KU Energy Council News

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October 2009

• 2^nd Annual Energy, Innovation, and the Kansas Economy Conference
  
  

  2^nd Annual Energy, Innovation, and the Kansas Economy Conference - Registration is currently full.

  
  

  Please check back for updated information and posted presentations

  
  November 18th, 2009
  The Dole Institute for Politics
  Lawrence, Kansas
  

  This is a FREE event open to the public however space is limited so register today.

  Please join the KU Energy Council as key State and Federal speakers outline their vision and strategy for energy research and development funding in areas like wind, biofuels, solar, building efficiencies, vehicles, smart grid, clean coal, and petroleum. Come learn about possible new breakthroughs than can be generated by this research and development strategy and how these new innovations might impact economic development in states like Kansas.

  Speakers:

  United States Department of Agriculture - Speaking about the overall vision of USDA energy research and development; emerging technologies that the USDA has identified as leading energy innovations; and finally how these innovations will impact the Kansas Economy.

  Marvin Duncan Ph.D. - Senior Agricultural Economist in the Office of Energy Policy

  National Renewable Energy Laboratory - Speaking about the overall NREL/DOE vision of energy research and development; emerging technologies that DOE has identified as leading energy innovations; and how these innovations will impact the Kansas Economy.

  Mike Mendelsohn - Senior Financial Analyst in the Strategic Energy Analysis Center for NREL.

  Stan Bull - Associate Director of Renewable Electricity Science and Technology

  Westar Energy Inc. - Speaking about their vision of the electric power generation and distribution in the coming years; specific innovations or emerging technologies will play a key role in power generation in Kansas; how these innovations will impact the Kansas Economy.

  Jim Ludwig - Executive Vice President, Public Affairs and Consumer Services

  Kansas City Area Development Council - Speaking about the recent launch of the Advanced Energy Corridor following a similar strategy as the Animal Health Corridor; where the KCADC sees opportunity in the region in the area of research and development; and their vision of how this corridor will impact the regional economy.

  Tim Cowden - Tim is the Senior Vice President, Business Development for the KCADC.

  Sunflower Electric Power Corporation - Speaking about their vision of the electric power generation and distribution in the coming years; specific innovations or emerging technologies will play a key role in power generation in Kansas; how these innovations will impact the Kansas Economy.

  Kyle Nelson - Senior Vice President, COO for Sunflower Electric

  Clare Gustin - Vice President of Member Services and External Affairs

  • 9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. : Conference Welcome
  • 9:15 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.: Marvin Duncan - USDA
  • 9:50 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. : Q & A
  • 10:00 a.m. - 10:35 a.m. : Mike Mendelsohn - NREL
  • 10:35 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. : Q & A
  • 10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. : Break
  • 11:00 a.m. - 11:35 p.m. : Jim Ludwig - Westar Energy Inc.
  • 11:35 p.m. - 11:45 p.m. : Q & A
  • 11:45 p.m. - 12:45p.m. : Lunch - KU Energy Council
  • 12:45 p.m. - 1:20p.m. : Stan Bull - NREL
  • 1:20 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. : Q & A
  • 1:30 p.m - 2:05 p.m. : Tim Cowden - KCADC
  • 2:05 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. :Q & A
  • 2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. : Break
  • 2:30 p.m. - 3:05 p.m. : Kyle Nelson and Clare Gustin - Sunflower Electric Power Corporation
  • 3:05 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. : Q & A

  
  
  
• Kansas Geological Survey receives $5 million grant to study CO₂ storage
  

  LAWRENCE - The Kansas Geological Survey based at the University of Kansas has received a nearly $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to study the feasibility of storing carbon dioxide underground.

  Awarded as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the grant is the largest ever received by the survey. It will be used to determine whether a largely depleted Kansas oil and gas field in south-central Kansas and an underlying saline aquifer can permanently and safely sequester carbon dioxide (CO₂) from stationary sources such as electric, cement, ethanol, and fertilizer plants.

  A collaborative effort between government and industry, the three-year project will include scientists from the Survey, the KU and Kansas State University Departments of Geology, and two Wichita-based firms - BEREXCO, Inc., and Bittersweet Energy, Inc. Survey geologists Lynn Watney and Saibal Bhattacharya are leading the investigation.

  "CO₂ is in the early phase of implementation globally," Watney said. "We will be evaluating the sequestration capacity of depleted oil fields and deep saline aquifers and are aiming to develop an effective carbon-sequestration model that is tailored to the Kansas industry and economy."

  Research will be done on the Wellington oil and gas field in Sumner County south of Wichita, which has produced 20 million barrels of oil since 1927.

  Subsurface rock units in the Wellington field, which once held the large quantities of oil and gas, will be evaluated through drilling and other geophysical methods to determine their capacity to securely contain CO₂ in the future. The project is a subsurface characterization investigation and will not include any sequestration of CO₂.

  "A lot of technical questions associated with the physical process of storing CO₂ underground have yet to be answered, and studies such as this are necessary for us to develop an understanding of the detailed fluid-rock interactions that will occur over long periods of time," said Survey Director William Harrison. "These studies will yield information that could be valuable as rules and regulations are formulated for underground sequestration applications."

  In addition to investigating the possibilities for CO₂ sequestration in oil and gas fields, the researchers will model the use of industry-emitted CO₂ to squeeze out trapped oil and gas unreachable by traditional methods.

  They will also study the suitability of the Ozark Plateau Aquifer System - mainly composed of Arbuckle Group rocks - for sequestration in a 17-county area. The highly saline water in the aquifer, which is about 4,000 feet beneath the surface in south-central Kansas, is not usable for other purposes and is isolated from shallower freshwater aquifers by impermeable rock units.

  "This study will help us understand the different mechanisms that result in subsurface CO₂ sequestration and evaluate risks associated with leakage of injected CO₂," Bhattacharya said.

  Second only to China for the highest CO₂ emissions from human activities, the United States generates more than 5.7 billion metric tons annually, or nearly 20% of the 33 billion metric tons emitted worldwide.

  Besides reducing the amount of CO₂ discharged into the air, successful geologic sequestration of CO₂ could lead to the development of a new industry in the state. The Ozark Plateau Aquifer System and the Wellington field, as well as other oil and gas fields that produce from the same rock units, are centrally located near multiple sources of emissions that could be captured and stored.

