About

IES provides a hub for cross-college energy science, policy and technology research and development, which benefits the public and enhances the land-grant mission of the University of Arizona. The Institute is a platform for energy experts, who work closely with industry, NGOs, government, and communities to address emerging energy challenges and opportunities.  

Specifically, the Institute promotes work to more reliably integrate renewable energy into the grid through the Power Forecasting Group and energy storage research initiatives; develop novel materials for energy conversion, energy-efficient water use and intelligent building technologies; support regional test beds and facilities and study the societal and economic impacts of technological advancements.  Through partnerships, we expand our breadth of social, scientific, economic, and engineering capabilities to transfer knowledge from the laboratory to the field.

IES works to advance research, outreach and educational activities at the University of Arizona, focused on creating safe, resilient, and secure Energy Solutions.  The institute builds on the success of the University of Arizona Renewable Energy Network (UAREN) to create an organization that expands the collaboration with others to respond to the deeply interrelated sustainability issues associated with the energy- water- food nexus.

Foundation

UA IES is also a founding member of the University of Arizona’s Water, Environmental, and Energy Solutions (WEES), a funding initiative to integrate UA’s vast expertise in water, the environment, and energy. Established by the University of Arizona and the Arizona Board of Regents, WEES is co-managed by the Water Sustainability Program, the Institute of the Environment, and the UA Renewable Energy Network. WEES funds are used to support interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaborations concerning scientific, technological, and policy-related solutions to Arizona’s water, environment, and energy issues.