AIChE Credential for Sustainability Professionals The AIChE Institute for Sustainability (IfS) is launching a program that offers engineers and other qualified professionals a specialized Credential in sustainability. The IfS is well positioned to establish a baseline definition of what Sustainability entails, as well as to establish a Body of Knowledge (BOK) in the field of sustainability.
Institute for Sustainability (IfS) IfS is an umbrella organization encompassing a broad spectrum of activities related to sustainability. It has three sub-entities: the Sustainable Engineering Forum (SEF), the Center for Sustainable Technology Practices (CSTP), and the Youth Council on Sustainability Science and Technology (YCOSST). It also provides oversight to the AIChE Sustainability Index (sm).
Environmental Division (ENV) The ENV division provides relevant programs on current environmental topics and non-confidential information concerning all aspects of environmental activity. The division promotes publication of papers of interest to chemical engineers in environmental activities as well as coordinates the Institute’s activities with other related societies.
"Green" Superhydrophobic Nanomaterial Inspired by Nature December 15, 2015Researchers have developed a hydrocarbon-based superhydrophobic nanomaterial that presents a green alternative to hazardous fluorocarbons generally used for this purpose.
iPhone-Stalking Elon Musk's Tesla Model 3 Launch April 6, 2016Elon Musk's live-stream from the Tesla Design Center in Hawthrone, California, is about to start. The stage is dark, but the noisy acoustics don't lie.
Elon Musk Opens Tesla's Nevada Gigafactory August 8, 2016Two weeks ago reporters and fans joined Elon Musk and chief technical officer J.B.
Powered by Sewage, UK VW Beetle (Bio-Bug) Now in the Limelight September 10, 2010The race to replace fossil fuel created a media superstar. American corn-based Ethanol captured the public's imagination. Cue the financial red carpet! Agribusiness, Wall Street and the Media conjured an Iowan Ethanol-rabia, and corn was king. Until a commodity bubble in 2007 and 2008 helped cause the infamous Mexican tortilla riots.
ICOSSE 2011: Gwendolyn Woods of the University of Arizona Discusses Water Resource Management and Optimization January 27, 2011
Conductive Nanotube Cables Could Advance Renewable Energy and More September 21, 2011Researchers at Rice University have announced a nanotechnology success that could play a significant role in making renewable energy more practical and could contribute to many electrical applications where weight is a factor. The breakthrough: researchers have created carbon nanotubes that are approaching electrical conductivities seen in metal wires, a goal that has been pursued since the 1980s.
Can Texas Solve the World's Coal Problem? June 21, 2012 Ten years ago then-mayor of Dallas Laura Miller helped halt the construction of 11 coal-fired power plants in Texas. So why is she now pushing to build a new coal-fired plant? The difference is the plant itself, which is being heralded as the cleanest coal-fired power plant in the world and a model for the future of coal power.
Life Cycle Assessment for Achieving Sustainability November 15, 2012Interested in Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment methodology? Please join the Virtual Local Section Thursday, November 15th for a webinar on this topic with keynote speaker Dr. Mary Ann Curran.
UMass ChemE Receives DuPont Award, Announces Breakthrough June 17, 2013UMass chemical engineer Paul Dauenhauer is one of only 14 scientists recognized by the DuPont Young Professors Program this year. He'll receive $75,000 for three years to support research.
Prototype for 60% Solar Cell Efficiency Unveiled June 25, 2014Sharp unveiled a small solar cell prototype that relies on exotic physics to double current solar cell efficiency.
Tidal Lagoon Could Generate Power and Boost Local Economy March 13, 2015Combining the best tidal resource in Europe with a desperate need to rebuild, Swansea, Wales is the potential site of a new project that could power nearly every house with electricity generated by the ocean’s natural rhythms.
October 2015 CEP Preview October 19, 2015This month, CEP's main feature looks at a systems approach to environmental management and sustainability. You'll also find in this issue a look at Israel's chemicals industry, and tips and insights into becoming an independent consultant, plus much more.
Chinese Electric Buses Rolling Off California Assembly Line February 10, 2016Looking for a mentor? You might give Wang Chaunfu a call.
Breakthrough in Iceland Could Solve the Carbon Sequestration Problem June 21, 2016Researchers at Iceland's largest geothermal power plant may have eliminated a major obstacle thwarting the battle against global warming.
Modeling Power Plant Water Use in a River Basin in Texas [On Location] November 11, 2010 By: Sarah Widder
"Dyeing" to Know How to Make the Chicago River "ChEnected Green"? March 17, 2011For more than forty years,
Aquaporin in Bi-layer Structures for Forward Osmosis and Other Water Transport Applications October 19, 2011Aquaporin is a protein found in cell membranes has unique properties of water transport. Efforts are underway at the National University of Singapore to better understand these proteins, and how to incorporate them into engineered structures.
