Research brief: Securing our energy future

New Hampshire residents have among the highest electricity costs in the U.S., but below average reliability. An emerging UNH research program funded by the NH Agricultural Experiment Station is making it its mission to overcome the problem. Constantine Spandagos, assistant professor of natural resources and the environment, is leading research aimed at improving options for New Hampshire residents and businesses. His work explores strategies such as agrivoltaics, a practice that combines agriculture and solar power generation within the same space for the benefit of both.

The best energy systems balance three essential goals: energy security, energy affordability, and environmental sustainability. Prior technologies required a lot of compromises, but recent innovations are providing the ability to achieve that balance. Spandagos integrates advanced energy technologies with behavioral psychology, community policy, and economics to develop solutions and feasible pathways for their implementation.

“It’s a very exciting time, because we now have the tools — sustainable energy sources such as solar, wind, and advanced biofuels, as well as emerging technologies like enhanced storage and green hydrogen — to advance our energy goals,” says Spandagos.