Concentration Area of Studies and Research branches

Concentration Area

Energy and Sustainability is characterized by a single concentration area containing three emphasis evenly distributed across two branches of research.

The first emphasis aims to analyse, develop, and adapt materials and technologies for the use in energy systems related to energy conversion, transport, and distribution. Also concerns in acquiring and characterizing materials for application in prominent technologies, namely renewable sources (solar, biomass, wind, hydroelectric and fuel cells), biofuels and energy conversion and storage apparatus.

The second emphasis aims the search for the optimal use of energy in the industrial sector, by means of improving energy efficiency, energy quality, and automatic control of processes that consume energy under different operational conditions. The same purpose can be applied to urban areas and building facilities. In these cases, energy efficiency is pursued via urban planning and developing architectural projects which consider energy savings strategies. Planning aims to understand and analyse emerging configurations of the energy sector, considering various energy sources. Therefore, more complex energy planning and analysing tools are needed. In addition, due to constant changes in energy sectors, e.g. the inclusion of distributed generation, the Energy Matrix was significantly modified, bringing new and significant challenges to an integrated strategy. So, research under this emphasis aims to obtain solutions to companies in the electricity and energy sectors, to establish the implementation of renewable energy, and analyse incentive polices and regulations in Brazil and Latin America.

The third emphasis of research deals with economic, social, and environmental concerns. These issues are related to social integration, responsible social uses of energy and cultural and geopolitical aspects, including political and socio-environmental conflicts, public policies, and society development. Therefore, issues concerning the education in Energy and Sustainability are also important. So, the third emphasis investigates and analyse teaching and learning approaches, e.g. active learning methodologies, learning objects and interdisciplinary teaching tools, applied to improve integration of the academic community. The topic also aims the scientific dissemination in the basic education network and, therefore, create a channel for the integration and exchange of experiences between different types of publics.

The idea behind the Concentration Area of the Post Graduate Program assumes an interdependence between these three emphasises, thus developing new areas on the frontier of knowledge that promote technological innovation, sustainability, and society gains. Understanding energy and sustainability as an integrated stuff, with its technological, environmental, social and, educational dimensions, is the main objective of this area of research.

Research branches:

L1 - Materials and Devices for Energy Sources:

This branch deals with concepts, projects, analysis, and experiences concerning energy conversion and generation, development and application of new materials and appliances for energy sources. The main research goals are energy efficiency, electricity quality, waste energy management, new materials and devices and processes optimization concerning energy management, consumption, storage and production, as well as alternative and renewable sources.

L2 - Sustainable Processes & Technologies:

This branch comprises concepts, projects, strategies, and processes which apply natural and biodiversity resources by innovative and sustainable techniques with environmental interests. Research focuses on multidimensionality aspects of sustainability with the aim of producing basic knowledge applied to the environmental, energy and biotechnological context, encouraging uses of energy which do not compromise the energy demands of future generations.