As the effects of climate change become more visible, governments and industries are increasingly ramping up efforts to mitigate and adapt to rising temperatures. Today, there are greater demands than ever before for clean energy sources such as nuclear, wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower and biomass energies.
In this global shift to a more sustainable future, engineers with Sustainable Energy know-how stand out – like those emerging from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.
Founded in 1942, the Canadian university is today a leader in Sustainable Energy education. Its Bachelor of Engineering in Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering trains students to practically design, build, operate, and enhance sustainable energy systems that are both economically viable and environmentally responsible. These sought-after analytical and hands-on skills will put you at an advantage wherever your professional journey takes you, whether in an engineering company or higher education.
The programme has two streams: the first is related to electricity transmission and distribution, where you will focus on the electrical engineering side of energy systems. The energy generation and conversion stream, on the other hand, focuses on designing and constructing energy systems, both centralized and decentralized. Both streams teach students how energy systems and markets operate. Depending on which stream you take, you will complete courses that explore electrical or mechanical engineering fundamentals for the first two years. In the last two years, you will pursue more advanced courses and learn about related topics like energy systems, different kinds of sustainable energy sources, and the structure of the electricity grid.
The Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering programme is divided into two streams – one focusing on electrical engineering and the other on mechanical engineering. Source: Carleton University
Although your classes explain the theory behind sustainable energy concepts, it is the extensive hands-on work that makes this BEng programme unique. Here, students spend at least as much time, if not more, in laboratories as in lectures, building novel solar energy systems, physically optimising wind farms, and investigating the performance of short-, medium-, and long-duration energy storage. Lab work is required in both streams and in all courses – ensuring you gain practical expertise in various topics.
Take the key courses, SREE 4001: Efficient Energy Conversion and SREE 4002: Modelling and Analysis of Energy Systems: Risk, Reliability & Economics, for example. These courses include design or research projects where you apply your theoretical knowledge to real-world applications. The former lets you perform laboratory experiments to learn about concepts such as wind farm array design and the impact of turbine spacing, while the latter introduces various risk analysis and decision-making methods for energy systems using case studies of recent, real-world engineering challenges.
To take your practical skills to the next level, you may participate in the co-op programme, where you will work for four months during the summer, followed by a 16-month term after the third year. This programme allows you to obtain work experience before graduation, develop professional skills, and gain industry contacts while you are there. Participation in the capstone project can also give you hands-on experience. With projects related to the design of sustainable energy systems, sustainable buildings, low-carbon electricity systems, and next-generation aircraft, you will have the opportunity to develop your professional skills as you write technical reports and present your work to existing industry partners for review.
Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada is surrounded by energy-related government agencies. Source: Carleton University
Faculty research projects are another way to apply what you learn. At the start of every fall, winter, and summer, available research positions in established research groups are posted. You can either apply to join projects through these postings or via undergraduate research awards funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) or the Internship-Carleton University Research Experience for Undergraduate Students (I-CUREUS) programme.
“The students are treated like all other postgraduate researchers: they meet with their supervisors regularly; they develop research questions, timelines, and products; and they present their work at national and international conferences or publish peer-reviewed articles,” says Ahmed Abdulla, an Associate Professor
These experiences are a great way for you to assess your interest and aptitude for joining postgraduate programmes. Many BEng graduates go on to successful academic careers, while others thrive in industry. From having founded companies leveraging artificial intelligence to improve the performance of variable renewable energy sources and developing plant components for next-generation nuclear fission reactor designs, they have made a significant mark in the industry, holding top positions in organisations and agencies.
Some of these energy-related government agencies are located in the city, giving Carleton’s BEng graduates another edge: easier access to roles related to not just one, but various aspects of the energy sector, such as power generation, sustainable building development, and electricity distribution.
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