New research cooperation accelerates Japan-US efforts on technology development toward realization of a low carbon society

Posted: May 12, 2009
New research cooperation accelerates Japan-US efforts on technology development toward realization of a low carbon society
(Nanowerk News) On the occasion of the visit to USA of Minister Toshihiro Nikai, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), concluded MOUs with 5 research organizations of the US Department of Energy, and with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the US Department of Commerce at Washington, D.C on May 4, 2009. Specifically, the cooperation takes place in joint research and researcher exchange programs.

Dr. Gallagher, Deputy Director, NIST (left), Dr. Nomakuchi, President, AIST(right).
1. With Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), for cooperation in the fields of fuel cells and hydrogen, computational science on materials, and CCS (CO2 capture and storage),
2. With Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), for cooperation in the fields of photovoltaics, nano-electronics/nano-materials, computational science on materials, and reciprocal use of joint-use facilities of nanotechnology,
3. With National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), for cooperation in the fields of photovoltaics, bio-fuels (of cellulose origin), and energy analysis,
4. With Laurence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), for cooperation in the fields of bio-fuels (of cellulose origin), and fuel combustion,
5. With Laurence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), for cooperation in the fields of bio-fuels (of cellulose origin), nano-materials for energy, and CCS (CO2 capture and storage),
6. With National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) of the Department of Commerce, for cooperation in R&D mainly on international standardization.
Joint research started between AIST and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in the fields of fuel cells and hydrogen, following the visit of Minister Nikai of METI at LANL in August 2006.

At the Japan-US summit talk in February 2009, it was confirmed that the two countries would promote research cooperation in the fields of energy and environment. Accordingly, experts of AIST, METI, and NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) visited US national laboratories several times to discuss feasible programs to promote the research cooperation.
Such efforts resulted in the MOUs of research cooperation with the 5 research organizations of DOE in 8 cutting-edge research fields of:
1) photovoltaics 2) fuel cells and hydrogen 3) bio-fuels (of cellulose origin) 4) computational science related to materials 5) CCS (CO2 capture and storage) 6) fuel combustion technology 7) nano-materials for energy 8) energy analysis
and reciprocal use of joint-use facilities of nanotechnology.
Also, with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), AIST concluded MOU in the field of international standardization, through research cooperation on standardization in the fields of nanotechnology, biotechnology, and of smart-grids (including standardization of plugs for electric cars & plug-in-hybrid cars), etc.

Source: AIST