From highly efficient automobiles to efficient light bulbs to motion-sensing light switches, more efficient devices and reduction in waste can contribute as much toward a sustainable energy future as discovery of new energy sources. Research carried out at the University of Illinois is aimed at both improving efficiency of energy-consuming devices as well as conservation of energy by reducing waste.

Areas of Research Focus

Illinois researchers are leading the way on saving energy and resources — now and in the future.

Specific projects include:

• Design and operation of motors.
• Design of a high-speed, high-frequency air-core machine.
• MEMS and microelectronics for motor and energy applications.
• Progress toward more efficient wind farms.
• Fast modeling of solar costs and sensitivity.
• Dynamic energy management needs in energy-efficient buildings imposed by stochastic solar resources.
• Applied fluid mechanics principles for efficient wind power harvesting.
• Differential processing for improvements in solar array energy harvest.
• Induction motor drive design based on drive-cycle energy minimization.
• Energy and water efficiency in residential homes.
• Photoconversion efficiency of perovskite solar cell materials.
• High-efficiency III-V solar cells and thin-film inorganic solar cells.
• Visible light emitting diodes (LEDs) and thin-film flexible LEDs.
• Wind energy and environment.