Energy smart: There is ample scope for energy engineers to develop energy efficient technologies

There exists an inherent link between energy, environment and sustainability. The key issues of energy engineering are energy conservation approaches, new efficient lighting systems, waste heat recovery, biomass applications, solar power, wind energy, energy management approaches, environmental impacts of energy consumption. These issues remain important to engineers, architects and planners in our quest for a sustainable future.

What do I have to do?

Energy engineers provide state-of-the-art expertise in the fields of power generation, nuclear power technology, and energy utilisation by means of economically and environmentally sustainable systems. The term ‘sustainable energy engineering’ comprises a wide array of practices, policies and technologies (conventional and renewable/alternative) aimed at providing energy at the least financial, environmental and social cost. A strong emphasis is placed on dealing with energy engineering tasks with due consideration to technical, environmental and socio-economic issues. Advanced methods are applied to identify, describe, quantify and find solutions to a diverse range of energy engineering problems, some of which are listed below :

• Solid waste management-sources and classification: Solid waste disposal options, toxic waste management.

• Water pollution: Sources of water pollutants, classification and effects of water pollutants, water pollution laws and standards.

• Environment for comfort living and working: Comfort and climate, temperature, humidity and ventilation control, AC load, natural and artificial lighting, noise sources, control, etc.

What should I study?

For the BTech programme ,you should have completed your Plus Two with physics, chemistry and maths. For the MTech programme , you should have completed your BTech from a recognised university.

What next?

Public concern about processes which affect the environment will continue to influence almost all industrial operations over the next decade and beyond. Waste disposal, energy production and the minimisation of pollution are the key problems that must be addressed for the sustainable cities of the future. In a world of finite resources and population explosion, much effort is being made to change the way in which developed societies dispose of waste.

The government of India enforced the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, providing for efficient energy use and its conservation. As per the Act, it is mandatory for all designated energy consumers to get an energy audit conducted by an accredited energy auditor. An energy manager provides leadership in the development of policy on energy management and plays a key role in the formulation of corporate energy policy. Energy managers also perform activities related to plant energy management, personnel management and financial management at the plant level. He also prepares the information to be submitted to the designated agency with regards to the energy consumed and action taken on the recommendation of the accredited energy auditor.

There is ample scope for energy engineers in the public and private sector to develop energy efficient technologies specially in utilisation of solar energy, wind power, tidal power, geothermal power and fuel cells. The NTPC, Dept of Atomic Energy, Govt of India, Ministry of Energy, Larson and Toubro, Reliance Industries, etc, employ energy engineers.

To find the answers we need, and to assess the full scope of potential energy solutions available, the World Energy Engineering Congress will be held in 2007 in Atlanta, USA. It will target the complete spectrum of technologies and services of greatest importance including, but not limited to: Renewable and alternative energy, combined heat and power co-generation, distributed generation, integrated building automation and energy management, lighting efficiency, thermal storage and load management, boilers and combustion controls, geo-exchange technologies, solar and fuel cell technologies, energy services and project financing, etc.

Where to study

Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, Chennai, Bombay.

National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirapalli.

Centre for Energy Studies, JNTU, Hyderabad.

Energy Research centre, Punjab University, Chandigarh.

Agricultural Engineering College and Research Institute, Agricultural University, Coimbatore.