The College of Engineering at UC Berkeley has a unique combination of world-renowned expertise in cutting edge energy technologies and information technologies such as next-generation engine technologies, advanced nuclear fuel cycles, advanced reactors, microsensors, digital control, advanced simulation techniques and wireless networking. The formation of the Center for Smart Sustainable Energy Technologies will provide a focal point where these capabilities can be combined synergistically to develop new and innovative sustainable energy technologies. The research at this Center will interact with and complement research in the Helios project at LBNL and the biofuels development research at the Energy Biosciences Institute at UC Berkeley, as well as national efforts in the areas of the next generation nuclear plant design and the Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative, and energy research at other research centers around the world. A major issue in the use of biotechnology or nuclear technologies to produce alternative fuels is how the new fuels will impact power output, energy efficiency, and pollutant production in engine systems. A large initial research thrust proposed in this new Center will bring together an interdisciplinary team of researchers that has a unique capability to evaluate new biofuels and combine advanced combustion engine technology and advanced sensor and control strategies to develop engine systems to optimize their performance. A second initial large research thrust is an interdisciplinary effort that will explore development of small-footprint nuclear reactors for tar sands oil production, and more generally for low-carbon transportation fuel production.

In the next decade, energy system technologies are needed that will facilitate a transformation of the current energy infrastructure towards more sustainable energy use, with reduced impact on climate and air and water quality. The proposed Center will play important roles in developing new innovative smart sustainable energy technologies that can meet these challenges. Doing so will allow California and the US to move towards a transportation infrastructure that emits less carbon into the environment and is less dependent on foreign oil. The efforts of this Center will also contribute in a major way to efforts to meet Governor Schwarzenegger’s energy and pollution goals for California, including the new California Low Carbon Fuel Standard. The development of the smart sustainable systems envisioned in these research efforts will impact a wide variety of industries in the energy production, transportation, building energy and information technology sectors of the economy. Yet another benefit is the numerous students who will emerge from degree programs at Berkeley with expertise in smart sustainable energy technologies. Theses students will have the expertise to play leading roles in development of the next generation of energy technologies that will embody energy efficiency, reduced environmental impact and enhanced sustainability.

2009 Update:

In the past year, substantial progress has been made towards establishing the Energy and Information Technologies (EIT) Laboratory as a focal point for research in energy efficiency of information technologies and use of information technologies to develop next generation renewable energy technologies. The accomplishments in the two ongoing threads of research in the lab are described below: Compact modeling of data center thermal management and energy use. The models developed in this research can be used by IT system designers and managers to run data centers more efficiently. The feasibility of the compact modeling scheme based on potential flow and a novel treatment of heat transfer in the data center has been demonstrated and the graphical user interface for the software has been refined. Development of software for analysis of information technology sustainability using life cycle exergy analysis. This effort is being expanded to a broader range of technologies. In addition, over the past year, the following new threads of research have been initiated: Development of optimized inflow radial turbine design for small scale (~10 kWe) solar Rankine combined heat and power systems (in collaboration with United Technologies Research Center) Development of optimized Tesla turbine designs for small scale (~10 kWe) solar Rankine combined heat and power systems. Development of high performance heat pipe designs for concentrated solar hybrid (PV/thermal) power generation. Development of technologies to scavenge water from marine boundary layers using solar energy. The research in the EIT Laboratory has the potential to contribute innovative new technologies that will provide quantum step improvements to existing technologies for energy production and use. A grant from UC Discovery and a 2009 HP Innovation Research Award grant have been received in support of the EIT Lab's work on compact modeling of data center energy use.