The GTEP Enlightenment


Education


A sustainable future demands scientific solutions. Developing more efficient means to harness energy, bringing renewable energy innovations and exploring revolutionary methods for energy storage and conversion, The Grand Technion Energy Program (GTEP) is guaranteeing the future of us all. 
This future demands highly-skilled graduates in energy science, and as such, GTEP has launched its unique Graduate Energy Studies Program. This is the only advanced multidisciplinary energy program in Israel, and it is also open to international students.


Global Exchange


In addition to nurturing the coming generation, international scientific collaboration with world-class researchers is vital to brainstorm the scientific power challenges. Prof. Harry Tuller of MIT recently delivered a lecture series and spoke about energy, Israel, and the challenges ahead. Global warming, pollution and astronomical increases in world energy demands were on the agenda: you can read more here.
Prof. Harry L. Tuller, MIT, at Technion as part of the Pollack Distinguished Lecture Series

This February, GTEP also hosted Professor Eicke R. Weber – Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and Professor for Physics/Solar Energy at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics and at the Faculty of Engineering at the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Germany.

Prof. Weber delivered the lecture: Solar Energy as Key to Future Renewable Energy.

Prof. Eicke R. Weber



Research


Among the many exciting research projects at GTEP, one laboratory received special attention this month: the lab of GTEP Prof. Yair Ein Eli. Prof. Ein Eli has registered two patents for his innovative silicon air battery – an all-green battery alternative that uses silicon – an abundant resource – and which promises 1000s of hours of life. 


While the endorsement of Technion friends means that the dream of developing the silicon air battery to create a rechargeable version for electric cars and a multitude of other applications could well be realized in coming years, first on the horizon is a new generation of batteries for hearing aids. The beauty of the silicon-air battery is that hearing-aid users will only have to change batteries once every several months – as opposed to once a week. Read more here.

Primary-school teacher Hadas Hauz – waiting for the si-air battery.



Alternative Fuels


Prof. Gideon Grader of the faculty of Chemical Engineering and Head of the Grand Technion Energy Program, discusses the development of hydrogen nitrogen alternative fuels to break our dependence on oil. Film made by the American Technion Society.