Alternative Energy Specialty


You can help save the planet!
Alternative Energy

The Alternative Energy specialty at Kettering University provides students with a unique hands-on experience in energy education.

The existence of all forms of life on this planet depends upon the consumption of energy in one form or another. All life, from human beings to the plants and animals surrounding us, extract energy from our surroundings and convert it to usable forms. The food we consume, the solar rays that shine on us and the fires we burn are all forms of energy.

We can get a significant amount of energy from renewable and abundant resources like the sun, wind, geothermal sources, water behind dams as well waves and tides. Unfortunately, we get most of our energy from less desirable sources such as fossil fuels which include petroleum, coal, and natural gas.

Using fossil fuels as our primary energy source causes the following problems:

  • Fossil fuels are non-renewable; they will eventually be depleted.
  • As demand increases, the price of fossil fuels will rise.
  • Fossil fuels cause environmental pollution such as smog and acid rain.
  • Fossil fuels cause climate change. The so called greenhouse gases are causing damage to our climate. These gases are linked to global warming, hurricanes, damage to the ozone layer, droughts, and a rise in sea levels.

To address the above issues, the Alternative Energy ME Specialty was created. This specialty will make a major contribution in energy education and is in line with the desire to become nationally energy-independent and to create new jobs in Michigan.

What courses will I take?

Regardless of the chosen concentration, every student pursuing an M.E. degree at Kettering takes 39 courses and a thesis. Four of the 39 courses define a specialty.

Required Courses
MECH-526 Fuel Cell Science and Engineering
MECH-527 Energy and the Environment
MECH-528 Bio and Renewable Energy Laboratory
MECH-545 Hybrid Electric Vehicle Propulsion

Students may choose from one of the following courses to satisfy the capstone course requirement:
MECH-521 Energy and Environmental Systems Design
MECH-529 Design and Modeling of Fuel Cell Systems

If you have any questions about the Alternative Energy Specialty, please contact Dr. Ahmad Pourmovahed.

Visit the Mechanical Engineering Major.

View the official Kettering Catalog.

See the program brochure.