What engineering program is good for sustainable energy development?

[Dakkers]

To be honest, I have a few questions.

1) I want to design more efficient technology involving sustainable energy. What engineering program should I try to get into? (I'm going to the University of Waterloo for physics in September but plan to switch ... maybe.)

I know environmental engineering would be a good choice but at UW it seems like it's based more on water treatment, air treatment and waste management. I'm more concerned about actually designing better solar panels, or things like that.

2) People tell me the technology is already there, we just don't use it, so: should I bother considering this sort of engineering? I want to design more efficient solutions.

3) What other career opportunities are in this field? (Environmental engineering / whatever engineering this would be considered.)

I appreciate any input :D

 

[gdbb]

I'm interested in doing the same thing, and I'm in a Mechanical Engineering program. Although, I'm more interested in designing (more?) efficient turbines, so that's why I've decided to pursue a degree in ME. I honestly can't think of a type of engineering that would deal with solar cells -- maybe electrical/electronics engineering?

And I don't think environmental engineering is what you want to do at all -- that's mostly dealing with water/air treatment. I did an internship at a public works department for an environmental engineer, and everything I did revolved around stormwater treatment. Talk about boring! But the guy was super dull, so that might have made my experience a tad worse.

 

[Dakkers]

I was probably misled, simply because at UBC, they have a program (a MSc, not undergrad sadly) that is Environmental Engineering but focusing on clean energy.

 

[elg0rillo]

I would think that environmental engineering jobs would cover multiple types of disciplines. For example, building solar panels would involve electrical engineering aspects along with materials engineering. ME would be covered with projects such as wind turbines. I'm sure there would be also be jobs for civil engineering as well.

The key would be actually finding jobs in the area of sustainable energy. There's no specific degree that would give you a door into such a job. There would be many fields because sustainable energy is such a broad topic. I would learn what engineering you want to learn.

 

[Thermalne]

I'd say Nuclear as well... but I'm sure someone will argue against that.

 

[deadsupra]

To piggyback on this thread, guys what about materials' conductivity? Like making conductors and superconductors into power line cables or such.

 

[Chunkysalsa]

It depends on what area you wish to focus on. This a very multi-discipline field.

Solar panels are mostly electrical and material science engineers.

As a whole, mechanical engineers are the most versatile so if you don't have specific plans I would think about doing M.E.

In my eyes there's no such thing as technology that's already here. New methods and techniques are always being developed. We don't use the technology because its inefficient and expensive, that's why research is being done to increase efficiency and lower costs.

 

[Dakkers]

Thanks everybody. I found out the engineering programs at my university are $10000 compared to my physics tuition at $5200, so I think I'm going to just do physics for my undergrad, see what I like and go from there.

The only problem: you can't take many engineering electives, if at all, which is ... kinda dumb. Ah well.

 

[MECHster]

Thanks everybody. I found out the engineering programs at my university are $10000 compared to my physics tuition at $5200, so I think I'm going to just do physics for my undergrad, see what I like and go from there.

Keep in mind that it is much more difficult to become a professional engineer in Canada (assuming your Canadian since you mentioned Waterloo) without an accredited engineering degree. If you're interested in sustainable energy development, almost any engineering program can get you the opportunity of working in that field. Mechanical engineering is considered one of the most "general" programs in which many environmental engineers come from. Many universities are opening up or already have environmental engineering, and Carleton University has a sustainable and renewable energy program (with 2 streams I believe).

 

[turbo]

For those in the US, the University of Maine at Orono has some pretty exciting projects in the works involving tidal power-generation, offshore wind, etc. Those can dovetail nicely into material sciences involving high-tech composites, laminates, etc.

 

[Borek]

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1146

- So, can humans live sustainably on Earth?
- It depends on who you ask... But no.

 

[Dakkers]

Keep in mind that it is much more difficult to become a professional engineer in Canada (assuming your Canadian since you mentioned Waterloo) without an accredited engineering degree. If you're interested in sustainable energy development, almost any engineering program can get you the opportunity of working in that field. Mechanical engineering is considered one of the most "general" programs in which many environmental engineers come from. Many universities are opening up or already have environmental engineering, and Carleton University has a sustainable and renewable energy program (with 2 streams I believe).

