The Institute of Transportation Studies Berkeley welcomed visiting delegations from Baja California (Mexico) State Energy Commission, Alianza MX, and the California Energy Commission on Tuesday, August 20, 2024.
After an overview of ITS Berkeley, Alianza MX Strategic Research Initiatives Coordinator Jail Ixel Garcia, Research Engagement Coordinator Anaid Linares Rojas and Berkeley based student assistant Natalie Martinez gave an overview of Alianza MX, a system-wide initiative of the University of California that supports engagement with Mexico by members of the UC community across all 10 campuses. They provide funding and logistical support for research collaboration, academic mobility, and other engagement activities through calls for proposals, hosting meetings and events, and facilitating dialogue on key issues in the bilateral cooperation agenda. The binational team is based at UC Riverside and Casa de la Universidad de California in Mexico City.
The Baja California delegation: Joaquín Gutiérrez Ley, General Director of the Baja California Energy Commission, Ivonne Rodríguez Jaik, Baja California Energy Commission Public Relations Coordinator, Daniel Gutiérrez Topete, President of the Baja California Energy Cluster, Jose Saúl de los Santos Gómez, Undersecretary of Economic Planning for State Government of Baja California, Alberto Valenzuela Ahumada, Strategic Projects Coordinator for Secretariat of Economy and Innovation, Héctor Alejandro Jaramillo Osuna, President of the National Chamber of the Transformation Industry for Tijuana, Paula Gutiérrez, Council of the Maquiladora and Export Manufacturing Industry - INDEX Mexicali, Mario Rubio Gómez, Secretariat of Economy and Innovation – Consultant, David Muñoz Andrade, CEO of Diurna Energy Inc., and Francisco Fuentes Aréstegui, President of the National Chamber of the Transformation Industry for Mexicali, presented information about the region, energy goals, partnerships and energy interests, including hydrogen and electric clean energy.
Andrew G Campbell, Executive Director of the Energy Institute at HAAS, University of California, Berkeley, talked about policy and electric vehicles.
Patrick Keyantuo, PhD Researcher in CEE Professor and PATH Faculty Director Scott Moura’s Energy, Controls, and Application Lab (eCAL) University of California, Berkeley talked about battery management, connected automated vehicles, electric power grid capacity, and electrification in disadvantaged communities for EV charging.
Tim Lipman, Co-Director of the Transportations Sustainability Research Center (TSRC), ITS Berkeley; Director of the Northern California Center for Alternative Transportation Fuels and Advanced Vehicle Technologies (NorthCAT), talked about zero emissions efforts, especially electrification and hydrogen use for heavy duty vehicle truck and bus fleets.