EV Battery and Grid Research Highlighted During Deputy Minister’s Visit
On April 23, U of T hosted Deputy Minister Susanna Laaksonen-Craig from the Ministry of Energy and Mines for a tour of three Labs in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering and affiliated with the Climate Positive Energy Initiative and Electrification Hub (EHub). As noted below, these Labs are conducting cutting-edge research and collaborating with industry partners to develop made-in-Ontario green technologies like electric vehicle (EV) batteries and charging infrastructure, while ensuring the electrical grid can handle this increased demand and innovation. In addition to support from industry partners, this research is also supported by several government programs.
To begin, Carlos Da Silva, EHub’s Executive Director and Senior Research Associate at Professor Cristina Amon’s Advanced Thermofluids Optimization, Modelling, and Simulation (ATOMS) Lab, and Monsoon Fu, Director of Product and Innovation at Jule, gave a tour of the Level 3+ fast charging stations at the Landmark Garage. Developed by Jule and supported by U of T’s Thermal Management Systems (TMS) Lab, they allow EV drivers to power up in under 30 minutes. Unlike conventional fast chargers that pull energy directly from the grid, Jule’s chargers leverage energy stored in lithium-ion batteries and do not put strain on the grid.
Jule, co-founded by U of T Engineering alumnus Carmine Pizzurro in 2009, began collaborating with U of T in 2010. At that time, the company leveraged the expertise of the Centre of Applied Power Electronics (CAPE) to develop the technology. In 2018, Jule worked with the ATOMS Lab to advance their battery thermal management system and with the TMS Lab to optimize the performance of their battery-powered charging system. Today, Jule proudly employs 14 U of T graduates and has charging infrastructure across Canada.
Next, the Deputy toured the TMS Lab, established in 2023 thanks to support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence (ORF-RE), and U of T. This Lab is driving innovation in EV batteries and fast charging design. In 2024, Professor Cristina Amon, who leads the Lab, was awarded $3M through the two ORF-RE projects. These projects aim to optimize heat flows through EV battery packs via industry-relevant developments in collaboration with Jule and Ford Motor Company.
“Today’s batteries are very sensitive to temperature, which can degrade performance and present safety risks,” Carlos Da Silva explained.
“The TMS Lab is developing technologies to make EV batteries more resilient to temperature fluctuations, which is particularly relevant in extreme cold and hot climates like Canada’s. Our researchers are working with industry leaders in the automotive, battery technology, and charging sectors to help battery designers and operators anticipate and prevent thermal management challenges before they arise, as well as optimize the design of fire mitigation measures within battery systems.”
Lastly, Associate Professor Ali Hooshyar provided the Deputy with an overview of the CAPE and the Grid Modernization Centre (GMC) he is leading. “Like the TMS Lab, our Centre collaborates with industry partners to tackle real-world challenges,” Professor Hooshyar explained. Whether a company is developing a new EV battery, charging station, or solar panel, the GMC allows them to connect their technology to advanced, real-time simulators that replicate Ontario’s grid.
“This helps innovators assess how their technology will respond before it’s integrated with the grid, reducing technical risks and costs, ensuring commercial viability, and maintaining grid safety and reliability,” he added.
Reflecting on Jule’s longstanding collaboration with U of T, Youhan (Monsoon) Fu, Jule’s Director of Product and Innovation, noted this partnership has played an essential role in the excellence in the company’s technological evolution. “The multidisciplinary design, testing and simulation we have conducted with the support of such labs and research groups have empowered Jule to overcome various technical challenges and grow into a leading energy infrastructure and smart energy management solution provider,” he said.
“We are proud to work alongside U of T and other industry partners to advance clean, resilient energy solutions across Ontario.”
(Top photo, the TMS Lab, established in 2023 thanks to support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence (ORF-RE), and U of T. Bottom photo, Bottom photo: Youhan (Monsoon) Fu (Jule’s Director of Product and Innovation), Associate Professor Ali Hooshyar, Deputy Minister Susanna Laaksonen-Craig, and Carlos Da Silva).