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Strategic Energy Initiatives at Virginia Tech

Strategic Energy Initiatives at Virginia Tech. Donald J. Leo Special Assistant for Energy Initiatives, VP for Research Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies, College of Engineering Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department. Energy Viewpoints 1…. Energy Viewpoints 2….

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Strategic Energy Initiatives at Virginia Tech

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  1. StrategicEnergy Initiatives at Virginia Tech Donald J. Leo Special Assistant for Energy Initiatives, VP for Research Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies, College of Engineering Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department

  2. Energy Viewpoints 1…

  3. Energy Viewpoints 2…

  4. General Comment…

  5. Goals • Learn the core strengths of Virginia Tech energy research • Understand our recent initiatives in renewable energy, smart grid technology, and nuclear energy research and education. • Learn how local businesses can work with VT on energy research

  6. Virginia Tech – At a Glance

  7. Strategic Plan Focus Areas Energy, Materials, and the Environment Discovery Domain Health, Food, and Nutrition Social and Individual Transformation Innovative Technologies and Complex Systems

  8. Virginia Tech has a holistic approach to energy initiatives… Research Engagement Education Operations/ Governance

  9. Research Dr. Roe-Hoan Yoon Director, CAST NAE Member Advanced separation technologies Dr. John Randolph Professor and Chair Urban Affairs and Planning Sustainable Construction Dr. Harold Burkhart University Distinguished Professor Department of Forestry Sustainable Forestry for Bioenergy Production

  10. Research Dr. Fred Lee University Distinguished Professor Director, Center for Power Electronic Systems Efficient Power Electronics Dr. Foster Agblevor Biological Systems Engineering Biomass Conversion for Energy Production Dr. Richard Hirsh / Dr. Irene Leech Consortium on Energy Restructuring

  11. Goals • Learn the core strengths of Virginia Tech energy research • Understand our recent initiatives in renewable energy, smart grid technology, and nuclear energy research and education. • Learn how local businesses can work with VT on energy research

  12. Virginia Tech Initiatives • Local • Regional • State • National / International

  13. Local Initiatives • Virginia Tech has developed a Sustainability Office to coordinate campus sustainability efforts http://www.facilities.vt.edu/sustainability/http://www.facilities.vt.edu/sustainability/ • The Sustainability Endowments Institute rated Virginia Tech a B- overall in their 2008 survey, an increase in 1 full letter grade from the year before. • “A” in Transportation, Student Involvement, and Investment • “B” in Food and Recycling and Green Building

  14. Local Initiatives • Virginia Tech recently released a detailed Climate Action Plan that is currently under consideration by University Administration. • A synopsis of the plan can be found at • http://www.gsa.uusa.vt.edu/cabinet_reports/Energy_&_Sustainability_Plan.pdf • The plan calls for an integrated effort to “incorporate sustainability into the fabric of the university”

  15. Local Initiatives http://www.gsa.uusa.vt.edu/cabinet_reports/Energy_&_Sustainability_Plan.pdf

  16. Local Initiatives • Dr. John Randolph also led the “Sustainable Blacksburg” effort that quantified energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions in the Town.

  17. Local Initiatives • The VP for Research at Virginia Tech has funded three local projects to promote community engagement through the Community Action Grant for Energy Research program. • Members of the Conservation Management Institute (CMI) for a feasibility study on converting the Catawba State Hospital oil-fired furnace to biomass. • John Randolph for a project to help develop a final Blacksburg climate action plan and pilot residential energy assessment program. • David Dillard and Cortney Martin for a project to demonstrate the feasibility of micro wind–based net metering for Southwest Virginia.

  18. Local Initiatives • Virginia Tech is also investigating the development of a local ‘pilot plant’ facility to transition research-scale bioenergy technologies to pilot demonstrations.

  19. Regional Initiatives • Virginia Tech has significant investment in Southside, VA to promote transformative economic development opportunities

  20. Regional Initiatives • The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research located in Danville is providing a link between Virginia Tech and the Southside region.

  21. Regional Initiatives • The Tobacco Commission has invested > $30M in the development of 5 regional centers for energy R and D Bedford Nuclear Wise & Abingdon Fossil Fuels Halifax Wind Danville Biofuels

  22. Regional Initiatives • Working closely with all of the Tobacco Commission R and D centers. • The Tobacco Commission has dedicated ~$100M for energy related R and D in the coming years.

  23. Regional Initiatives • Virginia Tech is also working closely with the Chesapeake Crescent Initiative in the areas of green jobs initiatives and grid technology. • Virginia Tech researchers in the National Capital Region are working on urban sustainability initiatives and renewable energy initiatives through the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium.

  24. National Initiatives • Preparing to bid on a large project to manage a government energy lab. • Responding to the significant increased in DOE initiatives related to federal stimulus funds.

  25. National Initiatives • In the past three months the VP for Research Office has initiated focus projects in three technology areas: • Smart Grid Technology • Nuclear Energy • Renewable Energy

  26. National Initiatives • We are currently using a federal solicitation from the National Science Foundation as a means of promoting an integrated strategy for energy research in these areas: Energy Systems for a Sustainable Future To sustain the U.S. economy and the environment, an ERC funded in this area would focus on providing transformational engineered systems that would enable households, communities, and/or regions to function more effectively with a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy sources that are used to conserve energy and reduce the impact on the environment.

  27. International Reach… • April 13, 2009, Blacksburg, VA An engineering student design team at Virginia Tech is creating a photovoltaic system to provide a medical clinic in Kenya with a desperately needed source of power. • Center for Advanced Separation Technologies is working with the State Dept to develop advanced energy technologies in India. • In 2009 Virginia Tech will participate in the international Solar Decathlon event.

  28. Goals • Learn the core strengths of Virginia Tech energy research • Understand our recent initiatives in renewable energy, smart grid technology, and nuclear energy research and education. • Learn how local businesses can work with VT on energy research

  29. How can we work together? • Local / Regional Initiatives • Opportunities related to our national initiatives in smart grid, nuclear, and renewable energy technologies.

  30. Point of Contact Don Leo donleo@vt.edu 540-231-9171 Energy @ VT http://www.research.vt.edu/energy/

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