Technology

The University of Washington is installing solar panels on three residence halls in partnership with Seattle City Light's Green Up program to support research on clean energy and smart grid technology.

"This project will put our students in the middle of a quiet revolution, the digitization of energy," said UW Clean Energy Institute Director Daniel Schwartz. "Setting up a major new testbed facility takes vision and partners, so we truly appreciate the way local industry, the state, and federal funders came together to support the UW team."

The University of Washington is one of four schools that will get small Innova Dash electric micro cars this summer to conduct sustainablity research.

The University of Washington's Advanced Vehicle Works team took second place in the national EcoCAR 2 challenge by turning a standard Chevrolet Malibu into a super-efficient hybrid.

Over the three-year competition, the UW team converted the gas-powered Malibu into a combination electric and biodiesel hybrid. The car's electric motor powers the back end and has a range of 48 miles before the car switches to the biodiesel engine, which powers the front wheels.

The sixth annual University of Washington Environmental Innovation Challenge took place Thursday in Seattle, with 23 teams competing with new technologies that re-imagined alternative fuels, recycling, solar power, water treatment and more.
Here’s a look at the six winners of the event, chosen by a field of more than 170 judges from the community, with descriptions from the UW.

A new University of Washington institute to develop efficient, cost-effective solar power and better energy storage systems launched today (Dec. 12) with an event attended by UW President Michael K. Young, Gov. Jay Inslee and researchers, industry experts and policy leaders in renewable energy.

The University of Washington announces the launch of its new Commuter Calculator—an interactive web-based application that allows commuters to explore how their commute choices affect the cost, CO₂ output and calories burned by their commute. Created by UW students, funded by the Campus Sustainability Fund, and supported by UW Transportation Services and the Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability (ESS) office, the site gives commuters a new tool for making commuting choices.

Fishermen often find themselves at the mercy of conditions that exist well outside of their control: extreme weather, temperature, breeding cycles, fuel prices, dock prices for their catch and so much more. But what if some of those conditions could be predicted not just days but months into the future? Would the fishing industry be better able to adapt?