Argonne, Northwestern seek ANSER to solar energy challenges
ARGONNE, Ill. (May 8, 2007) — Helping the world meet increasing energy
needs through solar energy will be the goal of a new research center established
by the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and Northwestern
University.
The Argonne-Northwestern Solar Energy Research Center, or ANSER Center,
will combine and expand the research interests of both institutions to address
the grand scientific challenges posed by the need for economically viable solar
energy use.
“Global energy needs will double by 2050 and triple by 2100,” said Michael
R. Wasielewski, Northwestern chemistry professor and director of the new center. “An
increase in the use of solar energy is essential for meeting this need in an
environmentally responsible manner.”
Researchers at the ANSER Center will come from both Argonne and Northwestern,
and will examine new economical ways to use sunlight to produce clean fuels,
such as hydrogen, from water and to produce electricity directly from low-cost
photovoltaic and thermoelectric systems.
“The scientific challenges to achieving these goals are complex and cross-disciplinary,
requiring an integrated systems approach,” said George Crabtree, director
of Argonne's Materials Science
Division and deputy director of the ANSER Center. “ Argonne
and Northwestern each have a long history of accomplishment in solar energy
research, as well as a culture of interactive team approaches to problem-solving.
Add the world-class complementary expertise and facilities, and the result
should be real breakthroughs in understanding fundamental solar energy conversion
mechanisms and the ability to dramatically improve the efficiency of converting
solar energy to fuels and electricity.”
Another goal is to educate a science and engineering workforce able to solve
cross-disciplinary energy problems through educational opportunities available
through the collaboration.
Key scientific challenges that will be addressed through the ANSER Center
are:
- Coupling light energy to catalysts to produce clean fuel;
- Developing interfaces between different materials to greatly increase the
performance of organic photovoltaics;
- Developing nanoscale electrode architectures within solar cells to increase
their performance;
- Developing new materials to directly convert solar heat to electricity
with high efficiency.
Argonne and Northwestern have other partnerships, including research areas
such as superconductivity, nanoscale science and engineering, and materials
science. The two institutions also have a 40-year tradition of joint appointments
to integrate research.
Initial funding for the ANSER Center comes from support from both institutions.
In addition, center members currently receive federal support in the solar
energy field.
About Argonne National Laboratory
The nation's first national laboratory, Argonne conducts basic and applied
scientific research across a wide spectrum of disciplines, ranging from high-energy
physics to climatology and biotechnology. A winner of the 2003 Nobel Prize
in Physics, Alexei Abrikosov, is a member of Argonne's Materials Science
Division.
Argonne has worked with more than 600 companies and numerous federal agencies
and other organizations to help advance America's scientific leadership and
prepare the nation for the future. Argonne is managed by UChicago
Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department
of Energy's Office of Science.
About Northwestern University
Northwestern is recognized both nationally and internationally for the quality
of its educational programs at all levels. U.S. News & World Report consistently
ranks the University's undergraduate programs among the best in the country.
Among graduate programs, the Department of Chemistry and the Materials Science
and Engine erin g Department regularly rank among the top ten in the country.
Northwestern's chemistry department enjoys strong ties with the chemical industry;
its Industrial Associates Program — a partnership with leading chemical-based
industries — includes campus visits, seminars, joint research, and support.
Approximately 60 percent of Northwestern chemistry alumni hold industrial positions,
30 percent have academic careers, and 10 percent are employed by government
or independent research institutions.
For more information, please contact Sylvia Carson (630-252-5510 or scarson@anl.gov)
at Argonne or Megan Fellman (847-491-3115 or fellman@northwestern.edu) at Northwestern.
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