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Sustainable Energy Elective Specialization
The Sustainable Energy Elective Specialization focuses on contemporary energy technologies, innovations, and infrastructures designed to address current and future environmental and resource challenges.
Shaping global energy infrastructure is one of the most urgent engineering challenges of the 21st century. By 2058, the world’s population is projected to reach 10 billion, which will lead to significant environmental impacts unless new energy technologies are developed. Clean, affordable energy is crucial to prevent scarcity of essential resources like water, food, housing, and transportation. Rising carbon emissions from population and economic growth will further accelerate climate change. There is an urgent need for cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels, along with advancements in energy storage, management, and efficiency.
The Sustainable Energy Elective Specialization covers clean energy generation, energy storage, and energy efficiency. You’ll explore how engineering and advanced technologies can mitigate the impact of rising energy demands. Core courses focus on renewable energy resources, their distribution, and their economic and environmental impacts. You’ll also dive into energy efficiency and the challenges of energy storage. Since energy issues vary across industrialized, emerging, and developing nations, you’ll examine regional energy policies and sociopolitical challenges. You can even specialize in a region of your choice for a more focused study.
Course List
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Core Courses
- A Better Planet by Design
- Energy Sources and Conversion
- Energy System Economics and Optimization
- Introduction to Carbon Management
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Electives
- Advanced Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems
- Advanced Thermodynamics
- Air Pollution Prevention and Control
- Alternative Energy Resources
- Carbon Capture
- Catalysis for Emission Control
- CO2 Utilization and Conversion
- Earth and Environmental Engineering Research
- Earth and Environmental Engineering Thesis
- Electrochemical Energy Storage (offered alternate years)
- Engineering Applications of Electrochemistry
- Environmental Data Analysis and Modeling
- Foundations of Environmental Engineering
- Industrial Catalysis
- Physicochemical Processes
- Separation Science and Technology
- Solar Energy and Storage
- Solar Fuels
- Solar Thermal Engineering
- Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
Careers in Sustainable Energy
This elective specialization is designed for young engineers and active professionals who want to work in large and international energy development markets. Your skills and knowledge will enable you to play a vital role in designing and implementing clean energy technologies, improving energy efficiency, and deploying energy storage solutions.
You could move into industries such as climate tech, renewable energy, power generation, and transportation, where you’ll focus on sustainable energy practices and compliance with environmental standards. You will also be well equipped to work for nonprofit organizations and international agencies tackling global challenges in energy access and climate change. As a sustainable energy engineer, you will be able to drive the transition to cleaner energy systems and address the pressing environmental issues worldwide.
Related Elective Specializations & Programs
Sustainable Mining and Materials Elective Specialization
Learn how to develop and implement the technologies needed to sustainably use and transform the Earth’s resources.
Water Resources and Climate Risks Elective Specialization
Develop the skills to tackle the global water challenges of a climate change-driven future.