Energy Talks

A Public Lecture Series

Energy Talks is a speaker series featuring groundbreaking research presented by experts from the University of Alberta's Future Energy Systems research initiative and Energy Systems Signature Area. Energy Talks lectures can be delivered in numerous venues across Canada, in partnership with local host organizations.

If you are interested in hosting an Energy Talks lecture, please contact fescom@ualberta.ca indicating your organization, preferred topic(s), proposed date, and audience. Please note that due to research and teaching obligations, our research group may not be able to accommodate all requests.

Upcoming Dates

September 30, 2020 
7:00 - 8:30 pm

October 28, 2020 
7:00 - 8:30 pm

November 25, 2020 
7:00 - 8:30 pm

Past Talks

Carbon Dioxide Capture: Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions (August 19, 2020)

Power generation and manufacturing processes are the major contributors to CO2 emissions. Currently, several approaches are being considered to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions including improving process efficiencies, fuel switching and renewable energy sources. Carbon capture and storage/utilization, where CO2 from industrial emissions and intermediate streams is concentrated and either stored or utilized, is considered as a viable and scalable mitigation option. This talk will provide an introduction to this technology, address key challenges and developments, and discuss the negative-emission technology of direct air capture that aims to concentrate CO2 from the atmosphere.

With Professor Arvind Rajendran, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering.

Click here if you'd like to learn more about Arvind's work.

The Currents: From War to Harmony (July 29, 2020)

With Dr. Hao Tian, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

From the war between alternating and direct currents to future grid technology, electricity is a central part of our lives. Power electronics, technology to control power conversion, play a role enabling the modern grid and address many challenges of our current and future system. Join Hao Tian, PhD, from the ELITE (Electronic and Intelligent Grid) Research Lab explore the wars of currents, power electronics and the future grid.

Power on Demand: Renewable Energy Storage (June 9, 2020)

With Professor Pierre Mertiny, Department of Mechanical Engineering, part of the University of Alberta Alumni Webinar Series.

How do we store energy? Chemical batteries may come to mind, but there are other options for the energy system of the future. Pierre and his team are currently working with the City of Edmonton to study flywheels as a means to store energy for a new fleet of electric buses that will be on the road by 2030.

Click here if you'd like to learn more about Pierre's work or here to read about the electric bus project.