Categoría: Influencers

WORCESTER, Mass., Jan. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Two research projects led by chemical engineers from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), which explore finding applications for nitrogen-rich waste products and converting marine plastics into ship fuel, received funding stemming from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) 2026 Idea Machine competition.

The projects, which together were awarded nearly $540,000, involve intensive research surrounding sustainability and waste reduction, were led by Michael Timko, associate professor of chemical engineering; Aaron Deskins, associate professor of chemical engineering; and Nikolaos Kazantzis, professor of chemical engineering. The proposals were submitted to a program to support high-risk research by the NSF in a solicitation that originated in its 2026 Idea Machine competition, which was launched to help set the U.S. agenda for fundamental research in science and engineering. In 2019, Timko’s entry «A World Without Waste» was one of 14 semifinalists from more than 800 submissions in the 2026 Idea Machine Competition.

«We were absolutely thrilled that the NSF funded two grants for the same institution, and within the same department. It’s quite unusual, since such a competition is highly competitive,» Kazantzis said.

The first project,«Nitrogen Bearing Hydrochars for Nitrogen Upcycling in a World without Waste,» received a two-year, $277,359 grant. Timko, along with Deskins and Klaus Schmidt-Rohr of Brandeis University, will explore potentially useful applications of nitrogen-rich waste products in areas such as water purification. The work focuses on the complex structure of molecules called N-hydrochars, which are nitrogen-bearing, carbon-rich materials formed by the hydrothermal treatment of wastes, such as food waste, livestock manure, and sewage sludge.

«Nitrogen has interesting benefits, such as acting as a great absorbent,» said Timko. «We’ve found that nitrogen’s molecules require a delicate balance within its configuration in order to act this way. As it turns out, these absorbents are effective for binding to harmful products, like metals, which can be found in our water supplies.»

Deskins will focus on modeling the atoms of nitrogen-rich waste products to see which ones can most effectively form beneficial absorbents. «We want to understand why certain materials make better absorbents, and others don’t,» he said.

If the configuration of these atoms is better understood, Timko said, scientists may one day be able to use n-hydrochars derived from certain wastes, like food and yard waste, to create absorbent materials that can help clean the environment, including chemical solutions that can purify water sources.

«Our end goal is to take wastes that currently have a negative value and would normally go to landfills and/or wreak havoc on the environment, and actually give them a positive value,» he said. «We can put them to work and help people.»

The second project, «Probabilistic Analysis of Converting Marine-Borne Plastics into Usable Fuels,» received a two-year, $259,299 grant. The research, led by Kazantzis and Timko, will explore converting marine plastics into usable fuel for ships collecting plastics from the ocean. The project is in response to the heavy pollution crisis the world’s oceans are experiencing: their research has found that 4.8 to 12.7 million tons of plastics are dumped into oceans yearly, which has a hazardous effect on marine ecosystems and can potentially enter into the human food chain. The increase in marine pollution has also increased the amount of ships sent to sea to collect plastic, which requires ships to frequently return to ports to refuel, releasing harmful carbon dioxide emissions into the air.

Kazantzis and Timko aim to model a specialized reactor that might one day be built into these ships to break down collected plastic into useable fuel. Harvested plastic would be brought onboard, dried, loaded into the reactor, and broken down by a process called hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), which uses moderate heat and high pressure to convert wet biomass into crude-like oil. Timko has used HTL in past research looking at the feasibility of converting food and yard waste into biofuels. Ideally, once the plastic is in fuel form, the ships will be able to refuel themselves at sea, reducing the number of refueling trips back to port and the related fossil fuel emissions.

«Removing plastic from the ocean with ships requires substantial investments in energy and money,» Kazantzis said. «We’re imagining a vessel with a reactor on board that will convert plastic waste into usable fuel. This would enable the ship to be self-powered, and give it access to water [through the ocean] to make the chemical reactions needed for HTL to take place. Why not make waste work for us?»

Timko and Kazantzis hope this project will enable their research team to test the technical feasibility profile of onboard HTL reactors, and give them valuable insights needed for assessing the economic viability prospects of the proposed technology option for converting plastic waste into useful fuels.

