The center

The University of Texas at Austin (UT) is true to their motto, “What Starts Here Changes the World”.  The Center for Electromechanics (CEM) supports this goal as a leading applied research unit.  Researchers at the Center are recognized for expertise in advanced energy storage and power generation rotating machines for both intermittent and continuous duty applications. For the past four decades, CEM has served as a key contributor to the University’s success in research, education, and service to the community.

RESEARCH

CEM is focused on state-of-the-art research, with facilities and equipment for staff engineers to design, build, and test first-of-a-kind prototypes.  With a proven track record in technology transfer to both government and industry sponsors, CEM researchers are experienced in working on small and large projects with industry and understand commercial pressures and time-scales.  The Center draws upon the creativity, knowledge, and experience of the academic faculty for real-world multi-disciplinary solutions.

EDUCATION

Both undergrad and graduate UT students join CEM researchers in development and testing of new technologies.  This hands-on education not only provides UT students with must-have real-world experience, but also provides a conduit for technology transfer to research sponsors.  Students gain important exposure to emerging technologies and leading edge designs essential for a sustainable energy future.  Moreover, CEM brings as often as possible the enthusiasm and creativity of students to industrial problems so companies can not only add new technologies to their product lines but can also hire recent graduates with highly relevant experience.

SERVICE

CEM serves UT as an effective interface to industry.  CEM often called upon to consult with large consortiums to solve the world’s toughest problems.  CEM has helped multiple companies improve existing products through emerging technologies.  Center researchers take pride in providing the highest quality solutions.

What's new

UT Energy Forum

Top energy professionals and academic experts tackle some of the energy industry’s most pressing issues from oil exploration, renewable energy and innovative research that will change the future of our energy landscape.

This second annual forum on Fostering Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Energy is a student-led event bringing together leading University researchers and professors, top energy professionals, policymakers, entrepreneurs and students to explore today’s more pressing energy challenges.

Representatives from CEM presenting posters include Clay Hearn, "Design of Advanced Flywheel Energy Storage for Increasing Penetration of Intermittent Renewable Energy Sources," Evan Morrison and Jeff Brindle, and Robert Hebner, "The Future of Energy Storage." These posters are available below. For more information about UT Energy Forum click here.

	Design of Advanced Flywheel Energy Storage for Increasing Penetration of Intermittent Renewable Energy Sources
	Recycling Nutrients for the Earth’s Top Energy Currency: Food
	Auxiliary Resonant Commutated Pole Power Converter

Power System Modeling and Simulation

DC power systems are becoming more common in aircraft, ships, automobiles—but are also finding applications in residential homes.  An imminent problem of DC power systems is the detection, localization, modeling, and simulation of arc faults.  These arcs form when conductors (or connectors) fail: fall, break, crack, degrade.  What is worse is that the arcs that form in DC systems are sources of fire, skin burn, electrical shock, and asset damage.  CEM has a testbed to stage dc arc faults, and has developed a time-domain arc model to perform fault studies in DC power systems.  The following papers were presented at two different conferences: 2011 IEEE 33rd International Telecommunications Energy Conference (INTELEC) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands in October 2011, and 2012 IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference in Washington, DC in January 2012. These papers can be found here.

Algae Program

Tiny Algae Could Be a Big Source of Power

The Biology Building at the University of Texas at Austin houses one of the University’s most exceptional collections. Not books or art or dinosaurs. The full article can be found here.

Energy Storage

Faculty Awarded Grants to Develop Technologies that Improve Energy Storage on the Grid

Two research groups at The University of Texas at Austin have been awarded grants to develop technologies that could dramatically improve energy storage capacity on the electric grid. The full article can be found here.