  "The findings in this study will be used to evaluate the feasibility of a regional infrastructure for carbon capture and storage that would be needed to establish a commercial-scale CO₂-sequestration industry in the Midwest," Watney said. "Potential for enhanced oil recovery also could generate interest in the Kansas oil and gas industry."

  The Kansas Geological Survey also will be collaborating on another DOE-funded, Kansas-based CO₂ sequestration project with the Southwest Partnership on Carbon Sequestration (SWP) and the Wichita-based firm, CAP CO₂, LLC.

  Story by Cathy Evans, 785-864-2195
  For more information, contact Lynn Watney, 785-864-2184

• Ecohawks published at 2009 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition
  
  

  Ecohawks published at 2009 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition

  In the fall of 2008, the Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Kansas began a hybrid vehicle program as an undergraduate senior design project. The purpose of this class is to ensure that the students leaving the curriculum are learning about advanced energy and vehicular technologies to make them attractive candidates for the new wave of energy related jobs. Future efforts of this project will follow the pathway of the Department of Energy's Strategic Approach to Energy Security while keeping objectives realistic and costs manageable.

  Read More Here


• Early career grants available for energy-related research
  
  

  Early career grants available for energy-related research

  Joy Ward, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology recently received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. Ward is an example of the young talent conducting research at KU . and just the type of individual that Washington is betting will develop innovations in basic science that will revolutionize energy and environmental research.

  http://www.oread.ku.edu/~oread/2009/august/24/stories/earlycareer.shtml

• SAVE THE DATE - CO₂ SEQUESTRATION SHORT COURSE - AUGUST 26, 2009 - WICHITA KS

  CO₂ SEQUESTRATION
  Innovation, Economics, Opportunity
  AUGUST 26^TH, 2009 - 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  Bank of America Building - Wichita KS
  

  The business of carbon capture and storage in geologic formations is expected to grow dramatically over the next decade. In addition to aggressive international reduction targets CO₂ is showing great promise aiding enhanced oil recovery. The University of Kansas invites you to attend a half day short course designed to highlight the innovations and opportunities that CO₂ sequestration represents for Kansans.

  Scheduled afternoon topics include the very latest in sequestration innovations and projects, an overview of Kansas sequestration work, economic opportunities, and policy highlights.

  Current scheduled speakers include:
  

• Michael E. Parker, P.E. - Technical Advisor for ExxonMobil Production Company
• Martin Dubois, Ph.D. . Vice President of Geology and EOR for CAP CO₂ LLC.
• Scott Frailey, Ph.D. - Illinois Geological Survey
• Richard Pancake, M.S. - Murfin Oil

The afternoon's events kick off with a networking lunch at the Petroleum Club in Wichita, KS, after which participants head downstairs to the Bank of America Center auditorium for four leading expert presentations. Each presentation will last approximately 40 minutes with a 10 minute question and answer session.

Afternoon Schedule:

• 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Buffet Lunch (Petroleum Club)
• 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m. Richard Pancake M.S. - Murfin Oil
• 1:50 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. Martin Dubois, Ph.D. - CO2 EOR
• 2:40 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Break
• 3:00 p.m. - 3:50 p.m. Scott Frailey Ph.D. - IL State Geological Survey
• :50 p.m. - 4:40 p.m. Michael E. Parker, P.E. - ExxonMobil



Registration:

Registration is $35 per attendee and includes lunch. Please fill out form on the registration page and enclose a check for the total amount owed made payable to KU Center for Research in an envelope and mail to:

• University of Kansas Center for Research
• Attention: Energy Council CO₂ Sequestration Short Course
• 2385 Irving Hill Road
• Lawrence, KS 66045-7568



Or - Visit the registration link below, fill out the online form and submit. You will receive a confirmation e-mail detailing your registration - this is your invoice. Bring a copy of your confirmation invoice and a check payable to KU Center for Research to the registration table the day of the event.




Registration is now closed.




• "Green" campus groups educate students

  A first-year event yesterday brought students together with campus environmental groups to teach them how they could become more "green".

  "Greening the Crimson and Blue" was put on by the Center for Sustainability and featured about 20 different campus organizations and departments with an emphasis on environmental sustainability.

  http://www.kansan.com/stories/2009/aug/21/environmental_groups/


• CO₂ Proponent Offers Big Flood Plan

  From the Oil & Gas Reporter - May 2009

  
  By Dan Holder

  WICHITA, KS. - An attempt to inject carbon dioxide into a Kansas oil field turned out to be a technical success but suffered economic shortcomings, Paul Willhite, co-director of the Tertiary Oil Recovery Project said.

  Speaking at TORP's 18th Oil Recovery Conference, held April 1-2 in Wichita, Willhite said the pilot project in Russell County proved that CO₂ injection could displace oil. But, he added, the 10-acre project targeting the Hall-Gurney Field in the Lansing-Kansas City (L-KC) formation was too small an injection target and failed to capture as much oil as expected. Some of the mobilized oil apparently moved to the northwest and was produced on an adjacent lease, he said.

  Building on the results of the Russell County project, Mark Ballard, a field liaison engineer with TORP, laid out his vision for flooding 38 square miles of the Hall-Gurney Field. He said using gas from ethanol plants in Russell and Lyons, Ks., transported in new pipelines, could prove to be a financial bonanza.

  Martin Dubois, vice president, geology and enhanced oil recovery for CAP CO₂ LLC, observed that Kansas was in a good position to benefit from CO₂ enhanced oil recovery projects, provided companies were willing to work together and become involved in shaping the state's regulatory framework.

  "We have to use local sources to build the engineering and geological knowhow. That could go a long way toward building for the future," Dubois said. "We also have to get a head start over other states on the regulatory framework, at least on carbon capture and storage."

  Oil In The Tank

  The Russell County field demonstration had several technical goals in addition to proving that CO₂ enhanced oil recovery could put Kansas oil in the tank, Willhite reported. He said the project, which began in 2000 after two years of planning, also sought to:

  • Determine the technical feasibility of using miscible CO2 flooding to recover residual and bypassed oil in the L-KC interval;
  • Develop reservoir data for the LKC interval and the Hall-Gurney Field; and
  • Develop an understanding of the operating costs for such projects in LKC reservoirs.

  Willhite said the Russell County project reached a number of its engineering goals, including providing field personnel with experience in CO₂ injection procedures, maintaining minimum miscible pressure in the pilot area by using water containment wells, and injecting 140 million cubic feet of CO₂ with minimal operating problems. Field personnel gained enough operating experience to manage a fullscale flood, and the project produced realistic operating costs on injection, field maintenance and oil production, he detailed.

