Renewable and Clean Energy Graduate Education AT Wright

StateProfessor Jim Menart

Director of Renewable and Clean Energy ProgramWright State University

Dayton, Ohio

Wright State Solar CollectorsWright State Solar Tower

UCEAO 6th Annual Conference

Columbus, OhioApril 2 -3, 2012

Wright State’sRenewable and Clean Energy Program

•This is an engineering Master’s Degree.

•Philosophy is to take students from many types of engineering and scientific undergraduate programs and provide them with expertise in renewable and clean energy.

Wright State’sRenewable and Clean Energy Program

•Looking for students with degrees in

− Any type of engineering.− Sciences such as physics, chemistry, computer

science, and mathematics.

•Want to focus these students from varied engineering and science orientated disciplines on renewable and clean energy.

− There are many skills that are required and that will be required in this field.

− Wright State wants to be one of the suppliers of skilled engineers in this field.

Reasons for the Program

•Economics

•Environment

•Security

Collaborative Nature of Program• Wright State University

– Degree granting institution

• University of Dayton– Degree granting institution

• Air Force Institute of Technology– Provides courses

• Central State– Provides courses

• SOCHE and DAGSI– Mechanism for collaboration

Age of Program

•Program was signed into being by the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents on November 24, 2008.

•Had first students in January, 2009

− Program is now over 3 years old

Enrollments

•Active student enrollment

− 4 students in Winter Quarter 2009

− 11 students in Fall Quarter 2009

− 26 students in Fall Quarter 2010

− 23 students in Fall Quarter 2012

Graduates•Graduates

− 10 graduates of the program

•Places of Employment

− Energy Systems Group

− The Habegger Corporation

− Tri Tech

− Department of Veteran’s Affairs

− Third Millennium Metals

− Dayton Superior

− Ph. D. programs (3 students)

Program Curriculum Overview• Core courses – 2 required• Renewable and Clean Energy Courses – 3 required• Math – 1 required• Electives – 2 or 3 required• Thesis – 12 credits required• Non-thesis option available

– Do additional course work to replace thesis credits– Project required

• Must take at least one course at WSU, UD, and AFIT

RENEWABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY COURSES

Renewable Energy

WSU/ ME623 – Energy Conversion

WSU/ ME624 – Solar Engineering

WSU/ME626 – Wind Power

WSU/ ME750 – Photovoltaics

WSU/ME752– Hydrogen Energy

UD/MEE573 – Renewable Energy Systems

UD/MEE/CME590 – Biomass and Biofuels

UD/MEE590 – Geothermal Energy

UD/MEE 590 – Wind Energy Engineering

CSU/ME699 – Hydropower

Clean Energy

WSU/ ME627 – Electrochemical Energy Systems

WSU/ ME628 – Fuel Cell Science and Technology

UD/MEE/CME524 – Fuel Cell Fundamentals and Technology

UD/MEE/MAT 507 – Energy Materials

AFIT/NENG620 – Nuclear Reactor Theory and Engineering

CSU/ME699 – Environmental Advances in Coal Based Power Plants

Energy Efficiency

WSU/ ME642 – Vehicle Engineering

UD/MEE569 – Energy Efficient Buildings

UD/MEE571 – Design of Thermal Systems

UD/MEE 572 – Design for Environment

UD/MEE 578 – Energy Efficient Manufacturing

UD/MEE 590 – Energy Information Management

22 Renewable and Clean Energy Courses

Thesis and Non-Thesis Option• Thesis option

– Must perform major research on a renewable and clean energy topic.

– Would like to gain national recognition in renewable and clean energy research.

• Non-thesis option– Perform a 4 credit project.– Must take additional course work.

Energy Research at Wright State

• Fuel Cells• Batteries• Hydrogen• Wind Turbine Modeling• Solar Energy• Geothermal Energy• System Analysis

What Wright State has Done in the Renewable and Clean Energy Field?

• Developed the first Renewable and Clean Energy Master’s Degree program in the State of Ohio.– One of a few in the country

• Performs research on a number of renewable and clean energy technologies.

Other Energy Programs

• Many programs in energy and sustainability programs• Engineering Degrees

1. Wright State University

2. University of Dayton

3. University of Toledo (Photovoltaics)

4. Oregon Institute of Technology (B.S. working on M.S.)

5. Lehigh University (Energy and the Environment)

6. Wayne State University (Alternative Energy)

7. University of Michigan (Energy Systems Engineering)

8. University of Illinois at Chicago (Energy Engineering)

9. Arizona State University (Solar Engineering)

10. University of Massachusetts Lowell (Energy Engineering)

11. Santa Clara University (Sustainability Engineering)

12. Northeastern University in Boston

Other Energy Programs Continued13. University of Dundee in Scotland

14. The School for Renewable Energy Science in Iceland

15. University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom

16. European Renewable Energy Research Centres in France, UK, Germany, Greece, and Spain

17. The University of Jyväskyä in Finland

18. The University of Ulster in Northern Ireland

19. Aalborg University in Denmark

20. Murdoch University in Perth in Australia

21. KTH in Sweden

22. China-EU Institute for Clean and Renewable Energy, ICARE.

What Wright State Would Like to Do?

• Have a nationally recognized educational program in Renewable and Clean Energy

• Help the region and country grow its Renewable and Clean Energy industry

• Supply the Renewable Energy Engineers of the Future