Energy Innovation Hubs: A Home for Scientific Collaboration

Secretary Chu will host a live, streaming Q&A session with the directors of the Energy Innovation Hubs on Tuesday, March 6, at 2:15 p.m. EST. The directors will be available for questions regarding their teams' work and the future of American energy.


Dr. Hank Foley is the director of the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy-Efficient Buildings, which is pioneering new data intensive techniques for designing and operating energy efficient buildings, including advanced computer modeling.

Dr. Douglas Kothe is the director of the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors, which uses powerful supercomputers to create "virtual" reactors that will help improve the safety and performance of both existing and new nuclear reactors.

Dr. Nathan Lewis is the director of the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, which focuses on how to produce fuels from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.

The Energy Innovation Hubs are major integrated research centers, with researchers from many different institutions and technical backgrounds. Each hub is focused on a specific high priority goal, rapidly accelerating scientific discoveries and shortening the path from laboratory innovation to technological development and commercial deployment of critical energy technologies.


The Energy Innovation Hubs are major integrated research centers, with researchers from many different institutions and technical backgrounds. Each Hub is focused on a specific high priority goal, rapidly accelerating scientific discoveries and shortening the path from laboratory innovation to technological development and commercial deployment of critical energy technologies.

Dr. Hank Holey is the director of the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy-Efficient Buildings, which is pioneering new data intensive techniques for designing and operating energy efficient buildings, including advanced computer modeling.

Dr. Douglas Kothe is the director of the Modeling and Simulation for Nuclear Reactors Hub, which uses powerful supercomputers to create "virtual" reactors that will help improve the safety and performance of both existing and new nuclear reactors.

Dr. Nathan Lewis is the director of the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis Hub, which focuses on how to produce biofuels from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.

[PatriciaBottero]

Re: New nuclear power plants and with a working assumption that catastrophic risks are fully mitigated: 1) What is the solution to dispose of both existing and future nuclear waste? 2) In whose backyard will nuclear waste be stored and power plants built? 3) Assuming we invest in a power plant today to be completed by 2030. How much more than solar, as a base example, will it cost per year including interests on capital to ramp up the production for each GW of electricity produced in 18 years?

[KurumaKid]

I have a question. I have a potential idea that could give automobiles up to possibly 200 mpg. I'm really confident that it will work, but I can't test it because of costs, and I can't inform you about too much because of patenting. But is it possible that I could receive funding from DOE or the US government like with the Chevy Volt and Fisker Karma? Thank you.

[Colin]

I have a question: How can you make the case that this administrations renewable energy policy has been anything but an absolute failure? The only people I know who are adding solar panels to their roofs are party insiders. They are adding those panels at a cost of $35K plus. Is that sustainable? I live in the Washington DC metropolitan corridor and there is absolutely no green energy training of any kind in the area.

[foundrydude]

Use of memory metals to power a dynamo employing only a spring and hot and cold water..I saw a demonstration of this years ago..and have seen nothing done with it..have the oil companies eliminated this 'free' source of tremendous energy?

[KurumaKid]

Well I actually don't have an question, but an answer. I truly do think my idea of hydrogen combustion is a great one, and I've done enough research that it has a 99% chance of working. The only thing keeping it from being 100% is of course testing it. I won't say it on here as I don't want anyone to copy off of it. I will say it may drastically increase the fuel mileage of automobiles, and boats. Maybe even planes if the technology can be developed in such a way.

[morgantheron]

When looking at your charts for oil production in the USA, I have seen something disturbing, after the 1960s these oil corporations have stopped producing about 1, 000 barrels per year. In fact we produced more oil during Reagan's term then in almost any year except for during the beginning of the oil industries, is there any plan for this Nation to reclaim it's Mineral Rights, so we can stop this export nonsense, use the 80% produced for export alone for US Consumption?

[wildee]

When will something be done to stop the hijacking of patents on free or very cheap energy, by corporations who stand to lose billions in profits? Isn't it in our national security to become energy independent? If Exxon goes out of business because we have no more use for oil, I am sure the world will be a better place for it, no more oil spills, no more gouging us at the gas pumps and free winter heat.