Research Spotlighthttps://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-storiesWaterloo Institute for Sustainable EnergySmoothing renewable energy connectionshttps://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/smoothing_renewable_energy_connections<div><p><img src="/.api2/binaries/6Pxi3IZOcq/thumbnails/Picture1.jpg?width=300" style="width: 300px; height: auto;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" data-key="6Pxi3IZOcq" data-contentlength="84825" data-contenttype="image/jpeg" data-binarylocation="/.api2/binaries/6Pxi3IZOcq/download/Picture1.jpg" data-thumbnaillocation="/.api2/binaries/6Pxi3IZOcq/thumbnails/Picture1.jpg" data-name="Picture1.jpg" data-isprofilephoto="false" data-ig-embed-key="6Pxi3IZOcq"></p> <p id="isPasted" style="text-align: justify;">The transfer of power from offshore wind farms and other converter-interfaced renewable energy sources (RESs) to remote loads may rely on direct-current (DC) transmission lines. The integration of RESs in the grid via converters and power transfer over DC lines result in the connection of multiple converters to a shared DC point in large-scale…</p></div>Sana SadiqTue, 21 Nov 2023 11:01:03 -0500https://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/smoothing_renewable_energy_connectionsHow eight committed cities are cutting carbon emissionshttps://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/how_eight_committed_cities_are_cutting_carbon_emissions<div><p><img src="/.api2/binaries/KefaDcxc9r/thumbnails/Picture1.jpg?width=300" style="width: 300px; height: auto;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" data-key="KefaDcxc9r" data-contentlength="56379" data-contenttype="image/jpeg" data-binarylocation="/.api2/binaries/KefaDcxc9r/download/Picture1.jpg" data-thumbnaillocation="/.api2/binaries/KefaDcxc9r/thumbnails/Picture1.jpg" data-name="Picture1.jpg" data-isprofilephoto="false" data-ig-embed-key="KefaDcxc9r"></p> <p id="isPasted">Urban areas account for roughly three-quarters of global carbon emissions, making local governments key players in the fight against climate change. However, few studies have looked at the best municipal pathways to net zero.</p><p>WISE researcher Amelia Clarke and her collaborators set out to address that gap. After reviewing academic research,…</p></div>Sana SadiqFri, 08 Sep 2023 15:08:23 -0400https://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/how_eight_committed_cities_are_cutting_carbon_emissionsOptimizing the economics of demand responsehttps://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/optimizing_the_economics_of_demand_response<div><p><img src="/.api2/binaries/9orSJ6tgaC/thumbnails/Image.jpg?width=300" style="width: 300px; height: auto;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" data-key="9orSJ6tgaC" data-contentlength="38940" data-contenttype="image/jpeg" data-binarylocation="/.api2/binaries/9orSJ6tgaC/download/Image.jpg" data-thumbnaillocation="/.api2/binaries/9orSJ6tgaC/thumbnails/Image.jpg" data-name="Image.jpg" data-isprofilephoto="false" data-ig-embed-key="9orSJ6tgaC"></p> <p id="isPasted">Right now, energy generators sell their electricity to grid operators in a competitive energy market. Grid operators also oversee a parallel “demand response” procurement program, where big energy consumers like steel plants and pulp and paper mills offer to curb their electricity use during peak time — for a price </p><p>This can take a lot of…</p></div>Sana SadiqFri, 23 Jun 2023 12:00:09 -0400https://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/optimizing_the_economics_of_demand_responseOptimizing operations in net-zero buildingshttps://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/optimizing_operations_in_net_zero_buildings<div><p><img src="/.api2/binaries/10Rsa7cxji/thumbnails/AdobeStock_442330155.jpeg?width=300" style="width: 300px; height: auto;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" data-key="10Rsa7cxji" data-contentlength="5125306" data-contenttype="image/jpeg" data-binarylocation="/.api2/binaries/10Rsa7cxji/download/AdobeStock_442330155.jpeg" data-thumbnaillocation="/.api2/binaries/10Rsa7cxji/thumbnails/AdobeStock_442330155.jpeg" data-name="AdobeStock_442330155.jpeg" data-isprofilephoto="false" data-ig-embed-key="10Rsa7cxji"></p> <p id="isPasted" style="text-align: justify;">Today, buildings account for nearly a third of global energy consumption. Net-zero energy structures aim to decarbonize the sector by generating as much electricity on site as they use each year. But what happens when their actual energy consumption is initially higher than intended?