The Clean Energy Research Centre (CERC)

The Clean Energy Research Centre (CERC) is a multidisciplinary research hub dedicated to undertaking world-class clean-energy research, training, development and demonstrations. Our ‘future today’ research adds to the outstanding research endeavours and sterling reputation of the University of British Columbia (UBC) within Canada and globally. Our goal is to become a world leader and a research–development–demonstration powerhouse for innovative clean-energy solutions to climate change and sustainability problems. CERC was officially opened in 2006 with the completion of a new 400-square-metre research laboratory with an investment in $9 million worth of state-of-the-art research equipment. It is supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF). Initially, CERC primarily involved researchers from the Departments of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, with participation from Materials Engineering and Electrical and Computing Engineering researchers. CERC has since expanded its membership to include a broader range of disciplines within Applied Science. Its faculties and schools are active in energy research at UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan. Currently, there are >70 faculty members and 200 graduate students participating actively in CERC activities. CERC welcomes collaboration with partners from industry, academic institutions and various levels of government, both inside and outside of Canada. Providing safe, widespread and equitable access to sustainable energy is one of the key challenges of our time. CERC hosts top-tier researchers who view this challenge as an opportunity to help future generations to inherit a better world. The specialty areas of CERC researchers are clustered within six main research themes, as shown in Fig. 1. CERC research themes. There are an estimated 30 million tonnes of forest residues available each year in British Columbia (BC), which can be converted to high-value biofuels or biochemicals. To support a bioenergy and bioproduct sector in the province and in Canada, the ‘Bioenergy systems and biorefinery’ theme was established in CERC to focus on: Research, development, scale-up, demonstration and deployment of key clean technologies (e.g. gasification, torrefaction, pyrolysis, fermentation, methanation, etc.) for the production of renewable bioenergy and biofuels from forest, agricultural and municipal biomass wastes via thermochemical and biological routes. Promotion of joint research, innovation, development and demonstration of bioenergy products and technologies with partners from industry and academia worldwide. Novel technologies have been developed and demonstrated in recent years for the production of low-carbon renewable biofuels and bioproducts. These include a dual fluidized-bed gasifier for biomass steam gasification and a two-stage fluidized-bed gasifier for biomass oxygen-steam gasification for the production of syngas and renewable natural gas that is created from forest residues. CERC also has a microwave-assisted pulsed fluidized bed for the catalytic pyrolysis of biomass residues for high-quality bio-oil and biochar production. Programmes, such as the China-Canada Bioenergy Centre, BC-SMART Consortium and the Natural Gas Future Consortium, were developed to facilitate local and global collaborations among government, industry and academia. Our projects and programmes directly align with Canada’s objective to increase clean tech jobs, develop a bioeconomy to make our bioresource sector more sustainable and decarbonize the industrial sector to meet Canada’s greenhouse gas (GHG)-reduction targets. With strong support from the Canadian government and industry, the ‘Electro- and photo-chemical energy system’ theme is committed to overcoming both short- and long-term challenges associated with these systems. Although photo- and electrochemical systems can provide cleaner and sustainable energy solutions, the engineering challenges and the costs associated with these systems prevent them from entering the market in a profitable form. With the recent development in the cost-effective production of solar-cells technology as well as the optimization of battery and electrolyser operations, it is possible that these renewable-energy systems will replace conventional fossil-fuel-based energy systems soon. The electro- and photochemical energy systems provide efficient ways of harvesting energy from the renewables (sun and wind) and storing the energy to resolve intermittency supply issues (batteries) as well as transforming the energy for household and portable energy applications, and for generating useful chemicals or fuels (green H2, etc.). At CERC, our research aims at addressing universal problems. Our research team is involved in discovering advanced photo and electroactive materials, designing new devices and systems, and developing mathematical models to predict the real-time scenarios utilizing tools that range from computational to experimental. Transportation connects communities and supports Canada’s economy. It facilitates the distribution of trillions of dollars in goods each year in Canada alone. To continue supporting the movement of goods across a vast country like Canada, cutting-edge solutions must be developed to increase trade. The transportation sector must also innovate to mitigate its environmental impact. The ‘Urban energy systems: Transportation/buildings’ theme is at the forefront of this transformation. Its focus is on solutions at every level, from a provincial level down to the performance of an engine cylinder in a vehicle. It will attain these goals by working on: Developing strategies