The Weizmann Institute: a Powerhouse of Energy Research Table of Contents
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J^[M[_pcWdd?dij_jkj[0 TalkingBrands.co.il J^[M[_pcWdd ?dij_jkj[0 6EdlZg]djhZd[:cZg\nGZhZVgX] 6EdlZg]djhZ d[:cZg\nGZhZVgX] The Weizmann Institute: A Powerhouse of Energy Research Table of contents A Powerhouse of Innovative Energy Research ............................................6 Why Weizmann? .........................................................................................10 Biofuels: New Power from Plants .................................................................22 Clean Fuel Synthesis ....................................................................................36 The Promise of Super-Hot Plasmas ...............................................................42 A Safer, More Plentiful Nuclear Energy Source ..............................................44 Teaching Tomorrow’s Energy Scientists and the Public ..................................46 What the Future Holds ................................................................................48 Milestones in Weizmann Alternative Energy Research ...................................52 Thanks to our Friends who Support Energy Research in Israel .......................55 5 6 The innovative program of energy research AERI serves as the framework for accelerating, at the Weizmann Institute is based on the coordinating, and sharing alternative energy conviction that only basic science can provide research at the Institute. the radical, paradigm-shifting changes needed to make a major difference in the world’s It should be noted that many of the groups A Powerhouse energy outlook in this century. Alternative conducting alternative energy research at energy research received a major boost in Weizmann have received grants from the 2006 with a pledge and a challenge from Mr. European Research Council, the European of Innovative Energy Yossie Hollander, an Israeli business leader and equivalent of the McArthur Foundation grants in alternative energy advocate. The result was the the U.S., which are dubbed the ‘genius grants.’ Research Alternative and sustainable Energy Research ERC grants are substantial and are given over Initiative (AERI), followed by the Mary and Tom the course of five years, enabling recipients Weizmann Institute scientists are responding particularly in solar technologies. Israel leads the Beck-Canadian Center for Alternative Energy to conduct innovative research at the highest to one of the world’s greatest challenges: the world in the per-capita use of solar power and Research, established in 2007, to create an levels. Weizmann scientists in the alternative need to create clean, affordable, sustainable has ambitious plans for a clean-tech economy endowment for AERI and thus for future energy energy area who have received ERC grants energy that will enable food production, provide founded on scientific and technical innovation. research at the Weizmann Institute. Other include Dr. Asaph Aharoni, Prof. Naama Barkai, clean water, foster economic growth, address The Weizmann Institute stands out among the donors with a shared vision for expanding Prof. Avraham Levy, Prof. Leeor Kronik, Dr. Ron global climate change, close the gaps between world’s centers of scientific discovery because research in clean and sustainable energy Milo, Prof. David Milstein, and Dr. Asaf Vardi. rich and poor, and reduce political instability. of its dedication to pure science, its robust have contributed generously to these funds. It is an increasingly urgent need, given the interdisciplinary culture, and its heritage as a burgeoning global population and the world’s national center for innovation and technological dependence on oil and gas. The physical spinoffs. Its founder and the first President of security of Israel and the energy security of the State of Israel, Dr. Chaim Weizmann, was the world depend on the development of new a biotech entrepreneur and organic chemist sources of economical and renewable energy. with more than 40 patents, including a process for making acetone from fermentation. The Weizmann Institute and Israel are poised to make a critical difference in sustainable energy This booklet highlights some of the research. Israel, with few natural resources but Weizmann Institute’s major milestones in an abundance of sunshine and brainpower, is an energy research, current groundbreaking innovative powerhouse in energy research, and investigations, and plans for the future. 