Missouri S&T Center for Research in Energy and Environment

01/22/2019

Nice story ran by ALABC on our new CREE and Microgrid Industrial Consortium Advanced Lead Microgrid at EcoVillage Living Laboratory.

This immersive experience will allow students to study the applications of renewable energy sources and storage for future communities.

11/11/2018

Ribbon Cutting Microgrids Advanced Lead Batteries at the EcoVillage Living Laboratory.

11/10/2018

Our New Advanced Lead Microgrids connected to Solar homes designed by S&T students getting some attention.

Missouri University of Science and Technology and two companies that manufacture batteries in Missouri are teaming up on a research project that could make

11/08/2018

Excited to say today that both new advanced Lead Microgrid are officially running today.
Thanks to our partners from the Missouri S&T Industrial Consortium - especially (ALABC and Doe Run, Enersys Batteries , Northstar Batteries , and the Center for Research in Energy and Environment and our partners on the ground , we have new possibility for research , demonstration and education in renewable energy storage in our unique living laboratory at The EcoVillage.

10/17/2018

Exciting times: Construction of the two new Advanced Lead Microgrids at the Eco-Village moving forward.

08/14/2018

Dr. Assim Sahyroon (Interim Director, Smart Cities Research Institute and Dr. Raafat Aburukba (Assistant Professor, department of Computer Science and Engineering at University of Sharjah in UAE learning about the research from Dr. Baker (Assistant professor in Psychology Science at S&T) and also about research in energy storage management taking place in the Solar Villages Living laboratory and how it fits into the future of Smart Cities.
Other participants: Dr. Dajal Das (Daniel St. Clair Endowed Chair and professor of Computer Science at S&T), Dr. Bruce mcMillin ( Assistant Dean for College of Engineering and Computing and Professor, Computer Science, and Stephane Menand ( Director Solar Villages Living laboratories and Microgrids-Research, Operations, and Outreach).

06/28/2018

DID YOU KNOW?
Missouri S&T is at the leading edge of research and innovation in renewable energy storage and distribution among universities across the US. This is due to its strong vision and commitment to having a part in building the Smart communities of the future and by building on our Solar Village Laboratories – a unique group of houses designed and built for the US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon-- that allow us to showcase faculty research expertise in power systems and smart living, and also focus on specific Industry partnerships.
Renewable energy storage is due to grow exponentially in the next few years due to the several factors, economics, grid resiliency and safety, environmental concerns, and other efficiencies for an aging power grid.
It is not just individual homeowners who can benefit from power storage and distribution for solar production, but entire communities . Utilities are also looking at ways to be more economical and resilient in case the grid fails, but also because renewable energy storage allows faster response to changes in demand.
Faculty researchers and Industry partners at Missouri S&T have been working on how to improve battery management systems, battery charge and discharge rates, and safe power management networks these past few years. The first Solar Village Living laboratory connected its 4 houses to a Lithium Ion battery Microgrid 4 years ago and it is now getting an upgrade- a new state-of-the-art controller system that will allow for instant power sharing between homes as well as predicting production rates fluctuations from weather patterns.
The second Living laboratory “Eco Village” will soon host two Nanogrids (smaller scale Microgrids for individual homes which act in concert with one another) this will allow us to push research and innovation in lead acid battery storage as an environmentally economic and sustainable alternative to Lithium Ion batteries and as a resource abundant in the State of Missouri.
With increased demand in renewable energy generation, storage, and distribution, there also comes an increased demand on research, innovation, and training. Missouri S&T is forging the path for a new future by positioning itself as a top university in research, innovation, training, and outreach for renewable energy production, storage, and distribution.

To learn more about research, industry partnerships, innovation, and outreach, please visit:

06/26/2018

Solar Villages living laboratories Educational Outreach Tour for Summer Camp.

06/06/2018

First Solar Village Living laboratory youtube video. The microgrid is getting a new controller soon which will allow to even have some Weather forecasting and allow for even better efficient Demand charge shaving and power sharing between the house.

Four neighbors share their generated solar power at Missouri University of Science and Technology's unique microgrid research project. The microgrid also pow...

06/01/2018

"Solar Insolation Illumination and Thermal Effects in Energy Efficient Homes"

2013 Eco Village laboratory: An ongoing study by Missouri S&T researchers into the relationships between reducing a building's energy usage from artificial lighting and increased heating and cooling loads from the exposure of the windows that provide the daylighting. The researchers are working to improve current building modeling software to better represent highly energy efficient homes like those found in the Solar and Eco villages.

05/31/2018

Solar Villages Living laboratory Rolla Fire Station Crew. It was a real pleasure to show the crew the laboratories this morning while also checking on fire Safety for the microgrids and upcoming nanogrids.