Trienens Institute Six Pillars of Decarbonization
Spanning the entire University, the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy works at the intersection of technical and social sciences, operationalizing the University’s priority to “lead in decarbonization, renewable energy and sustainability.”
The Trienens Institute has catalyzed collaborative, cutting-edge inquiry across Northwestern, providing financial resources for new research, equipment, and commercialization. The Institute presently supports teaming across six primary research pillars concerned with the energy transition.
The Trienens Institute Six Pillars of Decarbonization are anchored by teams of distinguished faculty with accolades that include membership to the National Academies of Engineering, Sciences, and Inventors, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and fourteen Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers - the top 0.1% most influential researchers in their field(s) over the last decade.
Generate
GENERATE a vast supply of low-carbon intensity electricity
Area of Focus: Northwestern will build a new class of solar energy production by focusing on high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells and next-generation solar cell materials.
Pillar Co-Chairs:
- Mercouri Kanatzidis | Chemistry
- Dayne Swearer | Chemistry
Store
STORE low-carbon intensity electricity for long-term utilization
- Area of Focus: Pioneer new materials with high performance and low cost to unlock a new generation of scalable grid storage.
Pillar Co-Chairs:
- Mark Hersam | Materials Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Jeffrey Lopez | Chemical and Biological Engineering
Deploy
DEPLOY energy to decarbonize industries
- Area of Focus: Northwestern will help create a new regime of sustainable energy and processes by focusing on clean hydrogen production, use, and storage.
Pillar Co-Chairs:
- Sossina Haile | Materials Science and Engineering, Applied Physics
- Jennifer Dunn | Chemical and Biological Engineering
Recycle
RECYCLE both CO₂ and materials via circularity and polymer upcycling
- Area of Focus: Northwestern will lead in the creation of advanced polymers and processing methods for materials that will help solve the plastics pollution crisis and create a viable circular economic model at scale.
Pillar Co-Chairs:
- William Dichtel | Chemistry
- John M. Torkelson | Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering
Transform
TRANSFORM wastes and renewable feedstocks into transportation fuels and decarbonized chemicals
- Area of Focus: Northwestern will lead in the creation of catalytic systems for sustainable aviation fuel and decarbonized chemicals.
Pillar Co-Chairs:
- Justin M. Notestein | Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Linsey Seitz | Chemical and Biological Engineering
Capture
CAPTURE CO₂ from dilute sources
- Area of Focus: Northwestern will lead the development and testing of novel nanoporous materials and electro-chemical methods for carbon capture.
Pillar Co-Chairs:
- Randall Snurr | Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Omar Farha | Chemistry
The priorities set forth by the Trienens Institute Six Decarbonization Pillars shape engagement with industry partners from across the decarbonization value chain, as well as Northwestern faculty members and a team of researchers focused on pillar topics.