  The project also succeeded in producing oil, he pointed out. By Feb. 28, EOR injection had produced 22,840 barrels. In addition, Willhite said, TORP estimated the gross CO₂-to-oil ratio at 6.0 Mcf a barrel, a number comparable to field performance in West Texas CO₂ flood projects.

  On the geologic front, Willhite revealed that the project proved the L-KC interval was more heterogeneous that originally thought, and that barriers to fluid flow existed vertically and laterally between oil shoal deposits. One lesson learned is that the current reservoir model is not a correct representation of the formation heterogeneity, he said.

  "It is very clear that what we thought was happening in the reservoir is not the way it is," Willhite concluded. "The fluid flow told us that, but it still really does not disappoint us in terms of potential. The 10-acre pilot is too small an area to develop a commercial project."

  He reported the data indicated a field wide effort involving more than 600 acres would be needed to overcome the effects of reservoir heterogeneities that the project uncovered.

  2 Million Barrels

  While Willhite set 600 acres as the minimum for a successful CO₂ flood, Ballard envisioned a project covering more than 53,000 acres. He laid out a program that embraced most of the Hall-Gurney Field in Central Kansas. While the Hall-Gurney itself offers a lot of potential, Ballard pointed to the Trapp as an area that had produced almost twice as much oil as its neighbor to the northwest, and half again as much in terms of barrels per acre. Based on the area's production history, Ballard suggested the two fields held nearly 2 million barrels of recoverable oil.

  The Russell ethanol plant, which was used in TORP's pilot, would be the initial CO₂ source for the project, Ballard offered. Because the plant's output would constrain oil production, he pointed to plants in Lyons, Coffeyville, Ks., and Enid, Ok., as future CO₂ sources. If the United States enacts a cap-and-trade system as part of a greenhouse gas program, power plants, cement manufacturing and ammonia plants throughout Kansas become potential CO₂ contributors, he noted.

  Ballard said he used what he termed "ugly capital numbers" to develop the project's cost estimates for the Russell plant, attempting to err on the high side in his investment scenario. Among the potential costs were $4.06 million for compressors at the ethanol plant, $4.8 million for 30 miles of four-inch pipe to move each day's 6.8 million cubic feet of CO₂ from Russell to the field, and $6.4 million for gas recycling facilities.

  Under his scenario, Ballard detailed, the project would begin by drilling 15 injector wells, adding several more each year until 60 wells were on line, with additions balancing the wells shut down as their oil production slowed. The project could last 45 years, he said.

  With oil prices at $50, the Russell scenario would offer a 44.3 percent rate of return, Ballard projected; if oil jumped to $70 a barrel, the ROR increases to 76.3 percent, while oil at $90 translates to a 109.5 percent ROR.

  Bringing carbon dioxide from Lyons would require another $7.85 million in six-inch pipeline costs and $6.0 million in additional compression, but Ballard predicted an oil price of $50 a barrel would result in a 77.42 percent ROR, and $90 oil would give a 189.1 percent ROR. In addition, he noted, the proposed pipeline route opens much more of the two fields to recovery operations.

  With just the Russell plant contributing CO₂, annual oil production would be 500,000 barrels, Ballard calculated from a production model supplied by Bill Flander. With both it and Lyons contributing, he said the output could double.

  "Carbon dioxide will mobilize residual oil; we know that. West Texas has done it, as have Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. TORP did it in the pilot project," Ballard commented. "There is a bunch of residual oil in the Hall-Gurney and Trapp (fields), and the surrounding area. The CO₂ flooding process is mildly complicated, but every bit of it has been done before."

  Proactive Planning

  CAP CO₂'s Dubois suggested Kansas was very well situated to utilize local CO₂ sources as well as that imported from other states, provided industry and state leaders properly set the stage. The state has a host of positive aspects that, if properly connected, could carry the Kansas oil and gas industry into the next generation, he held.

  "We have a very significant oil base," Dubois remarked. "We have local and regional CO₂ sources. Those local sources could allow us to be an early adopter, and validate and develop the reservoirs we have."

  In addition to the physical advantages, Kansas producers enjoy a skilled workforce readily available, and a long and positive relationship with groups such as TORP, the Kansas Geological Survey and the Kansas Independent Oil & Gas Association, Dubois praised. "But it is going to take that cooperation and collaboration working for the common good," he observed. "The committees that these organizations could put together to help formulate new regulations are going to be important."

  Other states, including Texas, are looking at carbon capture and storage regulations, with a view toward including enhanced oil recovery projects in their scope, Dubois reported.

  One challenge that Kansas operators must overcome is that outside of the fields used in the Russell pilot, not many reservoirs have been validated at high enough levels to justify the capital necessary for development, he said. Also, most of the state's resources are unconsolidated, with multiple landowners, royalty interests and operators, Dubois noted. Also, he said, the state's oil industry does not have enough expertise in working with CO₂ floods.

  "does create a challenge, but we are used to working together in Kansas," Dubois applauded. "Those missing EOR skill sets can be learned or imported."

  A philosophical debate over whether CO₂ should be used in oil recovery projects or simply sequestered underground still must be resolved, he pointed out. Several environmental groups argue the recovery process produces hydrocarbons and puts carbon back into the atmosphere. But, Dubois countered, for every barrel of oil produced using CO₂ EOR, the near-equivalent amount of CO₂ is left in the reservoir.

  "You can design it to leave even more CO₂, if you wish," he said. "In a way, it is green oil. And it is American oil. It is something people should get goose bumps over. It makes perfect sense. Some of the Nick Powell (left), a member of the Tertiary Oil Recovery Project.s Advisory Board, presents plaques honoring TORP co-directors Don Green (center) and G. Paul Willhite in recognition of their 35 years of service. The ceremony was held at the 18th Oil Recovery Conference in Wichita, Ks. environmental groups are coming out in support, recognizing carbon capture and storage, and EOR situations."

  The regulatory framework for CO₂ EOR remains in the development stage, providing opportunity for industry input, Dubois continued, saying work was not expected be complete for another three years.

  When legislators pass those carbon regulations, it should lead to financial support to build infrastructure for carbon capture and transportation to areas where adequate sinks have been proven, he predicted.

  "Once that hits the pipelines in the market, CO₂ should go to the highest bidder," he reflected. "It is economics: Is it better to use (CO₂) for enhanced oil recovery or stick it straight in the ground and seal it? I believe we have the upper hand on that."

