climate Change Convention

cmu.edu

Lee Branstetter

Professor Branstetter provided the opening presentation on "National innovation systems and innovation in climate-friendly technologies" in Bonn, Germany. Watch Video »


October 7, 2014

Electrified, but without electricity

The Hindu

Rahul Tongia

CMU's Rahul Tongia comments on India's power supply system. More »


September 26, 2014

Certainties, Uncertainties and Choices with Global Warming

The New York Times

This blog features an open letter from nine CMU faculty, who propose that the crucial question for climate policy is what policy actions should be undertaken now, in the face of uncertainties around climate science. More »


September 23, 2014

Is Energy the New Steel?

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Karen Clay

CMU's Karen Clay participated in a panel discussion to consider whether energy might be the 21st century equivalent of steel in the Pittsburgh regional economy. Watch video »


September 18, 2014

The hidden leaks of Pennsylvania's abandoned oil and gas wells

The Guardian

Austin Mitchell

CMU's Austin Mitchell, who co-authored a study on the economics of abandoned wells, comments on the cost of plugging leaking oil and gas wells. More »


September 17, 2014

Think nationally, act regionally to advance potential of shale gas

The Hill

CMU's Deborah Stine provides recommendations for U.S. lawmakers to address a number of infrastructure and policy issues surrounding shale gas. More »


September 16, 2014

Carbon-capture technology works, but cost is still prohibitive

The Seattle Times

Professor Ed Rubin comments on the increased costs associated with building and operating a natural gas power plant that is equipped with carbon capture technologies. More »


September 15, 2014

Sun and Wind Alter Global Landscape, Leaving Utilities Behind

The New York Times

CMU's Jay Apt comments on new market rules that could help keep energy costs reasonable. More »


September 2, 2014

Just Released: New Policymaker Guide on Next-Generation Innovative Energy Technologies

cmu.edu

Innovative Energy Technologies: The Next GenerationRead the latest guide outlining technologies developed at CMU that have the ability to enhance energy generation and consumption. More »


August 18, 2014

Huge utility line upgrade faces opposition

Newsday / Associated Press

Jay Apt

CMU's Jay Apt comments on the effect of natural gas production from the Marcellus Shale on energy prices. More »


August 5, 2014

Wildfires And Global Warming: Brown Carbon Also a Factor

International Business Times

Research from CMU scientists informs how future climate models should factor in brown carbon. More »


July 30, 2014

CMU's Jay Apt Testifies at Hearing on Clean Power Plan Proposed Rule

cmu.edu

The Clean Power Plan Proposed Rule outlines ways in which states can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants that operate by combusting fossil fuels. It provides goals for each state to help the U.S. significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2020. Professor Apt's testimony focuses on innovations and strategy for existing power plants. More »


July 22, 2014

Energy and America's Future

cmu.edu

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz visited CMU to lead a public meeting on natural gas and its role in America's energy future. The DOE forum, part of the Quadrennial Energy Review (QER) established earlier this year by U.S. President Barack Obama, was hosted on CMU's Pittsburgh campus by the Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation. More »


July 21, 2014

Corralling Carbon Before It Belches From Stack

The New York Times

Jay Apt

CMU's Ed Rubin comments on reducing carbon emissions. More »


July 21, 2014

Behind the scenes of Aquion Energy’s battery factory & the future of solar storage

Gigaom.com

Aquion Energy, founded by CMU faculty member Jay Whitacre, produces ultra-simple, low-cost and non-toxic batteries made from a combination of salt water, carbon and manganese oxide. More »


July 11, 2014

Public opinion on climate change: Is the glass half-full or half-empty for policymakers?

The Hill

Professor Deborah Stine analyzes several U.S. public opinion polls on climate change. More »


July 1, 2014

How EPA's Carbon Rule is Both Tax and Subsidy

Forbes.com

Professor Granger Morgan comments on how natural gas, while less carbon-intensive than coal, is not a silver bullet when it comes to decarbonizing the economy and mitigating climate change. More »


June 29, 2014

What Would It Take To Decarbonize The Energy System?

Forbes.com

CMU's Lee Branstetter and Granger Morgan presented their thoughts about decarbonizing global energy systems at an event hosted by the Peterson Institute for International Economics. More »

Watch the webcast »


June 18, 2014

Why Congress Should Fund Social Science

The Hill

CMU's Deborah Stine comments on why Congress should fund social science. More »


May 28, 2014

A Pushback on Green Power

The New York Times

Jay Apt

Jay Apt, director of CMU's Electricity Industry Center, comments on renewable portfolio standards in the U.S. More »


May 22, 2014

Four Innovation Trends That Could Change The Way We Design Roads By 2020

Forbes.com

CMU's Surtrac (Scalable Urban Traffic Control) has reduced travel time by 25 percent and vehicular emissions by 21 percent in its current deployment area in Pittsburgh. More »


May 8, 2014

Energy Industry Rife With Opportunities But Labors To Find Skilled Workforce

Forbes.com

This article about workforce issues in the energy industry includes Aquion Energy, founded by CMU's Jay Whitacre. It mentions that CMU is "a cornerstone for energy battery technologies." More »


May 8, 2014

Information-Friction

cmu.edu

Grover

CMU's Pulkit Grover recently was awarded a five-year, $600,000 National Science Foundation CAREER Award, which he'll use for research aimed at reducing energy in data center communication networks. Grover's goal is to understand how communication systems and computation systems interact and how to minimize the total energy required for transmitting and receiving information. He predicts that energy consumption can be reduced by a factor of 10, or more, in some of these systems. More »


May 1, 2014

Aquion gearing up for battery production

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Aquion Energy, founded by CMU's Jay Whitacre, is fine-tuning its sodium ion battery production line and getting ready to ramp up production in the second half of 2014. More »


May 1, 2014

City extends smart traffic technology in the East End

Pittsburgh Business Times

The city of Pittsburgh and CMU are expanding a network of high-tech traffic signals that monitor flow and instantly react, changing their timing to move vehicles through intersections more efficiently. The system currently deployed across 18 intersections has cut vehicle wait times by 42 percent, travel times by 24 percent and vehicle emissions by 21 percent. More »


April 21, 2014

Ice or Molten Salt, Not Batteries, to Store Energy

The New York Times

CMU’s Jay Apt comments on the feasibility of storage efforts aimed at transforming the electric grid towards a cleaner, more sustainable, low-emissions model. More »


