UConn and Eversource are pleased to announce that the Clean Energy Sustainability Innovation Program is being offered again for Spring 2025.
We welcome any and all students across the university to pitch their “grant ideas” to explore local sustainability challenges that matter to them.
Through this summer program, students will get to workshop their ideas in both an academic and industry setting and develop the skills to apply critical thinking to their clean energy sustainability ideas. Teams will present their projects at a university-wide Sustainable Clean Energy Summit on October 27th, 2025, and be eligible to receive additional funding and support to extend their research and development throughout the 2025-2026 academic year.
Why Join this program?
- Develop your interpersonal communication and critical-thinking skills
- Receive a summer stipend to work with UConn faculty and Eversource managers to get your team’s idea in development
- Learn about the ins and outs of research development and problem-solving
- Access opportunities for research and internship with Eversource
- Contribute to the decarbonizing efforts of UConn and long-term sustainability goals of Connecticut towns and municipalities.
About The Challenge
Connecticut has committed to getting all its energy from zero-carbon sources by 2040 and reducing statewide emissions by 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. At the same time, the state has an ambitious Economic Development Plan to attract and retain a growing population, while supporting and generating inclusive economic opportunity within innovative and specialized industries. Both goals require a modernized electric power grid to integrate new renewable energy sources, meet the increasing electric demand and maintain reliability in the face of climate change.
For this challenge, we ask students to either propose a campus-focused initiative (at any of the UConn campuses) or select a Connecticut municipality within which to focus their efforts. If a student-team chooses to focus on a UConn campus-based project, they will be asked to meet with Stan Nolan, Interim AVP of Facilities Operations, to understand the current energy demands and plans for UConn campuses. Those focusing on a municipality will need to review the town’s current environmental plans, meet with town managers, and discuss their current energy demands and solutions, and anticipated growth for their municipality.
After assessment, students will meet with their Eversource and UConn mentors to highlight their challenges and brainstorm solutions to the future energy demands. The student teams will then update the UConn campus or municipality’s energy/environmental plans to reflect their new ideas with proposed timelines that correspond with the state’s goals of 2030, 2040, and 2050.
Areas of focus can include legislative and policy updates, economic modeling and analysis of costs to decarbonization or proposed clean energy solutions, rate of growth of renewables and electric load and impact to the transmission and/or distribution electrical grid, integration of new energy/grid modernization technologies to meet anticipated load growth, other approaches to reduce emissions, enhance energy efficiency, affordability, etc.
Students are encouraged to work in interdisciplinary teams along with town managers, planning & zoning, local civic organizations, Eversource, and UConn’s Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation (CIRCA). UConn and Eversource can assist teams in connecting with local decision-makers.
Selected Student Teams
The competition has attracted an impressive group of participants, with five finalist teams comprising 11 students – five undergraduates and six graduates. These talented individuals represent eight diverse departments and schools: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Department of Mathematics, School of Business, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and School of Computing.
| Project | Student Name | UConn Mentor | Eversource Mentor |
| Fuel Cell as a Catalyst for Local Economic and Environmental Development
This project focuses on the Connecticut Fuel Cell Park, located in New Britain. Its primary goal is to explore practical pathways to leverage the Fuel Cell Park for broader community benefits, both economically and environmentally. Project participants will examine technical and regulatory solutions for enabling direct power distribution from the Fuel Cell Park to nearby facilities. The project will also identify public facilities and private businesses that are particularly sensitive to energy costs and power reliability, ensuring that the solution is tailored for practical implementation. In addition, the project will evaluate zoning regulations and policy needs to support the integration of clean energy infrastructure and promote new industrial uses, helping to create a sustainable business and environmental feedback loop. |
Songyang Zhou, Master’s Student, Data Science
Jane Torrence, Undergraduate Student, Real Estate & Urban Economics |
Kinnard Scholar in Real Estate and Professor, Finance |
Senior Engineer, Transmission Interconnections & Services |
| UConn’s Wastewater to Bioenergy: Integrated Chlorella Cultivation and Pyrolysis
This project aims to develop an integrated system that converts UConn’s wastewater into renewable energy through a two-step process: microalgae-based remediation (to remove nutrients and organic pollutants) followed by pyrolysis (a thermal process that breaks down biomass into usable bio-oil and syngas). The team will explore the potential for producing clean energy (bio-oil and syngas) as sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels for campus energy use. In collaboration with UConn Facilities and Eversource, the project will assess system design, energy recovery potential, and pathways for real-world implementation. The long-term vision is to create a replicable model for decentralized waste-to-energy systems that contribute to Connecticut’s clean energy and emissions reduction goals. |
Azeem Sarwar, Ph.D. Student, Chemical Engineering
Maham Liaqat, Ph.D. Candidate, Chemistry
Muhammad Hassan, Ph.D. Student, Chemical Engineering |
Yu Lei, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering |
|
| Dual Characterization of Innovative Hydropower Systems for Sustainable Energy Storage and Generation
This project explores the dual characterization of grid-tied microhydropower systems, focusing on a cascaded network of fish-friendly, low-head vortex turbines placed along high-flow sections of the Fenton River. We are also investigating the feasibility of high-density pumped energy storage systems that can transform small hills into energy reservoirs. The project includes remote sensing for site selection, hydrological modeling using machine learning tools to simulate power output under varying conditions, and a thorough analysis of permitting, regulatory, and economic considerations. |
Jonathan Hylton, Undergraduate Student, Electrical Engineering
Safiya Crockett, Undergraduate Student, Environmental Science
|
GIS Project Manager, Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center
|
Project Manager, Regulatory |
| Harnessing Tidal Energy for Shoreside Electrification: A Tool for Sustainable Power in Coastal Connecticut Marine Terminals
This project investigates the feasibility of using tidal energy from Long Island Sound (LIS) to support the decarbonization of Connecticut’s port operations by powering shoreside electrification at marine terminals. It aims to reduce emissions from docked vessels by developing a geospatial computational tool that maps tidal energy density hotspots using NOAA and regional datasets. The tool identifies high-potential sites near ports in New Haven, Bridgeport, and New London for future micro-turbine installations, based on hydrodynamic intensity and proximity to infrastructure. By integrating energy modeling with electrification demand profiles, the project supports scalable and data-driven clean energy planning. This initiative aligns with Connecticut’s Climate Action Plan and provides a foundation for expanding to other towns and integrating with offshore wind and energy storage systems. Ultimately, it offers a replicable and timely solution to reduce port emissions and advance the state's clean maritime energy infrastructure. |
Aryanna Fontanez, Ph.D. Student, Civil Engineering
Yamila Garcia, Master’s Student, Computer Science and Engineering |
Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering |
Associate Planner & Scheduler I, Project Controls |
| Proactive PV Maintenance Using Multi-Modal UAV Imagery
This project proposes a drone-based monitoring program for photovoltaic installations at UConn and nearby community sites to detect panel-level defects. By equipping drones with advanced thermal and visual imaging, we will identify inefficiencies such as hot spots, potential-induced degradation, and short circuits that compromise array performance. We will develop assessment protocols and integrate them into routine maintenance through collaboration with UConn Facilities Operations, community representatives, and Eversource experts. This scalable solution will optimize energy output and can be extended to additional sites via partnerships with local and utility assessment teams. |
Nicholas Bailey, Undergraduate Student, Management and Engineering for Manufacturing & Applied Mathematics
Tyler King, Undergraduate Student, Electrical Engineering |
Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Director of Undergraduate Studies |
Alivia Grate Senior Engineer, Reliability Compliance |