GCEP Experience in Attracting Breakthrough Research Proposals

Transcription

1 St University Global Climate & Energy Project November 12, 2005 GCEP Experience in Attracting Breakthrough Research Proposals Lynn Orr GCEP Workshop on Breakthrough Research Monterey, CA November 11-12, 2005

2 Outline Approach Current Status Comments on Experience 2

3 GCEP Approach Challenge the creativity academic investigators to to propose research to to enable globally significant reduction emissions greenhouse gas emissions from energy use Encourage technology researchers to to step out beyond incremental approaches Encourage science researchers to to step in into to align their efts with the challenge future energy 3

4 Step-Out Ideas Technology Option Technology Option Progress Previous Incremental Development Step back to to fundamentals Step-out Idea Continuing Scientific Slow Advance Progress to to Enable Via Business-As-Usual Development a Game-changing Technology in in Reduced Time Technology Challenge Present Time Time 4

5 Step-In from Science Scientific Progress Research in Fundamental Science Step-in to a technology application Technology Option Technology Option Opportunity a Scientific Advance to to Enable Development a Game-changing Technology Fundamental Principles Technology Challenge Level Application 5

6 GCEP Strategy Focus on on potential energy technologies that that may may be be gamechanging with with respect to to greenhouse gas gas emissions Encourage high high risk/high reward research Seek opportunities across a portfolio technical areas Address questions appropriate to to pre-commercial research that that may may have an an impact in in the the year year timeframe Use Use the the best best research talent available Make all all data, results, other inmation generated from from the the project open available to to all all Involve institutions from from countries with with potential high high levels future greenhouse gas gas emissions 6

7 Overall GCEP Approach The Low GHG Energy Challenge The Low GHG Energy Challenge Research Portfolio Research Portfolio Assessments Analysis Analysis Institution Institution Evaluations Evaluations Requests Requests Proposals Proposals Research Activities Research Research Project Project Selection Selection Technology Options Technology Options 7

8 Assessments Analysis Assess Assess technical areas areas opportunities fundamental research to to reduce reduce barriersto to technical solutions that that may may lead lead to to global global reductions in in greenhouse emissions :: Supported Supported by by literature literature studies studies workshops workshops Uses Uses available available expertise expertise in in the the field field Identifies Identifies active active research research groups groups inside inside outside outside St St Estimates Estimates magnitude magnitude funding funding allocation allocation appropriate appropriate to to the the area area Provides Provides guidance guidance to to developing developing calls calls proposals proposals to to reviewing reviewing proposals proposals received received Perm quantitative analysis potential improvements in in energy energy systems based based on on fundamental thermodynamics Exergy Exergyanalysis based based on on mass mass energy energy flow flow in in energy energy conversion conversion systems systems Estimate potential market market penetration overall overall impact impact on on global global greenhouse gas gas emissions Integrated Integrated assessment assessment based based on on a stochastic stochastic scenario scenario analysis analysis 8

9 Institution Evaluations RFPs Identify Identify appropriate external institutions by: by: Visits Visits lab lab tours tours by by GCEP GCEP leadership leadership Collaboration Collaboration with with St St PIs PIs Request proposals only only from from institutions that that meet meet specific specific criteria, criteria, e.g.: e.g.: Have Have demonstrated demonstrated ability ability to to perm perm high high quality quality science science gamechanginchanging research research Possess Possess expertise expertise that that is is complementary complementary to to expertise expertise in in its its existing existing game- portfolio portfolio not not available available at at St. St. Is Is an an academic academic institution institution able able to to create create a flow flow talented talented graduate graduate students students postdoctoral postdoctoral fellows fellows Encourage strong strong participation by by institutions located located in in developing countries with with anticipated large large future future GHG GHG emissions Issue Issue RFPs RFPstwice per per year year Invite Invite proposals proposals from from St St faculty faculty select select institutions institutions Address Address technical technical areas areas that that have have undergone undergone GCEP GCEP assessment assessment Include Include existing existing technical technical areas areas 9

10 Research Project Selection Select proposals that: that: Have Have a pathway significant reductions in in GHG GHG emissions Address barriers to to eventual use use energy energy technologies Are Are appropriate university-based, pre-commercial research Have the the potential to to produce a step-out or or game-changing breakthrough technology if if successful Follow a rigorous proposal review process utilizing applicable expertisethat that ensures technical integrity 10

11 Research Project Selection (cont.)

12 Research Grant Structure Research projects continue a three-year period Attempt to to keep reporting requirements overhead as as low low as as possible Provide environment maximum creativity Technical reports presentations at at a GCEP research symposium are are given once a year year Exploratory fast fast turnaround research grants up up to to $100K oneyeayear are are awarded to to investigators Allows Allows testing testing feasibility application potential step-out idea idea one- preliminary analysis to to support a detailed proposal 12