April 21, 2014

Apple's ‘green guru’ reports worse carbon footprint on same day she releases 'Better' video

Upstart Business Journal

Grover

CMU’s H. Scott Matthews comments on Apple's carbon footprint and the company's efforts to measure it accurately. More »


April 18 2014

The Pittsburgh startup that has big plans for batteries

The Guardian

Founded by CMU’s Jay Whitacre, Aquion Energy is working to develop a more sustainable battery. The company recently won the Katerva Award for energy and power. More »


April 2, 2014

Company founded by CMU alumni wins 2014 Popular Science Invention Award

Popular Science

CMU alumni Matt Stanton and Hahna Alexander were honored with the invention of the year award from Popular Science magazine. Their removable shoe insole charges electronics while you walk. More »


April 8, 2014

CMU Researchers Develop Dashboard To Help Reduce Energy Use in Office Buildings

cmu.edu

Ray Yun, a doctoral student in CMU's School of Architecture, has developed a dashboard that shows office workers how much energy their plugged-in devices are consuming. Yun is showing the potential of his team's work to save energy nationwide. More »


April 2014

Can Coal Ever Be Clean?

National Geographic

CMU's Ed Rubin comments on the potential impact that carbon capture provides as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. More »


March 24—28, 2014

Scott Institute Faculty Member Tours Canadian Energy Sites

Scott Institute Blog

Deborah Stine, Associate Director of Policy Outreach for CMU's Scott Institute, blogged throughout her tour of Canadian energy sites in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Follow her perspectives at the Scott Institute blog. More »


March 25, 2014

Switching on: Installing LED streetlights to save Pennsylvania taxpayers money

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

This blog mentions a 2011 CMU study found outdoor public lighting systems could account for 40 percent of a city's electricity use. The study also estimated that LED lighting requires 50-90 percent less energy to operate. More »


March 19, 2014

Aquion to Begin Commercial Battery Shipments This Year, CEO Says

Bloomberg

Founded by CMU's Jay Whitacre, Aquion Energy is manufacturing saltwater-based batteries near Pittsburgh. More »


March 16, 2014

In Mississippi, a power plant is designed to shape the future of coal

Los Angeles Times

Ed Rubin

CMU's Ed Rubin comments on the business of developing technology that makes coal-burning power plants cleaner and more socially acceptable. More »


March 14, 2014

Putting the ‘estimate’ back in estimates

Harvard Gazette

Granger Morgan has spent his career investigating climate change and the energy system. During a recent lecture, he explained that uncertainty in forecasting energy prices is due to the difficulty in predicting which direction many variables will take, such as policy decisions, new technologies and consumer choices. More »


March 7, 2014

EQT gifts CMU $1M for energy and environmental research

Pittsburgh Business Times

The gift will sponsor university-wide seed grants for research in a number of interconnected areas around energy, particularly those dealing with natural gas. More »


March 3, 2014

Cohon to direct Scott Institute

The Tartan

Cohon’s leadership of the Scott Institute is a testament to his belief in CMU and the importance of energy research at the university. More »


February 18, 2014

Storing the Sun

MIT Technology Review

Whitacre

Aquion Energy, founded by CMU's Jay Whitacre, is nearing full-scale production of a new kind of battery that could make renewable electricity more practical and economical around the world. More »


February 18, 2014

CMU Names Cohon New Director of Scott Institute

cmu.edu

Cohon

Carnegie Mellon University has named President Emeritus and University Professor Jared L. Cohon the director of the Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation. He will assume the post on July 1. More »


February 10, 2014

Scott Institute Announces Second Round of Seed Grants to Researchers

cmu.edu

Seed grants will help fund seven new research initiatives at CMU. More »


February 6, 2014

Newsmaker: M. Granger Morgan

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Scott Institute Director Granger Morgan will present a paper at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world's largest general scientific society. His work is focused on energy systems and climate change. More »


February 5, 2014

San Jose power station attack raises wider security concerns, news report says

The Washington Post

Morgan

Granger Morgan, director of the Scott Institute and chair of a National Research Council report on threats to the U.S. electrical grid, is quoted. More »


January 23, 2014

E.V.'s Could Be Key Part of a Changing Electrical Grid

The New York Times

Michalek

The research of CMU's Jeremy Michalek is featured in this story. It found that charging an electric car at a certain time could save money in the long run. More »


January 23, 2014

Startup Thinks Its Battery Will Solve Renewable Energy's Big Flaw

MIT Technology Review

Whitacre

Aquion Energy, founded by CMU's Jay Whitacre, has finished installing its first commercial-scale production line at its factory near Pittsburgh, and is sending out batteries for customers to evaluate. More »


January 21, 2014

CMU Students Develop Wireless Solutions to Save on Lighting Costs

Pittsburgh Business Times

Four CMU students—Dillon Grove, Mike Ferraco, Nathan Hahn, and Jon Miller—have created the GreenLight Project, an energy-reducing product that offsets the amount of electric lighting needed to properly light a space based on available natural lighting. More »


January 17, 2014

Carnegie Mellon Researchers Develop Novel Tools To Make Mobile Devices More Energy Efficient

cmu.edu

Two CMU professors—Jeyanandh Paramesh and Pulkit Grover—are building novel tools and systems designed to reduce the energy use of mobile devices. More »


Other helpful links:

December 9, 2013

Skin pigment could power safe, implantable battery

New Scientist

CMU energy experts Christopher Bettinger and Jay Whitacre are building batteries from biological materials to power electronic devices that can be swallowed or inserted into the human body for drug delivery or internal monitoring. More »


December 3, 2013

In Western Maryland, a potential future for cleaner coal

The Daily Record

Rubin

CMU's Nobel Prize winning energy expert Ed Rubin comments on carbon capture costs compared to other technologies. More »


November 11, 2013

The future of electric grids: distributed generation

The Wall Street Journal

Apt

CMU's Jay Apt on why grids are undergoing a transition to distributed power generation and the role natural gas will play. More »


November 9, 2013

Fear of the Dark

The New York Times

CMU's Jay Apt comments on anxieties surrounding power failures in major metropolitan areas. More »


November 9, 2013

Utilities are now in the business of protecting national security

Forbes

Morgan

CMU's Granger Morgan provides insights on the vast economic impact of power system disruptions in the U.S. More »


