Clean Energy Research Laboratory (CERL)

Ontario Tech University (University of Ontario Institute of Technology), Oshawa, Ontario
What the facility does

Research, development and testing of clean energy systems including hydrogen thermochemical, electrochemical, and solar-based systems

Areas of expertise

The Clean Energy Research Laboratory (CERL) is one of the world-leading laboratories of excellence in the area of clean-energy research, innovation and commercialization, and in the development of tangible technological and innovative solutions for sustainable energy applications.

CERL is equipped with solar energy test facilities and hydrogen production laboratory, along with miscellaneous benchtop test facilities. It houses the world's first lab-scale demonstration of a fully integrated hydrogen production facility using copper-chlorine cycle for thermochemical water splitting.

The facility houses unique and highly recognized expertise on: Analysis of several cycles for nuclear and non-nuclear hydrogen production techniques and their configurations; Cogeneration using nuclear, renewable, and conventional energy systems, Integrated sustainable energy systems for multi-generation; Hybrid nuclear-renewable energy systems; Solar and photochemical hydrogen production; Heat pumps and heat engines; and Heat upgrade and reuse.

Research services

Research and development, modelling and optimization, testing and monitoring, and thermal-fluid and thermochemical analyses of processes and components in renewable and clean energy systems, sustainable energy storage, hydrogen production technologies, battery systems, cooling and refrigeration, and fuel cell systems.

Sectors of application
  • Aerospace and satellites
  • Automotive
  • Chemical industries
  • Clean technology
  • Construction (including building, civil engineering, specialty trades)
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Environmental technologies and related services
  • Transportation
  • Utilities
Equipment Function
Statclave G4 Chamber autoclave for sterilization
SRI Instruments Model 8610C Gas Chromatograph Gas detecting analyzer
GOW-MAC Model 20 H2 detector Hydrogen gas analyzer
SPI Infrared IRXP-5000 Thermal analysis infrared camera
Omega PSU505 Programmable DC power supply
NESLAB RTE-140 Refrigerated bath circulator
NESLAB ULT-80 Refrigerated bath/ultra low temperature recirculator
Lab scale fully-integrated facility Fully-integrated Cu-Cl Hydrogen production
OAI TriSOL Solar simulator
ABB AO2020 Advance Optima Series Continuous Gas Analyzer Continuous gas analyzer
Gamry Instruments Potentiostat Measurement of potentiometry/galvanometry
  • Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL)
  • Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
  • Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) (USA)
  • Region of Durham
  • Enbridge
  • Veridian
  • Marnoch Thermal Power
  • Ontario Power Generation (OPG)
  • Phoenix Canada Oil Company Limited
  • St. Marys Cement