The Center for Carbon-free Power Integration (CCPI) at the University of Delaware (UD) fosters interdisciplinary and collaborative scientific research; engages decision makers, industry and civil society and acts as an “honest broker” among them; and enhances the education of the present generation of students with the goal of facilitating the transition to power generation using carbon-free geophysical flows. These power sources include surface wind, geostrophic winds, and ocean currents. Presently, CCPI’s primary areas of inquiry are offshore wind power as a means of electricity generation and grid-integrated vehicle (GIV) technology as a means of electricity storage using vehicle-to-grid power (V2G). The center’s focus is on electricity and transportation because these two sectors account for the largest fractions of human CO2 production.  

Founded in 2008, CCPI traces its V2G roots to the mid-1990s and its offshore wind power roots to 2003.  CCPI researchers have appointments in four colleges—Earth, Ocean and Environment (CEOE); Engineering; Business; and Agriculture and Natural Resources, with the center housed administratively within CEOE.


NEWS

CCPI researchers recently (Revised: April 2012) completed a study identifying the spatial uses of the ocean off the coast of Delaware. The Delaware Marine Spatial Planning Project, funded by Delaware Sea Grant, focused on future offshore wind energy development off the coast of Delaware. The study identified existing human and wildlife uses and features of the ocean, highlighted the areas where user conflicts are most likely, and suggested additional data collection and analysis in several fields. This first-order analysis highlights competing interests that will need to be balanced for sustainable and thoughtful development of offshore wind energy off Delaware.

In November 2011, CCPI released its “first annual” Report and Executive Summary.

On November 14, 2011, CCPI hosted stakeholders at an offshore wind power workshop that focused on marine spatial planning (MSP) and state policy measures at the historic Queen Theater in Wilmington, Delaware. The workshop and/or its planning were supported by US DOE, Delaware/NOAA Seagrant, CEOE and the Magers Family.

ccpi_workshop
Photo credit: CCPI Undergraduate Researcher Nicole Suto