New EE Specialization in Electrical Energy Systems!

Why?

Public concern about climate change due to greenhouse gases is growing. This trend, plus rising prices and shrinking supplies of fossil fuels means growing emphasis on electrical energy, which can be transmitted over the electric grid with minimal pollution, and in much of Canada can be generated hydroelectrically with very little pollution. Hence, in addition to well-established uses of electrical energy such as heating and cooling, we expect to see sharply increased use of electrical energy for trucks and cars, displacing gasoline and diesel [using plug-in hybrids soon, and pure electrics later, as battery technology continues to improve].

Electrical utilities, consulting firms and contractors are responding to this powerful trend with R&D and construction programs aimed at making the grid more

• reliable [http://www.netl.doe.gov/moderngrid/],
• intelligent [embedded systems to monitor and control energy flows] and
• distributed [small-scale, mostly low-pollution generators such as wind, wave, geothermal, biomass (pinebeetle wood), solar and riverine hydro].

BC Hydro and BC Transmission Corporation are very much a part of this movement, as well as the Galvin Electricity Initiative, and Engineering graduates familiar with Electrical Energy systems are in demand.

The ECE Department has responded to this demand with its new Specialization in Electrical Energy Systems, subject to expected University approval.

Interested students

Interested students should sign up for:

• ELEC 482 — Electrical Drive Systems, offered in the spring term (Jan-Apr)
• ELEC 496 — Special Topics: in Electrical Energy Systems Analysis & Design, offered in the spring term (Jan-Apr), and
• ELEC 410 — Power Electronics, offered in the summer term (May-Aug)