Charting a Journey in Clean Energy: A Conversation with Aleisha Reese Cerny
It makes me happy to know that everyday, I am one step closer to reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change. That may not only make a positive impact on the environment, but may improve the quality of people’s lives.
Clean energy is a rapidly advancing industry, innovating sustainable solutions to meet the global energy demand while protecting the planet.
Aleisha is a recent University of Toronto (UofT) graduate in Masters of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering. She co-founded a fuel cell technology startup through the UofT Hatchery, to develop new solutions for the clean energy and sustainability space.
Fuel cells work like batteries, but instead of recharging the device, it runs on fuel, such as hydrogen. So hydrogen is inputted on one side, and oxygen from air is inputted on the other side. It undergoes an electrochemical reaction where electricity, heat and water are the only byproducts produced. So it’s an environmentally friendly device that can be used for generating electricity, energy storage and transportation applications.
Can you tell us about your background and what initially inspired you to pursue a career in clean energy and sustainability?
With an avid interest in science, math, and climate change in high school, Aleisha chose to pursue her undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Materials Engineering. She was drawn to Vancouver for its “green” reputation and love for nature.
The idea of studying the atomic structure and properties of materials and applying that to recycling processing really excited me. I also thought I could learn about the materials involved in renewable energy devices such as solar panels or windmills and pursue a career in that realm.
Her first exposure to fuel cell technology occurred during her third year co-op position at a solar research institute in Freiburg, Germany.
So at my co-op, I worked on material improvements [carbon/polymer composite materials] for certain components in a hydrogen PEMFC [polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell: low temperature fuel cells] aimed at reducing cost and increasing overall cell performance. This experience exposed me to research and real-life problem solving. It was also one of the first times where my degree made the most sense to me, and I could connect concepts from class into a real-world application. It made me appreciate my classes and education so much more. I ended up returning to Germany the next year to continue this work and soon after completed my bachelor’s degree.
This experience led Aleisha to consider research as her most promising avenue for making a difference regarding climate change. Following her Materials Engineering undergraduate degree at UBC, she completed her Masters of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering at the UofT, supervised by Professor Hani Naguib of the Smart Materials Lab.
Here, I took Prof. Kesler’s class, who is the director of the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Lab (these are high temperature fuel cells). The class was on fuel cells and electrochemistry. Learning from her, a scientist who has dedicated her career to climate change and air pollution prevention since the 90s was very inspiring. Prof. Kesler eventually helped me test and characterize my fuel cell components for my thesis research. I have endless admiration and respect for her research, career, and who she is as an individual. We had many conversations about life after graduation and what that would look like for me. I still really wanted to work in fuel cell research, but also wanted a taste of what industry was like, but it had to be for an engineering company that aligned with my morals and that wanted to do good for the planet and people. Which is difficult to come by.
Through these conversations with Professor Kesler and two other graduate students, Aleisha’s most exciting project in the clean energy and fuel cell technology space was started.
Could you describe some of the most exciting projects or research you’ve been involved in within the field of clean energy?
Along with Professor Kesler and two graduate students, Aleisha co-founded a startup focused on advancing the commercial use of fuel cell technology.
We discovered a huge gap in the market for clean energy devices that could replace diesel engines in heavy-duty and long-haul trucks. In May 2023, we joined the Nest Program at UofT’s incubator called the Hatchery Entrepreneurship, where they helped us flesh out our business idea and key market. We’re now in the “Go-to-Market” stage where we are working towards non-dilutive funding that will enable us to work full time on our start-up and grow our business.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) are not a new invention, but the advancements we are making could make them new in many applications. Because of their material components, they are traditionally very heavy and bulky, and take a long time to warm up. For these reasons they are typically only used for stationary power applications. Companies like Google, Adobe, and Yahoo use these large devices onsite to power their campuses. Their fabrication process is also very costly because of the time and labour involved.
Aleisha’s startup is making strides in enabling the transportation industry to adopt fuel cell technology through integrating their technology with existing infrastructure. They are making a compact and reduced cost SOFC that is able to directly use natural gas as a fuel along with hydrogen. Current SOFCs can only use natural gas as a fuel if additional systems are used to process the gas beforehand; however the start-up’s invention eliminates the need for those systems. This improvement is critical to the advancement of fuel cell technology applications as natural gas is widely available in Canada and the U.S. Until hydrogen is more accessible and affordable, this technology can still reduce carbon emissions by 50% with the use of natural gas as a fuel in the SOFC.
