DOE assistant secretary visits campus to explore power advances

Catherine “Katie” Jereza, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity, toured Texas A&M University Sept. 25 to meet with researchers who are attempting to solve critical national power and energy demand challenges. 

“Researchers at Texas A&M are developing tools that can help grid operators anticipate problems, plan for growing demand and make better use of the infrastructure we already have,” said Jereza. “By pairing that research with hands-on training, the university is also preparing the people who will put those tools to work — helping keep electricity affordable, reliable and secure for families and businesses that depend on it every day.”

Jereza took a firsthand look at the university’s latest advancements in power systems, many of which receive funding support from the DOE. The tour brought her through research labs in the electrical and computer engineering department, the Center for Infrastructure Renewal (CIR) at RELLIS, and the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) Smart Grid Center (SGC).

“Addressing challenges facing the U.S. electric grid is of the utmost importance to the Texas A&M College of Engineering as we continue our mission to serve the nation through cutting-edge research and innovation,” said Dr. Robert H. Bishop, vice chancellor and dean of Texas A&M Engineering and TEES director. “We are honored to showcase our researchers’ dedicated work in strengthening our nation’s power grid. We look forward to continued collaboration with the Department of Energy as we work to develop solutions that benefit the American people.”

During the tour, researchers demonstrated new power and energy technologies being developed on campus that align with the DOE’s current priorities. These innovations focus on reducing energy used by data centers, improving management of growing power grid demand and upgrading electrical transmission capabilities.

The SGC was of particular interest for Jereza, where DOE support has been crucial in providing insights to improve the planning process for emergency scenarios such as severe storm events, earthquakes and wildfires. The center works closely with leaders in the power industry and supports workforce development to advance the future of the nation’s energy infrastructure. 

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to host Assistant Secretary Jereza,” said Dr. Tom Overbye, director of the SGC and professor of electrical and computer engineering. “Over the years, the SGC has worked closely with the DOE and the electric power industry to help strengthen and enhance our nation’s electric grid. With this visit, we will use the opportunity to showcase some of the great research that has been done at Texas A&M in this area with the help of their funding.”

Texas A&M’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has been at the forefront of power grid research and innovations at the university alongside its. Energy and Power Group. The department also hosts the Annual Conference for Protective Relay Engineers and CALL workshops, where electrical power industry leaders, researchers and students come together to exchange ideas and identify innovative solutions.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.