Mac profs land $5 million in funding

Two McMaster engineering researchers were awarded more than $5 million in funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Professors James Cotton and Ali Emadi received grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Ministry of Research and Innovation and Sciences through the TargetGHGprogram.

Cotton’s $2.7 million will support his energy system research, which combines thermal and electrical energy technologies to harvest waste heat, improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The system powers, heats and cools areas with intense energy demands, such as condominium complexes.

“This technology will improve the ways in which Ontario communities manage electrical and thermal energy grids,” said Cotton, associate director of the McMaster Institute of Energy studies, in a news release.

Emadi received $2.5 million in funding, which will be used to develop advanced motor control technologies for emerging and existing electric vehicles.

He and his research team will work with Sevcon to reduce emissions, improve motor testing technologies and speed up the time to market for new electrification solutions.

“Electric, hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are of critical importance in helping society significantly reduce its GHG emissions,” said Emadi, a Canada Excellence Research Chair in Hybrid Powertrain, in a release.