With their high efficiency, and a simpler and more compact system, we’re aiming to bring solid oxide fuel cells to heavy-duty and long-haul trucking. With the ban on the sale of diesel engines looming around the world, we needed alternatives yesterday. Canada is planning to stop the sale of diesel engines by 2035, with the US and Europe following suit. But currently, batteries and hydrogen PEMFCs won’t cut it for trucks on a long journey with a high payload. I think our research and specific advancements could be a gamechanger for the transportation industry.
What impact do you hope to make through your work in clean energy, both in terms of research advancements and solution development?
As seen in Aleisha’s work with her startup, she is making her mark with building solutions that support the sustainable transition to clean energy in the technology sector.
With the company, I aspire to develop solutions for transportation that not only mitigate the environmental impact of traditional fossil fuels but also provide practical and scalable alternatives. I believe that the future of energy will be a mix of many different technologies, but we need the options available now to be accessible and affordable, fostering a widespread adoption of sustainable practices.
Ultimately, the impact I aim to make goes beyond the scientific realm. I want my work to contribute to a global shift toward cleaner, more ethical energy, positively influencing the way societies operate and interact socially, politically and with their environment. Whether it’s reducing carbon footprints, enhancing energy accessibility, ethically sourcing your energy, or fostering a mindset of sustainability, I hope that my efforts will play a role in shaping a more equal, balanced and resilient world for current and future generations.
What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your career in clean energy?
The most rewarding aspect of deciding to pursue a career in clean energy, is that it makes me happy. It makes me happy to know that everyday, I am one step closer to reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change, that may not only make a positive impact on the environment, but may improve the quality of people’s lives. Fossil fuels and diesel fuel not only emit greenhouse gasses but also harmful matter like NOx that causes respiratory illnesses. So producing technology that can potentially eliminate that is extremely rewarding.
There is also something very comforting about being part of this global shift, where clean energy initiatives are part of an international effort. I feel a sense of shared purpose amongst the many organizations aiming to tackle this complex and challenging issue.
What advice would you give to folks who are just starting to consider a career in sustainability or STEM in general?
A career in sustainability can look very different. I think taking advantage of clubs, extra curriculars, internships, research opportunities, talking to experts, like your professors, can all help to discover your interests. I think the hard part is staying motivated in this field, as sometimes it can feel hopeless and bleak, especially for younger generations, it’s easy to get into the “doomer” mindset. But having many different outlets, whether it is the STEM side of things, or the social change part of it, can definitely help you to stay motivated and not give up.
My biggest piece of advice is to stay open to new opportunities and to take the time to explore various aspects of sustainability — a career in sustainability looks different across the board but each aspect of it is important. My love and work for the environment actually started through grassroots activism and joining environmental clubs in Vancouver and Australia when I went on exchange. This work was incredibly rewarding and where I saw immediate returns, for example in both places, we worked hard on divestment and getting the universities to stop funding and profiting from fossil fuel companies, and in both cases we won! The money these institutions had could now help fund new clean energy start-ups and initiatives, which is exciting and a big step for global clean energy efforts. It was years of work and protests, but it made a difference, not only in Australia but of course will have rippling effects around the world, and motivate other institutions to take action.
I think it’s also okay to feel a bit lost, especially during university. I think in high school, we dream big, and as we get older it seems harder to achieve the things you want. The job search feels bleak, you question your abilities and skills and feel desperate so you may just take any job or settle, even if it may not follow your ethics or social values. […] Although, we’re just starting this company, and we won’t be making money for a while, I know this is the right path for me and the field I’ve always wanted to work in despite the opportunity feeling like it appeared out of thin air.
Aleisha’s journey is a testament to the power of seizing new opportunities, exploring new pathways, and believing in your passions can lead to tremendous results and experiences.
I think it’s important to continue to dream big, stick to your morals and have an open mind. As cliché as it sounds, the right path will find you.
