Sustainable Energy Research Facility opens in Maryland

Frostburg State University opens Sustainable Energy Research Facility

Maryland’s Frostburg State University has been working to make itself independent from the state’s energy grid for some time. The university has ambitious plans in this regard, plans that will make use of hydrogen fuel, solar, and wind power. This week marks the opening of the university’s Sustainable Energy Research Facility, which will embody the school’s efforts to become energy independent and reduce its impact on the environment. The Sustainable Energy Research Facility will be a testing ground for various forms of alternative energy.

Facility to provide energy to university

The new facility, which opened Monday, draws  the electricity it needs from wind, solar, and hydrogen fuel cells. This electricity is enough to power the majority of the facility as well as provide energy for the university as a whole. The Sustainable Energy Research Facility will be much more than a veritable power plant for the university. It will also be a place to demonstrate the capabilities of alternative energy systems and clean technology.

Facility equipped to handle research efforts in alternative energy field

The 6,300-square foot facility is designed to house the university’s research projects concerning alternative energy. Researchers with the university are working to find ways to make alternative energy systems more attractive for commercialization. There are currently a wealth of issues that are working to keep alternative energy from expanding around the world, and the Sustainable Energy Research Facility is equipped to help find solutions to these issues.

Effort funded through federal and state grants

The facility was built using federal grants totaling $1.6 million. The effort also received funding from the Frostburg State University itself, as well as from Constellation Energy and the Maryland Industrial Partnerships. In the future, the facility will serve as home for a number of workshops concerning alternative energy and clean technology. The facility will also provide students with an opportunity to get hands-on experience with alternative energy systems, preparing them for a time where these systems may play a bigger role in their daily lives.