October 26, 2013

Research tries to prevent the hacking of smart power grids

The National

CMU has developed a model for identifying how and where smart grids could be vulnerable to attack or failure. The model is called the security quality requirements engineering method. More »


October 21, 2013

U.S. carbon dioxide pollution down 3.8 percent

The Associated Press

Apt

Jay Apt, director of the Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center, comments on how reductions in coal use and the sluggish U.S. economic recovery contribute. More »


October 1, 2013

Zapping Attacks on the Nation's Transmission Grid

EnergyBiz.com

Whitacre

Granger Morgan, director of the Scott Institute and chair of a National Academy of Sciences report on power system vulnerabilities in the U.S., comments on the potential economic impact of major power grid disruptions. More »


October 1, 2013

A new power grid battery emerges with a deal from Siemens

Gigaom.com

Whitacre

Aquion Energy, founded by CMU professor Jay Whitacre, announced an important partnership with Siemens. Aquion's batteries deliver cutting-edge storage that is reliable, cost-effective and safe for the environment. More »


September 22, 2013

Energy Dashboards Enter the Office Cubicle

The Wall Street Journal

Researchers from CMU are giving "energy dashboards" to dozens of office workers to show how much energy is being used at any particular moment, so workers can make choices about how to cut back their energy usage. Initial results are promising. More »


September 16, 2013

Kelvin Gregory To Discuss Strategies To Improve Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas Production

cmu.edu

Gregory

Kelvin Gregory, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, will discuss water management strategies for hydraulic fracturing at the 7th National Conference on Environmental Chemistry, Sept. 19-25 in Guiyang, China. More »


September 8, 2013

Environmental cleanup big business

LaCrosse Tribune

Dzombak

David Dzombak is quoted on the need to approach environmental cleanup questions from a systems approach – a CMU strength. More »


August 16, 2013

New pipelines through Kentucky, Indiana compete for natural gas liquids markets in the Gulf

The Courier-Journal

Fischbeck

CMU professor Paul Fischbeck comments on the market for natural gas coming from the Marcellus and Utica shale regions. More »


August 16, 2013

Shale Gas Roundtable proposes independent research fund similar to auto industry's

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Jared Cohon, president emeritus at CMU, is co-chairing the Shale Gas Roundtable, which released its recommendations for the establishment of an independent research fund that focuses on environmental impacts in the Marcellus region. CMU professor Deborah Stine has been discussing shale research with U.S. government officials. More »


August 15, 2013

The 2003 Blackout and the Power Grid Today

WNYC

Apt

Jay Apt, professor and director of the Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center, looks back at what caused the 2003 blackout and what changes have been made to bolster the power grid since then. More »


August 11, 2013

Ten years after NE blackout, U.S. power grid smarter, sturdier

Reuters

Power Tower

CMU energy expert Jay Apt provides insights on the U.S. power grid and how it has evolved over the last decade. More »


July 10, 2013

Snake-bot slithers through nuclear power plant in mobility test

NBC News

A robotic snake developed at CMU could be a valuable tool in dangerous, hard-to-maneuver situations, such as a nuclear power plant on the verge of meltdown. More »


June 28, 2013

Carnegie Mellon Researchers Estimate Cost of Building Small Modular Nuclear Reactors

cmu.edu

CMU researchers report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that Small Modular Reactors might provide a flexible, cost-effective energy alternative. More »


June 28, 2013

Carnegie Mellon's Pulkit Grover Developing Tools To Reduce Energy Consumption in Data Center Communication Networks

cmu.edu

CMU's Pulkit Grover, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, is developing tools that will help reduce the amount of energy consumed by data center networks by 30 to 50 percent. More »


June 24, 2013

Location may stymie wind and solar power benefits

Nature

Windmills

Wind farms and solar installations are often located in places where they will have the least impact on climate and health, a report from CMU researchers concludes. More »


June 18, 2013

Reality Check on Post-Fossil Path for New York

The New York Times Dot Earth blog

Four CMU researchers respond to a paper published recently in the journal Energy Policy, which presents a plan to end fossil fuel use in New York State within a few decades. More »


June 17, 2013

For hybrid vehicle owners, it pays to drive in traffic

Pittsburgh Business Times

Jeremy Michalek

CMU's Jeremy Michalek and Orkun Karabasoglu analyzed the potential cost and greenhouse gas savings of hybrid and electric vehicles under different driving conditions. More »


June 9, 2013

Jared L. Cohon / The way forward on shale

Pittsburgh Post Gazette

CMU President Jared L. Cohon wrote an opinion article regarding the responsible production of shale gas. Cohon is a member of the board of directors for the Center for Sustainable Shale Gas Development, an organization founded by energy companies and environmental groups to reduce the environmental impacts of natural gas production by hydraulic fracturing. More »


June 5, 2013

Meet Carnegie Mellon's Zico Kolter

Pop City Media

Zico Kolter

This article features research conducted by CMU's Zico Kolter that examines the amount of energy consumers use daily. More »


May 27, 2013

Industry giant GE aims to improve fracking

The Wall Street Journal

Jay Whitacre

CMU energy expert Neil Donahue comments on the technical issues around hydraulic fracking that GE may be able to address. More »


May 19, 2013

Number of Women Landing Jobs in Oil, Gas Industry Growing

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Following a panel discussion held on CMU's Pittsburgh campus about energy industry jobs, CMU's Granger Morgan is quoted discussing the growing number of women working in the oil and gas industry. More »


May 10, 2013

Carnegie Mellon Releases Policymaker Guide On Managing Variable Energy Resources

cmu.edu

Renewable Energy Guide

CMU's Scott Institute for Energy Innovation released a new policymaker guide that provides recommendations for incorporating more variable energy resources — like wind — into the U.S. energy grid. The guide was released today at a Capitol Hill policy briefing. More » View the guide [.pdf] »


May 7, 2013

Good science, market savvy make for successful battery start-up

The State Journal

Jay Whitacre

Jay Whitacre is an associate professor of materials science and engineering at CMU. In his earlier career, he helped designed the battery system for the latest Mars rover. Now, in addition to his academic appointment, he is chief technology officer of Aquion Energy, a grid-scale battery company he founded in 2008. More »