that decarbonize long-distance transportation to reduce province-wide emissions. Investigating the feasibility of mobile energy hubs by using electric vehicles as energy-storage systems to stabilize the electric grid in urban communities. Developing new ways to measure emissions more accurately in marine vessels that use natural gas and developing strategies to mitigate the emissions. Creating a portable emissions measurement system to understand the real-world emissions of a semi-truck that uses diesel and hydrogen co-combustion. Developing optical sensors that help to characterize the in-cylinder combustion properties in novel fuel systems that inject natural gas directly into the engine cylinder. Worldwide climate-action plans are focusing on keeping the global temperature rise to ≤2°C. This requires bold actions to reduce carbon emissions. For carbon-capture and -conversion technologies to become impactful long-term solutions, we need to consider technologies both holistically and regionally from a systems perspective. We must derive integrated and robust approaches to addressing climate-change challenges. The ‘Carbon capture and decarbonization of energy systems’ theme conducts future-focused research on CO2 capture, storage and conversion coupled with an intense awareness of market and policy implications. The current research under this theme demonstrates a commitment to: Build a set of tools for integrative policy towards decarbonizing Canada’s maritime shipping industry. Use liquid heterogeneous catalysts to enable the production of fuels and chemicals without producing carbon dioxide. Reduce GHG emissions by turning solid waste into energy and fertilizers in BC’s Lower Mainland. Create a smart, personalized carbon dashboard to visually connect a carbon footprint to climate-positive actions. Develop combustors of gas turbine engines that can burn a cleaner fuel—hydrogen-enriched natural gas. Educate and grow the carbon capture, conversion and sequestration sectors. The influence of data science in the clean-energy sector continues to expand with major algorithmic developments in machine learning, relentless growth in computing power, advancements in sensor technology and Internet of Things capabilities. However, in most manufacturing sites, ‘mountains’ of industrial data are often underutilized when they are actually ripe for value extraction. These incredible volumes of data, when combined with expert domain knowledge and advanced analytics capabilities, are poised to produce valuable insights never before realized in the clean-energy sector. Facing these challenges and opportunities, research under the ‘Data analytics and optimization’ theme focuses on: Using advanced analytics for extracting and exploiting knowledge from large, complex, heterogeneous energy data sets including time series, images and text documents. Building sophisticated predictive models and answering complex energy questions using causal inference and machine learning. Developing optimization tools to help organizations to manage energy assets and improve decision-making through data-driven insights. The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 7 focuses on affordable and clean energy. This includes ensuring access to affordable and sustainable energy for all. In recent decades, there has been a rapid transition to clean and renewable energy. While technological innovation has been at the heart of this transition, policies enabling easy access, continued adoption and affordability are essential. The CERC ‘Policy analysis for clean energy’ theme is an interdisciplinary group that conducts leading research on public policy, energy security, sustainable energy systems and technological innovation. There are also tremendous opportunities for policy-driven, just and equitable transition to clean energy. Biomass gasification is a high-temperature thermal chemical process converting biomass residues to bio-syngas for the production of power, biohydrogen, biofuels and biochemicals. The quality of the syngas is crucial for the downstream conversion. Low-tar syngas is required for successful combined heat and power (CHP) generation. N2-free and tar-free syngas is needed for the production of biohydrogen, biomethane and liquid biofuels/chemicals. To meet those requirements, a novel steam-oxygen two-stage fluidized-bed gasification technology has been explored. In the two-stage gasification system (Fig. 2), by applying a bubbling fluidized-bed pyrolyser (Stage 1) before the circulating fluidized-bed riser gasifier (Stage 2), the heavy hydrocarbons (tar) are mostly released in the gas phase in the first stage prior to entering the riser. It significantly extends their time in the system and, consequently, allows most of the tar content to be cracked in the dense phase and the freeboard of the riser, which greatly lowers the tar concentration in the gas product. Schematic diagram of the two-stage gasification system. The air-blown version of this technology has been demonstrated by CERC’s partner, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, on a 10-kt/a Chinese herb-residue treatment demonstration plant for >2 years. The operation results showed that for feedstock containing high moisture and volatile contents, the tar concentration in the gas product could be controlled at <50 mg/Nm3. A new pilot unit has been designed and commissioned at CERC (Fig. 3) to evaluate the performance using steam and oxygen as gasification agents to reduce N2 content in the bio-syngas. This research is supported financially by Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD), Nature Resources Canada’s Clean Growth programme and BC Bioalliance, a BC pulp and paper industrial