New Energy Science and Engineering

Production, conversion and storage of energy play a crucial role in the economy and national security of China. Recent public awareness of the non-renewability and environmental impact of fossil fuels results in increasingly stronger calls for the development of renewable energy. In the Pearl River Delta region, there are a number of companies producing solar cells and lithium-ion battery. In the whole of China, the research on alternative energy sources has been developing for a long time. Researchers in this field are mainly composed of professionals with experiences in traditional subjects like chemistry, physics and electrical engineering, etc. However, scientists and engineers with interdisciplinary knowledge and skills are required to solve the current energy crisis.

The discipline of New Energy Science and Engineering spans across discipline boundaries to explore revolutionary methods of carbon-free energy. It organically combines traditional subjects of physics, chemistry, materials science and environmental science, as well as more specialized disciplines, such as biomolecular engineering, photochemistry and electrochemistry. The programme is designed to prepare graduates to respond to the challenges of the energy crisis. This is a new programme, the first of its kind in China, although there are some energy related programmes, somewhat different in their emphases in other parts of the world. Key subfields in this programme include: 1) Solar energy conversion (photovoltaic, biofuel); 2) Production and storage of hydrogen and fuel cell; 3) Energy storage (battery, supercapacitor); 4) New energy power generation (thermal power); 5) Energy efficiency and energy saving; and 6) Smart grid.

Our graduates are well qualified to work in new energy industry, including photovoltaic cell production, lithium battery and other related industries or in institutes pursuing new energy research and development. They will also find career opportunities in industries engaging in energy storage and conversion devices and power utilities, such as solar panel installation, solar farm operation, and battery driven car production.