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The Renewable Energy (RE) Industry Workforce Needs: RE Simulation and Analysis Tools Teaching as an Effective Way to Enhance Undergraduate Engineering Students’ Learning

Author

Listed:
  • Shahryar Jafarinejad

    (Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA)

  • Lauren E. Beckingham

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36830, USA)

  • Mandar Kathe

    (Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA)

  • Kathy Henderson

    (Eagle Solar and Light, Birmingham, AL 35222, USA)

Abstract

The share of renewables in the U.S. electricity generation mix is increasing and one of the major obstacles to enhancing employment in the renewable energy (RE) sector is finding skilled/qualified labor to fill positions. RE systems engineer jobs mostly need bachelor’s degrees but there are few RE engineering-focused degree programs. Therefore, there are needs to accurately train undergraduate engineering students at universities and match the education system offerings to meet RE industry demands. This study reviews RE employment by technology, RE industry workforce needs, and engineering programs accreditation, and then suggests possible means, along with theoretical RE concepts, to enhance undergraduate engineering students’ RE learning at universities. In particular, RE industries require technology skills, including analytical, scientific, and simulation software programs or tools. These RE simulation and analysis tools can be used for teaching, training, techno-economic analysis, planning, designing, optimization, etc., and are the focus of this review.

Suggested Citation

  • Shahryar Jafarinejad & Lauren E. Beckingham & Mandar Kathe & Kathy Henderson, 2021. "The Renewable Energy (RE) Industry Workforce Needs: RE Simulation and Analysis Tools Teaching as an Effective Way to Enhance Undergraduate Engineering Students’ Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-16, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:21:p:11727-:d:663282
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jennings, Philip, 2009. "New directions in renewable energy education," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 435-439.
    2. Ellabban, Omar & Abu-Rub, Haitham & Blaabjerg, Frede, 2014. "Renewable energy resources: Current status, future prospects and their enabling technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 748-764.
    3. Papadis, Elisa & Tsatsaronis, George, 2020. "Challenges in the decarbonization of the energy sector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    4. Sinha, Sunanda & Chandel, S.S., 2014. "Review of software tools for hybrid renewable energy systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 192-205.
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    Cited by:

    1. Emmanuel N. Efthymiou & Sofia Yfanti & George Kyriakarakos & Panagiotis L. Zervas & Panagiotis Langouranis & Konstantinos Terzis & George M. Stavrakakis, 2022. "A Practical Methodology for Building a Municipality-Led Renewable Energy Community: A Photovoltaics-Based Case Study for the Municipality of Hersonissos in Crete, Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-31, October.
    2. Shahryar Jafarinejad & Rebecca R. Hernandez & Sajjad Bigham & Bryan S. Beckingham, 2023. "The Intertwined Renewable Energy–Water–Environment (REWE) Nexus Challenges and Opportunities: A Case Study of California," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-16, July.
    3. Yishu Zhou & Joseph D. Smith & Greg Gelles, 2022. "Teaching Energy Economics in the GCC: A Synergistic Approach between Engineering and Economics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-11, September.

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