PFI: Nanotechnology Innovations for Clean Energy - Innovative Partnerships (NICE-IP)

Suny At Albany, Albany NY

Investigators

Abstract

This Partnerships for Innovation project from the University at Albany a.k.a. SUNY Albany (College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering (CNSE)), in collaboration with key players from the private sector and government, focuses on the area of silicon nanowire (SiNW)-related nanotechnology innovations and discoveries to optimize the properties of energy devices through the integration of SiNW materials with controlled interfaces and desired physical and chemical properties that will allow more widespread implementation of this platform technology. CNSE's unique fabrication capabilities of nanostructured materials will enable the production of interface geometries, defect structures, and atomic arrangements not otherwise possible in materials produced by traditional methods. In turn, the investigation of carrier generation, charge distribution, surface migration and charge transfer on uniquely tailored surfaces leading to better understanding and processing of these materials will be enabled. Additionally, new shared knowledge will determine how to best integrate one- and three-dimensional Si-based nanostructures and how such processes can be appropriately scaled economically. The broader impacts of this research are on energy efficiency and clean energy technology. The project proffers advances in energy devices, including solar cells, thermoelectric devices, and batteries through improvements in SiNW architectures and nanostructured materials. This activity will build on the work of CNSE's broader incubation, commercialization, and "partnerships for innovation" efforts; which focus on connecting university-based research and development activities with private enterprise funding and expertise, which, in turn, will help increase the rate and scale of clean energy technology market penetration across the region and country. This program is expected to develop and ultimately commercialize innovations and create economic development opportunities, resulting in green jobs in the U.S., as well as ensuring independent and secure energy resources for the nation. In addition to technology development outcomes of this project, for the first time, three small business industrial partners at CNSE will get to experience and contribute to the power of leveraging the circular open innovation model. The knowledge sharing within this technology platform will result in a pipeline of new capacity with new and existing industry partners. This approach will make CNSE's new technology capabilities openly accessible to external users, allowing these outsiders to expand on and remix the core product in surprising new ways. Anticipated to arise out of input from external users will be improvement on the innovations and creation of new value that CNSE and its partners may ultimately be able to use in other industry segments. Partners at the inception of the project include the Knowledge Enhancement Partnership (KEP) unit, consisting of University of Albany (College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering), and three small businesses: Magnolia Solar Corporation (Woburn, MA and Albany, NY), Hi-Z Technology (San Diego, CA), and B.E.S.S. Technologies (Albany, NY). In addition, there are other core partners (from the state of New York unless otherwise indicated). They include private sector organizations: CG Power, EYP/Energy, New Energy New York, and Salem Financial; these partners will provide market deployment opportunities, assist in network building and strategic partnerships, and help define specifications for renewable energy products developed by the KEP; public sector organizations: including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) (Golden, CO), New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and New York State Empire State Development (NYSESD); these partners will support technology development, technology transfer assistance and competitive economic development assistant grants to the KEP; and other partner organizations: ECG Consulting, Heslin Rothenberg Farley Mesiti, and the Hudson Valley Center for Innovation; these partners will provide business mentoring and business planning support to the KEP.