Energy and Sustainability

Research Focus Area

Engineering to solve global problems

Advancing sustainable energy solutions through innovation, collaboration, and real-world impact.

Working Toward a Sustainable Future

Energy research at Colorado State University combines different areas of expertise, such as system design, material development, testing, and real-world applications. Together, these efforts aim to solve important global problems related to producing, storing, and using energy in a sustainable way.

Thermal Management

  • Develop experimental and modeling approaches for electrochemical–thermal coupling in batteries and energy storage systems.
  • Advance phase-change heat transfer and waste-heat recovery technologies for industrial and transportation applications.
  • Design scalable thermal management strategies to improve efficiency and reliability in energy conversion systems.
A student working in the Chemical energy conversion lab
Several solar panels on a sunny day in a field with buildings behind the panels

Photovoltaics

  • Engineer thin-film photovoltaic materials, with emphasis on CdTe device physics, fabrication, and performance optimization.
  • Develop scalable manufacturing methods and process innovations for cost-effective solar deployment.
  • Integrate advanced characterization and interface engineering to enhance durability and efficiency.

Renewables

  • Design and evaluate renewable energy systems including biofuels, electrified transportation, and grid-integrated storage.
  • Apply techno-economic and life-cycle frameworks to assess deployment pathways for emerging technologies.
  • Develop predictive models to optimize resource use and minimize environmental impacts across renewable value chains.
A person uses a volt meter on an electric car
A male student works on colorful machinery. He's surrounded by colorful pipes, gauges, and wires.

Combustion

  • Conduct large-bore engine testing to advance efficiency and emissions reduction strategies for natural gas and industrial engines.
  • Develop combustion models for hydrogen and alternative fuel integration in stationary and mobile systems.
  • Partner with industry to validate and scale clean combustion technologies for practical deployment.

Sustainability

  • Perform techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) of emerging energy and agricultural systems.
  • Quantify carbon, water, and resource demands to guide environmentally sustainable technology choices.
  • Develop systems-of-systems models to identify high-impact pathways for decarbonization.
A PhD student and research look over a experiment looking at green algae.

Mechanical engineering at Colorado State University is about using our knowledge of materials, energy, and health to solve society’s global engineering challenges.

Mechanical engineering at Colorado State University is about using our knowledge of materials, energy, and health to solve society’s global engineering challenges.

Undergraduate

Programs and Information

Graduate

Programs and Information

People

Faculty and Staff

Facilities

Labs and Researchers