  Kansas producers must recognize and act on the opportunity before them, Dubois encouraged, and must take a proactive stance as CO₂ legislation is written.

  "Sometimes we have a hard time looking at things a decade away," he concluded. "We need to be looking at the big target by being early adopters and bringing CO₂ to these enhanced oil recovery candidates, to demonstrate to the market that will help build the infrastructure. And we need to be willing to cooperate and collaborate, working with the scientific and academic (communities) as well as our industry groups."

  Chemical Potential

  Chemicals and biochemicals also have a role to play in EOR operations, two speakers told TORP. William Botto, president of Micro- Tes Inc., laid out how biochemical techniques could improve the productivity of EOR projects. Biochemicals can solve a number of common well problems while presenting minimal environmental and employee hazards, he said.

  New chemical compounds offer the promise of improving EOR productivity by changing the sweep pattern of waterfloods, Patrick Neal, sales manager for TIORCO reported. Injected submicron particles can be positioned so that water is forced into unswept oil-rich channels, he said.

  In other presentations:

  • Stan McCool, an associate scientist with TORP, described how to design efficient chemical flooding processes, taking advantage of reservoir properties and new procedures.
  • Charlie Carlisle, president of Chemical Tracers Inc., discussed the benefits of single-well tracing evaluations in the EOR process.
  • Jay Portwood with Eclipse Oil Recovery looked at using polymer gels in what he described as "the contact sport" of surfactant flooding.
  • Saibal Bhattacharya of the Kansas Geological Survey laid out a scenario for upgrading low-Btu natural gas with a low-cost reinjection facility that had been tested successfully in the Elmdale Field in Chase County, Ks.
  • Filling in for Lynn Watney of the KGS, Bhattacharya offered a revised geomodel of the Russell CO₂ pilot site, describing the Hall-Gurney Field's shoal and saddle structures.
  • TORP's Jyun Syung Tsau presented the results of his CO₂ phase behavior study. The analysis showed that oil swells as CO₂ dissolves in the oil and the pressure increases. He said oil volume can increase by as much as 24 percent.

• KU, Archer Daniels Midland form biofuel research partnership

  LJWorld.com
  May 19, 2009

  After receiving $2.4 million in outside funding, a new research collaboration between Kansas University and Archer Daniels Midland Co. will focus on new ways to approach biofuel refining.

  The funding comes in the form of a $1.2 million grant from the Kansas Bioscience Authority, which was matched by another $1.2 million from ADM.

  Carey Novak, director of business and industry outreach for KU, said he hoped the partnership could lead to additional ADM business operations in Kansas.

  The three-year agreement will fund research in converting waste products from biomass - things such as corn stalks or wheat straw - into useable chemicals such as plastics, lubricants or fuels for other uses.

  "It's a good approach because it kind of mimics petroleum refining," Novak said, where many of the chemical byproducts of that process get turned into adhesives, plastics or a host of other chemicals.

  He said the partnership addressed one method of raising funds for research and development in a challenging economic climate, and could increase the likelihood of KU researchers earning federal funds later as they gain experience and knowledge.

  KU will contribute about $334,000 of in-kind support for the project, including providing leadership for the project from its Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis.

  ADM is an agricultural processing company with its headquarters in Decatur, Ill. It employs about 27,000 people worldwide, including more than 500 in Kansas at plants and other facilities in Abilene, Arkansas City, Dodge City, Salina and Overland Park.

  
  
• KU Energy Council Participates with Top Washington Leaders in U.S. Chamber of Commerce Dialogue on Energy Security

  Washington D.C. - The University of Kansas Energy Council participated with top Washington leaders in a half-day panel discussion called, "A Dialogue on Energy Security with America's Business Leaders" earlier this week at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

  Dr. Laurence Weatherley, Chair of the KU Energy Council was asked to participate in the event by energy expert Susan Eisenhower who visited KU in March as part of her eight city energy tour. The goal the Eisenhower tour was to learn about the countries energy and energy transmission needs in the first one hundred days of the new administration and then bring those results back to Washington D.C.

  "I am a big fan of field trips," Ms. Eisenhower said at the event, "and I am excited to bring an energy perspective to Washington from those working outside of the beltway."

  Key speakers at the event included U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, U.S. Senator and Chairman of the U.S. Senate Republican Conference Lamar Alexander, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Susan Eisenhower.

  The day's events kicked off with Ken Salazar highlighting the countries need for a comprehensive energy plan. In his remarks he highlighted the three drivers contributing to the "new energy economy" - national security, environmental security, and economic opportunity. Next Lamar Alexander discussed the energy gap between the development of renewable energy and the use of inexpensive existing resources. Then Steny Hoyer discussed the three priorities of the new administration - the economy, healthcare, and energy. Finally, Susan Eisenhower showcased what she had learned during her eight city tour learning about energy and transmission needs.

  A panel discussion was held after each keynote address giving panelists and the audience a chance to raise additional points and present questions to each keynote speaker. After Eisenhower's address Dr. Weatherley was joined by the Oklahoma Secretary of Energy, Robert Wegener and CEO of West Virginal Media Bray Cary.

  Dr. Weatherley highlighted the innovations in energy technology being developed by the University of Kansas as well as other universities around the country. He used the KU Transportation Institute's "Feedstock to Tailpipe" concept to highlight the interdisciplinary work in energy going on at KU. Finally he discussed the importance of higher education in the development of a workforce prepared to address the emerging energy needs of the 21st century - a fact which was later reinforced by the events moderator Karen Harbert, CEO of the U.S. Chamber's Institute for 21st Century Energy who highlighted the need for the creation of "intellectual feedstock" to maintain the U.S.'s competitive advantage worldwide.

  The University of Kansas Energy Council is the primary coordinating unit of energy related research and educational activities at KU. The Council's objectives include elevation of the importance of energy within the research and educational mission of the University of Kansas; cross-discipline collaboration in the research and development of new innovations in the capture and use of energy; and the application of these innovations in industry settings that will ultimately benefit the State of Kansas.

