
The Energy Blockchain – Believe The Hype, Just Don’t Forget The Physics
The analogy of blockchain to jazz was made more than once at Event Horizon, the first major conference on blockchain technology in the energy industry held last week in Vienna. Decentralized, free-form, and without a conductor, blockchains have the potential to transform incumbent centralized power structures. While this may be true for purely digital systems […]

A snapshot of USA’s Clean Power Plan
Earlier in August 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the Clean Power Plan – USA’s most ambitious policy to combat climate change. In February 2016, USA’s Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the Clean Power Plan, pending further judicial review of its legal merits. Find out more about the plan here!

BERCshop: Natel Energy
On March 7, BERC-E hosted a BERCshop with one of the founders of Natel Energy, who explained how their small-scale hydropower technology works. Abe Schneider, President and CTO of Natel, told the story of how he and his sister started a company to make their father’s vision of generating electricity from low-head, high-flow water sources a commercial reality.

First Berkeley CUP Workshop this Friday!
Please join us for the first workshop in a series of four Berkeley Cleantech University Prize events, to be held on Friday, November 20th in Sutardja Dai Hall at UC Berkeley. Lunch will be provided on a first come, first served basis for registered attendees!

Homogeneous Catalysis in Biomass Conversion
Biomass valorization is a promising field of research that can potentially reduce CO2 production and develop cost-effective sources of renewable energy. Homogeneous catalysis has the potential to give greater access to lignocellulosic biomass as a chemical feedstock for second-generation biofuels from biomass conversion.

Invitation to Apply for the UC Berkeley Cleantech University Prize
The Berkeley CUP is a clean energy startup competition sponsored by the Department of Energy and hosted by the Berkeley Energy and Climate Institute (BECI) and the Berkeley Energy and Resources Collaborative (BERC). We would like to invite students at colleges across the western U.S. to submit their innovative clean-tech solutions. Applications are available until October 10th!

BERC Engineers: Passive Radiative Cooling
BERC-E held a lively discussion of a new cooling technology detailed in a recent Nature paper, “Passive radiative cooling below ambient air temperature under direct sunlight.” The new cooling method uses panels to passively cool by sending heat out to deep space. This technology is currently being studied by a team in the Cleantech to Market class.

BERC/BECI Named as Hosts for DOE Cleantech University Prize
UC Berkeley has been selected as one of eight national hosts for the Department of Energy Cleantech University Prize competitions. This program aims to inspire the next generation of clean energy entrepreneurs and innovators by providing them with competitive funding for business and commercialization training and other educational opportunities.