Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment

#ICYMI: Jesse Jenkins was named to the TIME100 Climate list, following his nomination to the TIME100 Next list last month! Jenkins was celebrated in both instances for his work to evaluate and inform the clean energy transition in the United States, as well as his commitment to educating and engaging the public on energy issues. “There is one guiding principle that I think everyone can take to heart: focus on how to use the everyday choices in your life to exert the most leverage on our interconnected energy, economic, and political systems and, hopefully, nudge things toward decarbonization just a little bit faster,” Jenkins wrote. Princeton Engineering Princeton MAE https://bit.ly/3ANFSwC

The lack of energy storage alongside wind and solar power has left the world facing challenges in sustainable energy integration, particularly with slow or inefficient chemical reactions for energy conversion. To solve this, programmable catalytic materials have been developed, allowing for dynamic manipulation of reaction rates through oscillating electronic states, resulting in faster, more controllable chemical processes that exceed traditional catalytic limits. Join us in welcoming Professor Paul Dauenhauer as our featured speaker on Dec 5. He’ll dive into the exciting world of programmable chemistry and how it could solve the problem of slow or inefficient chemical reactions in energy conversion. Don’t miss it – click the link for more details!

November newsletter highlights: ? Supporting six new research collaborations with corporate partners ? Identifying the role of trust in the energy transition with Worley ? Offshore wind fellows explore the future of New Jersey's wind industry, supported by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) ? Jesse Jenkins named to TIME100 Climate list Read more & subscribe: https://bit.ly/48TUIOP

A new report authored by Andlinger Center researchers in collaboration with E-ffiliates member Worley highlights the role that trust will play in either speeding up or slowing down the clean energy transition. Trust can be hard to build and easy to erode in the energy sector, said co-lead author Chris Greig. Using carbon capture and storage as a case study, Greig and his co-authors spotlighted the role of trust in helping or hindering the overall speed of energy infrastructure deployment. Drawing on results from a pulse survey they conducted in the U.S., they argued that repeated project setbacks alongside the public's unfamiliarity with the technology have hampered its credibility, making it difficult for carbon capture and storage to achieve buy-in from the institutions and communities that will shape its role in the broader energy transition. The team, which also includes Elke Weber, Jordana Composto, and David Miller of the Princeton University Faith & Work Initiative, is now working to explore the notion of an Infrastructure for Trust, or a framework for systematically establishing and maintaining deep trust between energy transition stakeholders. “A key aspect of trust is a willingness to be vulnerable, and ultimately, that needed vulnerability will not happen until people believe that someone is acting sincerely and in their best interest,” said Greig. “Getting to that point will require a level of engagement and transparency that is unprecedented for the energy sector, but without it, we think the sector will struggle to maintain the level of trust we believe the world needs to achieve its climate targets.” Full story: https://bit.ly/3O6vIKr

Congratulations to Jesse Jenkins on being named to the #TIME100Climate list for his influential role as a climate leader! ?? Jenkins was recognized for his work to evaluate and inform the clean energy transition in the United States. Jenkins' ZERO Lab works to analyze and optimize low-carbon energy technologies, guide investment and research in innovative energy technologies, and generate insights to improve energy and climate policy and planning decisions. "Tackling climate change requires systemic change," writes Jenkins. "We are collectively engaged in a massive effort to transform how we make and use energy across all aspects of our economy. It can feel daunting or feel like the actions of any individual can't make a difference. The truth is, this transition will probably take longer than any of us want. But it is going to take considerably less time thanks to the efforts of folks like you, who get up in the morning, grab the biggest lever of change they can, and put their weight behind it." Last month, Jenkins was also named to the #TIME100NEXT list in recognition of his status as a rising leader working to shape a better future for the planet. Congratulations on the well-deserved honors, Professor Jenkins! Princeton Engineering Princeton MAE Princeton School of Public and International Affairs

Four Princeton MAE graduate students have been selected for the second #PrincetonU cohort of the New Jersey Wind Insititute Fellowship Program. Supported by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), the fellows will work alongside Princeton faculty to carry out research projects that will inform the future of offshore wind in New Jersey! Full announcement, including descriptions of each fellow's project: https://bit.ly/3A6dm9d

Join us Tuesday, October 29 – 8:15 AM to 6:15 PM for our 2024 Annual Meeting - AI for Energy and Energy for AI. While the artificial intelligence boom is poised to transform how we understand and solve global challenges, its?heavy reliance on?energy?and water has led to concerns about its?own impact on the environment. This year’s?Annual?Meeting?will explore how we can harness the power of AI to make rapid progress in global decarbonization efforts?and navigate?the risks that AI will create for achieving a clean and just energy future. ? We look forward to hosting an energetic day of conversations.

October newsletter highlights: ? Modeling alternative coal retirement strategies in Pennsylvania ? The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee charts a roadmap for recycling carbon emissions ? E-ffiliates welcomes new member Komline to advance PFAS treatment and other environmental solutions ? Jesse Jenkins named to TIME100 Next list Read more & subscribe: https://bit.ly/48cXG0f

The Andlinger Center's E-ffiliates program has welcomed Komline, a developer of advanced separation technologies, as a new member! The collaboration will accelerate technologies for PFAS treatment and other environmental solutions, strengthening the Andlinger Center's expertise at the nexus of water, energy, and the environment. https://bit.ly/4f2Xu6e

While coal-fired power plants are on the decline in the United States, existing strategies for retiring coal plants are typically centered around minimizing costs.?But research led by Wei Peng has demonstrated that cost-driven retirement strategies could be leaving significant climate and public health benefits on the table compared to climate- and equity-focused ones. For example, the researchers found that retiring half of the coal plants in Pennsylvania could reduce electricity-related carbon dioxide emissions in the state by up to 12%, cut air pollutant emissions by up to 75%, and avoid up to 20% of the deaths attributable to fine particulate matter exposure when compared to a business-as-usual, no-retirement scenario. “Often, policies aren’t designed with environmental justice or climate goals as explicit objectives,” said first author Carla Campos Morales, a visiting graduate student in Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. “We’re showing what the potential outcomes could be if we instead prioritize factors like carbon-intensity or environmental equity when making decisions about which coal plants to retire.” Full story: https://bit.ly/3U1tv6s