Climate

Clean Energy Summit 2024

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Clean Energy Summit panelists 27Sep2024On Monday, September 23, 2024, UConn hosted the Sustainable Clean Energy Summit: Decarbonizing Society and the Grid in collaboration with Eversource. The event brought together over 300 UConn students, faculty, and attendees from state government, industry, and various organizations to discuss the future of sustainable energy.

The Summit featured a keynote address from Gene Rodrigues, U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Electricity, and included several thought-provoking panel discussions. Key milestones of the day included the announcement of the Connecticut Sustainable Energy Institute at Avery Point and the signing of a new three-year memorandum of understanding with Eversource to implement energy efficiency upgrades across all UConn campuses.

We also celebrated the achievements of UConn graduate students Zhiqing “Lucy” Li, Steven Matile, and Meshach Ojo, who were awarded the Clean Energy and Sustainability Innovation Program (CESIP) award for their innovative research on “Potential Micro-Hydropower Retrofits at Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants.” Their project will receive additional funding from Eversource to support further exploration.

Key Takeaways from the Summit:

  • Grid Reliability: The growing demands of artificial intelligence, transportation electrification, and overall increases in energy consumption highlight the critical need to maintain grid reliability.
  • Accessible Clean Energy: The transition to a clean energy grid must be inclusive, with policies and investments that balance innovation and equity.
  • Multifaceted Approaches: Building a cleaner, more resilient energy future requires the integration of advanced technologies and strong partnerships across sectors.
  • Collaborative Planning: Effective transition to a more resilient energy system hinges on collaborative planning, partnerships between state and federal entities, and active engagement with academic institutions.
  • Modernization Investments: Neglecting investments in modernization can lead to higher long-term costs, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations.

For a more detailed overview and additional highlights from this year’s Summit, please visit the CLEAN EARTH Laboratory website.

UConn Takes Major Step Towards Carbon Neutrality with New Fuel Cell Partnership at the Innovation Partnership Building

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“Utilizing clean and sustainable energy sources to power our campuses … is one of the great challenges of our lifetimes“

Power efficiency concept

The University of Connecticut is set to power its Tech Park exclusively with clean energy through a new partnership with FuelCell Energy. The Innovation Partnership Building (IPB) will soon host four 250-kilowatt solid oxide fuel cells, totaling 1 megawatt of power. This initiative aligns with UConn’s sustainability goals and commitment to carbon neutrality.

UConn President Radenka Maric, a renowned clean energy expert, emphasized the dual benefits of this partnership: “Utilizing clean and sustainable energy sources to power our campuses as we work toward our carbon neutrality goals, while at the same time providing research and learning opportunities for members of our campus community, is one of the great challenges of our lifetimes.”

The fuel cells will generate energy without combustion, providing a cleaner alternative to carbon-based sources. They will power all of Tech Park’s advanced technology laboratories, centers, and institutes. Pamir Alpay, UConn’s Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, stated, “The addition of these fuel cell units will sufficiently power the entire Tech Park, moving us closer to our goal of carbon neutrality without compromising the needs of our partners and centers that call the Tech Park home.”

The project will be completed in two phases by FuelCell Energy. Once integrated into a building microgrid, any unused power will be exported to the Eversource power grid. The units will also operate in a combined heat and power mode, allowing for thermal energy recovery.

FuelCell Energy’s President and CEO, Jason Few, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration: “We are excited to work with UConn to support its Innovation Partnership Building and 2030 carbon-neutral goal.”

UConn has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2030 and net carbon zero by 2040, transforming the university’s infrastructure and research opportunities. The addition of new fuel cells supports these goals and complements UConn’s recently adopted Strategic Plan.

To learn more about the fuel cell upgrade, click here.

Save the Date

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Co-Hosts University of Connecticut and Eversource are partnering again to continue the dialogue on pressing equitable clean energy issues in the second Sustainable Clean Energy Summit on Monday, September 23, 2024, at the UConn Storrs campus. Last year’s turnout of 400+ students, faculty and energy professionals highlighted the need for continued collaboration and exploration of the shifting energy landscape. The summit will feature the second cohort of students participating in the Eversource-sponsored Clean Energy and Sustainability Innovation Program (CESIP). As part of this program, students are researching viable solutions (technical, social, and political) to address different aspects of the grand challenge of decarbonization and economic development in meeting ambitious climate goals.