</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In the case of a 100,000-square-foot office building recently…</p></div>Sana SadiqWed, 15 Mar 2023 23:41:02 -0400https://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/optimizing_operations_in_net_zero_buildingsInsights into China’s energy storagehttps://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/insights_into_chinas_energy_storage<div><p><img src="/.api2/binaries/6Z7u7NcAxH/thumbnails/Picture1.jpg?width=300" style="width: 300px; height: auto;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" data-key="6Z7u7NcAxH" data-contentlength="98964" data-contenttype="image/jpeg" data-binarylocation="/.api2/binaries/6Z7u7NcAxH/download/Picture1.jpg" data-thumbnaillocation="/.api2/binaries/6Z7u7NcAxH/thumbnails/Picture1.jpg" data-name="Picture1.jpg" data-isprofilephoto="false" data-ig-embed-key="6Z7u7NcAxH"></p> <p id="isPasted" style="text-align: justify;">Socio-political factors can make or break the large-scale deployment of virtually any new technology. Energy storage (e.g., batteries, pumped hydro, and compressed air) is one such technology, requiring broad social acceptance if it is to play an essential role for a sustainable energy transition.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">So how are those factors affecting energy…</p></div>Sana SadiqWed, 15 Feb 2023 12:03:31 -0500https://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/insights_into_chinas_energy_storageBuilding batteries to get flying cars off the groundhttps://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/building_batteries_to_get_flying_cars_off_the_ground<div><p><img src="/.api2/binaries/OzKIals9nU/thumbnails/Picture1.jpg?width=300" style="width: 300px; height: auto;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" data-key="OzKIals9nU" data-contentlength="41107" data-contenttype="image/jpeg" data-binarylocation="/.api2/binaries/OzKIals9nU/download/Picture1.jpg" data-thumbnaillocation="/.api2/binaries/OzKIals9nU/thumbnails/Picture1.jpg" data-name="Picture1.jpg" data-isprofilephoto="false" data-ig-embed-key="OzKIals9nU"></p> <p id="isPasted" style="text-align: justify;">Flying cars are no longer reserved for sci-fi novels, with groups like Boeing, Toyota and NASA working to move electric vehicles into the skies. One of the key challenges is ensuring the power batteries in these airborne automobiles don’t overheat during takeoff and landing, when discharge rates peak.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Flat heat pipe (FHP) technology offers a…</p></div>Sana SadiqTue, 17 Jan 2023 14:24:52 -0500https://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/building_batteries_to_get_flying_cars_off_the_groundProlonging the life of wind farm transformershttps://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/prolonging_the_life_of_wind_farm_transformers<div><p><img src="/.api2/binaries/Pl2ULrSXnI/thumbnails/Image.png?width=300" style="width: 300px; height: auto;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" data-key="Pl2ULrSXnI" data-contentlength="415300" data-contenttype="image/png" data-binarylocation="/.api2/binaries/Pl2ULrSXnI/download/Image.png" data-thumbnaillocation="/.api2/binaries/Pl2ULrSXnI/thumbnails/Image.png" data-name="Image.png" data-isprofilephoto="false" data-ig-embed-key="Pl2ULrSXnI"></p> <p id="isPasted" style="text-align: justify;">Transformers are a crucial — and expensive — part of wind farm infrastructure, boosting the low-voltage output from turbine generators to the higher voltage required by the grid. But too often, they fail prematurely.