Overview
Energy and Fuels Engineering is an option in Chemical Engineering. As other chemical engineers do, energy and fuels engineers play an important role in society. They work to safeguard the environment and at the same time provide society with energy technology choices to meet ever-growing needs in areas such as fuel processing and use, and technology development. Energy and fuels engineers strive to maintain and improve efficient and environmentally sound energy systems.
Penn State is one of only a handful of universities worldwide to offer an undergraduate major in energy and fuels engineering. The University is internationally recognized for its work in coal, combustion, and carbon science and is at the forefront of some of these research developments. The Coal Utilization Laboratory is the site of the National Center of Excellence for Coal Utilization. The University is also home to a demonstration site for coal-water fuel technology, supported by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
In the Energy and Fuels Engineering Option you will become involved in specialized, state-of-the-art, problem based training that will bring a new dimension to your chemical engineering degree. With access to world-class research laboratories, you will be mentored and taught by faculty members who are involved in world-class research and who are known in the world-wide energy science community. They offer you the opportunity to participate in their research projects and learn about their work.
At the same time, you will gain expertise in the following areas:
- energy use and the chemical processing aspects of energy production;
- the chemical processes of fuel refining, conversion and utilization, including processes that can control air pollution;
- the selection of equipment for efficient utilization of fuels and upgrading of fuels to maximize energy conversion and minimize the environmental impact of fuel utilization;
- the design of equipment used for fuel processing, releasing energy from fuels, and controlling pollution associated with fuel utilization;
- the environmental applications of materials for purification of air and water;
- ways to contribute to the formulation of sound corporate and national energy policies.
Regardless of the direction your career takes you, your Energy and Fuels Engineering experience will prove of value in your professional development.