In the Chemical Engineering department, researchers are finding ways to convert algae to butanol. Led by Dr. Jamie Hestekin, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering a multidisciplinary team at the University of Arkansas has been performing extensive research in the area of biofuel and bio-oil generation. So far, the team has developed a method of converting algae grown in waste water into butanol, a clean and efficient liquid fuel, as well as performed a LCA on the transformation of woody biomass into high quality bio-oils, increasing efficiency and lowering the environmental impact of the process. Generating biofuels from what are traditionally waste materials creates value in a system where there previously was none. This not only eliminates a source of waste, but creates a product that can be used, in this case, to power our automobiles in a carbon neutral way. The University of Arkansas is an ideal place for these research projects to take place, as their findings create value for the waste water from our state’s swine industry and woody-mass waste from Arkansas’ large lumber industry.

In a more futuristic turn, Dr. Shui-Quing “Fisher” Yu, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, leads a team of researchers in designing new ultra-efficient solar cells for Earth and beyond. In a multi-institutional project, University of Arkansas’ researchers has begun work on a promising new material to create more efficient solar cells and develop the next generation of photovoltaic devices used in space missions. The objective of the project is to develop photovoltaic devices made of silicon-germanium-tin, a powerful semiconductor that has been proven by University of Arkansas researchers to increase efficiency in electronic devices that source, detect and control light. These photovoltaic devices will be integrated into existing solar cells to achieve a more efficient energy yield. The new material should also lower the cost of manufacturing and make the devices more radiation tolerant. This project is one of many of the University of Arkansas’ investigation of the potential uses of silicon-germanium-tin.

In the Chemical Engineering department, Dr. Keith Roper, Professor of Chemical Engineering, leads a team of scientists and researchers from the University of Arkansas at Nano Bio Photonics that has identified a key issue preventing maximum efficiency in modern PEMFC fuel cells, which are being developed for application in transport as an alternative to liquid fossil fuels. The research team has undertaken a project to analyze a possible solution with the potential to increase the efficiency of fuel cell technology, making them a more viable as a source of power in transportation. They are performing their fuel cell research alongside projects in biofuel and solar photovoltaics.

Every year, the United States wastes more than half of its energy production. In the Electrical Engineering department, Dr. Juan Carlos Balda, Professor and Department Head of Electrical Engineering, heads the Smart Sustainable Electrical Energy Systems (SSEES) group. NCREPT at the University of Arkansas has recognized that power grids throughout the world are changing by moving from centralized power sources to distributed power sources with bidirectional power flows called “smart grids”. SSEES uses distributed generation with several enabling technologies, such as renewable energy sources, combined heat and power, and energy storage. It differs from traditional power sources on the regulatory side, with pricing structures like time-of-use billing to provide incentives for peak shaving and other demand-side management initiatives. SSEES regulations also encourage customers to use distributed generation and/or energy storage. These technologies decrease energy produced by traditional power plants by increasing energy obtained from renewable sources, reducing power losses in distribution and transmission systems, recovering waste heat from power generation or boiler systems, and increasing the efficiency of existing generation sources by improving their utilization. The SSEES group enables these technologies. Their work includes using energy storage more efficiently to integrate renewable generation in the power grid, and developing new power electronics topologies to connect distributed generation and energy storage to the grid with improved power densities and efficiencies.