consortium. The low-tar and low-N2 high-heating-value syngas will be a promising alternative to natural gas for CHPs and lime kilns, and an ideal feedstock for the production of renewable natural gas (RNG) to meet the 15% RNG blending target of BC by 2030. A photo of the pilot two-stage gasifier. Pyrolysis is a promising pathway for converting biomass residues to biofuels (diesel and jet fuel) and biochemicals (e.g. carbon, alcohol). The low quality of bio-oil and biochar, however, imposes challenges to upgrading and application. To improve the quality of bio-oil and biochar, researchers at CERC, since 2010, have been exploring the in situ catalytic pyrolysis incorporated with microwave heating in a bench microwave reactor system. Microwave-assisted fluidized-bed catalytic pyrolysis (MACP) technology has been developed by integrating microwave heating, in situ catalysis and horizontal gas-pulsating fluidization technologies. As well, a pilot-scale unit (Fig. 4), sponsored by CFI, has been built up in the Biorefinery Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), which is a new research and demonstration facility of CERC funded by CFI, BCKDF (B.C. Knowledge Development Fund) and WD. Microwave-assisted fluidized-bed catalytic pyrolysis unit in BRIC. In the MACP reactor, in situ microwave-assisted catalytic cracking of organic vapours on a hot catalyst surface bio-oil quality as is by low oxygen low and The microwave heating of biomass also results in a of biochar and a high surface which in with natural catalysts as as a high-value with high and is a promising to improve the quality of biomass to its high heating value and have been as a fuel for power to meet the targets. However, dedicated and for are With CERC knowledge of a novel fluidized-bed process with a pulsed gas has been developed for recent years. The novel process is to of the heat and of fluidized to the the reactor and the heating The the system to fluidization quality with A horizontal fluidized-bed is to product which has been a challenge for conventional fluidized-bed systems. A pilot horizontal pulsed fluidized-bed reactor has been developed for at a biomass of (Fig. A catalytic reactor was to the released from the The of on and properties were The unit biomass for in a was significantly in the reactor to that in the conventional fluidized integrated It is by the global that and climate change are of the challenges for this for the sustainable use of and to reduce CO2 and GHG emissions are treatment and the of CO2 emissions have been a challenge for the and gas industry. In the however, they were as problems. The process with which is into an electrochemical with by or electrochemical process the CO2 and the in the The is a of high-value chemicals that can be on the industrial or to chemical This technology can directly process industrial CO2 and, as a in the gas such as and can also be of costs to the industry, innovative is to use CO2 to waste and into valuable chemicals and to also reduce use in and gas the electrochemical process has been designed to produce from including and This the for the also significantly lowers the production It is estimated that there will be an market of million for this technology across the industry, with a GHG of million tonnes of carbon year by 2030. a million and have been to support the development of the and the team from UBC as the one and were by the and the first was designed and built in Canada’s hydrogen for upgrading fuel production and chemical is However, there are challenges in hydrogen production from with high-temperature catalyst There for a need for to high catalyst for carbon catalyst and chemical conversion to To these novel fluidized-bed reactor technology was The for in situ of hydrogen from the reactor, the of This conversion and hydrogen as well as the reactor to be at a temperature technologies have also been developed for and on and supports to a These hydrogen hydrogen and thermal The reactor technology was demonstrated by a UBC to facilitate hydrogen production for The current research is on to improve the of the with For with most battery have on or to the growth in battery for and energy storage by a there are challenges the supply and of in In to these a novel of the CO2 battery has been It is in The this battery is to energy storage and CO2 in one The catalysts and results with in of operation were in The at the in the stage CO2 (e.g. from industrial such as power waste etc.) to produce a (e.g. In the stage power the is to produce a (e.g. the battery as a CO2 leading to the of As a of of CO2 could provide of energy. At the in the the is The battery is and power of have been with research at a The technology has been by a of major including the for and the Canada the fuels for combustion engines provide a to the decarbonization of that are for in the This includes energy with high such as marine engines and RNG and fuels are for these However, such renewable fuels often of which has a high and requires combustion strategies to combustion to prevent emissions. The Energy at the UBC Clean Energy Research Centre has developed a which is for the concentration in the of combustion to the sensor is significantly to and demonstrates a low The sensor is on situ The sensor has been on a marine to the emissions under real-world and to develop operations, emissions were to increase at engine to the To mitigate these a of and of were These in a in GHG GHG emissions of year of This research demonstrates the need for of low-carbon as well as the for GHG through CERC researchers have created and programmes and and to government, industry and academia for to and clean-energy technologies. is and by the UBC in Canada and