<em> </em></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">That’s because standard transformers aren’t designed to handle spikes in high-frequency energy that are common in wind farms,…</p></div>Sana SadiqMon, 05 Dec 2022 13:32:00 -0500https://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/prolonging_the_life_of_wind_farm_transformersAnalyzing the economic potential of electrified ammonia productionhttps://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/analyzing_the_economic_potential_of_electrified_ammonia_production<div><table class="fr-no-borders" style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100.0000%;"><img src="/.api2/binaries/QB4iqQfb3H/thumbnails/shutterstock_766842277.jpg?width=300" style="width: 300px; height: auto;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" data-key="QB4iqQfb3H" data-contentlength="7259959" data-contenttype="image/jpeg" data-binarylocation="/.api2/binaries/QB4iqQfb3H/download/shutterstock_766842277.jpg" data-thumbnaillocation="/.api2/binaries/QB4iqQfb3H/thumbnails/shutterstock_766842277.jpg" data-name="shutterstock_766842277.jpg" data-isprofilephoto="false" data-ig-embed-key="QB4iqQfb3H"></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 100.0000%;"><br></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p id="isPasted" style="text-align: justify;">Today, new technologies are emerging that use electricity to produce low-carbon ammonia — a versatile commodity that can be sold locally as fertilizer, traded as an export good or used to temporarily store electricity when supply exceeds demand.  </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">It’s an enticing idea for energy producers, who often sell their excess…</p></div>Sana SadiqThu, 10 Nov 2022 14:13:30 -0500https://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/analyzing_the_economic_potential_of_electrified_ammonia_productionMaking offshore wind farms lean and greenhttps://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/making_offshore_wind_farms_lean_and_green<div><p><br><img src="/.api2/binaries/lepSQ6uadi/thumbnails/Picture1.jpg?width=300" style="width: 300px; height: auto;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" data-key="lepSQ6uadi" data-contentlength="131969" data-contenttype="image/jpeg" data-binarylocation="/.api2/binaries/lepSQ6uadi/download/Picture1.jpg" data-thumbnaillocation="/.api2/binaries/lepSQ6uadi/thumbnails/Picture1.jpg" data-name="Picture1.jpg" data-isprofilephoto="false" data-ig-embed-key="lepSQ6uadi"></p> <p id="isPasted" style="text-align: justify;">As the number of offshore wind farms around the world grows, so do efforts to make them more cost-effective and efficient. One way to do that is to avoid oversizing the power electronic convertors that transform the variable-frequency electricity produced by the turbines into a fixed frequency suitable for the grid. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In series-connected,…</p></div>Sana SadiqThu, 22 Sep 2022 14:24:50 -0400https://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/making_offshore_wind_farms_lean_and_greenGame Theory in the Energy Storage Markethttps://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/game_theory_in_the_energy_storage_market<div><p><img src="/.api2/binaries/QbHqgIp5iA/thumbnails/pic.jpg?width=300" style="width: 300px; height: auto;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" data-key="QbHqgIp5iA" data-contentlength="5090433" data-contenttype="image/jpeg" data-binarylocation="/.api2/binaries/QbHqgIp5iA/download/pic.jpg" data-thumbnaillocation="/.api2/binaries/QbHqgIp5iA/thumbnails/pic.jpg" data-name="pic.jpg" data-isprofilephoto="false" data-ig-embed-key="QbHqgIp5iA"></p> <p id="isPasted" style="text-align: justify;">Energy storage systems like batteries, supercapacitors and flywheels play an important role in the world of renewables. When the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing, these devices ensure customers have reliable power.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">This has sparked interest in privately owned energy storage hubs that could sell power to customers as they need it. To…</p></div>Sana SadiqMon, 29 Aug 2022 14:51:55 -0400https://wise.uwaterloo.ca/news1/research-stories/game_theory_in_the_energy_storage_market