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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline DECEMBER 06, 2024 | The Indian Eye 25

University of Houston’s Rahul Pandey and Praveen Bollini

receives $3.6 Mn grant to Produce Sustainable Fuel

OUR BUREAU project. Pandey, a University of Hous-
ton alumnus, earned his Ph.D. from
Houston, TX
the department in 2015. This shared
University of Houston-affiliat- connection played an integral role in
ed project that has the poten- bringing the three together on this
A tial to transform sustainable project.
fuel production was selected to receive “As a proud UH graduate, I have
$3.6 million from the U.S. Depart- always been aware of the strength of
ment of Energy’s Advanced Research the chemical and biomolecular en-
Projects Agency-Energy. The project gineering program at UH and kept
was led by Rahul Pandey, a University myself updated on its cutting-edge
of Houston alumnus and Vemuri Bal- research,” Pandey said. “This project
akotaiah and Praveen Bollini, faculty had very specific requirements, includ-
members of the University of Houston. ing expertise in modeling transients in
The project titled “Printed Mi- microreactors and the development of
croreactor for Renewable Ener- high-performance catalysts. The de-
gy Enabled Fuel Production” or partment excelled in both areas. When
PRIME-Fuel, aims to develop a mod- I reached out to Dr. Bollini and Dr.
ular microreactor technology that Bala, they were eager to collaborate,
converts carbon dioxide into metha- create opportunities for smaller com- ergy to produce methanol, we can help and everything naturally progressed
nol using renewable energy sources. munities with renewable resources to combat climate change while providing from there.”
UH, a Carnegie-designated Tier One invest in affordable and cleaner long- valuable resources for various indus- “Renewables-to-liquids fuel pro-
public research institution, is contrib- term energy storage solutions. tries by leading to cost-effective and duction has the potential to boost the
uting essential research needed for the “We believe that PRIME-Fuel sustainable methanol production.” utility of renewable energy all while
project. will play a critical role in the transition Vemuri Balakotaiah and Praveen helping to lay the groundwork for the
Low-carbon fuels cost about $10 to sustainable energy solutions,” said Bollini, faculty members of the Wil- Biden-Harris Administration’s goals
per gallon, but using cheaper electric- Rahul Pandey, senior scientist with liam A. Brookshire Department of of creating a clean energy economy,”
ity from sources like wind and solar SRI and principal investigator on the Chemical and Biomolecular Engi- said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer
can lower production costs. It will also project. “By harnessing renewable en- neering, are co-investigators on the M. Granholm.

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