DOE will invest in energy innovation hubs
The U.S. Dept. of Energy will invest up to $366 million in energy innovation hubs, including one that will improve energy-efficient building systems design.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy
The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) outlined plans on Dec. 22, 2009, to invest up to $366 million to establish and operate three new Energy Innovation Hubs , each of which will focus on accelerating research and development in a key energy area.
The three hubs will focus on producing fuels directly from sunlight; improving energy-efficient building systems design; and developing advanced nuclear reactors. Each hub, to be funded at up to $122 million over five years, will bring together a multidisciplinary team of researchers in an effort to speed research and shorten the path from scientific discovery to technological development and commercial deployment of highly promising energy-related technologies. The hubs are expected to begin work in 2010 and become fully operational by 2011.
The Energy Efficient Building Systems Design Energy Innovation Hub will focus on advances in core technologies, such as advanced refrigeration cycles, combined with building system design and modeling to develop a fully instrumented building infrastructure. Universities, national laboratories, nonprofit organizations, and private firms are encouraged to form partnerships that will compete for an award to establish and operate a hub.
See the DOE press release for more information.
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2012 Salary Survey
In a year when manufacturing continued to lead the economic rebound, it makes sense that plant manager bonuses rebounded. Plant Engineering’s annual Salary Survey shows both wages and bonuses rose in 2012 after a retreat the year before.
Average salary across all job titles for plant floor management rose 3.5% to $95,446, and bonus compensation jumped to $15,162, a 4.2% increase from the 2010 level and double the 2011 total, which showed a sharp drop in bonus.