University of Chemical in It is a to bioenergy technology demonstration and in both Canada and Its of the major areas in the bioenergy biomass feedstock and thermal chemical and biological conversion to produce bioenergy and biofuels and biomass and bioenergy its in (Fig. has organizations including academic organizations and It has members from the and has of and students from and the of at the on Biorefinery at the members have been research from provincial and programmes in both include are to the of the at a pilot facility funded by the in The on gas and RNG production from forest funded by the and Natural Canada Clean Growth is has also a of on such as the on Energy the on Biomass Energy in and the on Sustainable with Innovation in It also and the Bioenergy of the Energy and the first in in Bioenergy a in energy transition and GHG Its research, development and deployment will a high for Canada and to in and the collaboration Canada and on bioenergy be The of the BC-SMART (Fig. to when by the Energy Bioenergy working group the of the group its in the opportunities and challenges of biofuels with to their of the BC-SMART consortium. The BC-SMART was officially in under the of the BC of and Resources with the goal of developing a to decarbonize transportation in fuel for the long-distance sectors. The is by government and industry supported by a funded by an outstanding of CERC and a of BC-SMART and to technology development and deployment and policy tools to the production and use of low-carbon fuels as affordable and solutions to decarbonize long-distance The key of a for committed industry, government and academic institutions and organizations to to BC’s decarbonizing an with goals and that support the goals of the Clean BC the required to develop a at BC’s the supply of robust low-carbon for the and sectors. The opened its at the UBC in the of (Fig. The is a research and demonstration facility at the development of bioenergy products and energy systems. The million is supported by the CFI, the BC Knowledge Development and the UBC of Applied Science. and of the new Research Innovation are to a by developing novel and that are more cost-effective and sustainable their Building on at CERC the the will academic researchers and industry partners to technologies that could significantly reduce our on Transportation is a multidisciplinary research by UBC by the CERC which supports research and innovation in The in supported by the for The goal of the is to technology for BC’s GHG emissions and market support for transportation systems. This the in BC for carbon, renewable-energy use and within the sector that includes public vehicles and The has and to strategies for and hydrogen to the the Transportation has expanded to and has support from industry and both the provincial and In the was million by the The research from to policy, to the on and The Transportation research team bed for and science and CERC also researchers as key to the sustainable development of the clean-energy research the research and CERC the first of Engineering in Clean Energy Engineering programme in Canada in This programme is designed for engineering and science in engineering and in and in clean energy. The programme has clean-energy and most of them are leading in both the Canadian clean-energy sector and in government organizations in clean-energy deployment and energy is of the UBC of Engineering CERC also hosts research with the world to provide a global on clean energy to our researchers and As a multidisciplinary research hub for clean CERC supporting Canada’s energy transition to meet its and as its The current research by the CERC researchers of areas from and renewable-energy development to emissions Clean and renewable for fuels have been for GHG emissions. At CERC, has been on technology development on converting biomass waste in BC to renewable energy and biofuels and of the biomass as a or energy Currently, developments of novel technologies such as biomass gasification, torrefaction, pyrolysis, and are in promising results from various demonstration the researchers at CERC on electro- and photochemical systems for renewable-energy storage and promising as energy systems. from the transportation sector for more a of the GHG emissions in Canada. The researchers at CERC of the transportation from technology development to policy to cost-effective solutions to the of those researchers the transportation sector. recent innovative at CERC designed a system that combined urban transportation with A new for mobile energy hubs was in which and electric vehicles are as power that can energy to the electric grid to help and renewable energy. The deployment of could significantly the of the power GHG emissions from the power generation. The feasibility of the is by CERC researchers. with clean-energy production and is also for carbon At CERC, technologies like and CO2 with solid and CO2 capture from chemical as well as carbon sequestration with biochar, are for decarbonizing the energy system. to the current high bioenergy production to make it on a of are This includes electrochemical conversion of CO2 for the production of valuable chemicals and of CO2 as well as utilizing a biochar as a high-value carbon agricultural and forest and the of and and The ‘Carbon energy system’ research is under development in The aims to the of disciplines at UBC for research and the development of novel conversion technologies with carbon and capture, and storage our industrial and and policy are also to the carbon of the energy system. The goal of the is to help to provide and to GHG in BC and Canada to meet the and GHG targets.

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