April 4, 2013

Foundation Gives CMU $30 million for Energy Institute

Triblive.com

A $30 million grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation could help CMU find the next Jay Whitacre - an associate professor who developed a novel sodium-ion battery that can store power for later use in the electrical grid. More »


April 4, 2013

WESA: CMU Symposium Examines Implications of Shale Gas on Regional, US Economy

WESA

A recent symposium hosted by CMU's Scott Institute for Energy Innovation and the National Academy of Engineers examined the role of shale gas in manufacturing, transportation and the environment. More »

View the event's opening remarks and panel discussions on industrial developmentnatural gas for transportation and environmental impacts »


April 4, 2013

Carnegie Mellon Receives Gift From Richard King Mellon Foundation

cmu.edu

CMU has received a $30 million gift from the Richard King Mellon Foundation to dramatically expand its strategic initiative to address energy research, education and innovation. The gift — the largest private foundation grant in CMU’s history — will propel the Scott Institute to coordinate university-wide activities with the overall goals of improving energy efficiency and developing new, clean, affordable and sustainable
energy sources. More »


April 2, 2013

Bill Gates Invests in Aquion Energy

Businessweek.com

Aquion Energy Inc., founded by CMU faculty member Jay Whitacre, is developing batteries that can store power for stationary applications, like supplying backup electricity when wind or solar projects aren’t available. More »


March 27, 2013

The Truth About Geoengineering

ForeignAffairs.com

CMU energy experts M. Granger Morgan and Jay Apt co-authored this look at new developments in geoengineering, the deliberate and large-scale intervention in the earth’s climatic system with the aim of reducing global warming. More »


March 20, 2013

Energy firms, environmental groups agree on tough new fracking standards

NBC News

CMU President Jared L. Cohon has been named to the board of directors of the Center for Sustainable Shale Development (CSSD). The CSSD is a collaborative of environmental organizations, energy companies and foundations that will certify shale development performance standards for air and water protection. More »


March 12, 2013

Carnegie Mellon's Scott Institute Releases New Policymaker Guide

cmu.edu

Policymaker Guide

The Scott Institute released a policymaker guide to provide policymakers with a primer on shale gas development and an overview of CMU research results assessing the impact of shale gas development on water resources, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions and orphaned shale gas wells. More » View the guide [.pdf] »


March 11, 2013

CMU Among Winners In Energy Efficiency Competition

Pittsburgh Business Times

CMU was among the winners of the U.S. Department of Energy's second annual Better Buildings Case Competition, receiving the titles of Most Innovative and Best Proposal. More »


February 28, 2013

Seed Grants To Explore Technology, Policy Issues, Energy Efficiency and Sources

cmu.edu

CMU researchers from across the university have received the first round of seed grants from the Scott Institute to explore various research projects centered around energy. More »


February 18, 2013

Editorial: Hybrids Deserve Better

Pocono Record

This look at current policies for all-electric vs. hybrid electric cars cites findings from CMU professor and energy expert Jeremy Michalek. More »


February 15, 2013

NY Times: In New England, a Natural Gas Trap

NY Times

Jay Apt

Jay Apt, a CMU professor and energy expert, provides insights about New England's reliance on a single fuel source, rather than a diversified mix. More »


February 15, 2013

Honored for Energy Research

cmu.edu

Carnegie Mellon University's Michael E. McHenry will tour the world in 2013 giving more than 30 talks as a distinguished lecturer of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Magnetics Society. More »


February 1, 2013

Architecture Team Wins NSF Prize

cmu.edu

NSF Team

The CMU School of Architecture's Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics (CBPD) team has received the National Science Foundation's (NSF) 2013 Alexander Schwarzkopf Prize for Technological Innovation. The prize is especially significant because of greater awareness for building science and concerns related to energy consumption. More »


January 22, 2013

What Holds Energy Tech Back? The Infernal Battery

Yahoo! Finance

"If you crack it… it'll change the world," states Jay Whitacre, CMU energy expert and professor. Whitacre's comments are in regard to the infernal battery and its drawbacks for advancing a multitude of other technologies. More »


January 18, 2013

Overcharging Batteries Eyed in Boeing 787 Mishaps

TIME.com

Scott Institute

CMU professor and energy storage expert Jay Whitacre is quoted in this coverage of battery fires in Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplanes. More »


January 17, 2013

30 Under 30: CMU Student Honored

cmu.edu

Doctoral student Daniel Schnitzer was named among the "rising stars in the energy sector" by Forbes Magazine. His company, EarthSpark International, is distributing cheap solar-charged lamps and energy-efficient stoves and working to develop pay-as-you-go "micro-grid" electric systems in Haiti. More »


January 17, 2013

CMU Energy Expert Earns Prestigious National Science Foundation Career Award

cmu.edu

Carnegie Mellon's Gabriela Hug received the National Science Foundation Early Career Development Award, including a 5-year, grant to make the electric power grid more secure and flexible. More »


January 9, 2013

Carnegie Mellon Receives Funding From Eden Hall Foundation

cmu.edu

Scott Institute

Carnegie Mellon University has received a $2 million grant from the Eden Hall Foundation to expand its research capacity in a new building slated to house scholars focused on improving energy efficiency and developing novel sustainable energy sources.
More »


Other helpful links:

December 28, 2012

Hurricane Sandy Alters Utilities’ Calculus on Upgrades

The New York Times

Granger Morgan, director of CMU's Scott Institute, is quoted discussing the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and how it is affecting utility companies' cost-benefit calculations on prevention measures. More »


December 22, 2012

Study: Home Air Conditioning Cut Premature Deaths on Hot Days 80 Percent Since 1960

The Washington Post

CMU's Karen Clay co-authored a recent study examining human's adaptation to climate change. A major discovery points to both the effectiveness of residential air conditioning in decreasing heat-related mortality, and its role in proliferating the rate of climate change. More »


December 17, 2012

A Big, and Risky, Energy Bet

The New York Times 

Diesel Plant

This article discusses how more energy companies are planning to convert natural gas to other fuels. It references a 2008 CMU study that estimated plants in Qatar and Malaysia produced fuels that generated 20 to 25 percent more carbon emissions than conventional petroleum-based liquid fuels because the production process consumed so much energy. More »


December 14, 2012

U.S. DOE Reaches Out to Utilities with Cybersecurity Model

Energy Central

Carnegie Mellon University, the U.S. departments of Energy and Homeland Security and industry stakeholders have partnered on a new tool that allows electric utilities and power grid operators to assess their cybersecurity capabilities. More »