If I were to apply to an engineering program, it'd be a program at UBC called "Clean Energy Engineering" (I should say it's a master's, and if I have a degree in physics, I can be admitted to it). lucky me :D

 

[Dakkers]

also, since I'm doing my undergrad in physics, what electives should I take in order to get ... a better understanding (for the lack of a better term) of engineering? UWaterloo doesn't actually let people outside the engineering faculty take engineering courses as electives, so.

 

[denks]

Dealing with the original question, don't know what it's like over there but here in Aus we have degrees such as "Renewable Energy Engineering". One of my workmates ise in his final year, he found that because it is such a broad area the focus was on learning a bit about everything, kind of setting them up for more of a project manager or managerial or policy advisor type position where a good technical understanding of all the fundamentals will come in very handy while leaving the specifics to the others. Photovoltaics, efficient power distribution and efficient electrical machines tends to be the domain of elec engineers, efficient engines and turbines the domain of mech engineers. Again no idea what happens over there but over here environmental engineering tends to be more closely aligned with the civil engineers than ee or mech and concentrates more on areas such as environmental impact than on producing sustainable energy. Physics and materials science disciplines have areas such as energy absorbing materials for better insulation or high strength lightweight materials for more efficent vehicles. Even chemistry can concentrate on things like better batteries or more efficient fuels.

 

[amezcua]

The word efficient crops up here a lot. Is an accelerating car more efficient if it accelerates faster to 60 mph or is it more efficient because it uses less fuel as it accelerates? The acceleration part of a trip is where most waste comes into the picture. Can we use those precious seconds at the end of a trip to drink another cup of tea? Why do we need those extra seconds in our life to be spent one way rather than another? Is emotional immaturity more important than saving energy ? Is every motorway in reality a racetrack? Could you get the same buzz in a special fairground ride? Are we all deluding ourselves ?

 

[denks]

My understanding of the word efficient in this context would relate to ratio of energy input to energy output of a motor. So an electric motor that takes 100J of electrical energy and converts it to 80J of mechanical energy would be more efficient than one that converts it to 70J of mechanical energy. How quickly the car accelerates would be independent of the efficiency of the engine.

 

[QuantumCandy]

The program at Columbia U's SIPA might be worth checking out as a resource- it is in the school of International & Public Affairs, so it's a rather different angle, but the website and related literature might provide another prospective for you.

 

[amezcua]

So if one driver presses the pedal to the floor and another starts gently the efficiency is the same? How do we describe the hard starter ? Is there an engineering solution to the wasteful type of driver. Both engines can be equally efficient but the hard driver will run out of fuel first. Is economy related to efficiency in a useful way ? Most driving over 60 mph in a car wastes energy fighting air resistance. If you ride a motorcycle without a screen you realize how much extra force is being used.

 

[saikiranx]

kindly advise me which is the best undergrad major in engineering for sustainable development as a whole including clean energy esp. fuel cells, smart grid, transportation systems, manufacturing etc. my dream is to be a technology entrepreneur in these areas. i am very good in physics and chemistry..i am considering chemical engineering and EECS...i am equally interested in both but i want to keep my options really broad. please help me

 

[amezcua]

Is there a University body that can answer your question? Engineering is a very adaptable carreer where you can move into different areas of interest fairly smoothly.Check out how that side of engineering works. It will all be described on the net.

 

[streeters]

MATERIALS ENGINEERING is what you're looking for.

We routinely look at photovoltaics, wind power, superconductivity, fuel cells...

FYI: the only long term solution to environmental energy will be solar.
Check out the first few minutes of this video:
http://cneec.stanford.edu/tutorials/photovoltaics_06142011.html

big problem with wind power is the rare Earth's needed for the magnets are mined in China, which has an embargo on them. Mostly because they want them for China's energy security.

 

[saikiranx]

thank you very much streeters! what about chemical engineering? Berkeley offers a double major in chemE and materialsE. will a double majorme more suitable for my career options?

 

[streeters]

will a double majorme more suitable for my career options?

I honestly don't know. There is a lot of cross over, and chem engineer students I know look at different aspects of fuel cells than we do (they go deep into electrochemistry whereas we look at ceramic electrolytes and such). A pretty natural marriage.