Off

The four-year research program could yield next-gen technology capable of solving food, energy and water security challenges posed by global population growth and climate change.

The study, administered under the USDA and National Science Foundation鈥檚 Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems (INFEWS) program, will be led by researchers from CU 麻豆影院鈥檚 Department of Mechanical Engineering in collaboration with Michigan State University鈥檚 Department of Horticulture and Department of Mechanical Engineering.

鈥淲e are excited to work on a project that addresses one of the most important global challenges with our multidisciplinary colleagues at CU and MSU,鈥� said Ronggui Yang, a professor of mechanical engineering who will lead the team.

Greenhouses have been used since the 1960s and remain the standard for effective plant productivity compared to open-field agriculture. But the structures carry high energy costs, requiring tremendous amounts of energy for heating, ventilation, electrical lighting and water for evaporative cooling. By the year 2050, current greenhouse capabilities will likely be unable to keep up with worldwide human consumption, making an increase in productivity an urgent mandate.

Under normal conditions, plants only use around 50 percent of incoming sunlight for photosynthesis while the remaining half goes unused.

鈥淭he new CU 麻豆影院 technology will take the form of a semi-translucent film that splits incoming light and converts the rays from less-desired green wavelengths into more desirable red wavelengths, thus increasing the amount of photosynthetically efficient light for the plant with no additional electricity consumption,鈥� said Xiaobo Yin, an assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering at CU 麻豆影院.

The thin engineered material can be applied directly to the surface of greenhouse panels. The technology also makes use of the photosynthetically ineffective light by redirecting it to aid in solar-driven water purification.

鈥淭he near-infrared wavelengths can help clean brackish wastewater, allowing it to be recirculated in an advanced humidification-dehumidification interface and further reducing the greenhouse鈥檚 energy footprint,鈥� said Yang, an American Society of Mechanical Engineers Fellow.

The innovation could help improve U.S. agricultural competitiveness and lead to new best practices for greenhouse systems in different climates, especially in arid regions with limited freshwater availability where crops cannot be grown profitably.

The technology expands on the researchers鈥� previous successful efforts to develop a suite of scalable engineered materials that can cool structures and improve solar panel efficiency, among other applications.

The researchers plan to create a pilot greenhouse facility to test the material鈥檚 properties over the course of multiple tomato production cycles and, later, expand the test to leafy greens such as lettuce and herbs.

Off

Yin, an assistant professor in CU 麻豆影院鈥檚 Department of Mechanical Engineering, was honored for developing a tailored optical metamaterial that can convert incident sunlight into longer wavelengths, which will dramatically increase the rate of photosynthesis and provide high-yield crop production. The aim of this invention is to develop engineering solutions for real-world environmental challenges.

Other 2017 Moore Inventor Fellows include: Jennifer Dionne of Stanford University; Viviana Gradinaru of the California Institute of Technology; Daniel Ludois of the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Matthew Sheldon of Texas A&M University.

Each fellow will receive a total of $825,000 over three years, including $50,000 per year from their home institution. Starting with five fellows in 2016, the foundation plans to allocate nearly $34 million through 2026 to support 50 Moore Inventor Fellows.

鈥淓mbodying Gordon Moore鈥檚 passion for science and penchant for inventing, the Moore Inventor Fellows are problem solvers seeking to develop new tools and technologies that will accelerate progress in scientific research, environmental conservation and patient care, three areas of interest to our foundation,鈥� said Harvey V. Fineberg, M.D., Ph.D., president of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. 鈥淭hese young inventors show great promise for creating positive outcomes for generations to come.鈥�

The 2017 fellows will be recognized at an event on Nov. 7 at The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California.

Off