Energy Demand and Utilization Poster Session
By Pracheth Dasika and Sana Shetty
The Energy Demand and Utilization Poster Session took place as the first event in the spring semester's energy-core course, culminating in a showcase of academic rigor and interdisciplinary collaboration. Held on February 27th, it marked the culmination of intensive academic research and creative problem solving between the class of 24 students. This event served as a platform for students to showcase the findings of their 6-week projects, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and meaningful discussions between peers, faculty, and attendees. The captivating poster session, which featured active involvement and interaction from presenters and participants, was the culmination of the course taught by Dr. Michael Blackhurst. Students from a variety of academic disciplines came together to present their analytical work, including detailed sensitivity analyses, all while demonstrating a deep understanding of energy demand and utilization challenges. The event provided an opportunity for students to share their insights, engage in constructive feedback sessions with the instructor, and connect with faculty and fellow students. The participant's interest highlighted the importance and relevance of the research conducted throughout the course.
The presentations at the poster session were truly outstanding, with each display offering unique perspectives and innovative solutions to contemporary energy-related challenges. Below is a brief overview of the posters presented:
1. Solar roofing for Costco: Sana Shetty, Pracheth Dasika, Mitch Beirman, Shrey Chandra
Project Description: Developed a comprehensive model for integrating solar energy systems in commercial buildings, focusing on reducing energy demand and optimizing EV charging infrastructure at Costco, resulting in an 81.4% reduction in operational costs and a 6-year payback period.
2. Supercharging EVs in Allegheny County: Ahan Pujari, Anthony Rizkallah, Leah Buccino, Keya Sharma
Project Description: The team developed a model correlating increased EV adoption with wider availability of EV Charging Infrastructure. They found that adding 100 EVSE ports each year over the next decade will result in an addition of 7,000 EVs by 2035 in Allegheny County. They will be presenting their poster in the competition for Energy Week.
3. Comparative emission analysis of EVs and ICEs: Albert Chang, Bareethul Kader, Utkarsh Kumar, Shuqi Shen
Project Description: The team analysed the impact of electrifying all vehicles in Pennsylvania state by 2035 on CO2 equivalent emissions. Findings show that EV adoption would cut emissions by 16.03 mmt CO2 equivalent.
4. Investing in Energy Efficiency for Section 8 house: Alyssa Quintero, Cassandra Savel, Natural Premier, and Abdulrahman Alzamil.
Project Description: The team proposed diverting LIHEAP funds to weatherize Section 8 housing in Allegheny County, potentially reducing long-term energy assistance costs while lowering energy burdens for low-income residents.
5. Introducing Regenerative Braking to Pittsburgh Light Rail: Megan Ty, Kaia Hu, Max Luer, Michael Chen.
Project Description: The team proposed integrating regenerative braking into Pittsburgh's light rail system, potentially reducing energy consumption by up to 500,000 kWh annually while enhancing reliability and environmental sustainability.
6. City of Pittsburgh Municipal Food Waste Composting Initiative: Andrew Jaramillo, Tadashi Umeda, Vikri Arsha, Qihan Wang.
Project Description: The team proposed a municipal composting initiative using the ZEUS system which aims to recycle 89,000 tons of annual food waste into fertilizer, reducing energy consumption.