Wind and solar farms are generating clean power at lower and lower prices, but not always when it is needed. Fuel cells, which generate electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen, could change that equation …. Jack Brouwer, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and director of the National Fuel Cell Research Center at University of California-Irvine, made the claim to a group of fuel cell manufacturers gathered … for the 18th annual Ohio Fuel Cell Symposium.

The FEMA flood risk maps may not accurately reflect the flooding risk. Jochen Schubert, research specialist in the UCI civil engineering department said, “The FEMA maps mostly show flooding from rivers and streams and coastal flooding. They don’t map flooding from rainfall.” Jochen Schubert and his colleagues at UC Irvine have developed their own ways of modeling flood risks in the LA area and have found changes in the land development since the FEMA maps were adopted. “FEMA maps were built so long ago that they don’t capture these changes,” Schubert said.

As sea levels rise and natural disasters devastate towns, collegiate teams across the nation are focusing on sustainability and safety as they design the home of the future. The entry by Team Orange County, with participation by UC Irvine, Chapman University ... highlights the importance of conserving water, with a xeriscaped garden irrigated by recycled greywater.