CalTestBed at CE-CERT
Connect clean energy technologies with UC Riverside testing facilities, technical expertise, and real-world validation.
CE-CERT provides testing capabilities across electric and connected mobility, microgrids, distributed energy systems, materials, motors, hydrogen, water systems, and atmospheric processes.
Find the Right Testing Environment
Mobility and Vehicle Systems
Explore electric-drive vehicle laboratories, shared and connected mobility testing, and vehicle-to-grid systems.
01 Transportation and Mobility Electric Drive Vehicle Testing Laboratories
Overview
UC Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering-Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) has unique capabilities to test a variety of electric drive vehicles, including pure battery electric, fuel-cell, hybrid electric, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. With two state-of-the-art chassis dynamometers, both light-duty and heavy-duty EVs can be tested. CE-CERT has developed a wide range of electric drive testing protocols, providing research results to industry, government agencies, and academia.
Service Capabilities
02 Transportation and Mobility Shared, Electric, Connected, Automated Vehicle Testing
Service Capabilities
03 Transportation and Mobility V2G: Vehicle to Grid
Overview
Vehicle to Grid (V2G) architectures allow grid-connected vehicles to transfer power from the vehicle back to the electric supply infrastructure. The optimization of V2G requires properly configured vehicles and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). UC Riverside has created a microgrid testbed with integrated V2G capabilities. The system has demonstrated vehicle-to-building and/or vehicle-to-grid capabilities for both light-duty passenger EVs and larger transit vehicles. Research is focused on system architectures, controls, optimization, energy management, and communications.
Service Capabilities
Grid, Energy, and Infrastructure Systems
Explore microgrids, distributed energy resources, smart grid monitoring and control, and water-energy systems.
04 Grid and Infrastructure SIGI: Sustainable Integrated Grid Initiative Testbed
Overview
UCR has well-established microgrid testbeds and laboratories for pre-commercial testing of new technologies in a “living lab” environment. Over the last nine years, UCR researchers have designed and implemented numerous microgrid systems including 2.2 MWh of battery energy storage, over 11 MW solar PV, 8 MW of Thermal Energy Storage (TES) for chiller operations, and multiple electric vehicle chargers including supervisory control and data acquisition systems. These unique microgrid/smartgrid testbeds with plug-and-play capabilities possess the ability to validate various Hardware in Loop (HiL) scenarios. In addition to energy system modeling, UCR can utilize its microgrid testbed for evaluating specific microgrid components, software, operational strategies, and technologies within a closely monitored setting.
Service Capabilities
05 Grid and Infrastructure DERL: Distributed Energy Resources Laboratory
Overview
The Distributed Energy Resources Laboratory (DERL) is focused on applied research related to the design, integration, deployment, demonstration and validation of renewable energy, green infrastructure, and new clean technologies. Testbeds are designed for testing new technologies and products in a safe and practical manner by integrating monitoring & communication devices, data loggers, smart controllers, and software in a multi-platform environment that simulates real-world conditions for the detailed analysis and demonstration of use cases and the assessment of benefits.
Service Capabilities
06 Grid and Infrastructure Field Testing and HIL Testing of Smart Grid Monitoring and Control
Overview
UC Riverside’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, in collaboration with Winston Chung Global Energy Center (WCGEC) and the Bourns College of Engineering-Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) has the unique capabilities to test various smart grid sensor technologies (e.g., synchrophasors, synchowaveforms, grid asset sensors, line sensors, substation SCADA systems, behind-the-meter sensors, building sensors, fault location, isolation, and service restoration (FLISR), etc.); as well as various smart grid control technologies (e.g., Volt-VAR control and Volt-Watt control based on inverter-based distributed energy resources (DERs), voltage and frequency ride-through control, DERMS, Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS), distribution-level Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System (FACTS), building energy management, frequency regulation, demand response, etc.). The available field test capability is at medium voltage and low voltage three-phase systems; including a collection of multiple 12 kV power distribution feeders; with various types of loads and DERs. In addition to true-scale field testing capabilities, UC Riverside also has the capabilities to conduct lab-scale (i.e., pre-field-test) assessment of smart grid monitoring and control technologies by using its state-of-the-art hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing facility; including both performance and cyber-security assessment.
