Dr. Jian Liu, Associate Professor at UBC Okanagan School of Engineering in the Battery Innovation Centre.
Many of the devices we rely on in our daily lives—from the batteries in our phones to our laptops and vehicles—have one thing in common: the need for energy storage. Researchers at UBC Okanagan (UBCO) are now even better positioned to makes strides in designing, building and testing the next generation of batteries thanks to a major investment from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI)’s Innovation Fund.
Dr. Jian Liu, an Associate Professor with UBCO’s School of Engineering, is an internationally renowned leader in emerging battery technologies. He is focused on finding clean energy solutions through pioneering batteries that make use of new materials and techniques—making them both safer and more efficient.
As announced today by CFI and UBC Okanagan’s Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation, Dr. Liu and his team have received more than $2.6 million in new funding from CFI’s Innovation Fund. This support builds on investment from BC’s Innovative Clean Energy Fund in 2024, which helped launch the Battery Innovation Centre at UBCO.
“UBCO’s Battery Innovation Centre will play a key role in advancing this important battery research and establishing our university and our region as a powerhouse in clean energy innovation,” said Dr. Liu. “It will provide us the necessary space and the most advanced equipment to create and test battery prototypes on a larger scale, and be a critical hub for ideating, testing and building next-generation battery technology.”
“The Battery Innovation Centre is a unique space where education, training and collaboration between industry, government and academic partners all comes together to advance Canada’s clean energy ecosystem,” said Dr. Will Hughes, Director of the School of Engineering at UBCO. “Congratulations to Dr. Liu and his team on this significant support which speaks to both the excellence and importance of their work. On behalf of the School of Engineering, we are deeply grateful to CFI for this investment. It will help us continue to establish the Centre as a contributor to a stronger, more sustainable Canadian battery supply chain.”
Read more in UBC’s article about the Battery Innovation Centre.