Survey of Courses on Renewable Energy Manufacturing at American Universities

Both U.S. and world economies have long depended on fossil energy (coal, oil, and natural gas). Supplies of fossil energy are expected to decline in the future and become more expensive. Meanwhile, their use contributes to the accumulation of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Therefore, an urgent need exists for renewable energy sources. In order to enhance the global competitiveness of the U.S. in renewable energy manufacturing, there is a dramatic need for a skilled workforce that has been trained in this field. A survey on renewable energy courses at more than 100 U.S. universities has been conducted. It is found that manufacturing aspects of all forms of renewable energy are not emphasized, and there are no sophomore-level courses that cover manufacturing of all forms of renewable energy at these universities.