
Jennifer Kurtz
Center Director I-Technical
Jennifer.Kurtz@nrel.gov
303-275-4061
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2927-7877
Dr. Jennifer Kurtz leads NREL’s Energy Conversion and Storage Systems Center, which spans innovative, interdisciplinary, and integrated research and development for technology advancements in electrochemical, molecular, thermal, and mechanical systems. The center’s research focus is clean, high-performance, cost-effective, safe, diverse, and integrated solutions that improve energy system flexibility and balance to maximize renewable energy generation, storage, and conversion with advanced controls and optimization. Kurtz is part of the leadership team for NREL’s ARIES: Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems. Previously, she managed the hydrogen and fuel cell systems engineering group in NREL’s Center for Integrated Mobility Sciences, and was a principle research engineer for the National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center. Prior to joining NREL in 2007, Kurtz worked at UTC Power, primarily in fuel cell system design.
Research Interests
Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems
Systems integration
Fuel cell system design
Electric vehicle grid integration
Transportation and mobility research
Education
Ph.D., Systems Engineering, Colorado State University
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
B.A., Physics, Wartburg College
Professional Experience
National Renewable Energy Laboratory:
Director, Energy Conversion and Storage Systems Center (2020–Present)
Manager and Principle Investigator, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Systems Engineering Group, Center for Integrated Mobility Sciences (2012–2020)
Senior Engineer, Hydrogen Technologies and Systems Center (2007–2012)
UTC Power, Mechanical Integrator, Staff Engineer, Design and Component Senior Engineer, Mechanical Design Engineer (2001–2007)
Featured Work
Optimal Design of Solar-Driven Electrolytic Hydrogen Production Systems Within Electricity Markets, Journal of Power Sources (2021)
Predicting Demand for Hydrogen Station Fueling, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (2020)
Retail Hydrogen Station Reliability Status and Advances, Reliability Engineering & System Safety (2020)
Fuel Cell Backup Power System for Grid Service and Microgrid in Telecommunication Applications, Journal of Energy Resources Technology (2019)
Review of Transportation Hydrogen Infrastructure Performance and Reliability, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (2019)
On-Road Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Evaluation, NREL Technical Report (2019)
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Durability and Fuel Cell Performance, NREL Technical Report (2019)
Renewable Hydrogen – Economically Viable: Integration into the U.S. Transportation Sector, IEEE Electrification Magazine (2018)
Fuel Cell Backup Power Unit Configuration and Electricity Market Participation: A Feasibility Study, NREL Technical Report (2017)
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Evaluation, NREL Presentation (2016)
Backup Power Cost of Ownership Analysis and Incumbent Technology Comparison, NREL Technical Report (2014)
National Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Learning Demonstration Final Report, NREL Technical Report (2012)
View all NREL publications for Jennifer Kurtz.
Patents
Fuel and Air Flow Control in a Multi-Stack Fuel Cell Power Plant, U.S. Patent No. 7,108,929
Combined Accumulator and Demineralizer Functionality for a Fuel Cell, U.S. Patent No. 8,084,161
Awards and Honors
U.S. Department of Energy Merit Award (2014)
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