Tom Kalil and David Danielson, Office of Science and Technology Policy -- The Department of Energy national laboratories are American science and engineering powerhouses. These national treasures are generating innovative solutions to the world’s toughest energy challenges. However, promising solutions discovered at the laboratory bench can’t effectively address energy challenges unless and until they are successfully transferred to the marketplace as commercial products and services.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Governors and lawmakers in state capitals across the nation continue to take major steps to lower energy costs, reduce pollution, and save consumers money by increasing their states’ energy efficiency, according to the findings of the 8th edition of the State Energy Efficiency Scorecard released today by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

Ifor Ffowcs-Williams, Nelson Mail -- The evidence on economic development from throughout the world is quite clear: regions that are home to dynamic clusters and companies that are rooted in such clusters (such as Silicon Valley, home to Apple, Adobe, Cisco, Facebook, eBay, Google, Yahoo, YouTube and 7000 other firms) do better. One cluster I have visited is in Reykjavik, Iceland, a city familiar to many involved in Nelson's fishing industry. I have visited Hampidjan,

COLUMBUS, OH -- The Ohio Economic Development Association (OEDA) presented its annual Excellence Awards at its 2014 Annual Summit, held October 22-24 at the Columbus Marriott Northwest. The Ohio Economic Development Association’s annual excellence awards program recognizes the achievements of individuals and organizations throughout Ohio in the areas of economic and workforce development. 

Jessica Palmer, Alamogordo Daily News -- Gov. Susana Martinez visited Alamogordo Friday. She hosted a conference at the New Mexico State University-Alamogordo Tays Center to announced the selection of Southeastern New Mexico by U.S. Small Business Administration as a Regional Innovation Cluster. It was one of only four new such regional networks throughout the country. Martinez said that New Mexico was chosen from 40 other potential candidates.

Karel Beckman, Energy Post -- Wave power at 7.5 cents/kWh? That’s what CorPower Ocean, a Swedish startup, is hoping to deliver with its new Wave Energy Converter (WEC). The technology for this new wave power device was invented by Dr. Stig Lundbäck, a medical doctor from Sweden who has spent his life studying the pumping principles of the human heart – and has used this knowledge to design a giant buoy that gently oscillates in resonance with the waves of the sea.

David Harry, The Forecaster -- The lingering question was simple for Icelandic businesswoman Erla Petursdottir.

"What do we do with fish guts?" she said Thursday Oct. 16.

In Maine, the same question is asked about lobster shells. The answer may be found in the New England Ocean Cluster, an approach modeled on the Iceland Ocean Cluster that Petursdottir, the managing director of Codland, has belonged to for more than two years.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. -- Smart grid member companies from the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster asked U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) recently to promote a comprehensive energy approach that supports domestic production of both renewable and fossil fuel resources to help the nation achieve energy independence. Ellmers, whose district includes many Research Triangle Region counties, requested a briefing on the region’s smart grid cluster following her September launch of a bipartisan Grid Innovation Caucus in the House of Representatives with U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA-09).

UN Women -- On the fertile and lush fields of the Dibra region, one of the poorest in Albania, located on the north-east border of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 47-year-old Emrie Lata and her husband collect their daily harvest. Emrie has worked on this land most of her life, collecting forest fruits, vegetables and medicinal herbs, which she sells for a profit. Her husband is unemployed and Emrie has to support the family, including their three sons. One of them has emigrated abroad in order to help the family, but his income alone is not enough.

The Portland Daily Sun -- Officials on Thursday announced the successful establishment of the New England Ocean Cluster in Portland, a new waterfront incubator for companies focused on opportunities such as food processing, boat building, energy production, fishing, aquaculture, biotech, biomedical, pharmaceuticals, advanced materials, retail products, health and wellness, marine technology and applied science.