Jan. 29, 2007 — The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany and Einhorn Yaffee Prescott (EYP) Architecture and Engineering PC of Albany announced the creation of a world-class center for zero energy and sustainability that is intended to serve as both a catalyst for energy technology innovations and as a magnet for the attraction of clean energy businesses and industries to the Capital Region and New York State.
EYP will locate its new business group, EYP/energy, including 15 EYP executives, managers, architects, designers and engineers at CNSE’s Albany NanoTech complex as part of the $3.5 million National Institute for Sustainable Energy (NISE), a leading-edge center for zero energy and sustainability research and development, business advancement, commercialization and workforce training.
Through NISE, personnel from EYP and CNSE will collaborate to convert zero energy concepts and innovations into actual business opportunities and revenue generating initiatives in established markets, including integrated building modeling and energy simulation, energy efficiency, new energy technology, and monitoring and control. In addition, programs in education, workforce training and development, and public policy will be established, and EYP and CNSE will work jointly in development of an energy test farm at the UAlbany NanoCollege, a project funded by the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR).
The energy test farm, to be launched at CNSE through a $1.9 million award from NYSTAR made in October 2006, will allow for the evaluation of zero energy concepts based on the development and testing of nanomaterials and nanoelectronics for clean energy technologies, such as fuel cells, solar photovoltaic cells, ultracapacitors and power electronics.
The research will be conducted by EYP and CNSE in collaboration with several New York-based alternative energy companies, including DayStar Technologies of Halfmoon (solar photovoltaics), Plug Power Inc. of Latham (fuel cells), MTech Laboratories of Ballston Spa (power electronics) and Custom Electronics Inc. of Oneonta (ultracapacitors).