UConn is proud and eager to announce that keynote speaker Gene Rodrigues, Assistant Secretary for Electricity, U.S. Department of Energy will kick off this year’s summit. Mr. Rodrigues brings both a technical expertise to creating a reliable and affordable power grid and serves as DOE’s senior official on the federal interagency working group for the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Panels with leaders from industry, government, and community organizations will follow and we will finish with a Clean Energy Fair (again!).

Please mark September 23 on your calendar. Registration information will be sent in late July. We hope to see you there!

Questions: contact University Events and Conference Services, conferences@uconn.edu.

Annual Eversource Energy Center Workshop 2024

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Lightning striking power lines.The Annual Eversource Energy Center (EEC) Workshop convened on February 9th at the Innovation Partnership Building and attracted over 80 participants from industry, government, and academia, including top New England utility companies Eversource, Avangrid, ConEdison, and National Grid, alongside others such as PECO (Exelon) and Hydro Quebec. Notable attendees also included ISO-NE, with responsibility for ensuring reliability and overseeing electricity markets across all of New England. Keynote speaker David Howard, Director of Grid Components at the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity, addressed the gathering.

The workshop centered on EEC’s five research pillars, encompassing grid resilience and reliability, renewable energy, cyber-physical system security, and workforce training and outreach. The morning kicked off with presentations from UConn faculty showcasing nineteen ongoing funded projects spanning these topics, sharing progress with industry stakeholders, advisory board members, and colleagues.
Afternoon breakout groups provided the opportunity for in-depth discussion of the individual projects presented during the morning session. Researchers received valuable feedback on industry priorities and needs, discussed next steps, and shared insights on potential new research and funding opportunities.

According to Assistant Professor Diego Cerrai, Associate Director for EEC, “This was a fantastic day where we were able to network, reconnect, and exchange ideas.” Assistant Professor Xinxuan Zhang, EEC Center Manager, adds, “The afternoon session I participated in was extremely valuable for informing new ideas for my research. It was very inspiring to see the enthusiasm and engagement of my colleagues and industry partners.”

This robust framework is central to EEC’s continued success. EEC Center Director and UConn Tech Park Executive Director Emmanouil Anagnostou was delighted with the outcome. “The annual workshop is vital to the Eversource Energy Center’s power grid resilience and clean energy. It continues to build upon ongoing research and provides a critical foundation that enhances our prospects for future federal funding on climate resilience, smart grid, and sustainability as well as collaboration and co-sponsorships with industry.”

 

Eversource Energy Center Mission Statement and Pillars

Mission

To be the foremost energy utility-academia partnership advancing leading-edge interdisciplinary research and technology assuring reliable power during extreme weather and security events.

Pillars

To fulfill our mission, our center will focus the new EVERSOURCE-UConn partnership research activities over the next five years under the following five pillars:

1. Grid Resilience in a Warming Climate
2. Grid Reliability in a Changing Demand Environment
3. Renewable Energy Integration
4. Cyber-Physical System Security
5. Workforce training, outreach, and policy

 

About Eversource Energy Center

The Eversource Energy Center, a partnership between UConn and Eversource utility company, addresses resilience challenges in the energy sector, particularly regarding extreme weather, climate change, and clean power infrastructure. Housed at UConn’s Innovation Partnership Building, the Center leverages university resources to innovate and develop solutions for weather-related risks and security events. Supported by funding from various sources, including utilities, industry, and federal entities, the Center serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research, teaching, and workforce development. Emphasizing both technological advancement and people development, the Center supports student programs and diversity initiatives. EEC is committed to active collaborations driving innovation in storm preparedness, grid resilience, and modernization, inviting further participation in shaping the future grid.

Moving Beyond Implications: Research into Policy Inaugural Conference

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UConn Tech Park responded to a call for researchers to shape policies that optimize benefit to Connecticut’s communities, environment, and economy. Interim Executive Director Emmanouil Anagnostou and Professor George Bollas, along with other researchers and academicians, participated in the inaugural “Moving Beyond Implications: Research into Policy” conference at the State Capitol. This event fosters collaboration between policymakers and researchers, promoting evidence-based policymaking in the state. Anagnostou and Bollas presented topics related to the impact of extreme rainfall on water infrastructure and non-carbon-based fuels, respectively, contributing to the dynamic discussion on how scientists can inform future policy decisions for impactful results.

Check out the UConn Today article, “Conference to Unite Legislators and Scientists in Joint Effort to Strengthen Connecticut” for additional details on the conference’s objectives and background.

Co-organizers State Rep. Jaime Foster and Kerri Raissian provide post-conference commentary in the CT Mirror article, “For progress, put Connecticut lawmakers and researchers in the same room.”