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Our Work

Accelerating Energy Transitions

Cornell Atkinson supports research and builds vital connections among researchers, students, staff, and external partners to innovate technology, engage communities, inform policy change, and advance leadership to accelerate the transition to clean energy in a just and equitable way. Specific challenges to be addressed include renewable fuel sources, smart technologies, demand-response programs, distributed controls, issues of fairness and accessibility, co-optimized systems, and education.

Accelerating Energy Transitions

Projects

Large solar panel

Sustainable Solar Energy

Cornell University leads research, guides policymakers, and engages communities to explore the deployment of solar energy solutions.

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Earth Source Heat

Earth Source Heat is Cornell's version of a geothermal system that would use the Earth's internal heat to warm the Ithaca campus and it is a major component of the university's goal of achieving carbon neutrality.

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Barstow Lab

Extracting Rare Earth Minerals

Engineered bacteria may solve the challenges of extracting rare earth elements from ore, which are vital for modern life but refining them is costly, environmentally harmful.

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sheep grazing under solar panels
Report

Engage public, explore methods to secure NYS green energy - June 2021

Solar-power developers should explore using lower-quality agricultural land and engage communities early to meet NYS green energy goals, according to new research co-funded by Cornell Atkinson.

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midwestern farm
Report

Energy income and farm viability: Evidence from USDA farm survey data - May 2021

A new article presents a conceptual model that provides a framework for when and how energy income could improve farm viability. The research was supported by a Cornell Atkinson grant.

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Faculty Fellow Highlight

Buz Barstow

Leading researchers in pioneering a novel method that uses programmed microbes to mine rare-earth metals, Buz Barstow is moving knowledge-to-impact by making smart energy systems more sustainable.

Get to Know This Fellow
Buz Barstow
Academic Venture Fund 2022

Techno-ecological Impacts and Synergies of Floating Solar

Steven Grodsky, Meredith Holgerson, Marian Schmidt, and Aaron Rice

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Academic Venture Fund 2022

Accelerating Offshore Wind Energy

Sara Pryor, Lindsay Anderson, Rebecca Barthelmie, Maha Haji, and Bruce Monger

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Academic Venture Fund 2022

Environmental and Social Considerations for Mineral Resource Development in Ecuador

Matthew Reid, Karin Olson Hoal, Ken Roberts, and Louisa Smieska

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Academic Venture Fund 2020

Improving Cementation of Geothermal Wells

Investigators: Sriramya Nair, Geoffrey Coates, Rick Geddes

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