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Energies
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Recent Advances in Sustainable Energy Systems Education
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Recent Advances in Sustainable Energy Systems Education

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "F: Electrical Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2020) | Viewed by 16609

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Philip Jennings

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Discipline of Electrical Engineering, Energy and Physics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
Interests: surface physics, nanotechnology, photovoltaics, environmental radiation, climate change and renewable energy education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable energy supply systems are a rapidly developing industry, and there is substantial worldwide demand for appropriately trained professionals to research, design, install, and maintain systems that are based on renewable energy sources. Many educational providers have responded to this emerging market by offering courses at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing professional education levels that address this perceived need of industry and society. This Issue of Energies will review recent advances in curriculum design and training practices to prepare students to work in the sustainable energy industry. Papers that address the needs of the renewable energy industry, curriculum design for sustainable energy systems, or technologies and/or case studies of sustainable energy systems courses are welcome. A companion issue will address energy use education including energy management, solar architecture, and carbon accounting.

Prof. Dr. Philip Jennings
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Solar energy
  • Biomass energy
  • Wind energy
  • Sustainable energy
  • Renewable energy
  • Education
  • Training

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 512 KiB  
Communication
Energy Efficiency Education and Training: Australian Lessons on What Employers Want—Or Need
by Alan Pears
Energies 2020, 13(9), 2386; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13092386 - 10 May 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2732
Abstract
This paper explores current approaches and future directions for energy efficiency education and training in the tertiary sector. Energy efficiency is a significant element in many jobs across the economy, with potential for substantial growth. It crosses disciplinary boundaries, as the range of [...] Read more.
This paper explores current approaches and future directions for energy efficiency education and training in the tertiary sector. Energy efficiency is a significant element in many jobs across the economy, with potential for substantial growth. It crosses disciplinary boundaries, as the range of skills and knowledge required by practitioners is broad, reflecting the diversity and expanding range of work roles that require energy efficiency skills and knowledge. Limitations of education and training contribute to a situation where business and consumer decision-making often involves little or no consideration of energy, so outcomes are often sub-optimal. This increases costs, environmental and social impacts and undermines productivity improvement. As the significance of energy efficiency skills and knowledge in workplaces increases, more flexible and varied education and training models are needed to allow workers to upskill, gain new skills and integrate energy efficiency into business models. The paper discusses the barriers to adoption of more comprehensive energy efficiency content in programs and presents options for inclusion. The paper concludes that, in order to capture the potential of energy efficiency to contribute to a productive, sustainable economy, appropriate teaching resources and certification must be developed and introduced across most disciplines, while employers and recruitment consultants must be informed of the benefits, so they value energy efficiency skills and qualifications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Sustainable Energy Systems Education)
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21 pages, 3460 KiB  
Article
Adapt or Perish: A New Approach for Industry Needs-Driven Master’s Level Low-Carbon Energy Engineering Education in the UK
by Paul Rowley and Caroline Walker
Energies 2020, 13(9), 2246; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13092246 - 4 May 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2608
Abstract
This paper describes the results of recent research carried out with the UK energy sector to assess low-carbon related skills gaps and training requirements at the masters-level. Via iterative engagement across the industry, the characteristics of the market for new ‘needs-driven’ industry-focussed masters-level [...] Read more.
This paper describes the results of recent research carried out with the UK energy sector to assess low-carbon related skills gaps and training requirements at the masters-level. Via iterative engagement across the industry, the characteristics of the market for new ‘needs-driven’ industry-focussed masters-level training offerings were defined. The results, taken together with the outcomes of a gap analysis of existing masters-level training, support the creation of a new framework for masters-level energy education that will more effectively meet the growing unmet need for such skills in the UK and beyond. The outcomes of the research indicate that flexibility in both delivery mode and curriculum content across both technical and non-technical disciplines is essential, along with improved supplier agility to rapidly develop new courses in evolving engineering specialisations. Without responding effectively to such demands from industry, we conclude that the advanced skills needed across the highly dynamic UK and global energy engineering sector will be in increasingly short supply. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Sustainable Energy Systems Education)
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14 pages, 3239 KiB  
Article
Learning to Chill: The Role of Design Schools and Professional Training to Improve Urban Climate and Urban Metabolism