A Look at Siemens, Leader in Sustainability [On Location] April 9, 2012Siemens, often described as an "industrial giant," is striving to perform in a way such that will also make it known as a "sustainability giant." As part of the YP Tutorial on Environmental Topics, Stephanie Nadeau presented an overview of Siemens' ongoing commitment to sustainability.
New Grid Storage Tech Could Boost Renewable Energy's Appeal September 25, 2013An MIT spinoff is creating a grid storage battery that it says will cost less than half what current batteries cost to operate.
GE Commits Billions to Focus on Greening Natural Gas February 27, 2014GE will invest billions to green the natural gas industry by eliminating use of water for fracking and excess natural gas.
Recycling Startup Turns Plastics Into Oil October 15, 2014One UK company has introduced technology that successfully turns mixed plastic waste into oil for heat and power plants.
Bill Gates-Backed Mega Battery Is Plugging into the Grid June 29, 2015The Extreme Electrochemistry Group? Is this an Icelandic Goth Metal Trio?
Modi and Hollande Announce Solar Alliance at Climate Talks December 4, 2015It's amazing how quickly the falling price of solar and wind power has shifted the global energy consensus.
Inside the World's First Completely Solar-Powered Airport March 23, 2016With 24 airlines, 1,000 flights a week and 7 million passengers a year, Cochin International Airport in India’s Kerala state is the third busiest in India.
As Solar Impulse 2 Lands in Abu Dabhi, Facebook Tests Its First High-Flying Internet Drone July 27, 2016Approaching Abu Dhabi International Airport in the
Graduate Student Siddharth Singh Provides an Economic Analysis of Photovoltaic Devices January 6, 2011
Moving the Needle on Sustainability Metrics and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) November 3, 2011Dr. Subhas Sikdar, director of the Sustainable Technology Division at the National Risk Management Research Lab, shared insights and advice on quantifying sustainability metrics.
Nuclear Energy in a Post-Fukushima World [On-Location] October 29, 2012While Fukushima has had an extraordinary effect on nuclear energy, it's still with us and there's a lot changing. Hear how the industry is evolving and where it's headed.
Arsenic: “King of Poisons” in Food and Water May 15, 2013For centuries, arsenic has been known to be a classic poison, causing deaths of many historic figures. While now just a murder-mystery cliché to many, arsenic is still actually causing harm, with dangerously high levels in food and water around the world.
Making Multilayered Bio-Hybrid Solar Cells [On Location] November 20, 2013Being able to "grow your own" photosynthetic elements of a solar powered technology would be a boon for underdeveloped and remote areas of the world that have a need for off-the-grid electrical power.
Low-Cost Battery an Answer to Solar Storage? May 30, 2014A California-based company recently unveiled a new low-cost battery that it claims can compete with the lowest-cost energy storage available.
Solar Power Making Significant Inroads in Rural India February 3, 2015Who knew off-grid cell phones and solar panels had such perfect synergy?
Los Angeles' Low Cost Water-Saving Technology August 19, 2015For months Los Angeles has been putting millions of floating, black plastic balls into one of its largest reservoirs to block sunlight from triggering a hazardous chemical reaction.
Oil May Have Crashed but Renewables Set New Record January 19, 2016Anyone worried that the low prices hobbling oil explorers may have clobbered renewables too — especially wind and solar — can relax.
California's Newest Grid Storage — Batteries Not Included May 5, 2016Rail storage shows major advantages for the future of California's grid storage, potentially leaving storage batteries in the dust.
Novel Wastewater Treatment Is New "It" Technology at Stanford September 8, 2016Can a balding, late-middle-aged researcher who's hawking a still-uncommercialized technology transform America's aging fleet of aerobic waste treatment plants?
AIChE & A&WMA Joint Workshop on Municipal Water Reuse August 26, 2013Interested in the latest technologies and success stories for Municipal Water Reuse? Join us in Long Beach, CA, this September.
T Boone Pickens Building LNG Fueling Station For Container Ships January 17, 2014The global merchant fleet is switching to LNG, so Clean Energy Fuels, founded by T. Boone Pickens, will begin building the first LNG station for cargo ships.
NRG Breaks Ground on the World's Largest Carbon Capture Project August 6, 2014All eyes are on Texas as NRG Energy breaks ground on a $1 billion carbon capture retrofit at the WA Parish power plant, the largest fossil fuel plant in the US.
Floating Solar Power Online from Japan to California May 15, 2015As the camera drone glides over solar panels floating on the waters of the Higashihira and Nishihira reservoirs in Kato City, west of Osaka, it slowly reveals one of Japan's most innovative solar p
November 2015 CEP Preview November 16, 2015This month, CEP's cover feature is liquid-liquid extraction, and members and non-members alike can read the full article online. See the preview for more about this month's issue.
