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Rice's new program helps managers navigate the complexities of energy transition

Photo courtesy of Rice University

As the planet's temperature continues to rise and extreme weather becomes the new norm, companies are under pressure to make the transition to renewable energy.

But where to start? Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business is offering a new comprehensive program that delves into the multifaceted challenges posed by the shift toward sustainable energy.

"When it comes to the ever-evolving energy sector most people are paying attention to the tech, but businesses are faced with new organizational challenges," says Professor Yan Anthea Zhang, who will be leading the two-day program March 17-18, 2025. "Senior leaders and managers are constantly being presented with uncertainties about how to move their businesses forward, but if you wait too long, the opportunity disappears."

Energy Transition for Business Leaders participants will engage in interactive workshops, analyze case studies, and network with peers to enhance their understanding of necessary changes in organizational structure, processes, and culture. Key takeaways will include:

  • A comprehensive understanding of stakeholder demands and how to address them
  • Strategies for identifying and implementing necessary strategic changes for energy transition
  • Insights into managing organizational challenges, from resource allocation to cultural shifts
  • Tools for aligning employee incentives with the firm's strategic goals in energy transition

Wondering if you or your employees qualify? Here's who the program is designed for:

  • Senior executives and leaders involved in strategic planning and implementation
  • Sustainability officers seeking to align their organizations with future energy demands
  • HR professionals and talent managers looking to develop a workforce capable of navigating energy transition

Prof. Zhang has has explored these themes and ideas multiple times through the Jones School's MBA program, but not everyone has the time commitment for a two-year degree — or they already have one.

"Nobody has a crystal ball," says Prof. Zhang. "You need to understand your stakeholders' needs, examine your current resources and capabilities, and then make short and long-term plans to move in the direction that's best for your company. That's what participants will learn during this program."

Registration is now open for the spring dates. See more of the program's schedule and fill out an interest form on the program's website here.

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A View From HETI

A team at the University of Houston is changing the game for sodium-ion batteries. Photo via Getty Images

A research lab at the University of Houston has developed a new type of material for sodium-ion batteries that could make them more efficient and boost their energy performance.

Led by Pieremanuele Canepa, Robert Welch assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at UH, the Canepa Research Laboratory is working on a new material called sodium vanadium phosphate, which improves sodium-ion battery performance by increasing the energy density. Energy density is the amount of energy stored per kilogram, and the new material can do so by more than 15 percent. With a higher energy density of 458 watt-hours per kilogram — compared to the 396 watt-hours per kilogram in older sodium-ion batteries — this material brings sodium technology closer to competing with lithium-ion batteries, according to the researchers.

The Canepa Lab used theoretical expertise and computational methods to discover new materials and molecules to help advance clean energy technologies. The team at UH worked with the research groups headed by French researchers Christian Masquelier and Laurence Croguennec from the Laboratoire de Reáctivité et de Chimie des Solides, which is a CNRS laboratory part of the Université de Picardie Jules Verne, in Amiens France, and the Institut de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Bordeaux, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France for the experimental work on the project.

The researchers then created a battery prototype using the new materia sodium vanadium phosphate, which demonstrated energy storage improvements. The material is part of a group called “Na superionic conductors” or NaSICONs, which is made to let sodium ions move in and out of the battery during charging and discharging.

“The continuous voltage change is a key feature,” Canepa says in a news release. “It means the battery can perform more efficiently without compromising the electrode stability. That’s a game-changer for sodium-ion technology.”

The synthesis method used to create sodium vanadium phosphate may be applied to other materials with similar chemistries, which could create new opportunities for advanced energy storage. A paper of this work was published in the journal Nature Materials.

"Our goal is to find clean, sustainable solutions for energy storage," Canepa adds. "This material shows that sodium-ion batteries can meet the high-energy demands of modern technology while being cost-effective and environmentally friendly."

Pieremanuele Canepa, Robert Welch assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at UH, is leading a research project that can change the effectiveness of sodium-ion batteries. Photo courtesy of UH

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