The Center for Electric Car and Energy Conversion (EC&EC) improves the readiness in Massachusetts for the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Act by investigating important technical issues such as battery chargers, battery charging stations, battery performance, electric vehicle performance, and electric vehicle service infrastructure. The EC&EC aims at using renewable energy to power electric vehicle charging stations to make electric vehicles truly zero emission vehicles. UMass-Lowell has reputable talent for design and analysis, especially in the area of electric vehicle crashworthiness.
The Center designs power electronic devices, such as Maximum Power Point Trackers and Sun Trackers, which are used to improve the efficiency and performance of photovoltaics and wind energy conversion systems. Moreover, the Center is a test bed for various types of windmills and photovoltaic modules. The EC&EC offers valuable data to utility companies concerning the viability of residential roof-top renewable energy systems. The data is used for optimum energy management and also as a tool for forecasting the output of these renewable energy sources.
Over the past ten years, more than seventy journal papers from the principle investigators at the center were published in the field of renewable energy. The U. S. Department of Energy funded the first photovoltaic Research at UMass-Lowell for one million dollars under the contract DE-FC04. The EC&EC has a good relationship with and the financial support of the Department of Energy Resources (DOER). The Center is also strongly supported by the New England Power Service (NEES), which financed the Residential Roof-Top Wind Energy Conversion System.