Graphene Oxide Harnessed for Antibacterial Properties March 3, 2016A group of researchers in Italy are looking to graphene oxide for “green” anti-bacterial properties that could enhance medical devices and one day decrease the need for antibiotics to fight post-operative infections and reduce recovery times.
Solar Impulse 2 Breaks Transatlantic Record with SunPower Cells July 7, 2016Lately, solar industry records have been falling every week. And American solar panel maker SunPower can take credit for most of the mayhem.
Krithiga Ganesan Discusses Solar Fuels and Sustainability December 22, 2010Krithiga Ganesan is a PhD student in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. She presented a poster at the E3-2010 Conference in St. Paul, MN based on her research thesis.
8 Reasons to Make AIChE-DECHEMA’s ESPI Conference Part of Your Summer Plans April 14, 2011DECHEMA, a German-based Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, and AIChE are joining forces to gather international science and technology leaders at the first Global Conference on Energy Sustainability in the Process Industries (ESPI). The conference this June in Kong Kong will present a the topic of energy efficiency across a number of industries.
From Thailand: One Perspective on the Food/Fuel Debate May 8, 2012On location in Thailand, a look at how the food/fuel battle is affecting life. Read on for insights into the common practice of field burning and its detrimental effect on air quality, and about the struggle over whether to use crops for biofuel or cooking oil.
Breakthrough in Organic Fuel-Cell Catalysts October 9, 2012One of the current problems with fuel cells is the catalyst that helps convert sources of stored energy such as hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy.
Fracking Attracting Increased Interest in Chemical Engineering at NCSU April 21, 2014Fracking has brought positive change to the energy industry as well as to many of the chemical engineering programs that support the industry.
Cost Analysis of Post-Combustion CO2 Capture Retrofits January 12, 2015The impending CO2 emissions reduction requirements will drive the need for retrofits on many existing coal-fired power plants. Read on for an analysis of potential costs.
Researchers Crack Fundamental Mechanism of Biofuel Production July 28, 2015This week, impressive findings emerged when a group of researchers at the University of Tokyo revealed for the first time the three-dimensional structure and mechanism of action of a key enzyme of biofuel production, cellobionic acid phosphorylase (CBAP).
Climate Change Could Bring Deadly Heat to Persian Gulf Cities December 18, 2015A new study suggests that Persian Gulf countries will have to endure extreme weather episodes with heat unbearable to humans.
After Tesla's Model 3 Launch, Drone Video Puts Gigafactory in the Spotlight April 8, 2016Just one week after Elon Musk unveiled Tesla's new Model 3, it's obvious the world liked what it saw.
Will New Biofuels Help Decarbonize Aviation and Shipping? August 17, 2016It's all hands on deck for the monumental task of decarbonizing the world energy system, and some speculate that may take a decade shy of the next century before it's complete, if ever.
ICOSSE 2011: Bruce Douglas Discusses the Integration of Sustainable Design in Campus Architecture January 28, 2011
Student Music Video Delves into the Fracking Debate May 16, 2011Journalism students at New York University have put together a short, fun music video to explain the basics of fracking, as the debate for and against the practice rages on.
2012 Annual Meeting Venue Awarded Platinum LEED Certification July 3, 2012The 2012 Annual Meeting has the tagline of “Cleaner Energy, Stronger Economy, Better Living,” but what exactly does that have to do with Pittsburgh? Pittsburgh, previously a booming industrial city, was once described as “hell with the lid off," but since the collapse of its steel industry, Pittsburgh has strived to build a green economy by reducing the city’s energy demands and lowering global warming emissions.
Harnessing Solar Power for High Temperature Reactions November 19, 2012More sunlight strikes the earth in one hour than all of the energy currently consumed on the planet in one year. As the world’s energy consumption rate is projected to double by 2050, and triple by 2100, the sun holds great potential as a sustainable energy source.
First Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Headed for Tennessee June 24, 2013Maybe the U.S. nuclear renaissance hasn't fizzeled. Maybe the whole paradigm has simply shifted away from building single 1,000+ megawatt behemoths, to mass producing small modular reactors ranging in size from 45 to 300 megawatts.
Commercial Scale Garbage-to-Biofuel Facility Nearly Operational in Canada December 26, 2013Enerkem is readying its full-scale municipal waste-to-biofuels facility. It will convert wood, plastics, textiles, and other materials.
Electricity and the Environment July 11, 2014Fossil fuels will continue to play an important part in electricity generation, and this opens the doors for many opportunities for young chemical engineers.
High-Tech Flywheels Help Bring Stability to Grid March 20, 2015Pioneering flywheel developer Beacon Power is becoming one of the success stories of the evolving power grid.