13 Where do we st? research projects in in five five technical areas areas at at St eight eight outside outside institutions Anticipated research commitment is is $37.5M out out to to Examined seven seven topics topics in in five five technical areas areas through workshops Hydrogen Hydrogen Solar Carbon Carbon Capture Capture Separation Separation Biomass Wind Wind Coal Advanced Advanced Transportation Transportation Completed three three rounds rounds proposals in in process fourth fourthfrom from St faculty faculty outside outside institutions Visited Visited institutions in in Europe, Japan, Japan, India, India, China, China, Australia, US US that that have have been been considered potential GCEP GCEP sponsorship Filed Filed three three patent patent applications one one other other is is in in process 13

14 GCEP Participation St Faculty: PIs PIs lead lead GCEP GCEP supported research Departments in in Earth Earth Sciences, Engineering, Humanities Sciences, Medicine, SLAC SLAC Geology, Pet Pet Eng, Eng, Geophysics, Management Science & Eng, Eng, Materials Science & Eng, Eng, Chem ChemEng, Civil Civil Env EnvEng, Eng, Mech MechEng, Elec. Elec. Eng, Eng, SSRL, SSRL, Chemistry, Biological Sciences, Genetics St Students: Approximately Graduate Students, Post-docs, other other researchers since since start start GCEP GCEP Outside Awards: 8 Institutions PIs PIs 14

15 GCEP Research Portfolio Areas CO 2 separation, capture, storage Combustion science engineering Hydrogen production, distribution, use Renewable energy sources (wind, solar, biomass, geothermal) Advanced materials Advanced coal utilization Advanced transportation systems Advanced nuclear power technologies Electric power generation, storage, distribution Energy distribution systems enabling infrastructures Geoengineering Active research currently underway Research proposals under review Initial assessment in progress Future consideration 15

16 Current GCEP Research Projects Advanced Advanced Combustion Combustion Controlled Controlled Combustion, Combustion, Bowman Bowman Development Development Low-Irreversibility Low-Irreversibility Engines, Engines, Edwards Edwards Sensors Sensors Advanced Advanced Combustion Combustion Systems, Systems, Hanson Hanson Coal Coal Biomass Biomass Char Char Reactivity, Reactivity, Mitchell Mitchell Process Process Inmatics, Inmatics, Golden Golden Optimization Optimization Synthetic Synthetic Oxygenated Oxygenated Fuels, Fuels, Bowman, Bowman, Golden, Golden, Hanson, Hanson, Pitsch Pitsch CO CO 2 Capture 2 Capture Advanced Advanced Membrane Membrane Reactors Reactors in in Energy Energy Systems: Systems: A A Carbon-Free Carbon-Free Conversion Conversion Fossil Fossil Fuels, Fuels, Jansen, Jansen, Haije, Haije, Dijkstra, Dijkstra, van van den den Brink, Brink, Pex, Pex, Schoonman, Schoonman, Peters Peters (ECN-TU-Delft) (ECN-TU-Delft) Development Development Innovative Innovative Gas Gas Separation Separation Membranes Membranes Through Through Sub-Nanoscale Sub-Nanoscale Materials Materials Control, Control, Yamada, Yamada, Kazama, Kazama, Yogo Yogo (RITE) (RITE) CO CO 2 Storage 2 Storage Rapid Rapid Prediction Prediction CO CO 2 Movement in Aquifers, Coal Beds, Oil Gas Reservoirs, Orr, Kovscek 2 Movement in Aquifers, Coal Beds, Oil Gas Reservoirs, Orr, Kovscek Assessing Assessing Seal Seal Capacity Capacity Exploited Exploited Oil Oil Gas Gas Reservoirs, Reservoirs, Aquifers, Aquifers, Coal Coal Beds Beds Potential Potential Use Use in in CO CO 2 Sequestration, Zoback 2 Sequestration, Zoback Geophysical Geophysical Monitoring Monitoring Geologic Geologic Sequestration, Sequestration, Harris Harris A A Numerical Numerical Simulation Simulation Framework Framework CO CO 2 Sequestration in Subsurface Formations, Tchelepi, Durlsky, Aziz 2 Sequestration in Subsurface Formations, Tchelepi, Durlsky, Aziz Analysis Analysis Integrated Integrated Assessment Assessment Technology Technology Options, Options, Sweeney, Sweeney, Weyant Weyant 16

