- Number 286 |
- May 11, 2009
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Using workflows enables flexible algorithm development
Scientists at DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory demonstrated a proof-of-concept workflow that enables scientists to focus on algorithm development and scientific discovery. This workflow means less time from concept to implementation, and provides improved opportunities for sharing research results.
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NREL investigates wind turbine reliability
Engineers at DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory want to know why some gearboxes and other key wind turbine components wear out too soon. Wind turbines are expected to operate for 20 years. Early equipment fatigue threatens to reduce performance and drive up wind power costs.
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Liquid fuel under our feet
With the resurgence of a nearly century-old technology, lumps of coal could soon provide synthetic fuel to power our cars, trucks and planes. Coal-to-liquids technology can transform coal into high-energy transportation fuels. Washington-based Baard Energy has partnered with DOE's Idaho National Laboratory to design one of the nation's first coal-to-liquids plants.
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Acid primes plants' defense system
By identifying a novel compound that primes a plant's immune system, researchers at DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Chicago may be on a path to developing disease-resistant plants. In a paper published in Science, ORNL reports that azelaic acid has a role in priming the immunity response in Arabidopsis, a small flowering plant widely used as a model organism for studying higher plants.