Service Capabilities
07 Grid and Infrastructure Water Energy Nexus
Overview
About 20% of electricity use in California is treating, pumping, and distribution of water. With funding from California Energy Commission (CEC), College of Engineering – Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) has demonstrated and deployed an energy management and data acquisition and supervisory control strategies that reduce peak loads and electricity costs in the delivery and treatment of water at each of the three water district locations. The three deployments utilize existing on-site SCADA architecture and implement the Energy Management System (EMS) within the existing architecture. This demonstration project highlights a pathway for water agencies in California to reduce their peak energy consumption substantially with no decrement in service or reliability. The project also identifies “real world” implementation issues that have not emerged in previous proof-of-concept research.
Service Capabilities
Materials, Motors, Hydrogen, and Atmospheric Systems
Explore energy materials, electric motor systems, hydrogen exposure testing, and atmospheric chamber capabilities.
08 Materials and Environment Battery and Solar Energy Materials and Devices
Overview
The Advanced Materials and Energy Devices Laboratory (AMEDL) specializes in renewable energy generation and energy storage. The AMEDL group has expertise in the extensive testing of materials and devices for photovoltaic, photoelectrochemical, piezoelectric, nano-delivery platforms, and battery applications. AMEDL’s research is focused on experimental work including high-quality synthesis of materials, characterization, device fabrication, measurement, and testing. Testing includes electrochemical measurements and photoresponsive measurements under diverse light sources including a solar simulator and UV lamps.
Service Capabilities
09 Materials and Environment Electric Motor System Testing Laboratories
Overview
This testing facility, developed with California Energy Commission (CEC) funding, is capable of efficiency and load testing of electric motors and Adjustable Speed Drive (ASD) up to 100hp. The facility can also measure electric system harmonics. This is the first independent electric motor testing center in the state of California capable of providing an unbiased evaluation of motor efficiency at various operating conditions. This facility is available for use by industry professionals, academics, and other stakeholders.
Service Capabilities
10 Materials and Environment Hydrogen Blending and Exposure Testing
Overview
The Hydrogen Laboratory, part of the Sustainable Fuels Initiative, conducts research on sustainable hydrogen production, transport, and use areas. The facilities are setup to investigate the effects of adding hydrogen to natural gas in the existing natural gas transmission and distribution system at varying hydrogen concentrations. The Hydrogen Lab is designed to study the effect of hydrogen blends and other key parameters on pipeline infrastructure materials and components including embrittlement, degradation, and leakage behavior. Lab capabilities include hydrogen blending, gaseous hydrogen exposure, electrochemical hydrogen charging, leak testing, gas composition analysis, elemental analysis, and Charpy impact testing. Other capabilities include green hydrogen production, hydrogen fuel cell vehicle infrastructure planning, and policy analysis.
Service Capabilities
11 Materials and Environment Atmospheric Processes Lab
Overview
UCR has a state-of-the-art environmental chamber facility designed to study atmospheric chemistry and particle formation. The facility also provides an ideal platform to study removal efficiencies of indoor air treatment systems including energy-efficient HVAC systems; removal efficiencies of various surface treatments; evaluation of indoor/outdoor sensors and emerging technologies. This unique facility is equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for online and offline detailed measurements of hazardous air pollutants, greenhouse gases, and ultrafine particulate matter. A suite of gas chromatographs (1D and 2D), mass spectrometers, particle, specialized air analyzers, and devices for particle number, size, composition, density, morphology, volatility, and hygroscopicity are all available for the characterization of air contaminants including their formation and removal mechanisms.
Service Capabilities
Connect With the CalTestBed Program
Learn more about the statewide program, review the facilities directory, and explore opportunities to test and validate clean energy technologies.
Discuss Testing and Validation
Contact CE-CERT to identify the facility, technical lead, and testing capability aligned with your clean energy technology.