UW’s SER and Energy Vault Launch $5,000 Graduate Student Research Competition

The University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources (SER) and energy storage technology company Energy Vault are collaborating on a $5,000 student research competition.

The Energy Vault Student Competition is designed to identify potential new methods of hydrogen storage and to provide examples of current research or companies exploring such methods. The competition is open to any UW graduate student or graduate student teams.

“Hydrogen storage is a key factor to enable the growth and continued advancement in the overall hydrogen economy,” says Energy Vault Chief Product Officer Marco Terruzzin. “Although hydrogen has a high energy density per mass relative to other fuel sources, it is an ultralight gas that results in low density at normal atmospheric pressure.

“Today, hydrogen is stored as a gas or a liquid in high-pressure tanks; each method presents its own pros and cons. We hope that the student competition will motivate some of the university’s bright minds to maximize the efficacy of existing storage technologies for hydrogen or to completely revolutionize the current systems,” Terruzzin says.

Scott Quillinan, SER senior director of research, agrees that the topic is both timely and relevant to current research being conducted on a national scale.

“Hydrogen has the ability to store energy for long periods, months or over seasons without energy loss,” Quillinan says. “In contrast, batteries require periodic recharging even without use. Energy storage is needed to help meet electric supply peak demands and to improve reliability.”

Students entering the competition will have nearly eight weeks to conduct research on the topic, prepare a summary of their findings and an accompanying PowerPoint presentation. At the conclusion of the competition, students will provide a 20-minute presentation to representatives of Energy Vault where a winner will be selected.

The entire $5,000 prize purse will go to the top individual or team.

An informational kick-off session for the competition will be held virtually Monday, Feb. 20, to answer questions. The event will be recorded and posted to the competition webpage for students unable to participate in the live session. To receive the Zoom link, email Christine Reed, SER outreach director, at christine.reed@uwyo.edu.

Students wishing to participate in the competition should email krussow@uwyo.edu no later than Wednesday, March 15.

For more information, registration, deadlines and inquiries, visit the competition webpage at www.uwyo.edu/ser/events/competitions/energy-vault.html.

About Energy Vault

Energy Vault is an energy storage technology provider and system integrator with a product portfolio spanning short- and long-duration applications. Specializing in utility-scale projects, the company’s primary customers include electrical utility companies, independent power producers and large industrial energy consumers. Energy Vault’s mission is to identify, develop and bring to market the most advanced, sustainable and economic energy storage products and integrated project solutions.