Energy Engineering Education for the 21st Century

The production and utilization of energy are currently undergoing changes that will have far-reaching consequences for the future of engineering education. The purpose of this paper is to identify those changes that will significantly challenge the education system of the 21st century and to predict the system response. First, the subject matter of energy engineering will undoubtedly be at a more advanced level in the next century. As the easily recoverable fossil fuel resources are depleted, the energy mix will shift toward resources requiring more advanced technology. Secondly, the importance of the political and social dimensions of energy in a technical society will increase. To meet these challenges, energy engineering education will certainly evolve new methods and structures. The increased social responsibility of energy engineers will probably result in a more professional educational system with a broader education interest.