A new collaboration between the University of Central Florida, the Florida High Tech Corridor and Duke Energy is supporting a series of clean energy research projects.

UCF and the Corridor launched the program to advance technology commercialization by strengthening the relationship between academic research and its real-world applications. The Industry Innovation Program provides critical funding for research led by expert faculty and students, addresses specific business challenges presented by an industry partner and encourages startups to translate technology in support of the industry partner’s economic development goals.

Duke Energy, a Fortune 150 company serving 8.4 million customers in six states, is the Industry Innovation Program’s first corporate sponsor providing $250,000 to facilitate research activities that will help to achieve its clean energy transition goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Duke Energy is seeking to advance research in Long-Duration Energy Storage (LDES) systems and carbon-efficient electricity generation. In a 2-to-1 match, The Florida High Tech Corridor committed another $125,000, bringing the total available funds for sponsored research to $375,000. Additional program funding through the college, department or UCF Office of Research may also be provided to each project.

The Industry Innovation Program will enhance economic development through technological research and commercialization, build relationships between research faculty and businesses with a presence in The Corridor’s 23-county region and promote workforce development by requiring student involvement. Upon the conclusion of each research project, industry partners may continue collaborating with researchers to investigate their topics further and eventually purchase or license the technology. Researchers may also spin off startups.

“Duke Energy Florida has prioritized energy efficiency and grid resiliency to meet the needs of its customers today and better Florida’s infrastructure for the future. This collaboration is a meaningful way to advance research and propel commercialization conversations to meet these goals,” says Melissa Seixas, state president of Duke Energy Florida. “We look forward to seeing the outcome of these research projects and the innovative solutions they may bring to this industry.”

Through a competitive process, including white paper reviews by university experts and Duke Energy technology specialists, the Industry Innovation Program selected five research teams to receive its inaugural awards:

Through a competitive process, including white paper reviews by university experts and Duke Energy technology specialists, the Industry Innovation Program selected five research teams to receive its inaugural awards:

• Like Li, Associate Professor
  Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research
  Project: Electrically Heated Thermochemical Energy Storage for Long-Duration Storage and Grid Decarbonization 

  This project aims to develop a low-cost, zero-emission, solid-state fuel that enables energy storage for short or long periods. The environmentally sound fuel could be stored until needed to provide low-cost, high-temperature heat for the power block. The goal is to develop this technology for commercial use, helping to support clean energy and improve the reliability of the power grid.

• Manjunath Matam, Assistant Professor
  Florida Solar Energy Center
  Project: A Novel MAZE Connection Technique for Optimal Performance Floating Solar PV System 

  Floating solar panel systems, which generate renewable energy on water, often lose efficiency due to dirt buildup. To address this issue, the team is testing a new wiring technique called the “MAZE connection” that improves performance under these conditions, making the systems more reliable and financially sustainable.

• Wei Sun, Associate Professor
  Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
  Project: LESS-FUEL: Long-duration Energy Storage Systems for Florida Utilities toward Emission eLimination
  
  This research evaluates LDES systems to strengthen Florida’s power grid by storing energy for over 100 hours, ensuring reliability and resilience during demand fluctuations and extreme weather events. By assessing the viability of different LDES technologies, it aims to provide utilities with the tools to integrate these systems, supporting Florida’s transition to 100% renewable energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

• Yifan Wang, Assistant Professor
  Florida Solar Energy Center
  Project: Optimal Design and Integration of Hydrogen Energy System with Solar and Peaker Plants 

  To support a clean energy transition and reduce emissions, this project will explore integrating hydrogen energy storage with solar power and peaker plants, a type of power station that operates primarily during times of peak electricity demand. By using solar-powered electrolysis to produce green hydrogen, the system would provide long-duration energy storage and dispatchable power, helping to balance grid fluctuations. This project also will develop a dynamic model and an optimization framework to identify cost-effective strategies for designing and operating this type of integrated system. 

• Marcel Otto, Assistant Professor
  Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research
  Project: Long-duration Thermal Energy Storage with Ultra-efficient Molten Salt and Ceramic Particles to sCO2 Heat Transfer
  
  This project is creating a system that stores excess electricity as heat using molten salt and ceramic materials, which can later be turned back into electricity when needed. It uses supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) to improve efficiency and reduce costs compared to traditional methods. This technology could make the power grid more stable and reliable by storing energy for hours or even days, which is especially helpful in places like Florida that rely on renewable energy. With this advancement, clean, renewable solar energy can be available even when the sun does not shine.

“At The Corridor, we like to say that ‘tech for tech’s sake misses the point.’ Our strategic focus is on technology and research development for the betterment of our regional community, and this new program allows us to do exactly that,” says Paul Sohl, CEO of The Corridor. “The Industry Innovation Program is an exciting step forward, bringing the expertise of our UCF researchers together with industry partners who are addressing some of the greatest challenges facing our region, our nation and the world. It is a powerful combination.”

UCF’s Vice President for Research and Innovation Winston Schoenfeld says the partnership and the projects it supports are examples of the many ways the university’s research capabilities can create lasting, far-reaching impact.

“UCF is honored to collaborate with the Florida High Tech Corridor and Duke Energy to provide this invaluable opportunity to our innovative faculty and student researchers,” Schoenfeld says. “Partnering with industry leaders to solve real-world challenges not only ensures UCF research leads to advancements that have societal impact, but also promotes an educational ecosystem that provides practical training and skill sets to best prepare students for the workforce.”