The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded over $5 million to UC San Diego’s Center for Energy Research (CER) to develop cutting-edge energy systems that support cleaner, more efficient technologies across aviation and hydrogen production sectors.

The first award—$2.1 million from the ARPA-E REEACH program—supports the development of a novel hybrid energy system for electric aircraft, combining a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), gas turbine, and battery technology. Led by CER Research Scientist Nguyen Minh, the system will use bio-LNG as fuel and aims to achieve high power density while significantly reducing air pollution.

The second $3 million award from the DOE Office of Fossil Energy supports the development of a reversible solid oxide cell (RSOC) capable of both electricity generation and hydrogen production through water electrolysis. The project, one of only two university-led initiatives selected, will culminate in a commercial-scale RSOC prototype in collaboration with Utah-based OxEon Energy.

Both projects involve multidisciplinary collaboration across departments at UC San Diego, leveraging expertise in nanoengineering, materials science, and clean energy. The initiatives represent important steps toward decarbonizing aviation and building a hydrogen-based energy economy.

Read the full announcement:

https://today.ucsd.edu/story/center-for-energy-research-awarded-over-5m