Tennessee Solar Conversion and Storage using Outreach, Research and Education (TN-SCORE)

提案编号：EPS-1004083提案标题：田纳西州太阳能转换和存储使用外展，研究和教育（TN-SCORE）机构：田纳西大学诺克斯维尔这是田纳西州的第一个研究基础设施改进（RII）奖，将扩大和加强学术机构的物理，人员和网络基础设施。RII项目建立在州政府为促进经济发展对清洁能源部门的投资以及最近在田纳西大学系统中聘用能源相关领域的杰出教师所产生的势头的基础上。RII项目名为“田纳西州太阳能转换和存储利用外展，研究和教育（TN-SCORE）”，将利用国家投资，在全州十所高等教育机构之间建立研究和教育活动的伙伴关系，并为中学教师和学生提供有意义的研究经验。RII计划的重点是能源研究和教育，涉及田纳西州九所地理分布的学院和大学，并加强学术机构和橡树岭国家实验室之间的合作。研究重点围绕三个重点领域：(1)太阳能捕获和转换的可持续方法和材料；主要研究利用硅薄膜、混合有机半导体和新型生物材料制造光伏电池。(2)电化学能量转换（燃料电池）和存储（电池）装置。(3)开发新型纳米结构和纳米材料，提高固态照明和太阳能转换领域的能源效率。田纳西大学诺克斯维尔分校、范德比尔特大学和橡树岭国家实验室的现有设施被用来解决可再生能源和环境清洁能源发展中的挑战，并推进该领域的现状。更广泛的影响这个RII项目的实施将为田纳西州的研究和教育合作建立一个强大的基础设施。该项目将帮助田纳西州在可替代能源和可再生能源领域建立全国竞争力。该项目将在田纳西州的大学和学院以及橡树岭国家实验室之间建立新的合作关系。这些伙伴关系将有助于消除地理上的狭隘主义，这是田纳西州科学和技术计划中确定的充分发展该州能力的障碍之一。该计划涉及各级学生，因此将在可再生能源相关领域培养训练有素的劳动力。为一般听众制定能源研究路演和新闻项目的计划将使公众了解基础研究和与能源有关的问题的重要性。

Proposal Number: EPS-1004083 Proposal Title: Tennessee Solar Conversion and Storage using Outreach, Research and Education (TN-SCORE)Institution: University of Tennessee KnoxvilleThis first Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Award to the state of Tennessee would expand and enhance the physical, personnel, and cyberinfrastructure at academic institutions. The RII program builds on the momentum generated by the state government's investment in clean energy sector for economic development and the recent hiring of eminent faculty members in energy related areas in the University of Tennessee system. The RII program entitled "Tennessee Solar Conversion and Storage Using Outreach, Research and Education (TN-SCORE)" would leverage state investments, build partnerships for research and educational activities among ten higher educational institutions across the state, and provide meaningful research experience to secondary school teachers and students.Intellectual MeritThe RII program is focused on energy research and education involving nine geographically distributed colleges and universities in Tennessee and strengthens collaborations between academic institutions and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Research focus centers around three thrust areas: (1) Sustainable methods and materials for solar energy capture and conversion; research is on photovoltaic cells fabricated using thin Si films, hybrid organic-semiconductors, and novel biomaterials. (2) Electrochemical energy conversion (fuel cells) and storage (batteries) devices. (3) Development of novel nanostructures and nanomaterials to enhance energy efficiency in the areas of solid state lighting and solar energy conversion. The facilities available at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, Vanderbilt University, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are leveraged to address the challenges in the development of renewable and environmentally clean energy sources and advance the current status of the field. Broader ImpactsThe implementation of this RII program would establish a robust infrastructure for research and educational collaboration across the state of Tennessee. The project would help build Tennessee's capacity for national competitiveness in alternative, renewable energy arena. The project would create new collaborations among Universities and colleges in Tennessee and with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. These partnerships would help eliminate geographical parochialism which is identified as one of the barriers to fully develop the state's capabilities in Tennessee Science and Technology Plan. The program involves students at all levels and thus would prepare a well-trained workforce in renewable energy related areas. Plans to develop a road show and news items on energy research for general audiences would inform the public about the importance of basic research and energy related issues.