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Greetings! 

You will find in this newsletter some recent and very exciting happenings at the UC Santa Barbara Institute for Energy Efficiency.   From supporting the launch of companies bringing new energy saving technologies to market, to funding graduate students and hosting timely lectures and conferences, the Institute is pleased to continue to offer a wide variety of programs and initiatives in support of our mission to advance science and technology for a sustainable energy future.  We thank you for your continued support and partnership in this mission and hope you will stay in touch this summer through our website and social media sites Follow us on Twitter Find us on Facebook

John Bowers
Director
Institute News
Institute Welcomes New Industry Partner

The Institute is pleased to announce Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) as the latest member of the Institute's Industry Partners Program. The Industry Partners Program supports the programs and operations of the Institute for Energy Efficiency and the commercialization of energy-efficient technologies by fostering collaborative interactions between partners and the Institute. This partnership continues PG&E's long-standing commitment to supporting the research and development of energy-efficient technologies and community outreach through education. In 1976, PG&E was amongst the first utilities to offer energy-efficient programs to their customers and, in 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded PG&E an ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency. Read More... 

 

Biltmore

2011-2012 Holbrook Foundation FellowsThe Institute has announced its second cohort of Holbrook Foundation fellows, made possible by the generous support of George and Tara Holbrook. These fellowships are awarded to incoming PhD students to help recruit top graduate students to UC Santa Barbara. The six outstanding graduate students are each pursing research that will change how energy is produced, used, and managed. Read More...  

Technology News: start-up focuses on transforming power conversion in electronics
power conversion loss pie chart cropped Reducing Conversion Loss with Gallium Nitride
Institute faculty member Umesh Mishra's start-up company, Transphorm, has developed a set of chips that could prevent most of the energy loss that occurs in computers, solar panels, electric cars, motors and more.  Backing from high-profile investors Google Venture and Kleiner Perkins belies confidence that Transphorm's power-conversion technology has the ability to tackle billion-dollar energy losses.  The efficiency breakthrough comes in the form of a revolutionary material known as Gallium Nitride, or "GaN", which switches at far higher frequencies than traditional silicon-based components. For more on this exciting new technology, see recent articles in the Los Angeles Times and Technology Review or view a video interview with CEO Umesh Mishra.
Featured Videos
SBSEE bucket 2011 croppedSanta Barbara Summit on Energy Efficiency
The third annual Santa Barbara Summit on Energy Efficiency took place this past April and focused on 'Science and Technology for a Sustainable Energy Future.' We are grateful to all speakers, sponsors, and attendees for their participation. If you were unable to attend the 2011 Summit, you can now    view session videos and speaker presentations on our website. 
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