Energy Engineering
Energy Engineers are creative problem solvers who find innovative, sustainable solutions to supply the world with energy. The energy industry is facing increased demand for environmentally-conscious, low-carbon energy sources that focus on the efficient use of energy systems, as well as energy security and reliability. Our new, multidisciplinary Energy Engineering program will meet the growing needs of the energy industry and prepare students with knowledge of the broad field of energy and the hands-on experience needed to become successful leaders.
In this program, students learn the different aspects of energy systems, including hydrogen energy, nuclear, renewables, energy storage, and sustainable development and will integrate mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, nuclear engineering, renewable energy engineering, etcetera.
The program will contribute significantly to provincial, national and global objectives of transitioning to low-carbon economies and striving for ‘net-zero’ emissions and graduates will be qualified to work across the energy sector and support the energy transition in Ontario, Canada, and globally.
Students have access to new, modern buildings, libraries and innovative labs, including:
- Energy Systems and Nuclear Science Research Centre (ERC)
- Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Engineering Building
- Software and Informatics Research Center (SIRC)
- Jeffery Boyce Engineering Innovation and Design Studio
- ACE Facilities
- Extensive community field trips are also organized to power plants (including wind, solar and geothermal) and community-based energy systems
Takes a holistic and integrated approach to energy
Provides graduates with the tools needed to help transition the world from fossil-fuel dependent energy to the clean, net-zero-carbon energy committed to by 2050
Campus and community access to the most comprehensive collection of energy facilities in Canada: largest geothermal and smart grid facilities; combined heat and power plant on campus; waste from energy facility in the community; wind and solar facilities
After graduating you can...
- Consult for energy and utility companies
- Develop new businesses as an entrepreneur
- Manage energy and utilities
- Develop policy, strategy, and planning for energy companies
- Specialize in energy for financial and banking sectors
- Research, innovation, and technology development
...and many more!
Sample Courses:
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Energy and Environmental Impacts
Topics covered include: Environmental impacts of energy systems, such as power generation, industrial processes and transportation. Air, soil and water pollution. Pollutants from power production and engines and their effects on the environment, generation mechanisms of chemical pollutants, photochemical pollutants and smog, fluid mechanics of jets, plumes, thermals and turbulent diffusion in the atmosphere. Design for environment methods, including pollution prevention techniques, life cycle assessment, pollution abatement devices and control methods, including exhaust gas treatment, absorption, filtration, scrubbers. Industrial ecology. Environmental legislations. Design of sustainable energy systems. Case Studies.
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Hydrogen and Fuel Cells
Topics include: Hydrogen production, storage, distribution and utilization methods. Hydrogen energy systems and applications. Principles and current state of fuel cell technologies; fuel cell thermodynamics; transport processes; electrochemistry; reliability and efficiency; fuel cell systems and areas of applications; design of various fuel cell types, including Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells, Alkaline Fuel Cells, Proton Exchange Membrane, Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells, Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Direct Methanol Fuel Cells.
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Solar Energy
Topics include: Solar radiation measurements and predictions. Radiative heat transfer aspects. Classification of solar energy options. Solar thermal applications, including heating, cooling, air conditioning, electricity and fresh water production. Solar collectors and absorbing materials and their spectral characteristics. Concentrated solar panels. Solar electrical applications. Basics, materials and operational details on photovoltaics/solar cells. Solar energy conversion systems for various applications. Energy storage systems, including latent (phase change materials, molten salts) and sensible (hot water, compressed air, rock bed, etc.) options. Integrated solar energy systems for more useful outputs. Solar fuels. Thermodynamic analysis and performance assessments through energy and exergy approaches.
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Wind and Hydro Energy
Topics include: Turbomachinery fundamentals and analysis, including: angular momentum, pumps, fans, blowers, hydraulic turbines, propellers, and wind turbines. Wind characteristics, location, and wind farm design considerations. Aerodynamics of wind turbines and blade shape. Analysis of horizontal and vertical axis wind turbines. Wind turbine materials, components, and design. Design of dams and reservoirs, and use of rivers and tidal flows. Storage systems including pumped storage. Electrical aspects of wind and hydro energy generation systems. Integration, applications, and environmental impact of wind and hydro energy systems. Implementation of course principles in a design and construction project.
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Integrated Energy Systems
This course provides students with basic, conceptual and applied engineering design methods and practices of energy system integration and multigeneration. These are applied to various fossil fuels-, nuclear- and renewable-based conventional and new systems for productions of multi commodities, such as power, hot water heating, cooling, hydrogen, fresh water, etc. Energy storage options are studied and integrated with energy generation systems. Various case studies of integrated energy systems are developed for sustainability community applications. Assessment studies for performance, environmental impact and sustainability are undertaken for comparative assessment. Scaling-up issues are also discussed. Sectoral implementation and planning studies for such systems are evaluated. Potential improvements and optimizations are studied through various methodologies, design and simulations tools.
