Name: Future Energy Systems
Address: 7-20 University Terrace - University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1K4

New energy technologies can make it possible to harness sources that are all around us but which have been underutilized. However, new forms of energy present numerous challenges, including the economic efficiency of conversion to a desired form (such as electricity or fuels), the practicality of energy storage, and the complexity of grid integration. Research projects within these five themes will develop new, more efficient and economical technologies for renewable energy production, while supporting their integration into current infrastructure.

Themes

Projects

How do we efficiently harness renewable energy?

Themes

Biomass

Geothermal

Grids & Storage

Solar

Wind

Projects

Active, Stable, and Abundant Photocatalytic Materials for Hydrogen Fuels

Additive manufactured porous transport layers and bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

Additive Manufacturing of High Corrosion Resistant Materials for Small Modular Nuclear Reactors as a Clean Energy Source

Advanced Biological Fermentation Process Development

Advanced reliability enhancement and cost reduction techniques for wind energy generation

Alberta Biojet Initiative (ABI): Upgrading of University of Alberta's LTH technology to Biojet

Alternative Energy Generation: Strategic Design of Photovoltaic and Thermoelectric Materials Using Modular Chemistry and Assembly, Interface Engineering, and Spectroscopic Characterization

Artificial Photosynthesis Using Semiconductor Nanomaterials

Bifunctional Structural Battery Composites: Synergizing Mechanical Strength and Energy Storage Performance

Biobattery - Decentralized Production of Fuel from Forest and Agricultural Waste

Bioconversion of Single-­Carbon Effluents into Biofuels and Biofuel Precursors

Blockchain based smart contracts in the future smart grid

Catalytic Conversion of Bio-based Feedstock: Bottom-up Design of Sustainable Processes

Composite Electrolyte Membranes for Solid-state Battery: Processing, Prototyping, a Lab-to-Market Endeavor

Control of CI Engines for Efficient and Robust Biomass Utilization

Corrosion in Biomass/Fossil Fuel Co-Processing

Current availability assessment of biomass resource in China and Canada and the potential for bilateral biomass trade to develop biomass co-firing in Chinese coal power plants

Dependable and Autonomic Computing Platform for Managing Transactive Microgrids

Design optimization of ground-source heat pump systems

Development of a Modular Concentrated Solar Thermal System for High-Temperature Green Steam Generation

Development of high-performance solid oxide fuel cell stack with low degradation rate and fault tolerance for commercial applications

Development of Next-Generation Anaerobic Digestion System

Discovery of single, bi- and multimetallic atom-based photocatalysts on semimetallic titania support for H2 production from water

Distributed Energy Management for More Electronics Smart Grids (Distributed Energy Management Initiative)

Distributed Energy Resources Management for Grid Modernization and Grid Transformation Applications

Distributed Energy Storage

Diversifying the Renewable Energy Portfolio with Double Perovskite PV Materials

Dynamic load control and EV charging field experiment

Economic Policy and the Future Electricity Grid

Energy Management Strategies for Distributed Energy Resources

Enhancing light matter interaction in solar technologies through metasurface enabled photovoltaic architectures

Fluid/Rock Interactions in Canada’s Geothermal Systems

Future Smart Grids Structures

High-capacity, Free-standing Electrodes for Lithium-ion and Sodium-ion Batteries

High-Density Power Conversion Technology for PV and Battery Systems

High-­throughput Materials Discovery through Materials Genomics

Hydrothermal Torrefaction of High Moisture Content Biomass

Imaging, Characterizing and Modelling Canada’s Geothermal Resources

Infrastructure Assessment for Electrical Vehicle Charging in the Town of Banff

Interaction of converters in emerging smart grids: Stability analysis and control design

Investment Decisions and Policy Analysis

Leveraging Automation and Technology to Enhance Demand-Side Flexibility

Market Design for Increased Wind Generation

Micro-scale energy harvesting technology in remote communities of Alberta

Multifunctional lightweight metallic coatings for sustainable energy generation systems in cold climates

New materials for Photovoltaics

Next Generation Energy Storage Using Unconventional Materials

Novel Rechargeable Battery Technology based on Zinc-Ion Intercalation Materials

Operational Decision Support for Smart Grids

Optimization of Small Wind Turbines for Gusty Wind Resources of Northern Canada

Optimizing Geothermal Energy Production and Utilization Technology

PCM Booster: Enhancement of the thermal properties and energy savings analysis of bio-based phase change materials

Rational Design of Next-generation Lithium-Sulfur Batteries for Clean Energy Storage

Rational Design of Protective Interlayers for Next Generation All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries

Reconfigurable Metasurfaces for Solid-state Beam Steering in Solar Concentrators

Regulating lithium nitrate solvation chemistry in carbonate electrolytes for high-voltage Li-metal batteries

Regulation and Integration of Solar PV into Electricity Markets

Remote Micro-Grids

Research on Interfacial Control of Solid State Lithium Batteries

Resilience of electric vehicles during disasters

Socio-­economic Roadmaps to Commercial Geothermal Energy Production in W. Canada

Solvent-driven Crystallization of Lithium Hydroxide from Concentrated Aqueous Solution

Surface Science Hub for Clean Technology (SSH-CT)

Synthesis and utilization of ether fuels from forestry biomass in diesel engines

Technical impact assessment of frozen soil on geothermal heat pump technology in western Canada

Using Additive Manufacturing to Fabricate Non-precious Metal Electrodes for Water Electrolysis

Utility-­Scale Energy Storage

Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) - technology comparison, acquisition of experience, development of use cases and energy management strategies

Wind Farm Operation and Grid Integration

Enabling Sustainability News

U of A ranked seventh in the world for impact on sustainability

This grad’s economics degree will add up to better environmental policies in Canada and beyond

Bioconversion of Single-Carbon Effluents into Biofuels and Biofuel Precursors

High-throughput Materials Discovery through Materials Genomics

Socio-economic Roadmaps to Commercial Geothermal Energy Production in W. Canada

Utility-Scale Energy Storage