Renewable energies | Four programs to know

Renewable energies, from hydroelectricity to solar via biomass, are being studied in universities. Some undergraduate programs are more general, while others at the graduate level are much more specific, for example for people who have already obtained a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Here are four programs you should know about.

Martine Letarte
special cooperation

Certificate in Sustainable Energy Resources

For 12 years now, the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) has offered the undergraduate certificate in sustainable energy resources. It is intended for people interested in energy and environmental issues, particularly issues of healthy buildings and energy management. It affects residential buildings and small commercial buildings. The program aims to develop a general culture and professional development in the field of energy, more specifically, on the issues of renewable energy resources and healthy building. The program is offered full-time and part-time at the Montreal campus.

Modular Professional Master’s in Energy Engineering

Polytechnique Montréal offers a professional master’s degree, or a specialized, modular graduate degree in energy engineering, renewable energy option. Its objective is to deepen technological and scientific knowledge in the field of renewable energies: solar, wind, geothermal, hydraulic, thermoelectric and biomass. The program also addresses issues of energy storage, energy efficiency and electric vehicles. The student can choose to specialize in alternative energy technologies and applications, in energy recovery from biomass and waste, or in electrical networks. To be admitted to the program, you must have obtained a bachelor’s degree in engineering or in a discipline relevant to the program.

Masters in Renewable Energy Engineering and Energy Efficiency

The École de technologie supérieure (ETS) offers a master’s degree in renewable energy engineering and energy efficiency to acquire scientific and technical knowledge about different forms of renewable energy – wind, hydro, solar and geothermal. The program makes it possible to develop an overall vision of the world energy situation, its geopolitical and economic impacts, in addition to looking at the elements that make Quebec and Canada stand out from other countries in terms of energy. To apply for admission to the program, you must have obtained a bachelor’s degree in engineering, pure sciences or applied sciences in an appropriate field. The master’s degree is offered on a full-time and part-time basis.

Masters in Mechanical Engineering

The Université de Sherbrooke (UdeS) has not given a name related to renewable energies to one of its programs, but we are talking here about the master’s in mechanical engineering because several of the students’ research projects take place at the university. Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT). It is home to the UdeS solar park, which is the largest dedicated to applied research in Canada. With more than 3,000 solar panels and a power of 1 megawatt (MW), the solar park is also accompanied by two complementary intelligent thermal power plants. It tests different configurations for energy storage, sending to the network, as well as battery mode. Master’s research projects in other types of engineering can also be done at 3IT.