Sustainability and Energy at Michigan Technological University

Overview

Sustainable energy is arguably the most pressing global economic and environmental challenge for this century, and requires collaboration by a wide array of disciplines. The focus of Michigan Tech's sustainable energy initiative is investigations over the entire value chain for energy technology systems, including resource development, energy production, transformation, and utilization; as well as technology assessments into environmental, societal, policy and regional economic aspects. Michigan Tech energy projects include cellulosic ethanol, fuel cells, wind and solar power, and sustainable use of fossil fuels through conservation, efficiency improvements and geological carbon sequestration. The University has a number of active programs, many of which are associated with the Sustainable Futures Institute.

Major Initiatives

Wood-to-Wheels Graduate Enterprise (W2W): The main goal of these projects is to increase the overall efficiency of converting solar energy captured in forest resources into products for transportation; including ethanol, bioplastics and other co-products. Research thrusts include plant biotechnology, resource inventories, bioprocessing, vehicular and engine performance, and sustainability assessments. Current funding exceeds $4M from NSF and industry.

Power and Energy Research Center (PERC): This cross-disciplinary organization focuses on electrical energy, energy conversion, and related technologies and issues. Research areas are in renewable energy (wind and photovoltaics), energy storage, micro-grids and grid integration, as well as traditional power systems. The center is an outgrowth of the EE Power Area at the university, and is supported by a mixture of federal and industrial funding. Specialties which can be strategically combined include business and economics, control systems, communications systems, energy policy, environmental engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, and power electronics. Industrial partners include Consumers Energy, American Electric Power, and the International Transmission Co. Federal funding has come from agencies such as NSF and DOE.

Advanced Power Systems Research Center (APSRC): This center focuses on clean, efficient and sustainable power systems technologies, including fundamental and applied research required for the next generation of low-emission, high-efficiency vehicles. The center coordinates research in the areas of IC engines, combustion, controls, torque converters, alternative fuels including ethanol, bio-diesel, and hydrogen, hybrid vehicles, fuel cells, wind power and associated NVH and dynamics.

Opportunities

New faculty are needed in several areas: Energy Conversion, in bioprocessing (enzyme engineering, genetic engineering, metabolic engineering, catalysis, and process optimization); in material science and engineering (applied to bioprocessing of cellulosic ethanol, solar and wind power), and in energy storage and distribution; in integration of alternative energy into existing power / transportation systems; reliability of energy source and distribution networks; optimal system design and real-time operation: Energy Utilization, in fuel cell analysis, design, and optimization; in internal combustion engine characterization, modeling, control, and optimization for high-content biofuels; in hybrid vehicle design, simulation, and optimization; and in energy efficiency analysis in green building design: Environmental Studies, C, N, nutrient cycling in forest soils, eutrophication of surface waters, watersheds / water quality / water treatment / water recycle-reuse, atmospheric chemistry of climate change, atmospheric deposition of toxic emissions: and Sustainable Energy Decisions, in energy policy analysis; in economic analyses of sustainable energy infrastructure; and in life cycle assessment of sustainable energy infrastructures.

Contacts

Dr. Jeffrey Naber
Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
906-487-1938; jnaber@mtu.edu

Dr. Bruce Mork
Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Director, Power and Energy Research Center
906-487-2857; bamork@mtu.edu