WIRED: Running Delivery Trucks on Trolley Wires Isn’t as Crazy as It Sounds

“Emission rates from trucks can be 10 to 100 times higher than that from passenger vehicles,” says Max Zhang, an engineer at Cornell University. “This is a really good idea to alleviate hotspots.”

Jeff Sward awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Jeff Award, PhD candidate at EERL, has been awarded the highly competitive National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. He was one of the only two PhD students receiving the honor at Sibley School this year.

Energy company proposes 220-acre solar farm in Tompkins

“Cornell is exploring leasing University property to develop a community solar farm in Dryden,” Sarah Zemanick, director of Cornell University Campus Sustainability Office. “The project is in line with the renewable energy recommendations in the Tompkins County Energy Roadmap and Cornell’s Climate Action Plan, and could provide local residents and businesses access to the electricity.”

Ithaca Times: What is the Things Network?

One local group exploring the use of this new capability is a group of researchers headed by Professor Max Zhang of the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell. Their project revolves around data gathered from sensors that monitor pollutants in wood smoke.

Jiajun Gu won the Excellent Poster Presentation Award at 2017 AMS Annual Conference

Jiajun Gu, PhD candidate at EERL, received the Excellent Poster Presentation award at the 2017 American Meteorological Society conference. Jiajun’s poster described her research on source estimation of woodsmoke in urban downwash environments.

Dr. Shaojun Zhang joined EERL as Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Shaojun Zhang won the highly competitive Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowship, and has started his new position at EERL. Shaojun was a visiting PhD student to EERL. Prior to coming back to Cornell, he was working with the Ford Mobility Group at University of Michigan.

Ithaca Journal: HOME HEATING HELP: Pellet stove expo Saturday in Ithaca

“We really have the forest resources to do this,” Beers said. “Tompkins County Energy Roadmap did a study of how much biomass do we have, and they concluded that we have enough to sustainably heat all our homes using biomass.”

Ithaca Journal: Tompkins Accepts ‘Energy Roadmap

Tompkins lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously accepted a plan that helps guide the way toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Tompkins County Energy Roadmap offers scenarios for the county, City of Ithaca and Town of Ithaca to meet their goal for reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent before 2050. Before the vote, Martha Robertson, D-Dryden, said the plan shows that Tompkins County is a leader on environmental issues.

Ithaca Times: Tompkins County Accepts Energy Roadmap

The Tompkins County Legislature unanimously accepted the Tompkins County Energy Roadmap at a meeting Tuesday, April 19. Before the county accepted the roadmap, several legislators expressed their approval of the plan. “I think this shows that we are leaders,” said Legislator Martha Robertson before the legislature’s unanimous vote. “It’s a very unusual document in the country and in the world, so I think we have an enormous amount to be proud of.” She said she’s looking forward to the next step, “trying to figure out how the hell to do it.”

Ithaca Journal: Tompkins greenhouse goals fall short?

Lawmakers are set to accept a plan that helps guide the way toward an 80 percent reduction in Tompkins County greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, but local experts say that goal is insufficient.

Cornell Chronicle: Max Zhang helps communities grow greener

From studying smog along Beijing’s streets to improving how U.S. interstate highways clear the exhaust to electrifying New York City parking spaces, engineer Max Zhang adds verdancy to vibrant communities.

Ithaca Voice: Tompkins explores avenues for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 80%

The report was several years in the making, starting with some projects done by Cornell students in 2011 through 2013. In 2014, an official steering committee was appointed, led by Cornell professor Max Zhang and including local government and economic leaders, energy and sustainability experts and engineers.

Ithaca Times: Thompkins County Shows Support for Enfield Wind Farm

The Tompkins county legislature unanimously passed a resolution in support of Black Oak Wind Farm on Feb. 4, noting that the wind farm “constitutes a $40 million investment in clean, renewable energy,” is consistent with the County’s greenhouse gas emission goals, and that “the Tompkins County Energy Roadmap documents that wind energy has the potential to provide a significant portion of electricity demand within Tompkins County.”

Bloomberg News: Brazil Olympics Misses First Deadline for Clean Energy

Diesel backup generators generate emissions at rates similar to or higher than those from the highest emitting natural gas-fired generators, according to researchers at Cornell University.

Cornell Chronicle: Student research helps county envision 2050 energy roadmap

Using 15 months of energy research conducted by Cornell students, the Tompkins County Planning Department unveiled ideas Oct. 21 to substantially reduce the county’s carbon footprint by 2050.

ElectricityPolicy.com: Cornell engineers warn of unnecessary use of diesel gen. during peak periods

Cornell University engineers have determined that firing up diesel backup generators to meet peak demand in non-emergency situations triggers rising atmospheric ozone concentrations due to additional nitrogen oxide emissions.

Cornell Chronicle: Generators that relieve power grid worsen ozone pollution

Cornell engineers have found that firing up diesel backup generators in non-emergency situations triggers rising atmospheric ozone concentrations due to additional nitrogen oxide emissions.

EHP: Green Walls Could Cut Street-Canyon Air Pollution

The study is limited by the model’s reliance on data with only modest experimental support, including the rates at which plants capture pollutants and air flows in and out of street canyons, says Pugh. Moreover, experimental research in vegetated street canyons is needed to verify the results. This lack of validation makes Max Zhang, an associate professor of engineering at Cornell University who studies traffic emissions, question the size of the pollutant reductions the paper reports. “I still believe the argument is very good,” says Zhang, “I believe there are definitely reductions, but the problem is the magnitude.”

China Daily: Clearing the air

A Cornell University study by Assistant Professor Max Zhang has also backed up claims that the air is clearing because of the ban. Published in July, the study was based on air quality readings before, during and after the Olympics. … The researchers found that car emissions of black carbon were down 33 percent in 2008, the year the Olympics took place, compared with 2007. Carbon dioxide also dropped 47 percent in 2008 from the previous year’s levels.