December 13, 2012

Clean Coal Expertise

cmu.edu

Ed Rubin

Ed Rubin, a professor of Environmental Engineering and Science, Engineering and Public Policy and Mechanical Engineering, discusses whether clean coal is an oxymoron or a path to sustainability. More »


December 3, 2012

Disaster Economics

The New Yorker

CMU research is cited, detailing that average annual power outages in the United States last four times as long as those in France and seven times as long as those in the Netherlands. More »


November 23, 2012

CMU Solar Boaters Awarded Research Grant

Nanowerk

Solar Boat

CMU's Solar Splash team received a $40,000 grant from Constellation Energy for their research under way to develop a competitive solar powered 18-foot-long racing boat. More »


November 21, 2012

International: Warming Up

The Economist

Earth

The Economist cites Carnegie Mellon University research on increased carbon dioxide levels and global warming. More »


November 16, 2012

Sustainable Architecture

cmu.edu

Stephen Lee

Stephen Lee, professor and head of CMU's School of Architecture, recently advised a multi-disciplinary team of students who won the Best Proposal for the U.S. Department of Energy's Competition to Promote Energy-Efficient Buildings. More »


November 14, 2012

U.S. Power Grid Vulnerable to Terrorist Attack

USA Today

Power Tower

CMU's Granger Morgan chaired the National Research Council committee that studied vulnerabilities of the U.S. power grid. The report focuses on measures that could make the power delivery system less vulnerable to attack and restore power faster. More »


November 11, 2012

Power Supply: Batteries Required

Financial Times

Jay Whitacre

Energy storage continues to be a hot topic for researchers globally. CMU Professor Jay Whitacre, founder of Aquion Energy, creates solutions with hybrid batteries. More » (Note the Financial Times website requires registration.)


November 9, 2012

Pollution Perhaps Linked to Gas Drilling Vanishing

The Wall Street Journal

Jeanne VanBriesen

CMU researchers have found that a water quality problem in Pennsylvania's Monongahela River is going away. CMU Professor Jeanne VanBriesen, director of the Center for Water Quality in Urban Environmental Systems (Water-QUEST), weighs in. More »


October 27, 2012

Giant Holes in the Ground

MIT Technology Review

Nuclear Plant

Carnegie Mellon's Jay Apt discusses the current state of nuclear power. More »


October 23, 2012

Gas Glut May be Good for Cracker Plant

Timesonline

Bryan Routledge, a professor of finance at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, explains some of the factors in natural gas vs. oil prices for a cracker plant being planned near Pittsburgh by Shell Chemical Co. More »


October 20, 2012

Reports: Marcellus Reserves Larger than Expected

The Wall Street Journal

New reports show the Marcellus Shale natural gas reserves below parts of the eastern U.S. are far larger than recent government estimates. Jay Apt, Carnegie Mellon Professor of Technology, weighs in on the economic outlook these new reports pose. More »


October 19, 2012

Carnegie Mellon's Lorenz T. Biegler To Chair AICHE Conference

cmu.edu

Larry Biegler

CMU Professor of Chemical Engineering, Lorenz (Larry) Biegler, is chairing the annual American Institute of Chemical Engineers Conference. The conference will showcase research about energy, the environment and health-care. Andrew Gellman, Associate Director of the Scott Institute, discusses the positive impact the meeting will have on the region. More »


October 18, 2012

Pittsburgh Positioned As Center for Energy Transition

Keystone Edge

Christina Gabriel

Christina Gabriel, former CMU vice provost, discusses the positive impact the Scott Institute will have on the region's energy research. Granger Morgan, director of the Scott Institute, describes the institute's focus.  More »


October 15, 2012

Optimizing Renewable Energy

cmu.edu

Jay Apt

In well over half the U.S., legislatures have required that an increasing percentage of electric power be generated by renewables — like solar and wind power. CMU professor of Engineering and Public Policy Jay Apt details the importance of renewable resource integration into the U.S. electricity grid.  More »


October 9, 2012

CMU Finds Greenhouse Gas Reductions Overestimated

cmu.edu

Smoke Stack

CMU researchers have discovered that reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are likely overestimated when transitioning from coal to natural gas for electricity generation.  More »


October 1, 2012

Power Brokers

Carnegie Mellon Today

Electrical Wires

Energy research at CMU spans university wide: Chemical engineers develop fuel cells for automobiles. Materials scientists create innovative substances to capture carbon dioxide from power plant exhaust streams. Architects design energy-efficient buildings and control systems. Engineering and public policy researchers develop analytic tools to help policymakers. More »


September 25, 2012

CMU Develops High-tech Traffic Signal System

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Cars at intersection

Researchers from CMU have developed a first-of-its-kind traffic signal technology that automatically adjusts and coordinates signal timing. The results show strong promise for reducing vehicle emissions and commuting times.  More »


September 21, 2012

Pittsburgh Region Emerges as U.S. Leader in Energy

Site Selection Online

Pittsburgh

Site Selection Magazine profiles Pittsburgh, Pa., as a new hub for energy. More »


September 20, 2012

CMU Announces Scott Institute

cmu.edu

Scott Institute Watercolor

The Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation is a university-wide initiative to meet the challenges of the global energy landscape. The Scott Institute will be housed in the Sherman and Joyce Bowie Scott Hall, which is currently under construction on CMU's Pittsburgh campus. More »


September 17, 2012

How Cities Should Manage Blackouts

The Wall Street Journal

City Silhouette

Jay Apt, professor at the CMU Tepper School of Business and Department of Engineering and Public Policy, offers basic steps to help cities deal with power outages. More »


July 10, 2012

News Brief: Grid Outages Prompt CMU Professors to Rethink Sustainable Solutions

cmu.edu

A cache of summer grid outages from storms and intense heat prompted some savvy Carnegie Mellon researchers to explore ways of rethinking the solution to sustaining electric power even when the high voltage grid is crippled. More »


May 18, 2012

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Engineering Researchers Find Geography Plays Key Role in Emission Benefits of Renewables, Energy Efficiency Measures

cmu.edu

A new report by Carnegie Mellon University researchers finds significant regional differences in the emission benefits of renewable and energy efficiency measures. More »


