Energy Research
Lakeland College has long history of energy research. In 2006, Lakeland worked with Olds College on a Bio-Fuel project. When the Renewable Energy Learning Centre (RELC) opened in 2012, energy research became a top research priority.
Energy is a critical driver of the global economy. With finite natural resources, increasing energy demands and the challenges of reducing net pollution, electrical utilities and governments are looking for methods to ensure energy supply and demand remain in balance via sustainable production. Equally, if not more important than energy generation is the concept of energy conservation. Lakeland College Applied Research has explored traditional and non-traditional solutions to energy demand issues.
Capacity
Lakeland College has invested in many facilities that demonstrate the combined integration of multiple sources of energy. Our infrastructure enables the research in:
- Comparing the performance among fixed mount, tracking, and seasonally adjusted solar photovoltaic arrays,
- measuring the potential of a combined solar-geo-exchange system to store summer heat and utilize it throughout the year,
- comparing various designs of geo-exchange bore holes,
- evaluating the ability of phase change materials to store heat in a solar-geo-exchange combined system,
- investigating a passive solar greenhouses ability to heat a building using solar thermal collectors,
- evaluating the gasification of biomass to produce both heat and electrical energy,
- testing processes like drying materials with a solar concentrator
- and many more.
