The purpose of this training is to familiarize participants with reliable online environmental health and toxicology information, from the National Library of Medicine and other reliable sources. Skills and knowledge acquired in this training class will enable participants to access, utilize, and refer others to environmental health and toxicology information.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is encouraging the use of alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). To support this activity, DOE has directed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to conduct projects to evaluate the performance and acceptability of light-duty AFVs. In this study, we tested a pair of 1998 Ford Tauruses: one E85 (85% gasoline/15% ethanol) model (which was tested on both E85 and gasoline) and a gasoline model as closely matched as possible. Each vehicle was run through a series of tests to evaluate acceleration, fuel economy, braking, and cold-start capabilities, as well as more subjective performance indicators such as handling, climate control, and noise.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is encouraging the use of alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). To support this activity, DOE has directed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to conduct projects to evaluate the performance and acceptability of light-duty AFVs. In this study, we tested a pair of 1998 Ford F-250 pickups: one dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG) model and a gasoline model as closely matched as possible. Each vehicle was run through a series of tests to evaluate acceleration, fuel economy, braking, and cold-start capabilities, as well as more subjective performance indicators such as handling, climate control, and noise.

Physical and chemical agents in the environment, those used in clinical applications, or encountered during recreational exposures to sunlight, induce damages in DNA. Understanding the biological impact of these agents requires quantitation of the levels of such damages in laboratory test systems as well as in field or clinical samples. Alkaline gel electrophoresis provides a sensitive (down to {approx} a few lesions/5Mb), rapid method of direct quantitation of a wide variety of DNA damages in nanogram quantities of non-radioactive DNAs from laboratory, field, or clinical specimens, including higher plants and animals. This method stems from velocity sedimentation studies of DNA populations, and from the simple methods of agarose gel electrophoresis. Our laboratories have developed quantitative agarose gel methods, analytical descriptions of DNA migration during electrophoresis on agarose gels (1-6), and electronic imaging for accurate determinations of DNA mass (7-9). Although all these components improve sensitivity and throughput of large numbers of samples (7,8,10), a simple version using only standard molecular biology equipment allows routine analysis of DNA damages at moderate frequencies. We present here a description of the methods, as well as a brief description of the underlying principles, required for a simplified approach to quantitation of DNA damages by …

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Models have an inherent uncertainty. The difficulty in fully characterizing the subsurface environment makes uncertainty an integral component of groundwater flow and transport models, which dictates the need for continuous monitoring and improvement. Building and sustaining confidence in closure decisions and monitoring networks based on models of subsurface conditions require developing confidence in the models through an iterative process. The definition of model validation is postulated as a confidence building and long-term iterative process (Hassan, 2004a). Model validation should be viewed as a process not an end result. Following Hassan (2004b), an approach is proposed for the validation process of stochastic groundwater models. The approach is briefly summarized herein and detailed analyses of acceptance criteria for stochastic realizations and of using validation data to reduce input parameter uncertainty are presented and applied to two case studies. During the validation process for stochastic models, a question arises as to the sufficiency of the number of acceptable model realizations (in terms of conformity with validation data). Using a hierarchical approach to make this determination is proposed. This approach is based on computing five measures or metrics and following a decision tree to determine if a sufficient number of realizations attain satisfactory scores …

The high time resolution Pb-Pb ages and short-lived nuclide based relative ages for CAIs and chondrules are reviewed. The solar system started at 4567.2 {+-} 0.6Ma inferred from the high precision Pb-Pb ages of CAIs. Time scales of CAIs ({le}0.1Myr), chondrules (1-3Myr), and early asteroidal differentiation ({ge}3Myr) inferred from {sup 26}Al relative ages are comparable to the time scale estimated from astronomical observations of young star; proto star, classical T Tauri star and week-lined T Tauri star, respectively. Pb-Pb ages of chondrules also indicate chondrule formation occur within 1-3 Myr after CAIs. Mn-Cr isochron ages of chondrules are similar to or within 2 Myr after CAI formation. Chondrules from different classes of chondrites show the same range of {sup 26}Al ages in spite of their different oxygen isotopes, indicating that chondrule formed in the localized environment. The {sup 26}Al ages of chondrules in each chondrite class show a hint of correlation with their chemical compositions, which implies the process of elemental fractionation during chondrule formation events.

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The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) Dynamometer Test Bed is one of a kind. It offers wind industry engineers a unique opportunity to conduct lifetime endurance tests on a wide range of wind turbine drivetrains and gearboxes at various speeds, using low or high torque. By testing full-scale wind turbines, engineers from NREL and industry hope to understand the impact of various wind conditions with the goal of improving hardware design.

This 8-page brochure describes the Office of Industrial Technologies' financial assistance programs--National Industrial Competitiveness through Energy, Environment, and Economics (NICE3) and Inventions and Innovation (I and I). Cost-shared grants awarded by NICE3 provide up to $500,000 to industry-state partnerships for demonstrations of clean and energy-efficient technologies. I and I awards grants of up to $200,000 to inventors who are establishing technical performance or in the early stages of development or commercialization of energy-efficient technologies.

At the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), originally built in the 1960s, old process and comfort chillers, pumps, and other related central cooling-system equipment were replaced, and pumping configuration changes were made to accelerator heat rejection systems, the employee office space and a ``process system'' for the equipment and accelerators. The new 4500-ton cooling system is expected to use 40% less energy and is free of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons. Energy savings of 20 million kWh and a demand reduction of about 2.5 megawatts are expected, resulting in estimated cost savings of $900,000 per year.

The use of dessicant materials for cooling and dehumidification is an effective, economical, environmentally safe method for meeting indoor air quality standards established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). To maximize the technology's potential for reducing energy consumption and improving indoor air quality, DOE established the Advanced Desiccant Cooling and Dehumidification Program. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory partners with industry to support and educate industry users, as well as to support technology transfer and benchmark current performance.

The U.S. Department of Energy's State Energy Program (SEP) provides leadership to maximize the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy through communications/outreach activities, technology deployment, and accessing new partnerships/resources. The State Energy Program operates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories.

SolMaT works with manufacturers to lower the cost of manufacturing components for concentrating solar power systems.

Transpired air collectors preheat building ventilation air by using the building's ventilation fan to draw fresh air through the system. The intake air is heated as it passes through the perforated absorber plate and up the plenum between the absorber and the south wall of the building. Reduced heating costs will pay for the systems in 3--12 years.

Concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies, including parabolic troughs, power towers, and dish/engines, have the potential to provide the world with tens of thousands of megawatts of clean, renewable, cost-competitive power.

DOE's Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) program is collaborating with its partners in the private sector to develop two new solar technologies -- power towers and dish/engines -- to meet the huge commercial potential for solar power. Concentrating solar power plants produce electric power by first converting the sun's energy into heat, and then to electricity in a conventional generator.