Smart-energy research
Binghamton researchers have been working on solar energy, fuel-cell technology, energy-storage methods and improved efficiencies in computer and other electronic systems for years.
The University selected a smart-energy initiative as the research focus of its NYSUNY 2020 plan, as well as named smart energy one of its five transdisciplinary areas of excellence.
Recent developments
- In August 2014, the University began construction of a $70 million, 114,000 square-foot smart energy research and development facility at the Innovative Technologies Complex. This building will serve as a home for research in clean-energy production, utilization and efficiencies.
- Binghamton was recently awarded a $12.8 million, four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for work being performed at the NorthEast Center for Chemical Energy Storage. M. Stanley Whittingham, distinguished professor of chemistry and of materials science at Binghamton University, who is a pioneer in the development of lithium ion batteries, directs the center. He is working to gain greater understanding of the fundamental chemical reactions in energy storage materials to make them work better and to develop new materials that are cheaper, environmentally friendly and able to store more energy than current materials can.
Research centers that focus on smart-energy
- Center for Autonomous Solar Power/CASP focuses on reducing the cost of solar power and enhancing energy efficiency
- Center for Energy-Smart Electronic Systems/ES2 develops methods for efficiently operating electronic systems by controlling resources and managing workloads to achieve optimal energy consumption
Expertise in these energy-related areas
- Solar and thermoelectric energy harvesting
- Energy storage technologies
- Energy-efficient electronic systems
- Sensors for energy resource management
- Environmental studies
- Environmental geology
- Sustainability engineering
Articles on faculty and students conducting energy research
- Materials scientist is working to improve methods of turning heat into electricity: Bruce White is using his expertise in transistors and memory to tackle one of the nation's biggest problems: More than half of the energy we burn each year gets lost as heat instead of being put to use.
- Engineer pursues biological solar cell: Seokheun Choi is working on a biological solar cell that is significantly better than existing technology. It also works in the dark and is self-sustaining.
- PhD sets sights on improving data-center efficiency: Doctoral candidate Husam Alissa is exploring new possibilities for cooling the clusters of servers that are among the largest consumers of electricity in the United States.
- Computer scientist makes a power play: With support from an NSF CAREER grant, Binghamton researcher Timothy Miller aims to slash the energy used by computing systems.
- Undergrad investigates energy storage: Undergraduate engineer Becky Deng works with a team that’s building and testing supercapacitors that could point the way toward the next generation of energy-storage devices.
- Engineer joins hunt for greener data centers: Doctoral student Zhihang Song’s new model may reduce the energy used to cool data centers.
- Chemist contributes to ‘green’ technology: Binghamton nanoscientist Nikolay Dimitrov’s research may lead to advances in batteries.
- Creating a more reliable power grid: Eva Wu develops ways to monitor and control a power grid that is too complex for current automated equipment to control and sometimes operates too fast for much human intervention.
- Engineer tests new solar materials: Siva Adusumilli left sun-drenched India to study solar energy in upstate New York.
- Undergrad explores nanoparticle safety: Binghamton junior Marissa MacAneney’s research focuses on the safety of nanoparticles that may improve rechargeable batteries.
- Student pursues biological solar cell: Binghamton junior Yudi Pardo aims to take the photosynthetic engine out of a plant cell and put it somewhere it can be used.
- Engineer aims to improve solar cells: Binghamton sophomore Isaac Patka’s research focuses on improving the efficiency of organic solar cells.