  For more information please visit:
  http://www.uschamber.com/webcasts/2009/090513_energyinstitute_energydialogue.htm
  Or contact:
  Jeremy Viscomi
  Program Officer
  785.760.3640

• DJ Spooky performs Terra Nova Sinfonia Antarctica

  DJ Spooky performs Terra Nova Sinfonia Antarctica
  Friday, March 27, 7:30 p.m.
  Lied Center

  For a $10 ticket, visit http://www.lied.ku.edu/08-09/events/dj-spooky.shtml, click "Purchase Tickets" button, then enter code $10DS*, click "Promo $10" box, or call or stop by the Lied Center Ticket Office, 785-864-2787.
  (Hours: Monday.Friday, 11 am.6 pm)

  With "Sinfonia Antarctica", conceptual artist, musician and writer DJ Spooky, aka Paul Miller, creates a dynamic multimedia event that mixes sound and images to create an acoustic portrait of Antarctica. Featuring historic, scientific and visual material, this event creates a powerful examination of man's impact on the world's changing climate.

  For concert and additional events information click the link above.
  (FREE music downloads under "Fun Stuff" tab; for video clips, click "Multimedia" and "Events" tabs)

  Don't miss these FREE events: March 23: 8 p.m.:SUA Film Screening, DJ Spooky's Rebirth of a Nation , Alderson Auditorium, level 4, Kansas Union.
  http://www.suaevents.com

  March 26, 2:30.4 p.m.: DJ Spooky, aka Paul Miller, presentation & book signing, Oread Book Shop, level 2, Kansas Union
  http://www.kubookstore.com

  March 26, 5 p.m.: Climate Change at the Poles, Spencer Museum of Art, North & South Balcony Galleries, w/DJ Spooky and other guest speakers.
  http://www.spencerart.ku.edu

• Susan Eisenhower, a leading energy expert and chairman of the Eisenhower Strategy Forum to Speak at Dole Institute of Politics

  Susan Eisenhower, a leading energy expert and chairman of the Eisenhower Strategy Forum, will speak next month at the University of Kansas to business, political and academic leaders about electrical transmission and the nation's energy future.

  Eisenhower will speak at 1:30 p.m., March 5 at the Dole Institute of Politics.

  The forum is sponsored by the KU Energy Council, which promotes the university as a resource for high-quality energy research and education, expands the current portfolio of energy research at KU, and increases collaboration with major industries such as oil, gas, biofuels, automotive, generators and construction.

  Eisenhower, who is on a national speaking tour, will discuss the need for a national "green grid" capable of transmitting diverse energy resources efficiently and effectively. She is seeking Kansans' perspective regarding transmission and other energy-related matters and she will chronicle the tour on www.susaneisenhower.com and www.eisenhowergroup.com.

  "My intention is to share my own concerns about our national energy future and to understand those of others," Eisenhower said. "I hope to gain as many local perspectives as possible. Secure power transmission is critical to the safety and sustainability of our country."

  Eisenhower will report on her findings from her tour -- which includes stops in Chicago, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City and Albuquerque -- to an audience of energy experts and selected Congressional and executive branch officials in Washington D.C. She will also be authoring a White Paper that may be used as a blueprint for national policy choices on electricity transmission issues.

  As president of the Eisenhower Group, Inc., she offers strategic counsel to numerous institutions and companies devoted to energy issues, including many Fortune 500 corporations. She currently sits on the Energy Future Coalition and is an advisor to the US Chamber of Commerce Institute for 21st Century Energy. Eisenhower is a member of the Nuclear Threat Initiative board, co-chaired by former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn and CNN founder Ted Turner and has served on a number of blue ribbon panels for the Department of Energy.




• Two Billion Cars - Driving Towards Sustainability

  KU Energy Council Members - The Transportation Research Institute and the KU School of Engineering will be presenting Daniel Sperling - Wednesday March 25^th at 3:30 p.m. in the Spahr Classroom, Room #2, Eaton Hall.

  Daniel Sperling is the Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies, Acting Director of the Energy Efficiency Center, Professor of Transportation Engineering & Environmental policy at the University of California, Davis.

  Reception and Booksigning will follow.

• Tiny technology tapped for oil extraction (Video opens in popup window).
  
  
• KU receives funding to research ways to reach more oil underground
  
  
• ConocoPhillips Collaborates with the University of Kansas to Use Nanotechnology to Enhance Oil Recovery

  HOUSTON and LAWRENCE, KS, December 2, 2008 - ConocoPhillips [NYSE:COP] and the University of Kansas (KU) today announced a three-year collaborative nanotechnology research program which will focus on the development and testing of new technologies for oilfield stimulation to enhance recovery to help meet growing energy demand. ConocoPhillips will contribute $400,000 per year to the program.

  Nanotechnology - engineering on the scale of atoms and molecules - is commonly used in a number of industries, and its application in the oil and gas industry represents a major prospect for substantial and sustained benefits. KU is not only viewed as an innovation leader in nanotechnology research, but the University also has been examining and developing enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques through its Tertiary Oil Recovery Project since 1974. While EOR techniques that use injected fluids to stimulate hydrocarbon recovery have been employed for decades, inclusion of nanoparticles may lead to more efficient and environmentally sensitive technologies.

  "KU's extensive experience in enhanced oil recovery and nanotechnology provides an ideal foundation for our collaborative research focused on developing promising new oilfield applications", said Stephen Brand, ConocoPhillips senior vice president, Technology. "ConocoPhillips is pleased to be working with KU to discover some of the next generation of solutions to the world.s energy challenges."

  "KU has a terrific team of researchers working with ConocoPhillips", said Steve Warren, vice provost for research and graduate studies, University of Kansas. "Energy research in all its forms is a major area of strength for KU. We're pleased to be working with ConocoPhillips to foster innovation, support additional research, and increase the productivity of an important sector of the economy."

  Under the agreement, KU researchers will use nanotechnology to generate polymer type products and will conduct initial screening and testing. ConocoPhillips will provide additional evaluation and field testing to determine the products' practical application.

  ConocoPhillips Contacts:

  • Nancy Turner (ConocoPhillips media) 281-293-1430
    nancy.e.turner@conocophillips.com
  
  
  
  • Gary Russell (ConocoPhillips investors) 281-293-1116
    gary.d.russell@conocophillips.com

  University of Kansas Contact:

  • Kevin Boatright 785-864-7240
    Office of Research and Graduate Studies kjboat@mail.ku.edu

  CAUTIONARY STATEMENT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE "SAFE HARBOR" PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

  This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that contain projections about our revenues, income, earnings and other financial items, our plans and objectives for the future, future economic performance, or other projections or estimates about our assumptions relating to these types of statements. These statements usually relate to future events and anticipated revenues, earnings, business strategies, competitive position or other aspects of our operations or operating results. In many cases you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "continue," "could," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "should," "will," "expect," "objective," "projection," "forecast," "goal," "guidance," "outlook," "effort," "target" and other similar words. However, the absence of these words does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. The forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations, estimates and projections about ConocoPhillips and the petroleum industry in general on the date this statement was released. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecast in such forward-looking statements. Economic, business, competitive and regulatory factors that may affect ConocoPhillips' business are generally as set forth in ConocoPhillips' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Unless legally required, ConocoPhillips undertakes no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

• KU Ecohawks

  LAWRENCE - It might be difficult to see the future of hybrid automobile efficiency underneath the grime surrounding an unpainted 1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle.

