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TU Delft, ECN and Stanford Work Together For Clean Energy

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17.02.2005

The Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP) of the University of Stanford has announced that it will be investing 9 million Dollars in seven research proposals. Over a period of three years, The Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) and TU Delft together will receive 2,3 million Dollars for innovative research in the field of energy related technology, in an effort to reduce greenhouse gasses.

The research projects selected by the GCEP cover a number of different processes related to energy storage, production and use. Examples are research on fuel cells, biological energy production and the collection and storage of CO2. ECN will receive a contribution for the development of a new type of membrane reactor for the separation of CO2 during the production of hydrogen from fossil fuels. If this development is a success, hydrogen could be used far more efficiently in energy production than is currently possible. Director of ECN, Dr. Ton Hoff says, "We are very pleased with this assignment. ECN is the largest research centre in the field of energy and is open to more contacts on the open market in the energy sector."

TU Delft will develop new reactors based on nano-porous ceramic membranes and on "ionic liquids" to be used as separators in the production of hydrogen from fossil fuels. On this topic, Prof.Dr. Joop Schoonman says, “This research in the Netherlands provides the much-needed international perspective on one of the great challenges we face, our climate.”

The GCEP is a unique, long term project under leadership of the University of Stanford. It brings together scientific researchers and companies operating world-wide to conduct research on commercially viable technologies that can stimulate sustainable energy production internationally. Its goal is to significantly reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses.

GCEP is sponsored by General Electric, Toyota, Schlumberger and ExxonMobil. These companies have knowledge and experience in fields that are of crucial importance to the project. Moreover, they possess the financial means, the international muscle and the commercial insight to enable researchers to bring promising technologies into the market. In the next ten years, these companies will collectively invest 225 million Dollars.

Maarten van der Sanden | Source: alphagalileo
Further information: www.tudelft.nl

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