May 9, 2012

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Engineering Student Volunteers To Make Remote India School More Sustainable

cmu.edu

India Solar Panels

Three Carnegie Mellon University engineering students will travel more than 14,000 miles roundtrip this summer to put solar panels on a grade school in northern India. More »


April 12, 2012

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon University Purchases 100 Percent of its Energy From Wind Power

cmu.edu

Windmills

Carnegie Mellon University has announced that it will purchase green power to offset 100 percent of the university's electric consumption for 2012. More »


March 7, 2012

Carnegie Mellon University Students Win Competition That Promotes Energy-Efficient Buildings

cmu.edu

Building Challenge Group Photo

A team of Carnegie Mellon University graduate students have won “best proposal” in the U.S. Energy Department’s 2012 Better Building Challenge, a prestigious national competition that challenges college students to develop novel solutions to boost energy-efficiency of buildings nationwide. More »

December 1, 2011

Press Release: CMU's Jonathan Cagan Launches New Course To Help Identify Future Technology-Based Products for Industry and Society

Student Innovators

For every Thomas Edison or Steve Jobs, a thousand innovators vanish into obscurity. Thanks to Carnegie Mellon University Mechanical Engineering Professor Jonathan Cagan, a handful of creative student innovators are getting their moment in the sun. More »


October 31, 2011

News Brief: CMU Startup Aquion Receives World Technology Award

Greenlighting Startups

Aquion Energy, a Carnegie Mellon University startup, received the 2011 World Technology Award in Energy for its work in creating a safe, reliable and affordable way to store energy. Aquion was recognized over more than 40 other nominees, including General Electric, First Solar and 1366 Technologies. More »


June 17, 2011

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Engineering Professors Create World's Smallest Fuel Cell Powered By Biology

Carnegie Mellon University's Kelvin B. Gregory and Philip R. LeDuc have created the world's smallest fuel cell powered by bacteria. Future versions of the biology-powered fuel cell could be used for self-powered sensing devices in remote locations where batteries are impractical, such as deep ocean or geological environments. More »


April 26, 2011

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Engineering Students Weigh Costs of Energy Supply Accidents; Class Finds Lack of Data Underestimates Risks In U.S. Energy Supply Chain

The national cost of energy supply accidents over the past decade are estimated to exceed $50 billion, mostly from oil spills and electric power outages. But a lack of critical data on the full scope of energy supply accidents make it impossible to quantify all the costs. More »


March 17, 2011

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Researchers Study Impact Hybrid Cars Have on Global Environment

Every major U.S. automaker will have a hybrid vehicle model available on the market by 2012, and a few of these models will be plug-in electric hybrids. As crude oil prices spike past $100 a barrel, Carnegie Mellon University researchers are studying how increased reliance on vehicles powered by electricity will impact the environment. More »


January 20, 2011

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon's Shawn Litster Earns NSF Career Young Investigator Award for Energy Research

Shawn Litster

Carnegie Mellon University's Shawn Litster was awarded a $400,000 Career Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to pursue fuel cell and lithium-ion battery research. More »

December 7, 2010

Press Release: CMU's Ines Lima Azevedo Will Lead New Center To Develop Strategies Improving Climate and Energy Decision Making

Azevedo

Uncertainty is a part of life. But a new center at Carnegie Mellon University will help consumers and industry better handle those doubts when it comes to issues involving global climate change and energy. The Center for Climate and Energy Decision Making will develop and implement strategies for protecting everything from fragile marine ecosystems to curbing dangerous carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation. More »


November 4, 2010

Press Release: CMU's Daniel Schnitzer Honored for Developing Clean Energy Solutions in Haiti

Daniel Schnitzer

The second-year Ph.D. student in Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Engineering and Public Policy, and co-founder and executive director of EarthSpark International was recently recognized for his efforts by President Bill Clinton's Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), which convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges. More »


November 1, 2010

Press Release: CMU's Mario Bergés Unveils New System For Monitoring Consumer Electricity Use

Mario

Research by Carnegie Mellon University's Mario Bergés found that households could continuously audit their electricity consumption and reduce energy costs by leveraging a method to monitor appliance-level power consumption from a single whole-house meter. More »


October 21, 2010

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Honored With EPA's Green Power Leadership Award

Green Power Altschul

University Ranks Among Top 10 Purchasers of Renewable Energy in U.S. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has honored Carnegie Mellon University with its 2010 Green Power Leadership Award. More »


September 30, 2010

Press Release: CMU's College of Engineering Launches Leadership Speaker Series With Westinghouse Electric Company CEO and Alumnus Aris Candris

Candris

Carnegie Mellon University's top-ranked College of Engineering launches a new Leadership Speaker Series Oct. 11 by hosting Westinghouse Electric Company CEO Aris Candris, who will discuss the role of nuclear power in today's energy-constrained world. Candris will speak at 5 p.m. in Porter Hall 100. More »


September 24, 2010

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Launches Professional Master's Degree Program in Energy Science, Technology and Policy

Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering, a global leader in environmental and sustainable engineering, has launched an innovative new graduate program producing tomorrow's energy leaders, who will engineer new energy technologies to improve efficiency, reduce environmental harm, increase sustainable power sources and build new infrastructure for distribution. Graduates of this new program will be highly sought after by energy companies around the world. More »


August 30, 2010

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Joins Research Consortium To Pioneer New Energy Efficient Building Designs for DOE

Carnegie Mellon University is part of a team that will receive up to $122 million over the next five years from the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish an Energy Innovation Hub focused on developing technologies to make buildings more energy efficient. More »


August 12, 2010

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon's Steinbrenner Institute Helps Heritage Community Initiatives Grow Green Collar Jobs

Carnegie Mellon University's Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education and Research is helping Heritage Community Initiatives in Braddock, Pa., to retrain local workers to create a pool of green collar employees and boost both local economic growth and energy efficiency. More »


July 14, 2010

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Partners With Semiconductor Research Corporation To Bring More Energy Efficient Systems and Technologies to Marketplace

Carnegie Mellon University will host a new Smart Grid Research Center as part of a $5 million industry-academic partnership with the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), the world's leading university-industry research consortium for semiconductors and related technologies. More »


