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The Generate Pillar

The Generate pillar focuses on rapidly scaling up low-carbon electricity production to meet burgeoning global demand. Priority projects include research on enhanced geothermal systems, advanced nuclear, and materials for extreme environments.
transmission lines at sunset

Meeting the growing need for clean energy

Since 1980, worldwide electricity consumption has more than tripled to meet the needs of over eight billion people now living on the planet. In recent years, electric vehicles, AI, and power-hungry data centers have further accelerated the electricity demand. As electricity consumption rises, so do costs, and demand for energy sources that deplete natural resources, create carbon emissions, and contribute to climate change. The Generate Pillar focuses on delivering better solutions by advancing clean energy technology to produce an abundant supply of low-carbon electricity.

Research priorities

Solar electricity core

The Generate Pillar built its foundation around Northwestern’s established leadership in solar cell innovation. The pillar brings together laboratories from across the University to develop increasingly efficient, durable, and reliable solar technologies.

Advanced energy diversification

The Generate pillar is expanding its work to pursue emerging opportunities at the forefront of energy science in four priority areas:

Enhanced geothermal systems

Geothermal energy systems produce a continuous supply of electricity and heat, providing steady, baseload power for the electrical grid. Geothermal power plants take up less space than solar, wind, or fossil fuel infrastructure and generate electricity without emitting greenhouse gases or other air pollutants. While traditional geothermal systems tap into underground heat sources connected with volcanic activity or tectonic plates, enhanced geothermal can work in nearly any location. The Generate pillar aims to leverage Northwestern’s leadership in civil and environmental engineering to improve on and scale enhanced geothermal technology.

Advanced nuclear

Nuclear power plants generate electricity without emitting carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases, making them a key component of the energy transition. Researchers at Northwestern and Argonne National Laboratory are collaborating to help develop a new generation of advanced fission and fusion reactors designed to be safer, smaller, less expensive to build, and more flexible than conventional nuclear plants.

Materials for extreme environments

Researchers in the Generate Pillar are developing specialized materials to meet the demanding requirements of geothermal and nuclear systems, including intense heat, radiation, high pressure, and corrosive gases. By creating better materials, researchers aim to enable a new generation of ultra-efficient power plants.

Core faculty

Get involved

Individuals and companies can support the development of next-generation clean-energy technology by making a gift to the Trienens Institute. Industry professionals and other leaders can have a broader impact through the Trienens Institute Executive Council and Industry Affiliates Program.