Welcome to the Sustainable Energy & Carbon Management Center (SECM)
At the Sustainable Energy and Carbon Management Center, we conduct research on Hydrogen, Fuel Cell, Energy Storage, Emissions Reduction, and, Carbon Capture and Storage technologies, as well as effective energy policies and economics. Join us in our mission to create a sustainable future.
Sustainable & Renewable Energy
We provide sustainable and renewable energy solutions that have a positive impact on the environment. Our research covers a wide range of sustainable energy technologies and techniques.
Reliable & Flexible Energy Solutions
Our team of experts delivers secure and dependable energy solutions tailored to meet current and future requirements. We assist industries in taking control of their energy production, ultimately reducing their carbon footprint
Our Approach to Sustainable Energy and Carbon Management
Research
Education
Implementation
Impact
Collaboration
Innovation
We engage in both fundamental and applied research. Our mission is to transform innovative ideas into tangible products that can significantly reshape the energy sector. Additionally, we are dedicated to educating both the public and private sectors on the numerous benefits of sustainable energy solutions, guiding them through the implementation process. We meticulously measure the impact of our work and foster collaboration with local and national companies to achieve a collective and lasting positive influence on the energy landscape
Our Research Focus
SECM is currently developing a Field Test lab for conducting full-scale demonstrations of advanced energy systems.
Dr. Kazempoor recently immersed himself in the dynamic atmosphere of the World Hydrogen Latin America event in Santiago, Chile. Engaging in insightful discussions about the pressing challenges surrounding hydrogen energy, the esteemed scientist thoroughly enjoyed the exchange of ideas.
Congratulations, Mohammed AM Ansari! You have successfully defended your master's thesis, showcasing an innovative application of machine learning algorithms to enhance performance and reduce emissions in industrial engines.
Congratulations, Dr. Lateef Jolaoso! Today, you have successfully defended your Ph.D. From fundamental studies to system-level exploration, your comprehensive approach has yielded a deep understanding of this innovative technology.
Great work, Yousuf, for your outstanding contributions as the lead editor of this published book on "Biogas to Biomethane: Engineering, Production, Sustainability." Your efforts have truly shone a spotlight on the technical, social, and economic dimensions of biogas upgradation to biomethane. Kudos on a job well done!
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We gathered to honor our collective achievements throughout the year at a celebratory dinner on Friday, December 1, 2023.
Congratulations Lateef! Six OU Engineering students have been selected as recipients of the Fall 2023 Engineering Dissertation Award. The $5,000 award, designed to foster excellence among doctoral students, supports scholars in the final stages of their Ph.D. studies...
Congratulations to Shannon for being recognized as the Outstanding Senior in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. This is an outstanding achievement!
Our collaboration with Bedrock Ventures has garnered substantial support from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) for the development of the FIRST HYDROGEN-CNG FUELING STATION IN OKLAHOMA. This establishes Oklahoma as one of the pioneering states adopting this groundbreaking technology. We have launched hydrogen research at University of Oklahoma and are pleased to witness the positive impact of our efforts.
A fantastic meeting with the Bedrock Ventures team to discuss the OCAST project concerning the FIRST HYDROGEN-CNG FUELING STATION IN OKLAHOMA. This is an exciting project that we are delighted to support the company on.
So delighted to support the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program led by Drs. Wilson Merchan-Merchan and Wei Sun . We are assisting students in testing aerial-based methane detection technologies in our OPENLab.
We were honored to be invited to present our work at the Pipeline Research Council International ( PRCI) meeting in Dallas. It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase our research projects focused on reducing methane emissions from industrial engines, and we were delighted to share our findings with industry leaders and experts.
We collaborated with Bergey to install a Bergey Excel 15 in our lab. The Excel 15 is the latest addition to the Bergey product line and stands as one of the most advanced and economical small turbines globally. With its large rotor and excellent performance in low wind conditions, it can power an entire electric home and an electric car or serve the energy needs of a farm or small business.
🌟 Exciting News! 🌟
Our project has been selected by the DOE and EPA as part of their $850M Methane-Cutting Plan under the Inflation Reduction Act! We're proud to help develop innovative solutions to track, measure, and reduce methane emissions in the oil and gas sector.
Field Deployment of Scalable Solutions for Emission Reduction and Performance Enhancement of Integral Reciprocating Compressors — The University of Oklahoma (Norman, OK) intends to deploy and validate a low-cost emissions reduction retrofit kit for integral reciprocating compressors that will reduce emissions, improve operational efficiency, and stabilize combustion. The project will provide a transformative solution that enhances environmental sustainability, drives operational cost savings and efficiency improvements, and helps small operators upgrade inventory and retain workforce, especially in underrepresented communities.
Federal Funding: $3,863,736
Non-federal Funding: $969,144
Total Value: $4,832,880
Congratulations to Dr. Carlos Peña on the successful defense of his Ph.D. dissertation, “Integrated Dynamic Management of Methane Emissions in Industrial Energy Systems: A Unified Physics-Informed Virtual Sensing and Predictive Maintenance Digital Twin Framework
Our SECM team presented six technical papers at the AIChE Annual Meeting 2025 (November 2–6, 2025). These contributions covered a broad range of topics, including sustainable energy systems, methane emissions mitigation, electrochemical technologies, and carbon management, highlighting SECM’s active role and leadership in advancing energy and environmental research.
517e A Multiscale Packed Bed Reactor Model for Oxidative Coupling of Methane to Efficiently Convert Methane to Ethylene
https://lnkd.in/g4BazEgF
591q Impact of Hydrogen Blending on Large-Bore Natural Gas-Fired Industrial Engines: Improved Performance and Reduced Methane Emissions
https://lnkd.in/gRFWxSzN
579d Numerical Study of Protonic Ceramic Fuel Cells for Methane Flare Mitigation Via Power and Benzene Cogeneration
https://lnkd.in/gCY-w-EY
586m Life Cycle Sustainability Comparison of Sustainable Aviation Fuels and Hydrogen Technologies for Decarbonizing Air Transport
https://lnkd.in/ghtjW6VU
423e Cradle-to-Gate LCA of Sustainable Ethylene Synthesis Using Oxidative Coupling of Methane
https://lnkd.in/gZgXzvpS
435b Simulation, Analysis, and System Reliability Assessment of an Air-Water Experimental Flow System
https://lnkd.in/g45K2ZBU
A Bedrock Ventures and OU discussing the OCAST project.
Our proposal has been selected for the Phase 1 study with potential advancement to Phase 2. Our team plans to design, analyze, and validate a novel bifunctional chemical looping concept that utilizes a perovskite-based oxide as an oxygen carrier. This innovative approach will be employed to produce chemicals and mitigate CO2 emissions during both reduction and oxidation steps
Dr. Kazempoor served as a speaker and panelist at the Methane Mitigation Summit, where he highlighted how the SECM Center at the University of Oklahoma supports industry efforts to reduce methane emissions. He discussed how SECM’s research provides practical insights into emerging methane mitigation technologies and how the Center’s advanced testing and validation facilities help accelerate real-world deployment. The Summit enabled meaningful discussions with industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in advancing effective and scalable solutions for methane emissions reduction.