Robert F. Savinell, Ph.D – Distinguished University Professor and George S. Dively Professor of Chemical Engineering

Dear Colleagues:

Any hopes for a sustainable energy future require a more efficient and reliable electricity grid, which in turn requires better ways to store energy generated by intermittent sources such as wind and sunlight.

Earlier this semester we looked at questions of how to avoid cyberthreats to both the electric grid and other energy transport, such as natural gas pipelines. This Friday we will turn to the broader issue of how to make the electric grid work well, regardless of outside threats.

This requires a system that can be protected against extreme weather events such as occurred in Texas in 2021. It also may require better control of the flow of energy over a grid and crafting the right grid connections. But it especially requires better storage, whether at the level of large power providers or even within homes equipped with solar panels.

There is an urgent need for better technology. It is difficult for current batteries to maintain a large amount of electricity for long periods of time at low cost. The most efficient current storage is the lithium-ion batteries used in automobiles and smart phones, but they are expensive to manufacture, the materials are scarce and becoming more expensive, and they sometimes catch on fire. Professor Savinell and his colleagues at Case School of Engineering are leading cutting-edge research and development on “flow batteries” that could be a major advance. He joins us to talk about the overall challenges of grid storage, the limits of current technology and the prospects of the new R&D.

Signing In

I have been hoping we could do some sort of dual-delivery, in-person and online combination, before this semester ends. In the March 25 talk, however, Professor Mark Cameron said he would not. So I guess we will continue on Zoom. Our discussions begin at 12:30 p.m., the usual time. Even when we resume in-person meetings, I guess in August, we will set it up so people can participate by Zoom. Each week we will send out this newsletter with information about the topic. It will also include a link to register (for free) for the discussion.

If you do not get the newsletter, you should also be able to get the information each Monday by checking http://fridaylunch.case.edu/. When you register, you will automatically receive from the Zoom system the link to join the meeting. Please note that we will open the meeting at Noon so people aren’t all signing on at once, but the speaker starts at 12:30.

This week’s link for registration is:

https://cwru.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJApfu-spz8tE9SUzpjBPIs8L-_si5qKxs6F

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Please e-mail padg@case.edu if you have questions about how the Zoom version of the Friday Lunch will work or any other suggestions. Or call at 216 368-2426 and we’ll try to get back to you. We are very pleased to be partnering this semester with the Siegal Lifelong Learning Program to share information about the discussions.

Best wishes for safety and security for you and yours,

Joe White
Luxenberg Family Professor of Public Policy and Director, Center for Policy Studies

About Our Guest

Robert F. Savinell holds a master’s and doctoral degree in chemical and petroleum engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. An internationally-recognized scholar in the field of electrochemistry, he is the Distinguished University Professor and the George S. Dively Professor of Chemical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Savinell joined the Case Western Reserve University faculty in 1986 as an associate professor of chemical engineering. Prior to this, he worked for several years as a research scientist for the Diamond Shamrock Corporation and sat on the faculty of the University of Akron. These experiences further developed his interest in electrochemical fundamentals and technologies. His research addresses fundamental engineering and mechanistic issues of electrochemical systems/device design, development, and optimization. The technologies he has worked on include fuel cells, flow batteries, electrochemical capacitors, sensors, chemical synthesis and metal recovery, wastewater treatment, and high surface area electrode structures.

Schedule of Friday Lunch Upcoming Topics and Speakers:

April 15: The Ohio Primaries. With Thomas Sutton Ph.D., Professor of Political Science and Director, Community Research Institute, Baldwin-Wallace University.

April 22: The Present and Future of Cryptocurrency. With Peter Zimmerman, Ph.D., Research Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.