Every possible energy source exists within 100 miles of West Virginia University’s Morgantown campus, so it only makes sense that the University explores a variety of sustainable ways to heat and cool some 250 buildings on nearly 2,000 acres. And in keeping with its “Go First” motto, WVU could become home to the first geothermal direct-use heating and cooling system in the eastern United States.
Exciting start-up companies pitching new energy technologies developed by regional innovators will be on hand at the 2017 TransTech Energy Business Development Conference Oct. 24-25 at the Hilton Garden Inn-Southpointe near Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.
With a national reputation as a leader in rare earth extraction research, West Virginia University is poised to take another step in developing a domestic supply of rare earth minerals which are critical to national defense and U.S. economic security.
Representatives from more than 15 countries will head to West Virginia University Sept. 17-19 for the 49th annual North American Power Symposium at the Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place. NAPS provides an international forum for participants from academia and industry to present their research and development in power and energy with special attention to the latest advances and challenges in power and energy technologies.
West Virginia University biologists are part of a $40 million Department of Energy effort to create sustainable, cost-effective bioproducts through four new bioenergy research centers.
It is no secret that the region around West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio has abundant natural gas resources, but can the three states uncover the keys to turning those resources into economic growth? West Virginia University-led research may have some of the answers.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory has selected West Virginia University to move forward with its program to extract valuable rare earth elements, vital to the technology industry, from coal mining by-products. Phase two of the WVU project – which includes $3.38 million of federal and industry funding – will demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of extracting rare earth elements from acid mine drainage, or AMD.
A new study published today (August 23) in the Journal of Air and Waste Management Association builds upon recent heavy-duty natural gas vehicle methane emission measurements to model methane emissions from a future, much larger vehicle fleet. This study, conducted by researchers at West Virginia University’s Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines, and Emissions, comes as the price of natural gas has decreased, leading to interest in natural gas as a cleaner replacement for diesel in heavy-duty vehicles.
An award from the National Science Foundation will allow a researcher from West Virginia University to better predict greenhouse gases and carbon storage under rising temperatures and changing environments.
One of the biggest factors hampering the growth of renewable energy is storage. Sun and wind are intermittent and dependent on geography, requiring energy storage and transportation. Batteries are a means of addressing the storage problem, but they have a low-energy density, and are relatively expensive and difficult to transport. A researcher at West Virginia University will be investigating one possible alternative that could potentially create a route to “green” hydrocarbons.