Skip to main content

Research

Energy and Environment

UW Mechanical Engineering is helping to advance the adoption of a clean energy future by developing next generation marine, solar and wind energy and electrical energy storage materials, devices and systems, as well as their integration with the grid.

Our students and faculty are working to increase the scope and impact of our research and education in alternative energies and the environment. We are fostering partnerships that grow our visibility and prominence in pollution prevention, clean combustion and energy research and technology translation. The solutions being developed in our labs will help establish the course toward a smarter, more sustainable future.

Key research areas

  • Acoustics and noise pollution prevention
  • Batteries and energy storage
  • Energy conversion
  • Energy optimization and conversion
  • Hybrid and electric vehicles
  • Low-emissions combustion, pollutants and control
  • Printed and flexible electronics
  • Wind, solar and marine renewable energy and instrumentation

Research highlights

ME researchers are developing novel technologies related to particulates sampling, environmentally- friendly batteries and combustion pollution control.

Woman cooking outdoors

Clean Cookstoves Lab focuses on the testing, design and development of low-emissions, highefficiency wood-burning cookstoves for the developing world.

Pacific Marine Energy Center responsibly advances the technical, environmental and societal dimensions of marine energy by expanding scientific understanding, engaging stakeholders and empowering students.

Clean Energy Institute is working to accelerate the adoption of a clean energy future by advancing solar energy and electrical energy storage materials, devices and systems, as well as their integration with the grid.

Related News

Two headshot photos side by side - on the left is Trent Dillon a young man with a big smile and shorter curly hair, on the right Katherine Van Ness, a young woman with short hair and earrings

Thu, 03/25/2021 | U.S. Department of Energy

Trent Dillon and Katherine Van Ness win marine energy fellowships

ME graduate students Trent Dillon and Katherine Van Ness have been named as 2021 Marine and Hydrokinetic Graduate Student Research Program Fellows by the U.S. Department of Energy. Their research fellowships will be hosted by the Makah Tribal Council and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, respectively.

A plastic water bottle sits in the ocean surf

Thu, 03/04/2021 | The Conversation

Where does plastic pollution go when it enters the ocean?

ME's Michelle DiBenedetto and colleagues describe their research studying ocean microplastic pollution.

Aidan Hunt at the Tyler Flume

Mon, 01/04/2021

UW's marine renewable energy research gets a boost

Two recent funding announcements from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are good news for UW’s marine renewable energy research.

Image of a pressure guage and the title text "water warriors"

Mon, 11/16/2020 | edg3 FUND

Video features ME 'Water Warriors'

A new video from Kitsap Bank's edg3 FUND highlights ME students in the startup Aquagga. Aquagga is a finalist in the 2020 edg3 FUND competition.