May 20, 2010

News Blog: LEEDing the Way

Aurora L. Sharrard, director of innovation for the Green Building Alliance, will present Carnegie Mellon with a Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) plaque for the recently renovated Porter Hall. The "green" renovation project, completed in summer 2008, included the the creation of a 3,200-square-foot second floor above the auditorium, and the restoration of the building exterior and windows outside the lecture hall. The new space above the auditorium houses the Information Systems Program in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. More »


May 13, 2010

News Blog: Green Task Force on Transportation Makes Recommendations

Second Nature

Second Nature's National Transportation Policy Task Force of 15 college and university presidents is recommending major changes in transportation policy to advance clean energy goals, reduce dependence on foreign oil, build healthy communities, create jobs and assure global competitiveness. More »


May 13, 2010

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Unveils New Classroom Study Tracing Environmental And Social Footprint of Pittsburgh Region From 1900 to 2050

Carnegie Mellon University researchers and students have unveiled a new study that found Allegheny County has seen an almost 20 percent decrease in total energy consumption and a 33 percent decrease in total carbon dioxide emissions since 1970, solely due to the collapse of the iron and steel industry in the area. More »


January 28, 2010

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon's John Kitchin Receives Early Career Award For Ongoing Research in Clean Energy and Energy Storage Applications

Carnegie Mellon University's John Kitchin was awarded a five-year $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop new materials for producing hydrogen and oxygen from water using electrochemistry. More »


January 25, 2010

Press Release: EPA Recognizes Carnegie Mellon Among Nation's Top 50 Green Power Purchasers

Carnegie Mellon University has increased its ranking to No. 41 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Top 50 List of green power purchasers. The top 50 represents leaders from a wide variety of organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, local, state and federal governments, and colleges and universities. More »


January 19, 2010

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon and Intel Collaborate To Improve Energy Costs and Efficiency in Chip Making

McHenry-Lab

Carnegie Mellon University and Intel Corporation will unveil a new class of materials called solder magnetic nanocomposites that could help streamline the process of computer electronic packaging. The milestone research will be discussed at the 11th annual Magnetism and Magnetics Materials Conference Jan. 18-22 at the Marriott Washington Wardman Park in Washington, D.C. More »

December 10, 2009

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Environmental Scholars To Attend Student Workshops Shadowing Copenhagen Conference

Copenhagen Delegation

Carnegie Mellon University's Vanessa Schweizer, Justin Parisi and Mike Blackhurst will attend a student workshop to discuss how universities can do their part to remedy the world's climate woes Dec. 13-14 at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. More »


November 24, 2009

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Receives Funding From Energy Department To Improve Energy Storage Technologies for Fragile U.S. Power Grid

Carnegie Mellon University's Jay Whitacre is the primary technical investigator for one of 16 awards from the U.S. Department of Energy in support of energy storage technologies that will allow for expanded integration of renewable energy resources for the U.S. power grid. More »


July 2009

Carnegie Mellon Today: The Last Word

Douglas King

Lately, a lot of friends and family have asked, "How is your job—are you starving for work?" See, I work in the green homebuilding world, and the slowdown in the housing sector is widely publicized. Although it's definitely true that the industry at large is struggling, my response to this question is enthusiastic and honest: "I'm doing great!" More »


June 9, 2009

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Engineering and Public Policy Researchers Unveil Groundbreaking Solutions for Energy-Efficient Lighting

A study by Carnegie Mellon University researchers argues that new lighting technologies can be a key player in the portfolio of strategies needed to promote energy efficiency and to help reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. More »


April 2009

Carnegie Mellon Today: The Green Chemist

The chemical industry is about 150 years old and, undeniably, it has brought the world enormous benefits. But sometimes there is a price. Unforeseen adverse health and environmental effects can show up decades after a chemical has been commercialized. Enter Carnegie Mellon's Terry Collins who is developing real-world solutions. More »


March 16, 2009

Press Release: $150K Starter Kit Grant

Rendell

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell presented Carnegie Mellon with $150,000 from Pennsylvania's Keystone Innovation Starter Kit program to recruit a faculty member in the area of modern energy systems and information technology. More »


Marh 11, 2009

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon's Marija Ilic Heads Electric Energy Systems Group Dedicated To Improving the Nation's Aging Power Grid

Smart Grid

Carnegie Mellon University's Marija Ilic is leading a team of researchers dedicated to powering up a new smart energy grid project for the future. More »


March 4, 2009

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon and APC by Schneider Electric Announce Three Fellowship Recipients in Data Center Efficiency Research

Three Carnegie Mellon University students will be awarded APC Fellowships for Data Center Efficiency Research during a program from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, March 5 at the Collaborative Innovation Center at 4720 Forbes Ave. More »


March 3, 2009

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Study Finds Shopping Online Results in Less Environmental Impact

A new study by Carnegie Mellon University's Green Design Institute found that shopping online via Buy.com's e-commerce model reduces environmental impact with 35 percent less energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions than what is produced in the traditional retail shopping model. More »

September 18, 2008

Press Release: Duke To Lead New NSF, EPA Funded Center To Study Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have awarded $14.4 million to create the Center for Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology (CEINT) to explore the potential ecological hazards of nanoparticles. The new center will be directed by Duke University's Mark Wiesner and co-directed by Carnegie Mellon University's Gregory V. Lowry. More »


July 29, 2008

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Researcher Says China's Growing Export Trade Fuels Climate Change Problems

Olympics Logo 2008

Carnegie Mellon University's Christopher L. Weber argues that China's new title as the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter is at least partly due to consumption of Chinese goods in the West. More »


June 13, 2008

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon's Ed Rubin Urges Congressional Leaders To Approve Legislation Designed To Accelerate Carbon Storage Technologies

Carnegie Mellon University Professor Edward S. Rubin is urging Congress to approve newly proposed legislation designed to fund pioneering technologies that can trap and store carbon dioxide emissions deep underground - a vital measure needed to control global climate change. More »


May 28, 2008

Press Release: Establishing a Price for Carbon Emissions in the U.S. Would Spur Immediate Reductions in Energy Consumption and More Efficient Use of Power Generators, Study by Carnegie Mellon Researchers Shows

As recent judicial, political and industry developments appear to continue to move the United States toward a mandatory price for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, new analysis by Carnegie Mellon University researchers provides the clearest picture yet of the possible short-term effects of establishing such a cost. The research, published recently by Environmental Science & Technology, suggests that even a modest price would, almost immediately, result in up to 10 percent reductions in emission levels by prompting changes in both power company investments and consumer behavior. More »


