Will electric bills ever go down? It’s likely, if this SMU researcher has it his way using renewable energy

Dr. Adel Merabet

Lowering electricity costs and decreasing CO2 emissions is something Dr. Adel Merabet aims to achieve through his work in renewable energy integration at Saint Mary’s University.

Merabet leads the Laboratory of Control Systems and Mechatronics, a research laboratory centred on engineering and technology.

“My lab works on developing control and management systems for renewable energy integration and efficient usage of battery storage to increase their operational capacity and productivity,” says Merabet.

For an industry project in Yarmouth, Merabet has developed machinery software and hardware to increase efficiency; he has also worked on automated machinery that regulates temperature systems in large-scale manufacturing equipment for Halifax-based Reused Plastic.

“These projects provide technology transfer to local industries and provides hands-on experience to my students, something that will be helpful for their future careers,” says Merabet.

In February 2021, the province of Nova Scotia set a goal of using 80% clean energy by 2030 as part of its Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act. Merabet’s research focuses on finding alternatives to traditional energy sources, including renewable sources and battery storage tech.

As Nova Scotia’s population grows, so too does its electricity demand. This is why he says building a big, pricey power plant is not the solution. “We need to look at small microgrids and develop technology to exchange between them, to generate power in city centres like Halifax.”

Microgrids are self-sufficient, harnessing solar and wind energy to produce electricity to create and localize energy that can be used by nearby buildings. Many use batteries for energy storage, allowing electricity to be used during power outages.

And while renewable sources like solar and wind depend on variable amounts of sunlight or wind, the way they are stored, and how that battery storage works, is vital. Part of Merabet’s research includes finding more efficient battery solutions for the transfer of renewable energy.

Merabet says that by using more efficient methods of battery storage in combination with renewable energy, diesel fuel consumption can be reduced, electricity costs will be lower, and CO2 emissions will decrease, benefiting our pocketbooks and the environment.

“With better battery storage combined with microgrids, we can use that source of energy over a long period of time,” says Merabet. “This will especially benefit remote and rural communities, so they don’t have to rely on diesel generators.”

For more information on the great research taking place at Saint Mary’s University, visit news.smu.ca/research.

Leading the Way to Greener Energy: Retrofit Project Creates North America’s Tallest Solar-Integrated Building

A rendering of the Loyola Residence retrofitted with building-integrated photovoltaics.

The tallest solar integrated building in North America will be at Saint Mary’s University on the completion of a new project at the Loyola residence building. 

“Universities are at the forefront of producing green energy and related research. We are essential partners in the fight against climate change,” says Saint Mary's University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “With this new initiative, we are building on our history of projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and produce green energy. Saint Mary's will be a leader in North America in producing solar energy through building-integrated photovoltaics.” 

Saint Mary’s is working with Mitrex, a Toronto-based manufacturer of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). BIPV are solar power generating products or systems that are seamlessly integrated into a building’s envelope and part of building components such as façades, roofs or windows. This project will transform an exterior wall of the Loyola residence with an integrated solar façade solution, the tallest and largest BIPV micro-grid application in North America. The implementation of the project will be done by DSRA Architects, Dillon Consulting, and BMR Structural Engineering, with construction overseen by the EllisDon Corporation and Grey Cardinal Management Inc.. 

“As this project began, we knew that a portion of the external envelope on the university’s Loyola residence needed to be replaced,” says Dennis Gillis, Senior Director of Facilities Management at Saint Mary’s. “We decided to go bolder than a traditional envelope refurbishment. We saw the opportunity to create a green energy retrofit project in Atlantic Canada, an exemplar to other organizations of what is possible when we think outside the box, as we all work to reduce our carbon footprint.” 

Instead of simply replacing and repairing the pre-cast panel façade, this project will install aluminum panels with integrated solar photovoltaics from top to bottom on the south side of the Loyola residence facing Gorsebrook Avenue. This installation will create clean energy for the campus, approximately 100,000 kWh annually, further reducing the university’s greenhouse gas emissions and moving Saint Mary’s further along the path to net-zero.  

This project represents an $8.5 million dollar investment by Saint Mary’s University in green energy.