Power and energy is an EPIC effort at UNC Charlotte: students, faculty and industry combine to create a sustainable future.

• Position: UNC CHARLOTTE

When your program is named "EPIC," expectations are high. For the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center at UNC Charlotte, that's the case in a number of ways --classrooms and laboratories, educational programs, research and industrial engagement. Now in its second year at its new home, EPIC is surpassing these expectation as it continues to develop resources and infrastructure in its 200,000-square-foot building; grows enrollment at a record pace in new energy concentrations; develops research programs in Smart Grid, environmental and large-component manufacturing; and collaborates with energy companies to help establish Charlotte as North Americas energy hub.

EPIC is a partnership between the university and industry that brings together students, faculty, researchers and companies to study and evaluate new energy technologies that can lead to a sustainable energy future. As a collaborative, multidisciplinary program, EPIC is uniting the academic and research expertise of the university with the wealth of energy engineering talent in the Charlotte region. EPIC projects and research involve protecting the power grid from natural disasters, building more efficient and sustainable power plants, and finding productive uses for waste byproducts such as coal ash.

New building

The collaborative nature of EPIC got a huge boost in 2013, when participants began moving into a new $78 million building.

The largest academic building on the UNC Charlotte campus, it provides the classroom, office, industrial partner and laboratory space needed for its growth.

The building includes a high-bay structural testing lab with a three-story strong wall, a smart-grid lab with real-time digital-grid simulator and hardware-in-the-loop, several power systems labs and a large, state-of-the-art environmental lab.

EPIC undergraduate and graduate educational programs emphasize applying engineering skills to energy challenges. This includes the design, manufacturing, construction and operation of power generation, transmission and distribution systems; technical aspects of nuclear power; environmental impacts of power generation; and sustainable power production.

Emphasis on applied research

EPIC now has more than 100 associate faculty and staff members doing research in energy-related disciplines. Key research thrusts include modernizing the power grid; manufacturing issues associated with large power generation equipment; renewable energy generation, including...