by Mohammad Taleghani, Azadeh Montazami and Daniela Perrotti
Energies 2020, 13(9), 2243; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13092243 - 3 May 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3192
Abstract
The increased frequency of heat-related mortality and morbidity in urban environments indicates the importance of urban climate studies. As most of the world’s population lives in cities, the education of designers, planners and policy makers is crucial to promote urban sustainability This paper, [...] Read more.
The increased frequency of heat-related mortality and morbidity in urban environments indicates the importance of urban climate studies. As most of the world’s population lives in cities, the education of designers, planners and policy makers is crucial to promote urban sustainability This paper, firstly, focuses on the different factors causing the urban heat islands in large cities. Secondly, it considers how these factors are reflected in higher education programmes. Examples are shown from courses in UK higher education, explaining the common software tools used for simulating urban spaces, and student field measurements are drawn on to illustrate how urban climate studies are included in higher education curricula. Urban metabolism is used to conceptualise the main approach to systemic resource-use assessments and as a holistic framework to investigate the main drivers of the urban heat island phenomenon. To sum up, this paper reflects on the importance of training climatically-aware graduates from design schools. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Sustainable Energy Systems Education)
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20 pages, 4480 KiB  
Article
The Relationship between the Use of Building Performance Simulation Tools by Recent Graduate Architects and the Deficiencies in Architectural Education
by Maria-Mar Fernandez-Antolin, José-Manuel del-Río, Fernando del Ama Gonzalo and Roberto-Alonso Gonzalez-Lezcano
Energies 2020, 13(5), 1134; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13051134 - 3 Mar 2020
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3767
Abstract
This paper examines the actual knowledge regarding Building Performance Simulation Tools (BPSTs) of recent graduate architects in Spain. BPSTs quantify aspects of building performance that are relevant to design, construction, and operation. Recent graduate architects are those who have been awarded a first [...] Read more.
This paper examines the actual knowledge regarding Building Performance Simulation Tools (BPSTs) of recent graduate architects in Spain. BPSTs quantify aspects of building performance that are relevant to design, construction, and operation. Recent graduate architects are those who have been awarded a first degree from a university or college and face their first professional experience. This article aims to identify the deficiencies within the current curricula of Spanish universities relating to BPSTs. The authors have surveyed 171 recent graduate architects, and the analysis of the data reveals the deficiencies in university education. Regarding the collected results, the Spanish university syllabi must undergo necessary modifications to encourage the use of simulation as a part of university training courses. The incorporation of energy simulation in such training courses can provide recent graduate architects with tools that would assist them during the design stage. The use of these tools is key in the development of innovative pedagogy-based teaching materials for the courses. In this sense, the present work aims to delve into the usage deficiencies associated with BPSTs and propose ways in which to bridge the gap between higher education and first professional experiences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Sustainable Energy Systems Education)
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32 pages, 926 KiB  
Article
Benchmarking a Sustainable Energy Engineering Undergraduate Degree against Curriculum Frameworks and Pedagogy Standards from Industry and Academia
by Bryn Durrans, Jonathan Whale and Martina Calais
Energies 2020, 13(4), 822; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13040822 - 13 Feb 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3741
Abstract
There is an urgent need for educational institutions to produce graduates with appropriate skills to meet the growing global demand for professionals in the sustainable energy industry. For universities to stay at the forefront of meeting this global demand from industry, universities need [...] Read more.
There is an urgent need for educational institutions to produce graduates with appropriate skills to meet the growing global demand for professionals in the sustainable energy industry. For universities to stay at the forefront of meeting this global demand from industry, universities need to ensure their curricula and pedagogies stay relevant. The use of benchmarking is a key means of achieving this and ensuring any gap between university curricula and the practical needs of industry is minimized. The aim of this paper is to present an approach to benchmarking a sustainable energy engineering undergraduate degree with respect to curriculum frameworks recommended by industry and pedagogy standards required and recommended by academia and education research. The method uses the Murdoch University renewable energy engineering degree major as a case study. The results show that the learning outcomes of the renewable energy engineering units, in general, align well with the recommended learning outcomes for a complete sustainable energy degree, as prescribed by the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching. In addition, assessment task and marking criteria for the capstone unit of the major were at Australian Universities’ standard. A similar approach to benchmarking can be adopted by developers of new or existing sustainable energy engineering degrees in order to align with curriculum frameworks and pedagogy standards required by industry and academic peers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Sustainable Energy Systems Education)
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