Kettering University

Lessons on Sustainable Energy

By Andrea Beaudoin

As the demand for energy increases, the United States seeks a more cost-effective way to energize the nation, to conserve the earth's natural resources and better protect the environment.

High school students in grades 9-12 traveled from across the nation to get a first-hand look into sustainable energy during the 2007 Sustainable Energy Pre-College Program at Kettering in July.

Dr. Ahmad Pourmovahed, program director of the Sustainable Energy Pre-College Program and professor of Mechanical Engineering, said students are increasingly interested in sustainable energy. "Sustainable energy is renewable and unlimited unlike natural gas and coal," he explained.

Examples of sustainable energy include solar, wind, hydro-electric and bio fuels. Products such as oil, natural gas and coal, also known as fossil fuels, are the remains of plant and animal material that are extracted from earth and are generally considered non-renewable.

"We are clearly going to run out of fossil fuels eventually," Pourmovahed said. When fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide is released and further contributes to environmental issues such as global warming and the greenhouse effect. And according to Pourmovahed, "The only way to slow that down or reverse it is to use renewable energy."

Kettering's Sustainable Energy Pre-College Program featured lectures on topics including careers in sustainable energy, the demand for new technology in the form of hybrid vehicles and energy extracted from natural resources such as the sun and wind.

A number of Kettering faculty members shared their expertise during the program. Dr. Prem Vaishnava, professor of Applied Physics, taught students about solar and wind energy. "Wind sources in Nebraska alone could produce enough energy to power the entire country," he said. The downside is that some of the technologies are expensive. Current research efforts focus on cultivating sustainable energy in a cost-effective way.

Automotive applications of sustainable energy, such as the use of fuel cells in some hybrid vehicles, were also covered. Brenda Lemke, a lecturer of Mechanical Engineering, guided students in assembling plastic cars powered by hydrogen and oxygen, the elements used to power certain types of fuel cells.

Joe Bruzgul, a senior in high school, traveled from his home in New York to visit Kettering after a friend told him about his positive experience attending the University. Bruzgul said during the program he learned how fuel cells work. "I also learned how to 'stack' them up to create more voltage," he said.

Frederick Simpson of Flint heard about the sustainable energy program through an alternative scholarship program at his school. Simpson said he had learned how fuel cells are powered. "There are no harmful emissions at all from fuel cells," he said.

Maaliek Harris-Carter, a 13-year-old student from Flint, said that after his experience at Kettering he feels hydrogen is a better alternative to gas and oil. "The ozone layer is depleting, we have global warming and we are dependent on foreign oil," he said.

Gavin Neff, a student from Flint agreed with his co-participant. "Sustainable energy is important for the environment, the new economy and our independence from oil," said Neff. "I think it's important we broaden our technology."

During the program students also learned about careers in sustainable energy, biofuels, electrochemical energy and geo-hydro energy.

The Sustainable Energy Pre-College Program is funded by a portion of a $1.6 million grant awarded to Kettering University's Fuel Cell Systems and Powertrain Integration under the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) initiative through the United States Department of Labor. The grant was received through the efforts of Dr. K. Joel Berry, head of the Mechanical Engineering Department. The program was coordinated by Virginia Hill, administrative assistant in Student Affairs. For more on Kettering's Sustainable Energy Pre-College Program, visit www.kettering.edu/futurestudents/undergraduate/sustainable_energy_precollege.jsp.