Society

China, US unis launch joint institute for new energy

By Wang Hongyi (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-06-10 20:51

SHANGHAI - The Shanghai-based East China Normal University announced its partnership with the US Colorado State University to establish a new institute for scientific study in the field of new energy utilization and environment protection on Friday. The Joint Research Institute for New Energy and Environment (JINEE) will focus on the study of efficiency use of new energy, technology innovation, as well as the sustainable development of ecological environment.

"China has made ambitious plan to reduce carbon emission for a greener economy development over the next five year. The strategy of developing new energy has become more important and significant in the future," said Yu Lizhong, president of East China Normal University.

"Colorado State University has been in a leading position in the field of energy material technology and environmental science. The partnership between the two universities will help accelerate the development of clean energy in the country," Yu added.

The institute will also work as international exchange and cooperation platform and invite senior scholars and experts from US to give lectures and work at ECNU.

"Through the intensified international exchange and cooperation, it will help improve the domestic technical level and lowered the production cost," said Chu Junhao, member of Chinese Academy of Sciences who is also expert of Semiconductor Physics and Devices. Chu is now in charge of the "Solar Energy Action Plan" by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Compared with traditional fuels, the production cost and price of clean energy remain high. "New energy generally has no obvious advantage, which restrains its further development," Chu said, adding that stepping up technical innovation to lower production costs is a key point.

"Currently, the development of solar cell in China mainly relies on the foreign technology. But research and development advancements will help solve the problem."

Chu said to strengthen R&D ability and improve solar cell conversion efficiency will be one of the key fields of the institute. In the meantime, the institute will carry out environment monitoring work and the study of effective utilization of water resources.

Besides, the joint research institute will also set up a sharing mechanism for intellectual property rights so as to ensure the mutual interests. The two parts will share the research results in the institute.

The Joint Research Institute for New Energy and Environment (JINEE) also named Chu Junhao and Dr.Bryan Willson who is the professor of Mechanical Engineering at Colorado State University (CSU) and is also the director of the Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory (EECL) at CSU as its directors.

Over the past 25 years, Dr.Bryan Willson has worked in the field of the development of sustainable energy solutions for the global needs. In 2009, he was named by the Scientific American to the list of the "Scientific American 10", ten individuals who have made great contributions to "guiding science to serve humanity" on a global basis.

China has surpassed US and became the world's largest energy consumer in 2010, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA). And over the past several years, the country has spared no efforts to develop green energy to meet its growing appetite for fuels driven by the fast development.