UH Energy is an umbrella for efforts across the University of Houston system to position the university as a strategic partner to the energy industry by producing a trained workforce, strategic and technical leadership, research and development for needed innovations and new technologies. That’s why UH is the Energy University.

The benefits of widespread adoption of EVs are becoming clearer. These include the lower total cost of ownership, safer travel, improved travel experience, and better access for mobility-challenged populations. Advances in technology support the rapid penetration of EVs into the market, and there are many potential benefits from the transition, including lower greenhouse gas emissions and improved health outcomes as a byproduct. In the UH Energy Electric Vehicle Webinar Series, we are showcasing research by UH faculty and friends focused on EVs, related technologies, policies, and the societal impacts of increasing EV adoption.

FUTURE

January 20th: Dr. Kaushik Rajashekara

Electric and Hybrid Vehicles: Current Trends and Future Strategies

In the last 10 years, a large number of electric vehicles have been deployed all over the world and have significantly increased the perception of their viability and usefulness in reducing emissions. In addition, more than 400,000 plug-in electric vehicles are on the road today. Fuel cell vehicles are also being gradually introduced into the market. In this seminar, the recent advancements in electric and hybrid vehicles (including plug-in hybrid), current trends, and future strategies will be presented. This presentation will also discuss the operation and architectures of electric vehicles and a few of the hybrid vehicles and challenges related to motors, power electronics, and batteries.

FUTURE

February 12th: Dr. Harish Krishnamoorthy

Electrification of Rail and Sea Transportation

Electrification of automobiles and aircrafts have gained a lot of attention over the last few years, mainly owing to the higher efficiency and carbon footprint. Transportation electrification extends even beyond that. There have been several developments in more electric railways and ships, which also play a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions. Electric rail recently got even more attention in the U.S. since the high-speed train between Houston and Dallas received federal approval. It is estimated that rail and sea transportation together contribute 3 % to 5 % of the total carbon emissions due to human activity. This talk will discuss some of the trends and advancements in the electrification of rail and sea transportation, along with a broad view of the different electrical systems used in these applications.

PAST

December 10th: Dr. Yan Yao

Next-generation Batteries for Electric Vehicles and Stationary Storage

The quest for cheaper, safer, higher-density, and more resource-abundant energy storage has driven significant battery innovations. In the context of materials development for next-generation batteries, organic battery electrode materials that store charge with dedicated redox groups have emerged as an exciting option complementary to inorganic materials and demonstrated unique advantages in novel battery technologies. In his presentation, Dr. Yan Yao will review his group’s research activities in energy storage including a number of case studies. Dr. Yao will emphasize the organic battery materials design in emerging rechargeable battery technologies such as solid-state batteries, multivalent metal batteries, and aqueous batteries. Dr. Yao will also discuss an integrated battery diagnostic platform for structural, chemical, and mechanical characterizations that could provide fundamental insights into the failure mechanisms of solid-state batteries.

PAST

November 19th: Dr. Aron Laszka

Optimizing the Energy Usage of EV's and ICEV's in Public Transportation

Dr. Aron Laszka will present findings from his Department of Energy funded project on the development of a data capture and analysis framework to improve the operational planning of regional transportation authorities. He will discuss how high-resolution data can be collected from a fleet of electric and internal-combustion engine vehicles and how this data can be integrated with traffic, weather, etc. features to create contextualized energy usage predictors, which can be used by public transportation authorities for operational optimization. He will present experimental results based on data collected from the vehicle fleet of the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority, a project partner.

PAST

October 20th: Dr. Mustapha Beydoun & Dr. Ebrahim Eslami

The Air Quality Impacts of COVID-19 on the Houston Region and United States

The widespread impacts of COVID-19 on air quality have been seen throughout the country. In this webinar, two members of the Houston Advanced Research Center, Dr. Beydoun and Dr. Eslami, will discuss their research and the effects that have been seen during COVID on air quality. Not only will they discuss air quality in the greater Houston area, but also throughout the United States. They will also compare the air quality throughout the timeline of COVID and extrapolate the effects of having more electric vehicles and their impacts on air quality.