Energy News – Page 22 – The Energy Chronicle

FSEC to Help Run New National Solar Installer Training Network

Sherri Shields Awards, Energy News, Press Release October 19, 2009 0 Comment

U.S. Department of Energy selected UCF’s Florida Solar Energy Center to create and operate the network in six states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

With unemployment at an all-time high, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is investing in solar workforce development and providing $2.8 million to the University of Central Florida’s Solar Energy Center (FSEC) to help lead those efforts.

During a train-the-trainer event at the Florida Solar Energy Center, participants learn about solar technologies and developing training curricula.

FSEC was selected as one of nine national institutions that will operate the newly created Solar Installer Instructor Training Network.

The national network will address a critical need for high-quality, local and accessible training in solar system design, installation, sales and inspection. The training network is a five-year effort intended to create a geographic blanket of training opportunities in solar installations across the United States. Its goals are to accelerate market adoption of solar technologies by ensuring that high-quality installations are standard and to create sustainable jobs within the solar installation industry.

FSEC’s Cummings and Withers Receive Distinguished Awards from ASHRAE

Sherri Shields Awards, Energy News August 17, 2009 0 Comment

ASHRAE – American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, Air-Conditioning Engineers

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recognized 56 members and one chapter for contributions to ASHRAE and the HVAC&R industry at the Society’s 2009 Annual Conference in June.

The Florida Solar Energy Center’s James Cummings and Charles (Chuck) Withers, Jr. received the 2008 Journal Paper Award for their article, Problems Related to Air Handler Leakage. The award honors the best paper or article published in ASHRAE Journal.

Free Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Low-Income

Sherri Shields Energy News August 13, 2009 19 Comments

Weatherization Works in Florida — Florida Department of Community Affairs

With assistance from the Florida American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Florida Department of Community Affairs’ Weatherization Assistance Program is offering grants to qualifying low-income households for energy-efficient home improvements.

Preference is given to owner-occupied homes, elderly (60 years-plus) or physically disabled residents, families with children under 12 and households with a high-energy bills.

Contact your local Weatherization Assistance Program office to see if you qualify or visit www.FloridaCommunityDevelopment.org/WAP for more information about the program.

Students Shine at EnergyWhiz Olympics

Sherri Shields Awards, Energy News May 15, 2009alternative fuel, alternative fuel workshop, BP, Bright House, car, competition, design, Energy Innovations, EnergyWhiz Olympics, H2, hydrogen, Hydrogen Sprint, JSS, Junior Solar Sprint, race, renewable energy, solar chef, solar cooker, solar cooking, Solar Cookoff, Solar Energy Cookoff, students, Susan Schleith, vehicle 5 Comments

Florida students have creative ideas for solving some of our world’s greatest energy challenges, and their renewable energy solutions were demonstrated at the EnergyWhiz Olympics – a series of day-long activities dedicated to students with an interest in alternative fuel technologies.

Nearly 700 students throughout Florida converged at the University of Central Florida’s Florida Solar Energy Center in Cocoa on Saturday, May 9, 2009 to compete in the seventh-annual EnergyWhiz Olympics. Events included the new Bright House Solar Energy Cookoff, a solar cooker and cooking contest; the Junior Solar Sprint, model-size solar car races; the High School Hydrogen Sprint, model-size hydrogen fuel cell car races; and Energy Innovations, a full-scale solar electric design challenge.

Muradov's Paper Featured by ScienceWatch®

Sherri Shields Energy News May 8, 2009carbon, energy, environmental, fossil fuel, hydrocarbon, hydrogen economy, Muradov 0 Comment

An article written by Nazim Muradov, a principal research scientist at the University of Central Florida’s Florida Solar Energy Center, was recently identified by Thomson Reuters’ Essential Science Indicators^SM as one of the most cited papers in the research area of “Hydrogen Economy.”

Read Q&A from Nazim Muradov. — Q&A with Nazim Muradov

Muradov’s highly cited article, “From hydrocarbon to hydrogen-carbon to hydrogen economy,” published in the “International Journal of Hydrogen Energy” in March 2005, is now featured as a Fast Moving Front paper in the field of engineering on Thomson Reuters’ ScienceWatch^® Web site: http://sciencewatch.com/sciencewatch/dr/fmf/2009/09mayfmf/09mayfmfMura/.