Advanced BioFuels USA

by Pedro Malpartida* (Advanced Biofuels USA)  Leaders in Energy hosted their sixth annual Clean Energy and Sustainability Extravaganza in the A. James Clarke Hall at the University of Maryland (UMD) along with the Association of Energy Engineers-National Capital Chapter (AEE NCC).

Dr. Radermacher presenting the energy innovations at UMD 

At this event, companies, association members, and students showcased the new ideas and technologies they were a part of/working on. The theme was “Innovative Trends on Campuses in Clean Energy and Sustainability” which included renewable energy and energy efficiency applications [1]. There was also a panel, “Perspectives on Advancing Gender Equity in the Energy Industry,” with four professional women and one man, who discussed their leadership roles in their industry.

Of all the speakers at this event, three of them really caught my attention: Dr. Reinhard Radermacher, the keynote speaker; Ben Rupert, the one man in the panel full of women from the Council on Women in Energy & Environmental Leadership (CWEEL); and the two UMD engineering students.

Electrochemical Compression

Dr. Reinhard Radermacher is a professor at UMD in the Mechanical Engineering department. In his presentation,  Radermacher discussed potential ways for UMD to reach its zero-carbon goal by 2050.

The most intriguing idea he talked about was an electrochemical compression device that can be used in AC units and power-to-gas energy storage. This proposed compressor would be tiny in comparison to residential compressors and would take in ammonia gas (NH3) as its refrigerant.

The main difference about this compressor is that it uses electrochemical reactions to operate instead of using components that move mechanically. The benefits of using this proposed compressor is that it is quieter, uses less energy and space, and is a little more efficient than traditional compressors. Also, it wouldn’t need to be lubricated [2].

Shown l-r: Janine Finnell, Leaders in Energy, Association of Energy Engineers National Capital Chapter (AEE NCC) Board, and Council on Women in Energy and Environmental Leadership (CWEEL) Board; Janine Helwig, The George Washington University; Ben Rupert, BJR Energy Management; Laurie Wiegand-Jackson, Utility Advantage and CWEEL Board and Moderator; Ida Namur, AECOM and AEE NCC. Photo Credit: Alisha Comecho

Being a mechanical engineering student, this was the most fascinating topic (in my opinion). It brought me back to my thermodynamics and heat transfer classes. I was able to understand what he discussed and I could see how beneficial such a device would be. If this device comes to fruition, there is no doubt that it would aid UMD in achieving their zero-carbon goal by 2050.

Advancing Gender Diversity

The first panel was the “CWEEL Panel: Perspectives in Advancing Gender Diversity in the Energy Industry,” and among the panelists was a man named Ben Rupert. Rupert is the president at BJR Energy Management and an AEE NCC board member, but the most important job he has is being a stay-at-home dad. While he’s at home working and watching his kids, his wife, Suzan Song, MD, MPH, PhD, is working as a clinician, researcher, and adviser. Rupert talks about how ambitious his wife has always been and how he is always there to support her [4].

I can relate to this as I have witnessed my brother be a stay-at-home dad and college student while his wife, my sister-in-law, is pursuing her nursing career. I understand what it’s like to try to further your career goals while taking care of a child, which is why I try to help them out whenever I can. My only wish for Rupert’s segment of the CWEEL panel was for his wife to be there also to share her story and her endeavors.

University Showcase

Towards the end of the event, the “University Showcase Panel” took the stage and consisted of sustainability leaders from UMD, George Mason University (GMU), George Washington University (GWU), and also two UMD students who presented their wind energy projects.

The students were Andrew Nixon, an Electrical Engineering student who is a part of the Maryland Wind Terpines team that will compete with other schools nationwide for the best designed wind turbine, and Pat Fox, an Aerospace Engineering and Sustainability student who is a part of the UMD Kite Energy Project. Being that my minor is in Renewable Energy, I was very intrigued with what these two UMD students talked about.

Shown from l-r: Pat Fox and Drew Nixon,UMD students; Marta Voldu, UMD Department of Transportation; Guy Kilpatric, UMD Terp Farm; Tanvi Gadhia, UMD Office of Sustainability; Greg Farley, George Mason University Director of University Sustainability; and Dr. Elvin Yuzugullu, Moderator, The George Washington University and General Dynamics Information Technology. Photo Credit: Alisha Comecho

Nixon and his team are set to compete later this semester after they finish designing and constructing their wind turbine. He talked about the challenges and experiences the team faced in the process. I was very glad to hear that even though wind turbine energy can seem very promising, he agreed that a huge disadvantage to wind turbines is the lack of recyclability current materials have.

As for Fox, I wasn’t familiar with Kite Energy until he explained it in an exceptional manner. He explained why the UMD Kite Energy Project was essential for a sustainable future and how it has great potential. I hope there is more research and funding towards Kite Energy in the near future [3].

Pedro Malpartida discussing renewable fuels at the Advanced Biofuels USA information table. Photo credit: J. Ivancic

Hope for a Sustainable Future

I was very fortunate to be able to attend the Clean Energy and Sustainability Extravaganza and really enjoyed the UMD campus. I witnessed how the Mechanical Engineering industry is heavily related to the Sustainability movement.

There were a couple of companies exhibiting that have very established mechanical engineering sectors (e.g. AECOM and Boland).

This event gives me hope of a sustainable future in a time where we need it the most.

[1] “Sixth Annual Clean Energy & Sustainability Extravaganza at UMD-College Park – Feb 28, 2020.” Leaders in Energy. https://leadersinenergy.org/sixth-annual-clean-energy-sustainability-extravaganza-at-umd-college-park-feb-28-2020/ 

[2] Radermacher, Reinhard. “Energy (and) Innovation at the University of Maryland.” University of Maryland, Center for Environmental Energy Engineering, February 28, 2020. https://leadersinenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Extravaganza-Keynote-Radermacher-2-2020.pdf 

l-r Peggy Alpert, Pedro Malpartida and Joanne Ivancic, as part of the Extravaganza event, show some UN Sustainable Development Goals addressed by renewable fuels.

[3]  “6th Annual Clean Energy & Sustainability Extravaganza.” Leaders in Energy. Association of Energy Engineers. Council on Women in Energy & Environmental Leadership. Center of Environmental Energy Engineering, February 28, 2020. https://leadersinenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/2020-Extravaganza-at-UMD-Widescreen_FINAL-FINAL-3_06_2020.pdf

*Pedro Malpartida, a graduating senior engineering student at George Mason University majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Renewable Energy, is interning this semester at Advanced Biofuels USA.

Perspectives on Advancing Gender Equity in the Energy Industry (Leaders in Energy)

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