1999
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Advanced Direct-Contact Condenser: A new way of condensing steam that enables geothermal electric plants to generate more electricity more cheaply.
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1999 |
Siemens Solar St-Family of Solar (CIS) Modules: The first large-area solar electric modules made from the promising thin-film material of copper indium diselenide. |
1998 | UNI-SOLAR Triple-Junction Amorphous-Silicon Solar-Electric Modules: Thin, flexible, waterproof roof shingles that efficiently produce electricity from sunlight. |
1998 | "Vermont" High-Throughput Gasifier: Turns wood chips into a clean gas for use in fuel cells or gas turbines to produce electricity. |
1997 | "PV Optics" Software Light-Trapping Model for Solar Cells: Software that enhances and accelerates solar cell designs by modeling how light is absorbed in cell materials. |
1997 | Chemical Production from Biologically Derived Succinic Acid: Derived from corn syrup (instead of petroleum), this acid is used to make clothes, paints, inks, plastics, and polymers. |
1996 | Variable-Conductance Insulation Catalytic Converter: A great idea for clean air, this catalytic converter can be used on cars, small trucks, and SUVs to enable them to more than meet EPA's stringent new requirements for emissions. |
1995 | Method for Making Silicon Carbide Powder: A novel technique for producing fine, pure, inexpensive powder for use in making industrial and electronic ceramic products. |
1995 | Single-Fermenter Cellulosic Biocatalyst (Zymomonas): This metabolically engineered micro-organism enables the efficient conversion of wood, grass, waste and other cellulose material into ethanol fuel. |
1994 | Transpired Solar Collector: A simple, elegant idea: a wall siding that uses strategically placed holes to capture solar energy to heat and ventilate buildings. |
1993 | Ethanol from Corn Fiber: A process that enables the conversion of the carbohydrate portion of corn to ethanol fuel. |
1993 | Scanning Defect Mapping System: Uses a scanning laser to produce maps of crystal defects in semiconductor materials. |
1993 | Aqueous Chelating Etch: An innovative etching process used to develop microelectronic circuits, high-temperature superconductors, and opto-electronic devices. |
1992 | Atomic Processing Microscope: This microscope enables the manipulation of single atoms and allows the properties of materials to be altered on a nanoscale. |
1992 | Solar Detoxification of Hazardous Organic Materials in Groundwater: Uses sunshine and a simple catalyst to purify contaminated water. |
1991 | Compact Vacuum Insulation: Very thin material providing extremely high insulation for use in refrigeration, walls, floors — anything that needs to be kept warm or cold. |
1991 | Gallium Indium Phosphide/Gallium Arsenide Tandem Solar Cell: A light, highly efficient solar cell that has become the world's standard for powering earth-orbiting satellites. |
1991 | Cadmium Telluride Photovoltaic Modules: The first large-size devices to be made from this new thin-film material, which promises to help drop the cost of solar electricity. |
1991 | Advanced Wind Turbine Blades: Wind blade designs that have become the industry standard and that produce up to 30% more electricity than previous designs. |
1990 | Inexpensive Phenol Replacements from Biomass: A process that converts wood chips, sawdust, and bark into an oil for making plastics, glues, insulation, fuels, and chemicals. |
1989 | Spectroscopic Scanning Tunneling Microscope: At forefront of nanotechnology, this instrument characterizes electro-optical materials down to the atomic scale. |
1985 | Volume-Indexed Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry: Provides 3-D information about the composition of electronic materials and devices. |
1984 | Copper Indium Diselenide Solar Cell: The first solar cell to use very thin films (less than the thickness of a human hair) of a promising semiconductor material. |
1984 | Flash-Evaporation Method/Apparatus (Sprout Evaporator): An inexpensive and efficient way to evaporate water to steam, which drives a turbine to generate electricity. |
1982 | Oxygen High Pressure Gasifier: Uses heat, oxygen, and pressure to turn wood and waste into a gas for generating electricity and heat.
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