About Worcester Polytechnic Institute
WPI, the global leader in project-based learning, is a distinctive, top-tier technological university founded in 1865 on the principle that students learn most effectively by applying the theory learned in the classroom to the practice of solving real-world problems. Recognized by the National Academy of Engineering with the 2016 Bernard M. Gordon Prize for Innovation in Engineering and Technology Education, WPI’s pioneering project-based curriculum engages undergraduates in solving important scientific, technological, and societal problems throughout their education and at more than 50 project centers around the world. WPI offers more than 50 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs across 16 academic departments in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts. Its faculty and students pursue groundbreaking research to meet ongoing challenges in health and biotechnology; robotics and the internet of things; advanced materials and manufacturing; cyber, data, and security systems; learning science; and more. http://www.wpi.edu

Contact:
Jessica Messier
Public Relations Specialist
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
jmmessier@wpi.edu

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Jessica Messier, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 508-831-5000, jmmessier@wpi.edu

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DALIAN, China, Jan. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — CBAK Energy Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBAT) («CBAK Energy», or the «Company»,), a leading lithium-ion battery manufacturer and electric energy solution provider, today announced that it has signed a three-year strategic agreement (the «Agreement») with Anhui Jianghuai Motors Group Co., Ltd (SSE: 600418) («JAC Motors») for joint product development.

JAC Motors is a Chinese state-owned automobile and commercial vehicle manufacturer. Founded in 1964, JAC Motors is among the top four domestic Chinese vehicle brands, has an R&D team of 5,000 people, and is focused on producing energy-saving, environmentally friendly, safe, smart, Web-enabled, and comfortable vehicles. As a pioneer in China’s alternative energy vehicle industry, JAC Motors currently provides an expansive electric vehicle product line encompassing SUVs, sedans, and other passenger vehicles. It owns a world-class battery cooling technology and is the sole producer of such technology in China. By the end of 2019, JAC Motors has exported over 640,000 vehicles to the international market.

The strategic agreement that CBAK Energy has reached with JAC Motors will combine the former’s extensive experience in the research, development, and manufacturing of battery cells with the latter’s technology capabilities and electric vehicle industry leadership. By leveraging their shared expertise in product development and applications of both automotive power batteries and battery pack technologies, the two companies plan to jointly develop cylindrical lithium-ion batteries and battery packs, including the 46800 model.

Pursuant to the Agreement, the Company will provide customized implementation solutions for power batteries and battery packs based on the latest technical requirements of JAC Motors. Additionally, the two companies will also establish a joint research and development team to design, test, and enhance the adaptability of their new products in electric vehicles. In addition, JAC Motors has committed to prioritizing the implementation of those batteries and battery pack systems jointly developed by the two companies for its future productions of electric vehicles.

The partnership will leverage the Company’s battery technology leadership and JAC Motors’ world-class automotive R&D capabilities to accelerate the growth of both parties. More broadly, by working together, the two companies plan to advance the technology of automotive power batteries and actively explore the implementation of a partnership model that is both effective and capable of advancing their businesses going forward.

About CBAK Energy

CBAK Energy Technology, Inc. is a leading high-tech enterprise engaged in the development, manufacturing, and sales of new energy high power lithium batteries. The applications of the Company’s products and solutions include electric vehicles, light electric vehicles, electric tools, energy storage, uninterruptible power supply (UPS), and other high-power applications. In January 2006, CBAK Energy became the first lithium battery manufacturer in China listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market. CBAK Energy has multiple operating subsidiaries in Dalian and Nanjing, as well as a large-scale R&D and production base in Dalian.

For more information, please visit www.cbak.com.cn.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to change. The forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All «forward-looking statements» relating to the business of CBAK Energy Technology, Inc. and its subsidiary companies, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as «believes», «expects» or similar expressions, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially. These factors include but are not limited to: the ability of the Company to meet its contract or agreement obligations; the uncertain market for the Company’s lithium battery cells; business, macroeconomic, technological, regulatory, or other factors affecting the profitability of battery cells designed for energy storage; and risks related to CBAK Energy’s business and risks related to operating in China. Please refer to CBAK Energy’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, as well as other SEC reports that have been filed since the date of such annual report, for specific details on risk factors. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. CBAK Energy’s actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. CBAK Energy undertakes no obligation to revise or update its forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release unless expressly requested by applicable law.

