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Solar Energy Research Center Breaks Ground: Converting Sunlight Into Transportation Fuel

SustainableBusiness.com -- At a new building under construction at Lawrence Berkeley Lab, 75 scientists will do research on converting solar energy into transportation fuels.

Their ultimate goal is to move from fundamental to applied research and technology development, setting the stage for a direct solar fuels industry.

"Finding a cost-effective way to produce fuels as plants do -combining sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide - would be a game changer, reducing our dependence on oil and enhancing energy security," said Daniel Poneman, Deputy Secretary of Energy .

The Department of Energy (DOE) lab just broke ground on the Solar Energy Research Center. The 40,000 square-foot, building will be ready in late 2014 at a cost of $54 million. It's targeting LEED-Silver certification and will have a green roof.

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Submitted Oct 27, 2012 By: skb69sa

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remay Champion Author Houston Posts:6,953 Points:2,115,440 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Oct 29, 2012 6:36:38 AM Ignore remay Report Abuse Need to pursue ALL type of renewable and/or alternative forms of energy (to fossil fuel).
52MPG Champion Author Dayton Posts:7,252 Points:1,739,755 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Oct 29, 2012 1:02:32 AM Ignore 52MPG Report Abuse Yet another government project.
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,596 Points:1,203,580 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Oct 28, 2012 11:21:53 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse Very good article, thanks for posting!
niceguytx Champion Author Houston Posts:13,685 Points:2,711,560 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 28, 2012 3:40:51 PM Ignore niceguytx Report Abuse More government money for renewable energy. I hope this works out.
jrs4125 Champion Author Indiana Posts:2,748 Points:589,795 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Oct 28, 2012 11:17:57 AM Ignore jrs4125 Report Abuse Looking towards the future.
merlinCO Champion Author Colorado Posts:1,630 Points:339,445 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 28, 2012 9:34:07 AM Ignore merlinCO Report Abuse Excellent...another source other than big oil...
07skydriver Champion Author Ohio Posts:3,250 Points:981,155 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Oct 28, 2012 7:51:08 AM Ignore 07skydriver Report Abuse It's been done.
Sneakers55 Champion Author Houston Posts:51,272 Points:2,141,225 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Oct 28, 2012 1:25:02 AM Ignore Sneakers55 Report Abuse On Oct 27, 2012 9:46:07 PM, CptnCanada wrote: >So many negative people on here... I am surprised they bought computers... I am always amused when people use the Internet and the World Wide Web to whine about Government R&D projects. Remember, the whole thing was done under Government R&D projects. I doubt we would have much in the way of computers had it not been for NASA and the Department of Defense.
bston Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:1,810 Points:640,325 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 28, 2012 1:12:40 AM Ignore bston Report Abuse Humh!
Doomsday64 All-Star Author Austin Posts:849 Points:334,080 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Oct 28, 2012 12:01:49 AM Ignore Doomsday64 Report Abuse cool
AKmailman Champion Author Alaska Posts:5,623 Points:1,555,615 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Oct 28, 2012 12:00:02 AM Ignore AKmailman Report Abuse The DOE needs to go!!! We're tired of them wasting our hard earned money
driveonby1 Champion Author Toledo Posts:1,507 Points:256,665 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:58:16 PM Ignore driveonby1 Report Abuse more like breaking our taxes into political payola for something that is not going to actually work for the rest of us.
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,596 Points:1,203,580 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:57:35 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse Makes sense to me!
NAVYHM All-Star Author Cleveland Posts:761 Points:1,384,205 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:57:02 PM Ignore NAVYHM Report Abuse GOOD...
rjoeh Champion Author Michigan Posts:7,071 Points:2,468,265 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:44:16 PM Ignore rjoeh Report Abuse I agree with DEG's comment. Just another spendthrift action by the administration that will more than likely fill someones pockets instead of having any real benefit for the country. I hope I'm wrong, but that seems to be the same old story of the last 4 years.
kbierley Champion Author Dayton Posts:10,730 Points:1,415,690 Joined:Nov 2003	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:42:53 PM Ignore kbierley Report Abuse And when will this be made affordable on the open market without Government "Help"?
DEG Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:17,610 Points:3,492,755 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:40:32 PM Ignore DEG Report Abuse The government shouldn't be wasting taxpayer $$$ on this technology at this time. The country is too far in debt and return on investment is not likely over the next 50 years.
Ahking Champion Author Orange County Posts:3,497 Points:601,520 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:40:13 PM Ignore Ahking Report Abuse good
rattlewagon Rookie Author Arizona Posts:99 Points:71,590 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:39:57 PM Ignore rattlewagon Report Abuse Works for me.
fredtheturd Sophomore Author Kansas Posts:201 Points:427,825 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:39:36 PM Ignore fredtheturd Report Abuse I like it
