Materials for Renewable Energy

Energy is the single most important challenge that we face, impacting everything from convenience in communications to large-scale uses in industrial applications. Much of the modern communications industry is now primarily limited by the ability to deliver power and energy in a distributed manner. On a larger scale, the world must move beyond fossil fuels eventually; if the threat of global climate change does not compel it, then exhausted supplies and rising prices probably will. The far future seems likely to belong to renewable sources of energy. Both generation and efficient use of power and energy are at the center of a wide variety of engineering and societal problems that will persevere throughout the upcoming century.

Many WSU academics are involved in researching current and potential sources of energy. Where can we find new energy sources using natural and sustainable materials? How is energy transmission optimized? How can we implement cleaner energy systems to minimize the risks of global warming? What role can nanotechnology play in alternative energy systems? How can we implement sustainable and efficient use of existing energy sources? We are working to join these individual research activities in a coordinated approach to solve problems.

Research Centers:

Center for Bioproducts and Bioenergy

Energy and Power Systems Lab

Wood Materials and Engineering Laboratory  Development of Renewable Microbial Polyesters for Cost Effective and Energy Efficient Wood Plastic Composite, Developing Innovative Wall Systems that Improve the Hygrothermal Performance of Residential Buildings

Center for Materials Research  Nanomaterials in hydrogen storage and catalysts for fuel cells, polymer-metal nanoparticle composites for solar cells, positron annihilation, MEMs (see below)

MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems)  Laboratory. Researchers received a more than $7 million contract in 2002 from the Army Space & Missile Defense Command (SMDC) together with sponsorship by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to build the world's smallest engine and produce a portable micro-power generation system for military applications. The researchers believe that their engine has the potential to replace batteries in many portable electronics.

Power Systems Engineering Research Center is part of a nationwide consortium of 11 universities and over 30 companies in the power industry, that are conducting research in power systems in the restructured electric power industry. The WSU site is the only one in the Northwest. Researchers here have been working to come up with improved planning and operational strategies for the electric power grid, and innovations in rapid information and computational analysis. At WSU, researchers in the PSERC most recently have been involved in three research projects pertaining to the secure operation and setting of transfer limits.

WSU Researchers Take "Swiss Roll" Innovation to National Competition

WSU Energy Initiative gets underway Looking to meet energy challenges and the transition to sustainability.

Students compete in Solar Decathlon

It feels like science fiction. But unlike in Star Trek, which uses antimatter to fuel its rocket ships on television, Kelvin Lynn, Boeing Chair in Advanced Materials, really is making a beam of positrons in an accelerator at WSU.

Researchers Build World’s Smallest Engine

NSF Grant to Support WSU Research on Power Grid Cybersecurity