Pythagoras Solar’s advanced BIPV products improve building energy efficiency generate solar power and offer architectural design benefits to increase return on investment and real estate value and advance Net-Zero Energy Buildings (NZB). By leveraging patent-pending optics high-efficiency crystalline silicon advanced materials science and simulation software the company delivers the industry’s first transparent high power density PVGUs. The first products are designed to replace curtain wall windows and skylights.

Background: Microorganisms that produce biofuels may be used to produce a wide array of gasoline alternatives. Higher alcohols like isobutanol are good candidates for alternative fuels because their energy density and octane value are similar to gasoline. Isobutanol has a high octane rating is oxygenated non-hygroscopic and non-corrosive. The autotrophic microorganisms that produce isobutanol consume carbon dioxide which makes isobutanol close to carbon neutral. This may beneficially lower greenhouse gas production.

Currently there are no simple methods of removing pollutants from agricultural drainage water or fracking water. Wastewater from other sources is typically treated by expensive biological and/or chemical methods that also may have high energy requirements. SDSU anticipates that this invention will solve currently un-addressed problems with agricultural drainage water and fracking water in a low cost and low energy input process. A broad range of applications could be exploited by this technology for the purpose of cleansing water of pollutants.

Conventional HVAC cooling systems are very energy intensive. In addition most systems do not offer individual control over cooling. Desk fans are one answer to these problems but normal desk fans produce a turbulent airstream that is noisy and disruptive to office work. To address these limitations Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a personalized cooling system that allows for high comfort levels while maintaining high energy efficiency. The system is based on extensive field studies in office buildings and climate chamber testing of human subjects.

Summary: A major influence on the successful harvest of nearly every type of crop is adequate rainfall or irrigation. Particularly at critical phases in crop life cycle drought conditions can delay diminish or destroy productivity. Naturally drought resistant arid zone plants acutely control water metabolism through modification of stomatal opening. A simple and robust technology has now been developed which imparts exceptional drought resistance to any crop plant through manipulation of an NMDA-like receptor.

Background: High petroleum costs coupled with major environmental concerns have pushed researchers to search for alternative and renewable sources of energy. Biomass represents an abundant sustainable resource for energy production. Bio- and thermo-chemical conversion schemes often result in formation of energy-dense gases from biomass. Since as much as 30% of our energy consumption is in the form of liquid transportation fuels high value is achieved by producing liquid fuels these from gaseous feedstock in a renewable way such as with microorganisms.

Disclosed is a process for removing contaminants from a contaminated area of the ground having a vadose zone and a water table which comprises providing a borehole in the contaminated area; placing in the borehole a perforated riser pipe inside of which is situated a vacuum extraction pipe with an opening situated near at or at any point below the water table within the perforated riser pipe; while introducing a gas into the riser pipe applying a vacuum to the vacuum extraction pipe to draw gases and liquid from the soil into the perforated riser pipe and from the riser pipe into the vacuum

Disclosed is a process for removing contaminants from a contaminated area of the ground having a vadose zone (16) and a water table (18).

There is provided an apparatus for removing contaminants from a contaminated area of the ground having a water table and a vadose zone above the water table which comprises a perforated riser pipe (44) extending downwardly a vacuum extraction pipe (30) situated inside of the riser pipe (44) and having a bottom opening situated within the perforated riser pipe (44) said vacuum extraction pipe (30) being capable of containing groundwater prior to application of a vacuum thereto said vacuum extraction pipe (30) having at least one gas inlet (41d 41e) in the vacuum extraction pipe (30) for intr

An apparatus for removing contaminants from a contaminated area (12) of the subsurface (1820) which comprises a riser pipe (44) extending downwardly from the surface and having an upper impermeable portion (46) and a lower perforated portion (48) a vacuum extraction pipe (30) situated inside of the riser pipe (44) and having an opening situated within the perforated portion an actuable packing (61) situated in a portion of the annular space between the vacuum extraction pipe (30) and the riser pipe (44) said portion having a vertical extension being significantly smaller than a vertical ext