Earth Day 2025 | Renewable Energy

In celebration of Earth Day 2025 (22 April), themed Our Power, Our Planet ™,  the Alliance celebrates the work of universities worldwide progressing renewable energy solutions to triple global renewables capacity by 2030.  

See below examples of how Alliance members are progressing renewable energy solutions through research, commercial innovation, teaching and campus operations.

 

University of Helsinki (Finland)

Hyytiälä Research Station | At the Hyytiälä Research Station, efforts are being made to promote renewable energy use. The Station’s new building is heated with geothermal energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, while solar panels on the rooftops contribute to energy production. These efforts are in line with the University of Helsinki's goal of phasing out fossil-based heating and covering 10% of its energy consumption with independently produced renewable energy by 2030. The station’s energy transition is still underway, and there is still untapped potential for further enhancing energy efficiency and advancing renewable energy goals.

Beyond energy solutions, Hyytiälä functions as a Living Lab, where groundbreaking research is conducted on sustainable construction, the impacts of climate change, and human well-being.  It is also home to the internationally recognized SMEAR II research station, managed and operated by the Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), which provides continuous data on forest-atmosphere interactions to enhance our understanding of climate change. Read More

 

Queen's University (Canada)

Engineering materials for extreme conditions | In the lead-up to International Women’s Day, the Queen's Gazette highlights Dr. Yanwen Zhang’s contributions to materials science and the move towards clean and sustainable energy solutions. Read More

The latest news in affordable and clean energy from Queen's University in Canada.  Read More

 

Macquarie University (Australia)

Macquarie University research across the Faculty of Science and Engineering, the Faculty of Arts, and the Macquarie Business School plays a critical role in advancing global renewable energy goals. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative projects, Macquarie University is driving sustainable solutions in key areas of solar energy, green fuels, energy integration, safety, regulatory frameworks, and market solutions. Each of these areas contributes to the development of reliable, scalable, and cost-effective renewable energy technologies that are essential for reducing carbon emissions and ensuring a sustainable energy future worldwide. Working with international and Australian industry partners, government agencies, and our global collaborators in the US, Europe, and Asia, our research contributes directly to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:
• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): Advancing renewable energy technologies to provide accessible, affordable, and reliable energy solutions.
• SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure): Driving sustainable industrial practices through green fuels, biofuels, and smart energy integration.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Promoting urban energy solutions such as solar-integrated buildings and smart microgrids.
• SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): Developing circular economy solutions, including upcycling plastic waste into renewable fuels.
• SDG 13 (Climate Action): Enabling large-scale decarbonisation through clean energy transition strategies.

Macquarie University's research in renewable energy advancements contributes not only to technological progress but also to economic resilience, environmental sustainability, and global energy equity.  Read more 

 

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is contributing towards global renewable energy goals through  a combination of groundbreaking research, visionary teaching and sustainable practices.
Research such as the pioneering work of Professor Yi-Chun Lu from the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering.  Her research focuses on developing next-generation battery technology. CUHK is collaborating with Great Bay University in Guangdong Province, establishing the Joint Institute of Advanced Materials and Green Energy Research, findings, published in the journal Nature Energy, lay the foundation for new strategies to improve the lifetime of next-generation solar cells.

Through its Energy and Environmental Engineering Programme, CUHK integrates engineering and environmental science to tackle energy challenges.  The programme focuses on renewable energy technologies, sustainability and interdisciplinary research, and aims to enhance renewable energy adoption, improve efficiency, and educate future engineers on environmental stewardship. Through the Solar on Campus project, Green Mobility for Blue Sky initiative, Food TranSmarter system, the Chung Chi Carbon Neutral Garden and updating its Sustainable Procurement Guidelines, the university has embraced renewable energy solutions and innovative technologies to reduce its carbon footprint and promote greener practices.

Since 2022, the university has been organizing a series of events every April to raise awareness of Earth Day, in partnership with local organizations and communities.   The annual CUHK Earth Month seeks to educate the general public on the importance of preserving our beautiful planet, combating climate change and working towards a more sustainable future. Highlights include a Webinar on Climate and Diet, a Talk on Global Perspectives on Climate Management & Carbon Neutrality Strategies and an SDG Forum Series 2024/25. For more details, Read More.

 

University of California San Diego (USA)

In support of the climate neutrality goals, the University of California is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy use and switching to clean energy supplies. Read More

The Center for Energy Research seeks to create solutions for the growing challenges of energy supply, distribution, and utilization.  The Center fosters interdisciplinary research, develops visibility and recognition as a leading institution in energy studies, and advances educational programs in energy technologies. 

