Jan Kleissl

Jan Kleissl is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He serves as Director of the UCSD Center for Energy Research and co-Director of UCSD's Study Abroad program. His academic roles include leading research initiatives in solar energy, renewable resources, and urban energy efficiency. Kleissl holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University (2004), an M.Sc. and B.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Stuttgart, Germany.

Research Focus: Kleissl’s work spans solar resource assessment, forecasting, and grid integration, with emphasis on mitigating urban heat island effects and improving energy efficiency. His lab develops innovative methods using sky imagers, numerical weather prediction models, and sensor networks. Key projects include solar variability modeling, microgrid design, and electric vehicle smart charging. His research has supported $154M in solar PV projects and informed California’s solar resource policies.

Labs & Teams: Leads the Kleissl Solar Resource Assessment and Forecasting Lab, focusing on advancing solar forecasting technologies and their grid applications. Collaborates with national labs (NREL, Sandia) and industry partners on applied energy solutions.

Grants & Collaborations: Funded by NSF, California Energy Commission, and DOE. Projects include optimizing PV inverter control, evaluating battery storage systems, and modeling climate impacts on energy systems.

Teaching: Instructs courses on environmental engineering, renewable energy systems, and building energy efficiency (e.g., MAE126A, MAE255). Supervises ~15 PhD students and postdocs in energy-related research.