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Centre for Urban Energy at Ryerson University founded

September 27, 2010 | By Anthony Capkun


Ryerson University recently announced the creation of the Centre for Urban Energy (CUE), a research and technology demonstration centre “devoted to the discovery and commercialization of innovative, practical solutions to urban energy issues”.

Ryerson’s CUE will bring together industries, government and researchers
from across Canada and around the world to undertake a collaborative
and multi-disciplinary approach to the study of urban energy. CUE will
combine engineering, science, environment, business and infrastructure
management to tackle immediate challenges, such as: the development of
clean energy technologies; energy conservation and demand management;
alternative local energy generation; energy storage; carbon footprint
reduction; and smart/adaptable infrastructure.

CUE’s goal is to help develop solutions to these and other challenges for urban centres around the world.

The Centre for Urban Energy will receive up to $7 million from three
founding sponsors: Hydro One and Toronto Hydro-Electric System Ltd.
(Toronto Hydro) have each committed $2.5 million over five years, while
the Ontario Power Authority will provide up to $2 million during that
same period.

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“The Centre for Urban Energy is one of Ryerson’s most significant
research and commercialization initiatives,” said Ryerson president
Sheldon Levy. “It will directly address energy and environmental issues
that affect every one of us, every day. We are extremely grateful for
the support of our three founding sponsors, Hydro One, the Ontario Power
Authority and Toronto Hydro for providing the seed funding to make CUE a
reality.”

“Ryerson’s Centre for Urban Energy is being established at a time when
Ontario is transforming its electricity system to accommodate clean and
renewable sources of energy,” said Laura Formusa, president and CEO,
Hydro One Inc. “We believe this partnership will help us identify
solutions to integrating new technologies and developing the future
leaders of the energy sector.”

The $7-million funding from the founding sponsors will be used in
several ways. CUE will distribute up to $900,000 annually for approved
research projects; discussions are currently underway with the founding
sponsors to identify the first projects that CUE will undertake. In
addition, each year CUE will grant $100,000 in bursaries, scholarships
and awards to students, and $400,000 to distinguished fellows from
industry and academia, who are engaged in CUE’s work.

“The Centre for Urban Energy will be anchored by the Faculty of
Engineering, Architecture and Science but will be a university-wide
centre drawing on a variety of experts across many academic
disciplines,” said Alan Shepard, provost and vice-president, academic.
“We will also be reaching out and collaborating with other academic
institutions in Ontario, across Canada and around the world.”

CUE’s areas of research focus will include:

• Alternative local energy/fuel applications and options
• Conservation and demand management
• Renewable energy integration
• Carbon footprint reduction
• Distributed generation and energy storage applications
• Integrated planning methodologies and models
• Plug-in hybrid vehicle and electric vehicles infrastructure requirements
• Transmission supply enhancements
• Transmission and distribution power engineering and utility applications.

PHOTO: The founding sponsors of the Centre for Urban Energy at Ryerson
University are joined by Ryerson President Sheldon Levy and the
Honourable Brad Duguid, Ontario’s Minister of Energy at a ceremony
celebrating the creation of the Centre. From left: president Levy; Colin
Andersen, CEO, Ontario Power Authority; Laura Formusa, president and
CEO, Hydro One Inc.; Minister Duguid; Anthony Haines, president and CEO,
Toronto Hydro Corp.


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