We research and develop higher-performance and lower-cost materials and devices for energy generation, storage and conversion. Our target industries are electric vehicles, microgrids, photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, wearable power devices, and more.
UC San Diego's world-renowned microgrid serves as a real-world test-bed for our work, which is rooted in thoughtful analyses of the economics of distributed energy.
At every point along the way, we train and mentor our students to become tomorrow’s workforce for green and advanced energy.
SPEC News from the Jacobs School
Engineers Receive $2.9 Million to Transform Power Distribution on the Grid
October 26, 2016
A team of researchers from the University of California San Diego and the University of Illinois has been awarded a $2.88 million grant by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), a government agency that advances high-potential, high-impact energy technologies that are too early for private-sector investment. The researchers, led by Professor Sonia Martinez from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UC San Diego, will develop methods that are poised to transform the way electric power is distributed on the grid. Full Story
Getting to a Zero Carbon Future
October 13, 2016
Avoiding the worst consequences of climate change by reducing global carbon emissions to as close to zero as possible is one of humanity’s most pressing challenges. The University of California San Diego has launched the Deep Decarbonization Initiative to do just that. And they plan to do so in the real world—where costs matter. The initiative is a collaborative effort of UC San Diego faculty from across campus working at the intersection of science, technology and policy. It embeds the study of modern societies—economics, politics and social organization—within expert technical research on energy systems. The goal is to understand not just how energy systems function, but also how policy and social movements can transform energy and protect the planet. Full Story
Real-world challenges inform our fundamental research. The Sustainable Power and Energy Center works closely with industry partners.
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UC San Diego's world-renowned microgrid serves as a real-world test-bed for our work, which is rooted in thoughtful analyses of the economics of distributed energy.