KU Energy Council Media

• The University of Kansas Energy Council is the primary coordinating unit of energy related research and educational activities at KU.
• The Council.s goal is to continue to elevate the importance of energy within the research and educational mission of the University of Kansas.
• Additionally we are committed to cross-discipline collaboration in the research and development of new innovations in the capture and use of energy.
• Finally we are dedicated to the application of these innovations in industry settings that will ultimately benefit the State of Kansas.
• Recognizing the importance of this topic, the KU Energy Council is supported at the highest levels of the University.
• The University of Kansas Energy Council actively addresses an array of issues ranging from new techniques in exploiting renewable biomass for fuels and chemical feedstocks . to novel techniques for the recovery of gas, oil, and coal.
• University of Kansas energy research looks at energy from every angle, therefore environmental impact is a significant component of all Council activities, and represents a key factor in the development of each of the Council.s energy innovations.
• In addition, understanding that transportation is a major consumer of energy, Council research continues to look for ways to effectively provide energy compatible with these needs.
• Finally, in an effort to showcase innovations and harvest new expertise, members of the University of Kansas Energy Council regularly work to develop links with industry and policy makers within and outside of the State.
• There is great potential in this type of energy research and the University of Kansas Energy Council is dedicated to providing innovations for the entire spectrum of energy capture and use.
• We call it Total Energy Innovation
  Points of Innovaton:
  • Ceramic Catalysis - KU Energy Council Members are learning how certain types of ceramics react when heated as a way to generate liquid and gaseous fuels.
  • Phase Change Agents - KU Energy Council Members are working on super energy efficient building materials that when integrated into structures will significantly reduce energy consumption by heating and cooling units.
  • Solar Nanotechnology - KU Energy Council Members are using nanotechnology to create a more efficient and affordable solar cell.
  • Oil Nanotechnology - KU Energy Council Members are using nanotechnology similar to time release pharmaceuticals to aid in the recovery of oil.
  • Geophysics - KU Energy Council Members are using sound waves to map geologic formations containing fossil fuels deep below the Earth.s surface.
  • CO2 Sequestration - KU Energy Council Members are using carbon dioxide to recover oil while ridding the atmosphere of a harmful greenhouse gas.
  • Fuel Cells - KU Energy Council Members are developing more efficient fuel cells that may one day show up in American automobiles.
  • Algae - KU Energy Council Members are working extracting the correct components from algae as an economically viable feedstock for biofuels.
  • Biofuels - KU Energy Council Members are working on the development and production of new biofuels that make sense from feedstock to tailpipe.
  • Energy Impact - KU Energy Council Members learning how different sources of energy effect communities and urban centers.
• Press Releases
  • KU Energy Council brings "Feedstock to Tailpipe" to National Biodiesel Event

    San Francisco, California - The KU Energy Council is headed west to the 2009 National Biodiesel Conference and Expo to showcase KU's interdisciplinary approach to energy innovation. At team of Council members representing KU Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, and the Transportation Research Institute will showcase and promote the Universities "Feedstock to Tailpipe" initiative.

    Currently, there are several different sources for alternative fuels are being explored to potentially replace the Nation's current dependence on foreign oil. While significant research is being conducted on these alternative fuels, large gaps in the technology still exist which must be overcome before they will account for a significant amount of our energy needs.

    The University of Kansas (KU) Biofuels "Feedstock to Tailpipe" Initiative creates a multidisciplinary research team to explore the viability of alternative liquid fuels to power the country's transportation system. Scientists from chemical, mechanical, and environmental engineering, as well as ecology, biology, and geography are collaborating on this research program to address the current knowledge gaps and allow for informed decisions to be made about the future of energy.

    The integration of the research from the feedstock production to fuel use is required to develop a sustainable alternative liquid fuel. However, this integration of Biofuels research at a single institution across the "Feedstock to Tailpipe" spectrum is unique and revolutionary.

    The long term goals of the "Feedstock to Tailpipe" Initiative are to: 1) apply a systems approach to the exploitation of alternative transportation fuel in all its main aspects; 2) develop alternative, renewable fuel options while concurrently assessing understudied ecosystem impacts of biofuel choices and developing novel engine technologies; and 3) educate and train students to be leaders in the long term application of alternative fuel technologies. The anticipated scientific and broader impacts of this program have the potential to make KU a pioneer in Biofuels research.

    The National Biodiesel conference is known for its valuable educational and networking opportunities in the biodiesel industry. The conference it produced by the National Biodiesel Board - the national trade association of the biodiesel industry and is the coordinating body for biodiesel research and development in the U.S.

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  Contact:
  Jeremy Viscomi
  Program Officer
  KU Energy Council
  jviscomi@ku.edu
  785-864-1759