Welcome
Mission
The mission of the Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy (LCSE) is to develop innovative technologies to ensure a sufficient supply of environmentally sustainable energy for all humanity. To meet this goal, LCSE supports research programs in energy science, engineering and policy across Columbia University to develop technical and policy solutions that will satisfy the world’s future energy needs without threatening to destabilize the world’s natural systems.
LCSE focuses primarily on the three energy sources sufficient to support the world’s projected population in 2100 without increased carbon emissions: solar energy, nuclear power, and fossil fuels used in combination with carbon capture and storage. Although each of these options has the theoretical potential to satisfy global demand, they face a combination of technological and institutional obstacles that require research and development before they can be further expanded and employed at their full capacity.
Learn more about carbon capture and storage, and the Earth Institute's research through an animated video here.
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Links
PositiveFeedback USA : an innovative, inter-institutional initiative aimed at encouraging collaboration between artists and scientists on climate related research and issues
Earth Institute: the encompassing center of sustainable development at Columbia University, of which the Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy is a part.
News & Events
May 15, 2012: 2012 Energy Storage Symposium Blog Post
Read Josh Garrett's post on the 2012 Energy Storage Symposium here!
May 2-3, 2012: Energy Storage Symposium
April 3, 2012: Klaus Lackner on State of the Planet
Read Lackner's new post on EI's State of the Planet.
March 5, 2012: Dr. Tim Fox
Dr. Tim Fox spoke on "One Planet; Too Many People?" at Columbia on March 5th. More details in Events.
February 3, 2012: Klaus Lackner on WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show
How to Save the World: Professor Lackner's comments on climate change and how to stop it.
PositiveFeedback Event, February 12th, 2012: Artist/Scientist Mixer
Find out more about our recent event fostering relationships between artists and scientists here!
December 5th, 2011: Klaus Lackner on ABC News
Why the World Meteorological Organization calls carbon capture "one hope."