A new $23-million renewable energy hub will transform an entire city block at the University of British Columbia into a smart energy district, including the province’s first-ever hydrogen refuelling station for light and heavy-duty vehicles.
It will also include the addition of a solar array, as well as intelligent charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.
“This is an exciting moment for UBC,” said Prof. Santa J. Ono, UBC president and vice-chancellor. “In the face of a growing climate crisis, we are mobilizing even more of our institutional education, research and innovation capacity to pursue climate solutions. This renewable energy hub is an important piece, and we are truly grateful to our partners in government and industry who helped bring it to life.”
The energy hub will become a city-scale, “living laboratory” that explores critical links between energy, transportation and urban design, says project lead Dr. Walter Mérida, Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science.
“The vision for the test bed was developed more than five years ago, and the recent interest in the relevant technologies is a testament to UBC’s global leadership,” says Dr. Mérida. “Ultimately, the test bed will link technology and people. It will provide a space to gather, engage and think deeply about the way we want to live.”
Please visit the UBC Sustainability website to read the full story.
Through Strategy 3: Thriving Communities, UBC is advancing sustainability and wellbeing through renewal and innovation in our learning environments, operations and infrastructure.