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SOURCE CBAK Energy Technology, Inc.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Why do iconic brands like Sears, Kodak, and Blockbuster succumb to new rivals like Amazon and Netflix, while criminal organizations from drug cartels to street gangs execute seemingly seamless transformations to reinvent themselves and thrive? As entire lawful industries are disrupted out of existence, how have some organized criminal syndicates endured and grown for nearly a century – despite billions of dollars of law enforcement opposition and ruthless rivals seeking to drive them out of existence?

For-profit, not-for-profit, lawful, and unlawful, all types of organizations must be relentless in highly competitive and constantly evolving environments. But how do criminal enterprises seem to demonstrate so much resiliency? Violence and fraud aside, what can legal businesses and law-abiding leaders learn from observing these «mobsters» and their organizations? 

Relentless, a new book from authors Jerold L. Zimmerman, Ph.D., and Daniel P. Forrester combines seventy-five years of Nobel Prize-winning economics research with insights from criminal prosecutors to examine how the Sinaloa Cartel, the American Mafia, the Hells Angels, the Crips, and the Bloods approach everything from employee engagement and growth incentives to corporate culture and talent management.

The authors connect learnings from these longstanding criminal organizations to the «Four Pillars» concept that can help leaders better assign tasks, measure outcomes, reward performance, and cultivate corporate culture. Successful criminal enterprises construct their four pillars to create high-performance teams with a long-term focus, enduring corporate cultures, and strong brands. They attract the «right» people while purging «vampires» – individuals that take more from, rather than contribute to, an organization. Lawful managers cannot merely copy mobsters’ four pillars, but they can follow the underlying economic principles to construct similar relentless organizations.

Expert Reviews
«In war, the better led, more effectively run team wins, regardless of moral right or wrong. In Relentless, we get a fascinating window into the murky world of organized crime – from the Mafia to drug cartels – and find that the same holds true. As mundane as it sounds, the frightening bosses who orchestrate the wrongdoing that simultaneously terrorizes and mesmerizes us are, in the end, talented leaders and managers.  There’s much we can learn from them.»
-General (Ret.) Stanley McChrystal, former commander of the U.S. military’s Joint Special Operations Command.

«This intriguing and thoughtful book illustrates the power of sound economic thinking in understanding organizations.  It takes the concepts that help us understand successful business enterprises and shows that the same concepts are at work in successful criminal enterprises. In so doing, it validates the power of the underlying economic concepts while offering a fascinating window into some of the most long-lived criminal organizations.»
–Charles Plosser, former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia

About the Authors
Jerold L. Zimmerman, Ph.D., is a globally recognized microeconomist and author of seven books and has taught organizational economics, accounting, and finance at the University of Rochester’s Simon Business School for more than forty years. He has consulted with numerous clients, including Fortune 500 companies and management advisory firms, to demonstrate how organizational economics principles can improve a firm’s culture and, eventually, its performance. Zimmerman is also a founding editor of the Journal of Accounting and Economics, one of the most highly referenced peer-reviewed journals in economics, and has served on several public company boards of directors. His fifty published studies and books include textbooks on economics and accounting and a trade book about designing organizations that create value.

Daniel P. Forrester is the founder of THRUUE, Inc, an expert consultancy that assists leaders in bridging the gap between corporate culture and corporate strategy. He works with CEOs, boards of directors, and C-suite leaders, helping them align around a clear strategy while understanding reputational and cultural risk. Daniel has spent the past twenty-five years successfully building consulting practices in the financial services, telecommunications, health, and public services sectors, utilizing his entrepreneurial approach to strategy. His previous book, Consider: Harnessing the Power of Reflective Thinking in Your Organization, examines how leaders responded to the explosion of data and hyper-connectivity impacting organizations and the role reflection can play in dramatically changing corporate outcomes.

Media Contact
Anna Sacca
FSB Associates
asacca@fsbassociates.com 
760-585-2252

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SOURCE THRUUE, Inc.