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Research Development & Demonstration (RD&D) Annual Report

REDUCING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT FOR US AND OUR CUSTOMERS.

The RD&D Program seeks to advance and champion technologies that support widespread access to clean, affordable, and reliable energy for all Californians. Read on for access to the annual reports, the latest technological innovations and spotlight projects.

  • 2022 Annual Report

    Our RD&D Program plays a key role in developing and demonstrating transformational products and technologies.

    Download 2022 Report

    2021 Annual Report

    These are key findings from 2021.


     

    Download 2021 Report

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2022 Annual Report Spotlights

  • Dr. Padak works with graduate students in the lab.

    Engineering professor realizes childhood dream and inspires others

    At UCI Combustion Laboratory (UCICL), Dr. Padak and her team are researching ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change while providing guidance, insight, and encouragement to aspiring female and minority students. 

 

  • Twelve’s electrochemcial system is built in repeating stacked units, each consisting of alternating charged plates, gaskets, electrodes, and membranes.

    A carbon dioxide-converting device enables useful carbon-neutral consumer products 

    Carbon transformation company, Twelve, is developing a way to consume carbon dioxide instead of putting it into the atmosphere. Twelve couples this process with a variety of chemical reactions to produce useful materials such as polymers for sunglasses or low-carbon jet fuel, among other applications. This approach enables society to make carbon-based products that they already enjoy out of carbon dioxide instead of petroleum.

 

  • Traditionally, RNG producers have had to produce custom engineering designs for each interconnection skid, resulting in high capital costs and lengthy development cycles.

    Research consortium creates a better way to implement low-carbon innovation

    NYSEARCH supports development of database that enables utilities and renewable natural gas (RNG) producers to streamline the interconnection process and reduce capital costs. We collaborated with NYSEARCH digital database that would provide a common framework for RNG interconnection. This framework would enable LDCs and RNG producers to select IC skid designs that best fit their needs, streamline the IC process, and reduce capital costs that may otherwise have been prohibitive.

 

  • The project team developed and demonstrated two zero-emission hybrid hydrogen fuel cell yard trucks at port terminals operated by TraPac at the Port of Los Angeles.

    California Port deploys hydrogen fuel cell trucks for zero-emission cargo handling

    GTI Energy leads demonstration of hydrogen fuel cell yard tractors for emissions reductions at the Port of Los Angeles. This project made significant progress in reducing some of the stigma associated with hydrogen and is an important step forward in developing a thriving hydrogen market in Southern California.

 

  • Mainspring Energy deployed its modular linear generator at Food 4 Less, a Kroger brand grocery store in Colton, California.

    Highly scalable generators have potential to accelerate transition to carbon-free grid

    Mainspring Energy has developed a modular linear generator capable of providing dispatchable power using a variety of gaseous fuels, including natural gas, renewable natural gas (RNG), green ammonia, and green hydrogen. This project enabled SoCalGas to evaluate an early installation of our linear generator with an eye toward potentially purchasing it for applications at some of its own sites.

 

  • METRON seeks to tear down data silos in industrial facilities, enabling users to understand and analyze data in real time and gain actionable insights at the machine or asset level.

    New insights are created by breaking down industrial data silos with digitization

    Energy technology company, METRON, has created an innovative software-as-a-service (SaaS) product and set of strategies to reduce energy consumption, help to lower utility bills, and shrink carbon footprints. This technology seeks to tear down data silos in industrial facilities, enabling users to understand and analyze data in real time and gain actionable insights at the machine or asset level.