The LIGHT Lab (Cao Group) at Imperial

Our vision

The Laboratory for Integrated Green Harvesting & Transport, the LIGHT Lab (Cao Group), envisions a future in which artificial intelligence, industry and society can prosper within planetary boundaries. We develop the microscale engineering principles needed to control how energy and matter are transported, separated and transformed across scales, enabling macroscale solutions for a sustainable future.

Our research focuses on adaptive multi-carrier systems powered by complementary driving forces, particularly light, heat, and electricity. By matching the quality, timing and location of energy delivery to the thermodynamic and kinetic requirements of each process, we seek to minimise exergy losses and unlock efficient pathways for carbon management, transport decarbonisation, and sustainable AI infrastructure.