“As we face the triple threat of energy insecurity, climate change,
and rising fossil fuel costs, we logically look for more sustainable sources
of energy. The shift to that sustainable path is not going to be easy since
our current fossil fuel energy use is so large, and our options are somewhat
limited. Utah will likely see more change than most states as we currently
produce nearly all of our electricity from coal-fired power plants but have
significant sustainable energy resources such as geothermal, wind and solar.
Near Milford, Utah, those three resources are all found at the same location.
Thus, we expect Utah to move aggressively into this new energy market.
The creation of the Sustainability Research Center at the University of Utah
is a response to this opportunity. While our interests are broader than energy,
our initial focus is to help the state move toward a more sustainable energy
future. In this presentation, one new technology, seasonal energy harvesting
with underground thermal energy storage, will be discussed as an example of
a Sustainability Research Center thrust.”
Kent Stewart
Udell is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Director
of the Sustainability Research Center at the University of Utah. Dr. Udell
was a professor at the University of California at Berkeley for 25 years before
coming to the University of Utah in 2005 as the Chair of Mechanical Engineering.
While at Berkeley, he directed the Berkeley Environmental Restoration Center
and a research program focused on innovative remediation technology development.
His expertise ranges from petroleum reservoir engineering to engineering ethics.
He teaches classes and conducts research on Sustainable Energy Engineering.