  "That's the fun. By the time we're done, it's going to be totally different, and its going to be great", says Lou McKown, a University of Kansas senior in mechanical engineering.

  For his senior project, McKown is part of a team called the EcoHawks, that is taking the iconic round vehicle and transforming it from a motionless heap to a fully integrated hybrid vehicle by the end of the school year.

  "We're just the first year of this, too", McKown says. "We hope that the work we do this year will provide the basis for the next year and so on".

  "Our long-term goal is to make a car that can get efficient fuel anywhere in the country, whether it be electric, ethanol, biodiesel, whatever."

  The project is part of ME 645, Design Project Option E. The class project is the creation of Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Chris Depcik, who previously worked with Detroit.s auto industry at the University of Michigan. He says the main goal is to try to answer some of the big energy and transportation questions of the day in a way that gives the students real-world experience beyond mechanical engineering.

  "There is a whole car culture out there with vehicles that are not going to be produced as hybrids or as biofuel vehicles", Depcik said. "When this project is a few years down the road, we want to be able to give people a handbook on how to turn their classic car into an efficient machine."

  "Detroit has figured out performance, so efficiency is the big issue now. And with the work these students are doing on this fun, unique kind of project, they will be ready to go into the workforce with a lot of skills they won.t get from sitting in a class with me".

  Those skills become evident during a visit to the Beetle's home at Das Autohaus, a repair shop in Lawrence. The project has major backing from the KU Transportation Research Institute. Dave Bach, owner of Das Autohaus repair shop, donated the Beetle to the EcoHawks and has provided a workspace for them.

  The car isn't much to look at now.

  "We stripped it down completely", says Jason Carter, a mechanical engineering senior from Overland Park, as he walks around the gray Beetle. "It didn't run. It didn't move. We're taking it completely down, then building it back up."

  Teams of students work on various problems: Three students look in the Beetle's front-end trunk and discuss how they can stabilize the car once the battery packs are installed; another pair writes on graph paper as they stand over the back bumper.

  McKown explains the project and how it.s going so far.

  "The biggest issue for us is weight",he says. "We're going to be adding battery packs that carry significant weight, and it's going to affect the mileage we get, so we want it to be light while still passing inspections for road use."

  Another part of the project has been learning about marketing, fundraising and the media. McKown and Carter handle most of the publicity for the project. Carter also runs the group's Web site, www.ecohawks.org, but all members have been involved on some level.

  "It's really different to have to learn about raising money or finding a part or talking about the project", says Sunny Sanwar, a mechanical engineering senior from Kansas City, Mo., as he writes on a notepad. "But those are the kinds of things that are only going to help me after I graduate."

  The plan, Depcik says, is for each class to build on the previous year's results.

  "This isn't a project that you want to start from scratch each year because the students are going to learn tips, pitfalls and problems from the last group", he says. "There are cars now that are running at 60 and 70 miles per gallon. We should be shooting for two or three times that. And I think we'll get there."

  In fact, the stated goal of the project is a vehicle that gets 500 mpg.

  But for now, the Beetle sits at Das Autohaus while students send sparks flying trying to split two pieces of metal. The team hopes to have the car painted and out of this space before winter break. They are conscious of Bach.s generosity and want to give him back the space.

  As the day's work winds down, one of the students perks up.

  "Want us to start it? We've got it running",he says. The answer, of course, is yes.

  A student hops under the car to connect the power. They'll have to jump start it. It turns over a couple of times unsuccessfully. Then, with a puff of black smoke, success.

  The EcoHawks cheer and laugh. In May, they are confident the same process will be a lot more efficient.




• KU researcher: Better solar technology a 'singular solution' for world energy needs

  LAWRENCE - A team of physicists, engineers, chemists and biologists at the University of Kansas, in partnership with K-State, Wichita State, and other institutions is devising nanotechnology that could help supplant fossil fuels and curb climate change. Led by Judy Wu, University Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy at KU, the researchers want to develop better, less-costly solar panels and biofuels.

  Why the focus on solar? According to Wu, the sun outshines every alternative because of its ability to cleanly fulfill humankind's mounting need for energy.

  "If you fully use wind energy, for instance, you can only cover about 20 percent of our energy need of 14 terawatts per year", said Wu. "And our energy requirement is going to double by the middle of this century and triple by the end. But the wind is not going to increase. And if you look at fossil energy, we're going to burn out our resources probably within some short time frame of 100 or 200 years. But with solar - if you look at our 14 terawatts per year in need - you only need one hour of sunlight to deliver this much energy. The sun's energy is the singular solution for our increasing energy needs."

  According to the KU researcher, the trouble is that current solar technologies are inefficient and too expensive, leading to slower-than-necessary adoption of photovoltaic technology.

  "Out of the total 14 terawatts per year energy use for the world, only 2 percent is solar",Wu said. "This includes photovoltaic and biofuel. If you look at the photovoltaic market, it is increasing at an extremely high rate of 40 to 50 percent per year. But if you grow at this same rate, it will take many, many years for solar to dominate. So we really need breakthrough technology to speed up use of solar energy."

  Wu said innovations in solar energy production will create a "third generation" of PV panels.

  "The first generation was traditional silicone wafer-based solar cells with efficiency capped at 31 percent, as predicted by theory", Wu said. "So far, the best solar cell probably gets 20-something percent efficiency. And the cost is also high. The second generation tried to take the same performance, but drop the cost dramatically by one or two orders of magnitude. For the third generation, we want to go toward extremely high performance and take advantage of the second generation in terms of low cost. It eventually could play a big role in energy generation."

  According to Wu, advancing to the third generation of solar panels will depend upon nanotechnology, science and engineering that deals with the manipulation of individual molecules and other objects smaller than 100 nanometers. (A human hair is roughly 50,000 nanometers thick.)