7 8 Canadian Connections at the Weizmann Institute A group of generous Canadian donors have To that end, in 1982, Weizmann Canada held fostered energy research at the Weizmann fundraising dinners in Montreal and in Toronto. Institute of Science from well before the A dinner was also held in Vancouver in honor Canadian solar tower on campus. The fifth of Morris Wosk in 1984, which established president of the Institute, Prof. Israel Dostrovsky, one wing of the Center. Another wing was dreamed of creating an ultramodern solar established by the Toronto families of Wilfred energy research facility. His vision inspired both Posluns and James Kay. The two research the President of the Canadian Society for the buildings are named after Jacob Hendeles Weizmann Institute of Science, James Kay, and and Leo Perkell of Toronto. A plaza in front of its Executive Vice President, the late James the building was created for Helen and Sam Senor, to establish the Canadian Institute for Steinberg of Montreal. Jake Hendeles was the Energies and Applied Research (CIEAR), a involved with every stage of planning and facility for basic and applied energy research. co-chaired with Morris Kerzner, the Energy The solar tower Sub-committee of the Canadian Society, which research facility on Weizmann Institute oversaw the construction and financing. In campus 1986 Tom Beck took over as President of the Canadian Society and undertook to raise the funds to complete the project. The full list of supporters appears at the end of this booklet. The solar tower and laboratories of the Canadian Institute for the Energies and Applied Research were completed in 1987, one of the most advanced facilities for research in concentrated solar energy ever built on an academic campus. 9 10 the building blocks for biofuels. Our scientists The Weizmann Institute’s long experience with are also investigating new ways to break down concentrated solar energy is focused on finding common crop wastes, such as cellulose, into basic ways to convert solar energy into chemical energy sugars that are useable for fuel. One approach by high temperature chemistry, so as to provide has been to combine the cellulose-degrading storable clean fuels. For instance, they have elements from bacteria, fungi, and algae into pioneered solar-driven chemistry to refine zinc bioengineered artificial “organelles”, microscopic from zinc oxide, which is usable for fuel cells. biological factories. In addition, a major research They have demonstrated solar thermal splitting effort is well underway at Weizmann focusing of methane and solar reforming of hydrocarbons on identifying new algae-based biofuels. for synthetic fuels. Another promising approach Why Weizmann? has been to use a solar-heated “melt” of The lessons learned in our scientists’ research on salts to convert carbon dioxide into carbon photosynthesis and solar cells will contribute to monoxide (easily turned into fuel) and oxygen. The Weizmann Institute of Science focuses on can be captured by solar (photovoltaic) cells. a major, long-term goal of our alternative energy the basic scientific challenges of energy research. There have been a number of “firsts” from research program, which is to advance the As plants do not use concentrated sunlight, The synergy of its interdisciplinary approach Weizmann research already, such as the first understanding of, and the likely road blocks and research is also underway to convert non- rallies the strengths of physics, chemistry, biology solar “batteries” that can both convert solar show stoppers for “artificial photosynthesis”— concentrated sunlight to electrical energy. and mathematics, including also environmental, into electrical energy and store it as such, i.e., finding ways to mimic photosynthesis by A Weizmann group has developed a novel plant, materials and computer sciences, and solar-pumped lasers that can be tuned to drive efficiently converting sunlight into usable fuel—in clean catalyst that uses sunlight to speed the other perspectives to the challenge of producing specific chemical reactions, and new types of a way that will not compete with food production. hydrolysis of water into hydrogen and oxygen. clean, dependable, and affordable energy for the nano solar cells. Solar cell researchers are now future. In a field that is often distracted by short- being joined by optical science experts to find term solutions and quick fixes, the Weizmann new ways to manipulate sunlight for more Institute’s focus is on long-term solutions, efficient solar to electrical energy conversion. which requires the patience of basic research. Direct conversion of sunlight into chemical The Institute’s strategy for producing electricity energy is the realm of photosynthesis. Weizmann from sunlight is to begin with analyzing how scientists are searching plant genomes for species light particles, photons, transfer their energy and traits with potential for biofuels—fuels whose to atoms and molecules; how electrons and source is derived from plants and algae. They ions, move within and between materials; and are looking at ways to modify the metabolism