{"id":11748,"date":"2010-04-07T12:45:10","date_gmt":"2010-04-07T16:45:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=11748"},"modified":"2019-07-05T12:56:55","modified_gmt":"2019-07-05T16:56:55","slug":"a-glimpse-into-energy-technologies-of-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/a-glimpse-into-energy-technologies-of-the-future\/","title":{"rendered":"A Glimpse into Energy Technologies of the Future"},"content":{"rendered":"

Attend the Senior Design Symposium in Renewable and Sustainable Energy, April 14 at UCF’s Pegasus Ballroom.<\/p>\n

Despite the introduction of energy-saving features on many residential products, the average power consumption of American homes has still increased nearly 50% in the last 20 years (according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency). Most of that energy is generated by non-renewable fossil fuels that add to pollution and create dependence on foreign sources. Who\u2019s working to the technology to reduce dependence on fossil fuels? Much of the best thinking is coming from college campuses, as tomorrow\u2019s engineers and businesspeople are preparing themselves for the real world. On April 14, the University of Central Florida (UCF), the third largest university in the country, will showcase a glimpse of what new energy-related innovations may be looming just over the horizon.<\/p>\n

The UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science and Progress Energy jointly sponsor a Senior Design Symposium in Renewable and Sustainable Energy. Vincent Dolan, president and CEO of Progress Energy Florida, will deliver the symposium\u2019s keynote address.<\/p>\n

The 2nd Annual Symposium spotlights real world, renewable, energy projects by senior engineering students. This year\u2019s symposium features over twenty projects created by seniors in mechanical, electrical & computer science and industrial engineering. These yearlong projects, which are design and build and are kind of \u201chands-on senior thesis,\u201d provide an opportunity not only for students to learn about the latest technology, but also about how to apply theory to solve tangible, real-world problems.<\/p>\n

Matthew Jameson, a mechanical engineering senior, is one such UCF student who is working with four others on a solar hot water heater. \u201cToday\u2019s solar-powered water heaters can save money but only during the day,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are developing a system that would be able to work at night also.\u201d To do that, the team is using a type of candle wax. \u201cWe use the sun\u2019s energy to melt the wax and heat it to about 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees F), which in turn heats the water,\u201d explained teammate Daniel Hernandez. Added William Baker, \u201cThe wax retains the heat a lot better than other fluids, and we can heat a 60 gallon water heater even after the sun goes down.\u201d<\/p>\n