A "Transforming Energy" Lecture by Imre Gyuk
May 14, 2010

Abstract

Energy storage provides energy when it is needed, just as transmission provides energy where it is needed. While transmission of electricity has become an all encompassing web, grid scale energy storage, with the exception of pumped hydro, has only been considered for the last few years. With increasing vulnerability of the grid and increasing penetration of intermittent, renewable energy, buffering the grid has become a high priority. Current state of available technology and the storage application space will be presented with a focus on DOE involvement. Prospects for development and directions for future research will be discussed.

Biography

After taking a B.S. from Fordham University, Dr. Gyuk did graduate work at Brown University on Superconductivity. Having received a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from Purdue University he became a Research Associate at Syracuse. As an Assistant Professor he taught Physics, Civil Engineering and Environmental Architecture at the University of Wisconsin. Research interests included the theory of elementary particles, metallurgy of non-stoichiometric alloys, non-linear groundwater flow, and architectural design using renewable energy and passive solar techniques. Dr. Gyuk became an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at Kuwait University where he organized an international Workshop on the Environment of the Arab Gulf.

Dr. Gyuk joined the Department of Energy to manage the Thermal and Physical Storage program. Later he managed DOE's research on biological effects of electric and magnetic fields. For the past decade he has directed the Energy Storage research program which funds work on a wide variety of technologies such as advanced batteries, flywheels, super-capacitors, and Compressed Air Energy Storage. Currently he also supervises the $185M stimulus funding for Grid Scale Energy Storage Demonstrations.