Sustainable Power and Energy Center
Solving key technical challenges in distributed energy generation, storage and power management.
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Solving key technical challenges in distributed energy generation, storage and power management.
Research
Solving key technical challenges in distributed energy generation, storage and power management.
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Solving key technical challenges in distributed energy generation, storage and power management.
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
A Battery Breakthrough Inspired by a Can of Compressed Air
May 8, 2025
Breakthroughs often begin with simple curiosities. In this Q&A, engineering alumnus Cyrus Rustomji, Ph.D. ’15, reflects on how his ponderings about a can of compressed air, along with support from the university ecosystem and federal funding, fueled an innovation in battery technology that is solving tough challenges for U.S. private and public sectors. Full Story
Thermodynamics-defying Materials Could Revolutionize EVs, Buildings and More
April 16, 2025
What expands when crushed, shrinks when heated, and could both change scientists’ fundamental understanding of materials and return old EV batteries to factory-fresh performance levels? It’s not a riddle. It’s a slate of materials discovered by battery researchers from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) and visiting researchers at UC San Diego. As part of a long-term research collaboration, the team found negative-thermal expansion in metastable oxygen-redox active materials. 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.
Industry Partners
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