Windmills at sunset

Revolutionizing Energy Systems

We make significant contributions to climate mitigation through innovations in energy efficiency, generation and storage.

Mitigating climate change requires substantial decarbonization of building, industrial, and transportation systems for the century to come. Our research focuses on alternative and renewable energy and storage systems, creating new ways to keep indoor environments healthy while reducing energy consumption, and incorporating environmental and social justice to ensure our research impacts the areas where it’s most needed.

The Power of
Nighttime Solar

When you think of solar power, you might imagine the sun shining down on a group of black cells on your neighbors’ rooftops. You think of the power of the sun saving you money during the day, but probably not saving you much once it sets. What if there was a way to run your house on solar power all day long, even at night?

Electrical and computer engineering professor Jeremy Munday and his team are working to develop photovoltaic cells that can do just that.

UC Davis water tower and solar panels

Research in Action

Erika La Plante Receives Award for Research Initiative in Sustainable Minerals, Metals and Materials

The materials science and engineering researcher and an interdisciplinary team formed at the Research Corporation for Science Advancement's Scialog have received funding to investigate water-free mining of valuable metals like iron and lithium.

Thermoradiative Photovoltaics

Researchers in the UC Davis Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offer insights on devices that operate like solar cells in reverse and can generate power even in the absence of sunlight, offering an alternative route for energy production.

Charging, Not Range, is Becoming a Top Concern For Electric Car Drivers

Over the past four years, the number of public charging ports across the U.S. has doubled. As of August 2024, the nation had 192,000 publicly available charging ports and was adding about 1,000 public chargers weekly. But there’s still a need to make the charging experience more reliable and accessible for everyone.

Engineering a better world calls for solutions of a different caliber, demanding innovation across disciplines using a design-centric approach.

We employ and develop intelligent systems and automation, tools at the nano-and-micro- scales and engineering for all that will revolutionize energy systems, strengthen climate resilience, advance human health and transform mobility to bring a sustainable, healthier and more resilient world within reach.