Professor Emeritus Fernando Alvarado spent 30 years in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying renewable energy, power systems pricing and computer applications in power systems. In retirement, he wanted to give back to the department—not just financially, but through a program that would directly serve students and the power engineering industry, while also advancing sustainability in the energy industry.
In the News
With up to $50 million, team will improve energy access for rural Wisconsin residents
The University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering is partnering on a grant of up to $50 million to bring smart grid technology to rural and underserved communities throughout Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Energy Institute: Energy rationing: How a ‘greedy’ model could help prepaid utility customers make smarter choices
A University of Wisconsin–Madison researcher has developed a tool that could help people who struggle to afford electricity make better choices about how to ration their energy use.
Millions of people around the globe rely on prepaid utility plans that work much like prepaid phone service. Rather than getting a bill at the end of the month, these customers pay for their kilowatt hours up front by putting money in their accounts.
Job Posting – Asst/Assoc/Full Professor in Electrical & Computer Engineering – Clean Energy
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering seeks to hire two faculty members with expertise in any of the following clean energy technology areas: 1) electric drive systems for renewable energy; 2) energy-efficient electronics and/or computing systems for sustainable AI; and 3) modeling and integrated design of grid-scale energy storage devices and systems. Outstanding candidates at all levels (Assistant, Associate, Full Professor rank) will be considered.
Electric Motors Are About to Get a Major Upgrade Thanks to Benjamin Franklin
A technology pioneered by Benjamin Franklin is being revived to build more efficient electric motors, an effort in its nascent stage that has the potential to be massive…
Electrostatic Motors Reach the Macro Scale
It turns out that Benjamin Franklin was on to something in 1747. Read about C-Motive Technologies’ research into macro-scale electrostatic motors.
175 Years of Energy: Timeline
Energy-related research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has evolved over the institution’s first 175 years, from departmentally-segregated work focused largely on technological innovation to a more holistic and interdisciplinary approach that bridges technologies, environmental and social impacts, and policy. Explore some of the university’s contributions to energy research in this five-part series
ECE Focus on new faculty: Mahima Gupta is designing power converters for the electric revolution
Assistant Professor Mahima Gupta is featured in ECE’s “Focus on the new Faculty” article.
ECE Focus on Faculty: Daniel Ludois
Prof. Daniel Ludois is the first WEMPEC Faculty member to be featured in ECE’s evolving “Focus on Faculty” video profile series. Follow the link to learn more about what drives him and his research group!
Professors Chirag Gupta and Shubhra Pasayat add new energy and resources to power semiconductor research.
Semiconductor chips aren’t just the “brains” of our computers and smart phones. A different variety of chip, called power semiconductors, transform, route and manage the energy that powers our gadgets and are equally as important. Making them faster and more efficient is just as critical to enabling next generation technologies as improving processor speed.