 

University of Oxford (UK)

The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies is a world leading independent energy research institute specialising in advanced research into the economics and geopolitics of the energy transition and international energy across oil, gas and electricity markets.  Energy Transition Research at OIES focuses on the trends shaping energy systems, transformations in behaviours and business models, and the implications of shifting from the existing hydrocarbon-dominated energy economy to a system in which renewables, low-carbon energy sources and abated use of hydrocarbons will play a much greater role.   Read More

 

University of Auckland (New Zealand)

The University of Auckland is contributing towards global renewable energy goals through research, events and its operations; 

Research

Events & Operations

 

Arizona State University (USA)

​Arizona State University's (ASU) Energy Forward is more than an institute or center, but an ecosystem that connects all energy work across the ASU landscape. By engaging in this novel manner, ASU hopes to build transdisciplinary networks, use resources more sustainability and make tangible forward progress towards an energy system that is sustainable, resilient, secure, accessible and powers thriving societies, all by 2050. Energy Forward is actively advancing this transition to a sustainable energy future through a multifaceted approach that includes identifying critical challenges, designing innovative solutions, and implementing them in collaboration with industry, academia, local government, and community groups. By fostering partnerships and emphasizing actionable outcomes.

ASU have begun projects in the space of determining the future energy in Arizona, ground level ozone research, carbon capture and storage, transportation electrification, assessing energy and water needs of data centers and large loads and engaging in a partnership with Idaho National Labs.

ASU Earth Day activities include; Earth Day Walk 2025, 1.5 miles in recognition of the urgent need to limit global warming to 1.5 C, or 3 miles in honor of the three pillars of sustainability. Global Futures Laboratory Earth Day Celebration: Focused on Our Futures a three-hour event that includes a youth leadership panel focusing on Conversation on Impact, an Earth Day edition of Global Futures Conversation and the State of Global Futures Address by ASU Vice President and Vice Provost of Global Futures, Peter Schlosser, as well as other presentations from Global Futures Scientists and Scholars.

 

The University of São Paulo (Brazil)

Conducts Tests on the World’s First Renewable Hydrogen Plant from Ethanol |  The University of São Paulo (USP) is conducting tests on the world’s first experimental station dedicated to the production of renewable hydrogen from ethanol, which could boost sustainable energy in Brazil. The project, led by the university’s Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Innovation (RCGI), marks a milestone in the search for clean energy solutions and the transition to a low-carbon economy.   Read More

 

UNSW Sydney (Australia)

UNSW Energy Institute | World leaders in energy research, over the last 30 years, UNSW has carved a formidable reputation as one of the world's leading research and technology hubs for energy innovation.  Read More about the capabilities of the UNSW Energy Institute.

UNSW School of Photovoltaic & Renewable Energy (SPREE) |  internationally-recognised for its record-breaking research in solar power (photovoltaics) and renewable energy. The PERC solar cell was first invented at UNSW in 1983 and today powers more than 85% of all new solar panel modules all over the world.  Read More

Industrial Innovation | UNSW Sydney has extensive innovation capabilities in recycling and clean energy. Read More

Study 

  • Solar and Renewable Energy Engineering | Explore ways to make the best use of renewable energy technologies.  Read More.
  • Renewable Fuels: Pathways to a Sustainable Future | This course provides an in-depth exploration of renewable fuels and their critical role in decarbonising the global economy.

Campus Climate Action |  UNSW is taking urgent action to achieve net zero emissions across its operations and value chain.  Read More

UNSW Digital Grid Futures Institute | Enabling the electrification of society for a smart, sustainable future through interdisciplinary research, innovation and education.  Read More

Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE) | Fast-tracking net zero, Delivered by UNSW and the University of Newcastle, the Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE) is moving circular economy and clean energy technologies out of the lab and into manufacturing.

 

Caltech (USA)

Campus energy, efficiency, and emissions | Caltech operates its own power plant to generate electricity and generally exports more electricity than it imports.  Read More 

Harnessing Sunlight to Make Sustainable Fuels | Scientists have been working to devise a way to use sunlight to generate solar-thermal heating that could then drive the chemical reactions that are needed to make jet fuel with net-zero carbon emissions. Read More

Chemistry Graduate Student Wins Inflection Award for Developing Scalable, Sustainable Battery Technology Eshaan Patheria, a Caltech graduate student in chemistry, is one of 30 young scientists from around the world to receive the inaugural Inflection Award, an honor celebrating early-career scientists working on solutions to address climate change. Patheria was recognized for his work in the lab of professor of chemistry Kimberly See, where he strives to improve the performance of cathodes in lithium-ion batteries, making them more sustainable by using elements that are abundant and widely available.  Read More

University of Helsinki Hyytiälä Research Station

University of Helsinki Hyytiälä Research Station