  A primary objective of Wu's "nanotechnology for renewable energy" team will be boosting the performance of solar energy capture by better understanding photosynthesis in plant life, which is driven by energy from the sun. The group would fabricate self-assembling nanocomposite materials that mimic photosynthesis - an approach that demands expertise in several different scientific fields.

  "If you look at photosynthesis, this entire process involves biology, chemistry, physics and engineering", Wu said. "So that is why this interdisciplinary team is very critical to address the entire process of solar energy capture and usage."

  In addition to the variety of collaborators at KU, the team includes researchers at Kansas State University, Wichita State University and participants from the University of Notre Dame, Argonne and Oak Ridge national laboratories and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

  Other research efforts led by Wu involve conversion of plant biomass into biofuel and consideration of global environmental impacts and commercialization possibilities of technologies developed through KU-based investigations into solar energy.

  Indeed, if this effort bears fruit, Wu thinks the state of Kansas would have much to gain.

  "First, Kansas has very abundant resources for solar energy", she said. "Secondly, Kansas is an agriculture state. One way to absorb solar energy is through plants like corn or switchgrass. This is how you get the biofuel. It would have high impact on the economy of Kansas."




• Biofuels, alternative energy conference launches new research and development effort at KU

  LAWRENCE - A one-day public conference featuring state, federal and university leaders in energy research officially launched the University of Kansas. new Energy Council, a collaboration of researchers focused on developing an alternative energy-based economy in the state and nation.

  The "Energy, Innovation and the Kansas Economy" conference, held Nov. 5 at the Adams Alumni Center at KU, had a preliminary focus on biofuels and included discussions on the research, development, and innovation trends in various forms of energy and how these affect future industry growth and Kansas. How national research and development initiatives can translate into innovation in the energy industry and positively affect the Kansas economy was also a topic as well.

  KU's energy council was formed this year to promote the university as a resource for high-quality energy research and education, expand the current portfolio of energy research at KU, increase collaboration with major industries such as oil, gas, biofuels, engines, and automotive, generators, and construction.

  Presenters included:

  • Valri Lightner the Federal Officer for the U.S. Department of Energy's Biomass Program
  • William Hagy, the U.S. Agriculture Department's Deputy Administrator for Rural Development
  • Bob Noun, executive director of public relations for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
  • Tom Binder, president of research at Archer Daniels Midland
  • Adrian Polansky, Kansas Secretary of Agriculture
  • Doug Rivers, vice president of research and development at ICM Inc., an ethanol producer in Colwich, located 15 miles northwest of Wichita.
  • Thomas Thornton, president, and Bret Healy, director of Bioenergy from the Kansas Bioscience Authority
  • Laurence Weatherley, chair of the KU Energy Council and the Spahr Professor of Chemical Engineering and chair of KU's Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
  • Bob Honea, director of the KU Transportation Research Institute, a KU research center focused on emerging transportation technologies and trends.
  • Bala Subramaniam, director of the Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis, a KU research center focused on creative technologies to make the manufacture and use of chemicals safer and ecologically more responsible.

  The KU Energy Council is the primary coordinating unit of energy related research and educational activities at KU. The Council's objectives include elevation of the importance of energy within the research and educational mission of the University of Kansas; cross-discipline collaboration in the research and development of new innovations in the capture and use of energy; and the application of these innovations in industry settings that will ultimately benefit the state of Kansas.

• The University of Kansas Energy Council will be hosting Dr. Susan Williams at the University of Kansas Booth in the Meadowlark building at the 2008 Kansas State Fair this Friday, September 12th.

  For Immediate Release

  The University of Kansas Energy Council will be hosting Dr. Susan Williams at the University of Kansas Booth in the Meadowlark building at the 2008 Kansas State Fair this Friday, September 12th.

  Dr. Williams will be demonstrating various properties of the biodiesel fuel produced on the KU campus. The hands-on demonstrations aimed at educating younger children attending the fair will include activities with viscosity and clouding factors.

  The Biofuels Research program at the University of Kansas integrates research with refinement of biodiesel in the university's two reactors, which produce 40 gallons of biodiesel every five days and operate continuously.

  Once per week, used canola oil from .Mrs. E.s,. a popular dining commons on the Lawrence campus, is pumped into a 55-gallon drum and delivered to the KU Biodiesel Initiative.s new refining lab in Burt Hall.

  There, the discarded oil is refined, washed and tested, metamorphosing though this process into pure biodiesel capable of powering any conventional diesel engine.

  Today, the project.s impact is limited to the Lawrence campus. KU.s biodiesel runs test equipment . like a Volkswagen Jetta, a John Deere tractor and a diesel aircraft engine . allowing investigators to perfect refinement techniques and measure fuel performance and emissions.

  Dr. Williams visit to the KU booth is part of her membership with the University of Kansas Energy Council.

  The University of Kansas Energy Council is the primary coordinating unit of energy related research and educational activities at KU. The Council.s objectives include elevation of the importance of energy within the research and educational mission of the University of Kansas; cross-discipline collaboration in the research and development of new innovations in the capture and use of energy; and the application of these innovations in industry settings that will ultimately benefit the State of Kansas.

  For more information please contact:
  Jeremy Viscomi
  Program Officer
  785.760.3640




• "Fair Energy"

  One of the highlights of the 2008 State Fair is Energy.

  But not the type of energy you might think. Granted there is a lot of energy at the State fair. You see it when folks get up from trying out a memory foam mattress, or after sitting with a patented canvas lumbar support strap that attaches to your knees and improves posture. You see it after people put their feet on a variety of foot massage devices, or dip their hands into one of about a hundred Jacuzzi tubs. You don.t see is so much outside corndog stand, but you do see it at the evening concert, and you definitely see it when the KU booth breaks out a new box of football posters.

  No, the energy at this year's fair relates to the energy Kansans use every day. From booths hawking energy efficient building materials, to sign-up sheets outlining your commitment to use compact fluorescent light bulbs, energy is a hot topic at the 2008 Fair.

  You can read about Kansas oil in the Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Producers booth, grab a ruler in the Propane booth or learn about wind energy in the Climate and Energy booth. You can stop by the outdoor wood burning home heater booth, spin the wheel for a free energy efficient light bulb, or check out the Soybean Councils biodiesel pickup.

  During the debate on Saturday, Jim Slattery and Pat Roberts went toe to toe about what they would do to solve the energy crisis in Kansas and the nation. At other booths you could overhear conversations about that, T. Boone Pickens guy and his plan makes any sense. Even the KU booth took the opportunity to showcase its energy research initiatives by dedicating a portion of the booth to the KU Energy Council.

