Michael Reese

Mr. Reese has been the Renewable Energy Director at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center, Morris since 2001. He has overseen the development of the renewable-energy program at Morris and has participated as Principle Investigator or Project Manager on more than $18 million of research and demonstration projects including wind energy, biomass gasification, renewable hydrogen and ammonia, and solar-energy systems. Reese is leading the renewable-energy program’s new strategy to reduce fossil-energy consumption in agricultural production systems through incorporating renewable and efficient energy technologies. He has addressed numerous national and regional conferences on the topic of renewable energy. Reese assumed the role as Director of Operations August 2022. 

View current and past projects on the Renewable Energy project page.

Select Publications

• Tallaksen, J., Johnston, L., Sharpe, K., Reese, M., Buchanan, E.  2019.  Reducing life cycle fossil energy and greenhouse gas emissions for Midwest swine production systems.  Journal of Cleaner Production 246 (2020) 118998.  DOI: 10.106/j.cjclepro.2019.118998
• Ohja, D., Kale, M., McCormick, A.V., Reese, M., Malmali, M., Dauenhauer, P., Cussler, E.L.  2019.  Integrated Ammonia Synthesis and Separation.  ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2019, 7, 18785-18792.  DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b03050.
• Palys, M. J., Kuznetsov, A., Tallaksen, J., Reese, M., Daoutidis, P.  A novel system for ammonia- based sustainable energy and agriculture: Concept and design optimization, Chemical Engineering and Processing-Process Intensification 140 (2019) 11–21.
• Tallaksen, J. E., Reese, C., Reese, M.  2019.   Cropping system fuel use for a diversified farm in the midwestern United States. Applied Engineering in Agriculture.  Applied Engineering in Agriculture 35(4): 503-507.  DOI:10.13031/aea.13326
• Malmali, M.; Reese, M.; McCormick, A. V.; Cussler, E. L., Converting Wind Energy to Ammonia at Lower Pressure. ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2018, 6 (1), 827-834. DOI:10.1021/acssuschemeng.7b03159.
• Sharpe, K. T., Reese, M. H., Buchanan, E. S., Tallaksen, J. E., Janni, K. A., & Johnston, L. J.  2018.   Electrical and Thermal Energy Consumption in Midwest Commercial Swine Facilities.   Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 34(5), 857-864. 
• Sharpe K.T. , B. J. Heins, E. S. Buchanan, M. H. Reese, J. E. Tallaksen, and L. J. Johnston. 2018.  Thermal and electrical energy and water consumption in a Midwest dairy parlor. Presented at annual meeting of the American Dairy Science Association, Knoxville, Tennessee June 24-27 2018, abstract available in j. Dairy Sci. Vol. 101 Suppl. 2 p. 346.
• Cussler, E., McCormick, A., Reese, M., Malmali, M., (2017) Ammonia Synthesis at Low Pressure. J. Vis. Exp. (126), e55691. doi:10.3791/55691. 
• Johnson, J.M., Strock, J.S., Barbour, N.W., Tallaksen, J.E., Reese, M. (2017)  Stover harvest impacts soil and hydrologic properties on three Minnesota farms.  Soil Science Society of America Journal. 81:932-944.
• Malmali, M., Reese, M.; McCormick, A.; Cussler, E.; (2017) Converting Wind Energy to Ammonia at Lower Pressure, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.7b03159.
• Reese, M., Marquart, C., Malmali, M., Wagner, K., Buchanan, E., McCormick, A., and Cussler, E.L.  (2016) Performance of a Small-Scale Haber Process.  Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 55(13), pp 3742-3750.
• Johnson, J.M.F., Strock, J.S., Tallaksen, J.E, Reese, M.  (2016)  Corn Stover Harvest Changes Soil Hydrology and Soil Aggregation.  Journal of Soil and Tillage Research. 161C pp.106-115.
• Heins, B., Tallaksen, J., Reese, M., Buchanan, E.  (2016) Life Cycle Energy and Greenhouse Gas Comparison of Co-located Organic and Conventional Dairy Systems.  Journal of Animal Science 94 (supplement 5):571
• Tallaksen, J., Bauer, F., Hulteberg, C., Reese, M., and Ahlgren, S., (2015) Nitrogen fertilizers manufactured using wind power: greenhouse gas and energy balance of community-scale ammonia production. Journal of Cleaner Production, 107: 626-635 doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.05.130
• Tiffany, D.,  Reese, M., and Marquart, C. (2015) “Economic Evaluation of Deploying Small to Moderate Scale Ammonia Production Plants in Minnesota Using Wind and Grid-Based Electrical Energy Sources”, Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council Final Report, January 2015.

