Turning solar energy into electricity
Harnessing the sun's energy is an idea as old as humankind. Early civilizations routinely relied on the sun for heating and drying purposes. Methods evolved, and in 1939 Hoyt Hottel, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, built the first fully functioning solar-energy house. Its practical flat-plate collector design has remained virtually unchanged and is still in use today.
As supplies of fossil fuel and cheap electricity have dwindled, methods to harness solar energy are in demand once again. Since chemical engineers are well trained in both material science and heat transfer, their efforts have been instrumental in designing the most efficient systems for collecting solar energy and converting it to electricity.
Capturing wind energy
Wind-based power generation is inherently environmentally friendly. However, wind is by nature unpredictable, and its strength and reliability are dependent on location. To cope with these variations, wind farms tend to install hundreds, or even thousands, of wind turbines. Still, rather than as a sole source of power, wind farms are most commonly used to produce electricity that is blended into the power grid.
Wind technology has progressed significantly over the past quarter century. While modern windmill designs are the domain of mechanical engineers, chemical engineers have been involved with the materials used, sensor and control systems, and such environmental issues as climate disruption.