  The KU Energy Council was founded last April and represents the official organizing body of the world-class energy research going on at the KU campus. This research includes work in the area of biofuels, super energy efficient building materials, and nanotechnology that could revolutionize solar power. The council represents six main focus areas that include - transportation, fossil fuels, renewable energy, sustainability, education & outreach, and policy & economics.

  At this year's fair visitors have been stopping by to grab an energy council magnet and to learn more about the council.s activities. Later this week Dr. Susan Williams will be on hand showcasing some of her work in biofuels with hands-on demonstrations for booth visitors.




• Transportation Research Institute Holds Congressional Forum Highlighting Energy Issues

  Recently the University of Kansas Transportation Research Institute presented a Presidential & Congressional Forum highlighting Key Transportation and Energy Issues at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics.

  The first event, "The Kansas Perspective on the Top 3 Transportation Concerns" was held at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics on Sept 25, 2008 and featured the following panelists:

  • Bob Honea, Director, University of Kansas Transportation Research Institute
  • Warren Erdman-Vice President of Corporate Affairs-Kansas City Southern Industries
  • Bruce Holmes-Chief Strategist, NextGen Systems-DayJet Corporation
  • Mike Kelley-Vice President External Affairs, Chief Sustainability Officer-YRC Worldwide Inc.
  • Deb Miller-Secretary of Transportation-Kansas Department of Transportation
  • Harry A. Watts-Managing Director-Governmental Relations-Kansas Farm Bureau

  
  The second event, "National Perspectives on Transportation Issues" was held on Sept 26, and featured the following panelists:
  

  • Bob Honea, Director, University of Kansas Transportation Research Institute
  • Arthur L. Guzzetti-Vice President of Policy-American Public Transportation Association
  • John P. Heimlich-VP & Chief Economist-Air Transport Association
  • Bruce Holmes-Chief Strategist, NextGen Systems-DayJet Corporation
  • Mike Kelley-Vice President External Affairs, Chief Sustainability Officer-YRC Worldwide Inc.
  • Deb Miller-Secretary of Transportation-Kansas Department of Transportation
  • David D. Perlmutter, Professor, School of Journalism & Mass Communications, University of Kansas
  • Robert Puentes-Fellow & Director, Metropolitan Infrastructure Initiative-Brookings Institution
  • Peter Rickerhauser- Vice President, Network Development-BNSF Railway Company
  • Sandra Rosenbloom-Professor of Planning-University of Arizona
  • Kathy Ruffalo-Government Affairs Consultant-Ruffalo & Associates
  • Erno Sajo-Associate Professor of Physics-Louisiana State University
  • Brett Williams-Postdoctoral Studies-Transportation Sustainability Research Center at UC Berkeley

  The day's events featured three sessions on national and global perspectives of "Defining the Top Issues," "Defining Possible Solutions," and "Defining the Presidential & Congressional Agenda". In addition there was a set of presentations by KU TRI researchers on their current projects.

  The two day event, developed by KU TRI and the DIoP was aimed at the idea that humankind is facing a series of interrelated crises of energy and transportation. From looming $200/barrel petroleum to decaying bridges, urban pollution, an aging driver population and global climate change, the next president and next Congress of the United States of America will need to confront each of these challenges immediately. Their decisions will affect the fate of the species and the planet. In response, KU TRI and the DIoP will organized the forum of major academic, government, business and advocacy & NGO leaders and researchers to outline the energy and transportation priorities and options for our political leaders.

• KU Biodiesel Makes Local and National Headlines

  The KU Energy Council Researcher Susan Williams was featured recently in several news stories reporting on the KU.s biofuels research. You can find the reports here:

  • http://www.kmbc.com/news/16812711/detail.html
  • http://www.ksnt.com/news/local/24284884.html
  • http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2566
  
  
  
• Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis Professor Speaks at National Science Foundation Global Warming Workshop

  Professor Daryle H. Busch, Roy A. Roberts Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Deputy Director of the Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis spoke at the Workshop on Reversing Global Warming: Chemical Recycling and Utilization of CO2 held in early July. The event was held at the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, at the University of Southern California. The National Science Foundation-sponsored workshop explored aspects of chemical, electrochemical, photochemical, and thermochemical conversion of CO2 as a means to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions instead of mere CO2 sequestration.

  
  
  
• KU Energy Council Member Serving on Scientific Committee for Kyoto Symposium

  Kyoto Japan - Professor Bala Subramaniam is currently serving on the Scientific Committee of the Twentieth International Symposium on Chemical Reaction Engineering. The symposium will be held from September 7-10, 2008 in Kyoto, Japan (http://www2.scej.org/iscre20/). The theme of the conference is Green Chemical Reaction Engineering for a Sustainable Future: Beyond the Kyoto Protocol. A major topic of the conference will be sustainable production of fuels and chemicals, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

  
  
  
• KU and Purdue Partner to Chair US/India Chemical Engineering Conference with Energy and Sustainability Focus

  Professor Bala Subramaniam, University of Kansas and Professor Arvind Varma of Purdue University will co-chair the Second Joint US/India Chemical Engineering Conference and Workshop on Energy and Sustainability to be held in Chandigarh, India this December.

  The primary goal of the conference is to promote interactions between industry and academia from India and the United States on frontier topics in energy. The proposed joint conference on energy will focus on traditional, non-traditional, and future sources of energy. Topics include:

  • Oil and Natural Gas
  • Petroleum
  • Coal
  • Bioenery
  • Hydrogen & Fuel Cells
  • Solar Energy
  • Nuclear Energy
  • Wind
  • Geothermal

  Experts from both countries have been invited to lecture in each topical area. The conference will provide a unique forum for scientists and engineers in industry and academia from both countries to discuss the many energy-related challenges facing the global community. These include economic and sociopolitical issues, ongoing energy-related research activities, industry and government laboratories, and future research needs aimed at developing mutually beneficial collaborations.

  The KU Energy Council on behalf of the University co-sponsored a Town Hall meeting arranged by Conoco Phillips on October 4th, in Topeka, Kansas, entitled a Discussion on Energy. The meeting was attended by over 200 members of the public and VIPs representing the Kansas State Legislature and a number of influential bodies including the Kansas Farm Bureau, the Kansas Energy Council, the Soy Bean Commission and the Corn Growers Association.