UMERC Selected to Showcase Technology at 2011 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit

University of Maryland Energy Research Center, Dow, Lockheed Martin to be featured at DC Event February 28 - March 2

COLLEGE PARK, Md., Feb. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The University of Maryland Energy Research Center (UMERC) is excited to announce its selection for the prestigious Technology Showcase at the ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit, co-hosted by the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) and the Clean Technology and Sustainable Industries Organization (CTSI). Hundreds of top technologists and cutting-edge clean tech organizations competed to participate in the Showcase, a hallway of America's most promising prospects for winning the future in energy.

As one of ARPA-E's selected organizations, UMERC will exhibit its technology to nearly 2,000 national leaders gathering to drive long-term American competitiveness in the energy sector, including top researchers, investors, entrepreneurs, corporate executives and government officials. More than 200 groundbreaking technologies from ARPA-E awardees, corporations, National Labs and Department of Energy R&D programs will be featured at the event.

The University of Maryland exhibits present the following innovative technologies:

• Thermoelastic cooling concept that completely eliminates the need for high global-warming potential refrigerants such as halo fluorocarbon in air conditioners and refrigeration systems by using a "smart" solid refrigerant.
• Low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells that answer the need for lower-temperature operation and conventional as well as hydrogen fuel operation.  
• High-efficiency "active" photovoltaic energy conversion concept that promises improved solar cell performance over current passive methods by using surface acoustic waves.

"This Summit brings together organizations that understand the need to collaborate and partner to bring the next generation of energy technologies to market," said UMERC Director Eric Wachsman. "It's a rare and exciting opportunity to have so many key players in the energy community together under one roof and we look forward to sharing our technology with other innovators and investors at the Technology Showcase."

Research and business development teams from 14 Corporate Acceleration Partners committed to technology commercialization will also be present including Dow, Bosch, Applied Materials and Lockheed Martin.

The Summit also features high-profile speakers including U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, ARPA-E Director Arun Majumdar, U.S. Navy Secretary Raymond Mabus, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bank of America Chairman Charles Holliday.

The second annual ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit will take place February 28 - March 2, 2011 at the Gaylord Convention Center just outside Washington, D.C. To learn more or to register please visit: www.ct-si.org/events/EnergyInnovation .

About UMERC

The University of Maryland Energy Research Center (UMERC) is a multidisciplinary initiative dedicated to advancing the frontiers of energy science and technology, with a special focus on forward-looking approaches for alternative energy generation and storage. The Center focuses on a broad array of research areas critical for future energy technology development. www.umerc.umd.edu

About ARPA-E

The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) is a new agency within the U.S. Department of Energy – and the first to focus exclusively on breakthrough energy technologies that could radically change the way we use energy. Rather than performing research directly, ARPA-E invests in high-risk, high-reward energy technologies being developed by universities, startups, small businesses, and corporations. Our staff combines industry-leading scientists, engineers, and investment executives to identify promising solutions to the nation's most critical energy problems and to fast-track top technologies towards the marketplace – which is critical to securing the nation's global technology leadership and creating new American industries and jobs. www.arpa-e.energy.gov

About CTSI

The Clean Technology & Sustainable Industries Organization (CTSI), a 501c6 non-profit industry association, represents the organizations developing, commercializing, and implementing energy, water, and environmental technologies. Clean technologies offer much needed solutions to growing resource security and sustainability concerns and are critical to maintaining economic competitiveness. CTSI brings together global leaders for advocacy, community development, networking, and information sharing to help bring these needed technologies to market more rapidly. Visit www.ct-si.org for more information.

SOURCE University of Maryland