PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2015
Ed Satell Family Research Lab Dedication Ceremony – Transcript of Speech from GTEP Director Prof. Gidi Grader.
“If successful, the output of this process would be nitrogen that is emitted back to the atmosphere where it came from, and water that can be recycled.”
June 6, 2011
It is a real pleasure and honor to be here today. It is a pleasure to be among so many great friends and colleagues, without whom none of this would be possible. It is an honor to be part of what I see as a seminal moment for energy research in general and for the Grand Technion Energy Program (the GTEP) in particular.
The GTEP was set up four years ago because Technion management recognized the importance of the global race to find energy solutions. The supply of energy and lack thereof are behind so many issues that we care about such as global security, poverty, terrorism and economics – all of which affect our daily lives.
New energy supplies will be found in the future if we do the science to generate them today. Not only do we need new sources of energy, we need smarter materials, and efficient and affordable methods to harvest and store the power we can get.
With an astronomical rise in the world population, and similar global increases in energy demand, the energy research within the GTEP is not a luxury but a responsibility. The main mission of the GTEP is to promote and support challenging multidisciplinary projects with global impact. The Ed Satell Family research lab that we are dedicating today is a prime example of such research.
This lab, and these amazing facilities, will be used to develop a new technology to extract the energy from highly energetic nitrogen – based fuels. The materials we are using as fuels in this lab are common fertilizers that are being produced today in huge quantities. These types of materials store a great deal of energy, and we have shown that on an energy per dollar basis they can compete with fossil fuels. Currently these materials are produced from atmospheric nitrogen and hydrogen that is stripped from methane or other fossil fuels. This is the reason why the price of fertilizers is so closely tied up with the price of oil. However in the future, cheap hydrogen will be produced from water splitting. This would decouple the historic link between fertilizers and oil.
As fuels, fertilizers potentially offer a unique opportunity to develop new types engines that are smaller and more efficient and more powerful than conventional ones. However, the technology to consume the energy of these materials in a controlled, continuous process, that does not emit any pollutants into the atmosphere is not known yet. The optimal materials of construction of such engines are only being developed now in this laboratory. If successful, the output of this process would be nitrogen that is emitted back to the atmosphere where it came from, and water that can be recycled. The challenging mission of this laboratory is to develop this technology: to make it happen.
Perhaps equally as important, we will be passing this know-how, skills and spirit onto students in the lab who are part of the GTEP program.
This wonderfully equipped lab that we are dedicating today was the lead gift for the whole GTEP. Ed was the first one who Tee’d the program off.Ed Satell has stepped up to the plate as a true visionary leader, and set the stage for many additional very generous gifts that were made since.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to say a personal thank you to everyone else who helped to establish this laboratory:
Firstly to all the Technion management for the unwavering support and confidence they have given me on this trail.
Then to the Technion Development and Maintenance Division-
to Dan Ordan – Assistant Director General for Construction and Management
And to everyone form Technion Development and Maintenance Division who continue to support and maintain this project.
It is a real pleasure and honor to be here today. It is a pleasure to be among so many great friends and colleagues, without whom none of this would be possible. It is an honor to be part of what I see as a seminal moment for energy research in general and for the Grand Technion Energy Program (the GTEP) in particular.
The GTEP was set up four years ago because Technion management recognized the importance of the global race to find energy solutions. The supply of energy and lack thereof are behind so many issues that we care about such as global security, poverty, terrorism and economics – all of which affect our daily lives.
New energy supplies will be found in the future if we do the science to generate them today. Not only do we need new sources of energy, we need smarter materials, and efficient and affordable methods to harvest and store the power we can get.
With an astronomical rise in the world population, and similar global increases in energy demand, the energy research within the GTEP is not a luxury but a responsibility. The main mission of the GTEP is to promote and support challenging multidisciplinary projects with global impact. The Ed Satell Family research lab that we are dedicating today is a prime example of such research.
This lab, and these amazing facilities, will be used to develop a new technology to extract the energy from highly energetic nitrogen – based fuels. The materials we are using as fuels in this lab are common fertilizers that are being produced today in huge quantities. These types of materials store a great deal of energy, and we have shown that on an energy per dollar basis they can compete with fossil fuels. Currently these materials are produced from atmospheric nitrogen and hydrogen that is stripped from methane or other fossil fuels. This is the reason why the price of fertilizers is so closely tied up with the price of oil. However in the future, cheap hydrogen will be produced from water splitting. This would decouple the historic link between fertilizers and oil.
As fuels, fertilizers potentially offer a unique opportunity to develop new types engines that are smaller and more efficient and more powerful than conventional ones. However, the technology to consume the energy of these materials in a controlled, continuous process, that does not emit any pollutants into the atmosphere is not known yet. The optimal materials of construction of such engines are only being developed now in this laboratory. If successful, the output of this process would be nitrogen that is emitted back to the atmosphere where it came from, and water that can be recycled. The challenging mission of this laboratory is to develop this technology: to make it happen.
Perhaps equally as important, we will be passing this know-how, skills and spirit onto students in the lab who are part of the GTEP program.
This wonderfully equipped lab that we are dedicating today was the lead gift for the whole GTEP. Ed was the first one who Tee’d the program off.Ed Satell has stepped up to the plate as a true visionary leader, and set the stage for many additional very generous gifts that were made since.
This is not the only project Ed has supported. Ed has shown exemplary character, vision and wisdom in all his choices of projects to support. He is open-hearted and is really thinking of what is needed for the well-being of future generations. He has great energy and we are proud of the association and grateful for his support.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to say a personal thank you to everyone else who helped to establish this laboratory:
Firstly to all the Technion management for the unwavering support and confidence they have given me on this trail.
Then to the Technion Development and Maintenance Division-
to Dan Ordan – Assistant Director General for Construction and Management
to Ya’akov Ladevitz – Project Manager
to Igal Kupershmidt – Supervisor
to Menachem Gideon, from GIMEL OSHIA
to Yael and Yaron Granot – Architects
And to everyone form Technion Development and Maintenance Division who continue to support and maintain this project.
I want to thank my close research associate for the last 20 years, Dr. Gennady Shter, my students and research team without whom none of this would be possible. Last on the list, I would like to thank my wife, Orit, and my four kids for letting me play in this adult toy land, for tolerating the long hours I am away from home working on general GTEP matters, and most of all on this project.
Thank you all for coming.
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| Technion President Peretz Lavie with Ed and Cyma Satell |