17 Current GCEP Research Projects (cont.) Hydrogen Hydrogen Biohydrogen Biohydrogen Generation, Generation, Swartz, Swartz, Spormann Spormann Monitoring Monitoring the the Bioconversion Bioconversion Processes, Processes, Prinz Prinz Micro Micro Nano Nano Scale Scale Electrochemistry Electrochemistry Applied Applied to to Fuel Fuel Prinz Prinz Nanomaterials Nanomaterials Engineering Engineering Hydrogen Hydrogen Storage, Storage, Cho, Cho, Clemens, Clemens, Dai, Dai, Nilsson Nilsson Hydrogen Hydrogen Effects Effects on on Climate, Climate, Stratospheric Stratospheric Ozone, Ozone, Air Air Pollution, Pollution, Jacobson, Jacobson, Golden Golden Nuclear Nuclear Magnetic Magnetic Resonance Resonance Studies Studies Ceramic Ceramic Materials Materials Fuel Fuel Stebbins, Stebbins, Prinz Prinz Modeling, Modeling, Simulation Simulation Characterization Characterization Ionic Ionic Transport Transport Impedance Impedance in in PEM PEM Fuel Fuel Pinsky, Pinsky, Barnett Barnett Solar Solar Energy Energy Nanostructured Nanostructured Photovoltaic Photovoltaic McGehee McGehee Monitoring Monitoring Accessing Accessing Cellular Cellular Photosynthesis Photosynthesis Electrical Electrical Energy Energy Bioelectricity, Bioelectricity, Prinz, Prinz, Grossman Grossman (CIW) (CIW) Nanostructured Nanostructured Metal-Organic Metal-Organic Composite Composite Solar Solar Brongersma, Brongersma, Peumans, Peumans, Fan Fan Inorganic Inorganic Nanocomposite Nanocomposite Solar Solar Cells Cells by by Atomic Atomic Layer Layer Deposition, Deposition, Bent, Bent, Harris, Harris, McGehee McGehee Nanostructured Nanostructured Silicon-Based Silicon-Based Tem Tem Solar Solar Green, Green, Conibeer Conibeer (UNSW) (UNSW) Biomass Biomass Genetic Genetic Engineering Engineering Cellulose Cellulose Accumulation, Accumulation, Somerville Somerville Directed Directed Evolution Evolution Novel Novel Yeast Yeast Species, Species, Sherlock, Sherlock, Rosenzweig Rosenzweig (U. (U. Montana) Montana) Advanced Advanced Materials Materials Catalysts Catalysts Electrocatalysis Electrocatalysis with with Discrete Discrete Transition Transition Metal Metal Complexes, Complexes, Chidsey, Chidsey, Stack, Stack, Waymouth Waymouth 17

18 Low-Irreversibility Engines Chris Edwards Two approaches are being pursued to develop reactive engines with significantly improved efficiency. 1. Reduction irreversibility by positioning combustion to minimize entropy generation maximize exergy extraction 2. Exploration the possibility to develop a reversible expansion analog the fuel cell. Diffusion Layer Anode Electrolyte Cathode Diffusion Layer H 2 O H 2 2H + 2e - 1/2O 2 2e - 2e - 1st Law Efficiency, η I (%) Isentropic 50% s PROD 75% s PROD 100% s PROD C H in Isothermal Low Irreversibility Engines π = 50 R P W c E H out Carnot Engine T (K) W out C W c R+P H in R P H out W out 18

19 Electrocatalysis with Discrete Transition Metal Complexes in Energy Conversion Systems Chris Chidsey, Dan Stack, Bob Waymouth Apply Apply catalysis chemistry to to energy energy systems: hydrocarbon-based hydrocarbon-based fuel fuel cells cells electro-synthesis electro-synthesis (CH (CH 2 ) n 2 CO ) n + n O 2 n CO 2 + n H 2 O Develop new new classes classes electrocatalyststo to address fundamental chemical kinetic kinetic questions related related to to oxygen oxygen hydrocarbon activation: Acid-resistant Acid-resistant copper copper complexes complexes immobilized immobilized on on graphite graphite electrodes electrodes O 2 reduction 2 reduction Homo- Homo- hetero-bimetallic hetero-bimetallic palladium, palladium, platinum, platinum, ruthenium ruthenium complexes complexes hydrocarbon hydrocarbon electrooxidation electrooxidation 19

20 Genetic Engineering Cellulose Accumulation Chris Somerville Increase accumulation cellulose carbon uptake in in biomass crops by by genetic alteration the the regulation cellulose synthesis Transgenic plants will will be be produced in in which the the components the the cellulose synthase complex are are produced in in increased amounts at at altered times during plant development. Cell walls Cellulose fibrils Electron micrograph a cell wall Cellulose Synthase 20

21 Monitoring Accessing Cellular Photosynthesis Bioelectricity Fritz Prinz Arthur Grossman Capture Capture electricity electricity directly directly from from living living biological biological cells cells by by inserting inserting nano-scale electrodes electrodes into into their their chloroplasts Light-driven charge charge separation separation generates generates high high potential potential electrons electrons in in stroma, stroma, O H + in in lumen lumen Energy Energy is is generated generated through through a current current that that results results in in recombination electrons electrons from from stromal stromalside side the the membrane membrane with with H + + O 2 on lumenal side the membrane (at 2 on lumenal side the membrane (at cathode) cathode) to to generate generate H 2 2 O Explore Explore using using unicellular unicellular alga alga Chlamydomonasreinhardtii Anode e - Cathode 21

22 Comments on GCEP Experience Greatest challenge is is to to convince researchers to to submit proposals that that involve risk risk Step-out ideas ideas Probabilities success Impact Impact on on graduate student student path, path, PI PI reputation, continuity funding, Project selections send a powerful message. Choices that that are are consistent with with a breakthrough approach reince credibility. Selecting projects that that are are good science but but not not step-out reduces credibility. The The review process is is key key to to selecting appropriate research proposals Reviewers conditioned by by traditional peer-review processes are are ten ten riskaversaverse Multi-stage review review process is is essential to to fostering a breakthrough requirement risk- GCEP Sponsors have been very very receptive to to the the most step-out proposals 22