5Golfer8 Champion Author Tucson Posts:2,133 Points:299,675 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:38:43 PM Ignore 5Golfer8 Report Abuse Yeah and they told us by now we would all have flying cars.
esquared Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:8,057 Points:1,968,160 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:35:56 PM Ignore esquared Report Abuse R & D....
springer03 Champion Author Raleigh Posts:1,304 Points:590,755 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:34:23 PM Ignore springer03 Report Abuse Solar for Road sign should be a must
suzmar Champion Author Texas Posts:2,211 Points:870,220 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:31:17 PM Ignore suzmar Report Abuse More taxpayer money wasted on something that will never pan out.
MopedTime All-Star Author Michigan Posts:763 Points:358,415 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:28:35 PM Ignore MopedTime Report Abuse Good luck for success
Math6149 All-Star Author Jacksonville Posts:873 Points:1,794,625 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:28:13 PM Ignore Math6149 Report Abuse If only it would work as well as the other government backed solar businesses that our leaders have given money to for donations to their political party race.
Vitobug Champion Author El Paso Posts:1,950 Points:638,110 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:26:21 PM Ignore Vitobug Report Abuse ok
dasimon All-Star Author Florida Posts:556 Points:573,050 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:23:45 PM Ignore dasimon Report Abuse Have at it
robb88 Veteran Author Atlanta Posts:363 Points:66,815 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:23:29 PM Ignore robb88 Report Abuse oh boy
gd83goldwinger Champion Author South Bend Posts:1,428 Points:502,730 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:22:07 PM Ignore gd83goldwinger Report Abuse Will see where it go's.
mobil1MN All-Star Author Minnesota Posts:664 Points:1,294,635 Joined:Sep 2007	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:15:28 PM Ignore mobil1MN Report Abuse ok
WE0H Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:1,533 Points:479,415 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:13:54 PM Ignore WE0H Report Abuse Big foreign oil will never let any other fuel be developed.
Moparmizer Sophomore Author Iowa Posts:123 Points:34,985 Joined:Oct 2012	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:11:40 PM Ignore Moparmizer Report Abuse ready in late 2014, when do we see ROI on our $54 mil?
jackster111 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,308 Points:423,485 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:09:53 PM Ignore jackster111 Report Abuse cool
papa56NC All-Star Author North Carolina Posts:725 Points:142,760 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:07:44 PM Ignore papa56NC Report Abuse Great!
drobbbb Champion Author Maryland Posts:3,466 Points:810,380 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:07:27 PM Ignore drobbbb Report Abuse ok
acknot Champion Author Seattle Posts:1,628 Points:873,445 Joined:Sep 2003	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:07:03 PM Ignore acknot Report Abuse Old news.
TDIdave Champion Author California Posts:5,048 Points:1,222,790 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:05:38 PM Ignore TDIdave Report Abuse Great but keep the technology and manufacturing here in the US.
Zeke33 Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:5,564 Points:1,613,955 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 11:02:05 PM Ignore Zeke33 Report Abuse Designed them here, now make them here-not in China.
farn1958 All-Star Author Twin Cities Posts:886 Points:183,385 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 10:59:48 PM Ignore farn1958 Report Abuse sounds like a waste of money.
slayur Champion Author Chicago Posts:1,533 Points:1,216,020 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 10:59:06 PM Ignore slayur Report Abuse ok
drz614 Champion Author Harrisburg Posts:2,294 Points:596,495 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 10:58:21 PM Ignore drz614 Report Abuse gubberment loves spending our money. hell just print more. dumb asses
Tekkersmom57 Champion Author Syracuse Posts:1,869 Points:699,240 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 10:58:16 PM Ignore Tekkersmom57 Report Abuse We need to do the best we can to find reasonable alternative energy.
69Bonne Champion Author Gary Posts:1,140 Points:471,200 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 10:57:50 PM Ignore 69Bonne Report Abuse Interesting
darkknight1 Champion Author Winston-Salem Posts:4,325 Points:893,885 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 10:55:49 PM Ignore darkknight1 Report Abuse $54 million of OUR tax dollars...
BREW9 All-Star Author Tampa Posts:871 Points:2,910,030 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 10:55:39 PM Ignore BREW9 Report Abuse ok
idigau22 Champion Author Washington Posts:23,394 Points:3,199,265 Joined:Apr 2003	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 10:55:14 PM Ignore idigau22 Report Abuse Keep Subsidizer In Chief Obama away from away from the project or else it is doomed for failure!!!
a14morfun Champion Author Ontario Posts:11,782 Points:2,074,290 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 10:55:04 PM Ignore a14morfun Report Abuse Solar cells already convert sunlight into electricity for powering vehicles. So what's up with this?
FortVancouver01 Champion Author Washington Posts:1,160 Points:285,345 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 10:54:18 PM Ignore FortVancouver01 Report Abuse People are using solar on buildings around here with great success.
dbecks44 Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,337 Points:430,480 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2012 10:53:10 PM Ignore dbecks44 Report Abuse My tax money hard at work...