Academic Presentations

• Reese, M. "Our Energy Future" Dialogue Primer. Stevens County Energy Dialogue, Morris, MN. December 2017.
• Reese, M. Local Ammonia Production from Renewable Resources. University of Minnesota Business Advisory Council Meeting.  Minneapolis, MN.  November 2017.
• Tiffany, D., Reese, M., Marquart, C.  Economic Analysis of Ammonia Using Renewable Energy (poster). 2017 NH3 Fuel Conference.  Minneapolis, MN.
• Malmali, M., McCormick, A., Cussler, E., Prince, J., Reese, M. Lower Pressure Ammonia Synthesis. 2017 NH3 Fuel Conference.  Minneapolis, MN.
• Reese, M. Local Ammonia Production from Renewable Resources.  ARPA-E REFUEL Program Director, Siemens, and IHI Corporation Pilot Plat Tour.  Morris, MN.  November 2017.
• Reese, M. Renewable Energy Innovations for Farms.  Rural Energy Discussion hosted by MN Senator David Senjum.  Kasson, MN  November 2017.
• Reese, M. Greening Energy Consumed on Farms.  North Rhine Westphalia/Minnesota Climate Smart Cities German Delegation Tour.  Morris, MN.  October 2017.
• Reese, M. Greening Energy Consumed on Farms.  Minnesota Energy Storage Alliance Tour (PUC Commissioner John Tuma).  Morris, MN.  August 2017.
• Reese, M. University of Minnesota Wind to Ammonia PIiot Plant.  Opening Panel Presentation.  US Dept of Energy ARPA-E REFUEL Kickoff Conference.  Denver, CO.  August 2017.
• Reese, M. Greening Energy Consumed on Farms.  North Rhine Westphalia/Minnesota Climate Smart Cities MN Delegation Tour.  Munster University of Applied Sciences.  Steinfurt, Germany.  June 2017.
• Reese, M. Electric and Thermal Energy Strategies for Minnesota Swine Farms: Finance and Economics.  Midwest Farm Energy Conference.  Morris, MN.  June 2017.
• Reese, M. Electric and Thermal Energy Strategies for Minnesota Swine Farms: Finance and Economics.  Schwartz Farms.  Sleepy Eye, MN.  May 2017.
• Reese, M. Electric and Thermal Energy Strategies for Minnesota Swine Farms: Finance and Economics.  New Fashion Pork.  Jackson, MN.  May 2017.
• Reese, M. Using Wind Energy on Farms.  14th Annual Small Wind Conference.  Bloomington, MN.  April 2017.
• Reese, M. Electric and Thermal Energy Strategies for Minnesota Swine Farms: Finance and Economics (YouTube).  Minnesota Pork Congress.  Minneapolis, MN.  January 2017.
• Malmali, M., Wagner, K., Reese, M., Cussler, E., McCormick, A.; Understanding Design Project Ideas in Sustainability: Rethinking Ammonia Synthesis. 123^rd American Society of Engineering Education Conference. New Orleans, LA. June 2016.
• Malmali, M., Reese, M., Marquart, C., Buchanan, E., Wagner, K., McCormick, A., Cussler, E.; Small-Scale Distributed Ammonia Produced: Analysis of Pilot Plant Runs and Routes to Improve the Economics of Scale. 2016 Annual AIChE Meeting. San Francisco, CA. November 2016.
• Malmali, M., Reese, M., McCormick, A., Cussler, E; Small-Scale Low Pressure Ammonia Synthesis. 2016 NH3 Fuel Conference.  Los Angeles, CA. September 2016.
• Tallaksen, J., Heins, B., Reese, M.; Integrating Conservation Measures and Variable Renewable Energy Sources Into Dairy Life Cycle Energy Models.  LCA XVI: Annual Conference for the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment.  Charleston, SC. September 2016.
• Tallaksen, J., Bauer, F., Hulteberg, C., Reese, M., Ahlgren, S.; Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas and Energy Balance of Community-Scale Wind Powered Ammonia Production. 2014 NH3 Fuels Conference.  Des Moines, IA. September 2014.
• Tallaksen J.and Reese M.; Ammonia Production Using Wind Energy : An Early Calculation of Life Cycle Carbon Emissions and Fossil Energy Consumption. 2013 NH3 Fuel Conference. Sacramento, CA.  September 2013.