Student-Focused Microgrid Research Facilities

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“We’re setting people and our society up for the future through our students,” said Dr. Mahmoud Kabalan, director of the Center for Microgrid Research. “We’re producing the engineers of the 21st century.”

One of the only student-driven microgrid research facilities in the nation is at St. Thomas. At the Center for Microgrid Research, Tommies help develop technology and are trained to shape the evolution of energy in the face of climate change.

The center, based at the School of Engineering, attracts an array of students, researchers and industry partners interested in distributed energy resources. Its value is seemingly limitless.

Using state-of-the-art electrical power research equipment, the microgrid is a resource for the power community. In fact, it is one of a few U.S. academic institutions exploring how solar energy can produce carbon-free electricity.

A 48-kilowatt solar PV array located on the roof of McCarthy Gymnasium and the Facilities and Design Center is one of the many energy technologies available to engage students in real-world projects. The basement houses a 50-kilowatt biofuel generator and 125-kilowatt lead acid storage battery.

Learn more about Undergraduate and Graduate programs at the St. Thomas School of Engineering.