April 2008

Carnegie Mellon Today: Chemical Cleanup

The brainchild of Carnegie Mellon’s pioneering green chemistry guru, Terry Collins, Fe-TAML activators have wide-ranging applications, from decontaminating biological weapons, to cleaning the water we use to wash and drink, to reducing or eliminating toxic residue produced by major industries. More »


March 6, 2008

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Conference Focuses On Future Energy Systems, Nation's Overtaxed Power Grid

Coming on the heels of the recent massive blackout in Florida which left millions without power, the fourth annual Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Conference is dedicated to finding cheaper and more reliable ways to deliver electricity to customers in an era where the nation's power grid is overtaxed with ever greater demand. More »


March 25, 2008

Press Release: Three-University Consortium Receives Funding For Fossil Energy Research

A consortium of three universities — Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University — will receive up to $26 million in funding over the next two years to develop clean and efficient technologies for the use of fossil fuels. The results of its work could reduce regional as well as national dependence on foreign oil. More »


February 5, 2008

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Mechanical Engineer Wins National Science Foundation Early Career Award

Jeremy J. Michalek

Carnegie Mellon University's Jeremy J. Michalek has received the National Science Foundation's most prestigious honor for new faculty members, the Faculty Early Career Development Award. More »


February 7, 2008

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Receives $1.85 Million Research Grant To Accelerate Safe Development of Clean Energy Technologies

Carnegie Mellon University's M. Granger Morgan will lead a team of investigators from Carnegie Mellon, the University of Minnesota, the Vermont Law School and the Washington, D.C.-based energy law firm Van Ness Feldman to develop and promote a regulatory structure for the safe and economical capture, transport and deep geological sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the United States. More »

December 07, 2007

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Intelligent Workplace Celebrates 10th Anniversary, Dec. 11-12

The two-day conference will focus on the future of energy generation and the built environment, with a special emphasis on energy conservation, renewable energy and its impact on health and productivity. The conference is being held in Phipps Conservatory Dec. 11 and at the IW Dec. 12. More »


November 20, 2007

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Engineering Students Win Prestigious Contest Designed To Challenge Presidential Candidates On Energy and Sustainability Issues

TEAMS

Carnegie Mellon University graduate engineering students Shahzeen Attari, Ines Margarida Lima de Azevedo, Benjamin Flath and Constantine Samaras are first-place winners in a letter-writing competition called "Tomorrow's Energy Ambassadors, Managers and Scholars" (TEAMS). More »


August 22, 2007

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Researchers Urge U.S. Officials To Study Indirect Impacts of Fossil Fuels That May Limit Future Energy Alternatives

Steel Plant

A team of Carnegie Mellon University researchers report that the choices U.S. officials make today could limit how the nation's future energy needs are met and could cost consumers billions in idle power plants and associated infrastructure systems. More »


May 31, 2007

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Properties on South Craig Street Cited for Efficiency, Sustainability, Green Design

Solar Panels on Craig

Carnegie Mellon University buildings at 300 and 407 S. Craig Street have received Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for their energy efficiency, sustainability and use of green design principles during recent renovation projects. More »


April 2007

Carnegie Mellon Today: Cool Ideas

Iceberg

Granger Morgan, professor and head of Carnegie Mellon's Department of Engineering and Public Policy (EPP), uses extreme scenarios as a backdrop for a qualifying exam for doctoral students in EPP. The students, playing analysts, were charged with exploring various options for helping a hypothetical Miami real estate holding company to chart a future course based on a "worst case" of such a sea level rise. More »


March 14, 2007

Press Release: Tepper School Alum Discusses Sustainable Technology in New Podcast

Business and profits are powerful forces. In a new podcast from Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, alumnus Sarosh Kumana (MSIA, 1977) discusses how these forces combine with sustainable technologies to help solve significant problems like those associated with climate change, pollution and diminishing resources. More »


February 9, 2007

Press Release: Sustainable Technology Award Added to McGinnis Venture Competition at Tepper School

A new Sustainable Technology Award has been added to the 2007 McGinnis Venture Competition at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, joining the Technology and Life Sciences awards at the prestigious international business plan competition. Hosted by the Donald H. Jones Center for Entrepreneurship at the Tepper School, the 2007 McGinnis Venture Competition will be held March 15–17. More »


Janurary 26, 2007

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Engineers Devise New Process To Improve Energy Efficiency of Ethanol Production

Carnegie Mellon University chemical engineers have devised a new process that can improve the efficiency of ethanol production, a major component in making biofuels a significant part of the U.S. energy supply. More »

November 17, 2006

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon's Granger Morgan Pens Op-Ed Demanding Cubrs on CO2 Emissions

Carnegie Mellon University international engineering and environmental policy expert M. Granger Morgan is challenging U.S. federal and state officials to take the lead in eliminating dangerous carbon dioxide emissions that fuel global warming. More »


June 2006

Carnegie Mellon Today: Carnegie Mellon Researchers Say Solution to America's Energy Crisis Could be Found Down at the Farm

Carnegie Mellon University researchers say the use of switchgrass, a perennial tall grass used as forage for livestock, could help break U.S. dependence on fossil fuels and curb costly transportation costs. More »


August 2005

Carnegie Mellon Today: Researchers Say Coal Can Power Electricity Plants With Clean, Cost-Effective Results

After 25 years on the blacklist of America’s energy sources, coal is poised to make a comeback. So say Carnegie Mellon researchers Granger Morgan, Jay Apt and Lester Lave in their recent report to federal officials admonishing electricity companies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and to spend at least one percent of their value added on research. More »


July 2005

Carnegie Mellon Today: Solar Energy Helps Power Campus Facility

Can solar power work in Pittsburgh, where cloudy days outnumber sunny days by five to one? Carnegie Mellon University and its School of Computer Science (SCS) are counting on it. More »


September 2004

Carneige Mellon Today: Carnegie Mellon's Top 10 Environmental Initiatives

Various Carnegie Mellon faculty and staff have compiled a list of initiatives to alleviate toxic impacts on the environment. More »


September 2004

Green Dorm

Carnegie Mellon Today: Green and Turning Greener

Carnegie Mellon finds itself in a unique position to address the problem. It’s led by a university president renowned for his work in environmental water systems. And it has strengths in areas across campus that can have a direct impact on the environment. More »