Research

The EMS Energy Institute is committed to the development of clean energy technologies that will assist the nation in meeting its growing energy demands. To facilitate an inter-disciplinary research environment, the Institute has organized its research initiatives around seven broad strategic thrust areas:

• Carbon Materials
• Clean Fuels and Catalysis
• Electrochemical Laboratory
• Petroleum and Natural Gas
• Stationary Power
• Sustainable Energy
• Transportation

The research programs at the Institute are supported by federal, state, and private partnerships. These programs are tailored to meet sponsor needs. Programs range from multi-year, multi-investigator programs, to research projects that are conducted by a single investigator over a span of a few weeks. The successful coupling of long- and short-term research programs enables the Institute to develop practical solutions to a broad collection of energy-related issues.

Each of the seven thrust areas can contribute to specific energy-related issues. For example, the Institute's carbon materials, clean fuels and catalysis, and the thermal and electrochemical systems thrust areas provide technical support to the development of hydrogen fuel cells. The development of emerging bioenergy technologies is supported by the sustainable energy, petroleum and natural gas, and thermal and electrochemical systems thrust areas. Hydrogen and bioenergy are two major initiatives under development at the Institute.