LGAC

Lines of Knowledge Generation and Application (LGAC)

The PhD in Energy comprises three LGACs:

• Alternative Energies

• Bioenergy Systems

• Conventional Energies and Energy Efficiency

Alternative Energies

The anticipated depletion of conventional fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and oil in the coming years, along with the projected increase in their cost and the growing need to protect the environment, has driven the search for alternative energy sources. Alternative energies are those derived from renewable resources. Solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, ocean and tidal energy, hydrogen, and fuel cells are examples of alternative energy sources.

In general, alternative energy refers to any type of energy not obtained from non-renewable fossil fuels.

The goal of this line is to optimize renewable energy sources and promote the development of energy technologies that support the design of systems aimed at addressing challenges such as climate change, the energy transition, depletion of conventional sources, rising energy consumption, and the need for more cost-competitive energy generation. These efforts contribute to sustainable development through policies that stimulate clean energies to support the economic, social, and environmental progress of nations.

Sub-lines:

• Photovoltaic Solar Energy

• Solar Thermal Energy

• Hydrogen Technologies and Fuel Cells

• Wind Energy

• Geothermal Energy

• Hydropower

• Ocean and Tidal Energy

• Cooling Systems Using Alternative Energy Sources

Bioenergy Systems

One of the short-term trends in the search for renewable energy alternatives is the use of biomass. Biofuels derived from biomass show promise as low-cost substitutes for fossil fuels. However, more efficient technologies must be developed to meet these goals.

Amid the rise of alternative energies as solutions to challenges associated with petroleum, biogas production stands out as one of the most economical and environmentally friendly options. The anaerobic decomposition of organic matter generally from residual sources, produces a highly combustible gas mixture known as biogas.

Liquid biofuels such as alcohol (bioethanol), pure vegetable oils, waste cooking oils converted into biodiesel, green or renewable gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel are used in diesel and gasoline engines, aircraft turbines, buses, cargo trucks, or for the production of electricity, heat, and mechanical work in industrial engines. These liquid fuels currently come from a wide variety of crops (such as sugarcane, corn, beet, rapeseed, soybean, and oil palm) though in the near future they will also be derived from non-edible crops such as castor, jatropha, camelina, as well as agro-industrial residues and lignocellulosic materials from forest energy plantations [Ciencia, April–June 2010].

Sub-lines:

• Biomass-to-Energy Conversion Technologies: Thermochemical, Biochemical, and Physicochemical

• Liquid Biofuels

• Biogas

• Optimization of Biorefineries

• Simulation and Design of Biofuel Processes

• Industrial Biotechnology

Conventional Energies and Energy Efficiency

Conventional energies are those that are widely used around the world or that represent the most common sources of electricity generation. Examples include hydropower, thermal energy from the combustion of coal, natural gas or petroleum fractions, and nuclear energy.

Fossil fuels have higher calorific values than other carbon-based fuels such as wood, crop residues, forest residues, and animal waste. Furthermore, continuous industrialization and population growth point to a significant increase in global energy use, with fossil fuels continuing to play a dominant role in energy mixes. Therefore, it is essential to develop clean hydrocarbon transformation technologies that emit fewer greenhouse gases (GHG). One option is to increase the use of lower-emission fuels such as natural gas and new synthetic fuels, or to develop technologies that reduce the content of pollutants such as sulfur in fossil fuels.

The objective of Energy Efficiency is to provide the necessary tools to ensure optimal use of energy sources within industrial facilities, as well as to assess various energy-generation alternatives while considering the economic advantages and disadvantages that influence efficient energy use.

Sub-lines:

• Conventional Systems and Smart Grids

• Energy Saving and Efficient Use of Energy

• Nuclear Energy

• Hydrocarbons and Clean Technologies for Their Transformation

• Feasibility Studies and Energy Policies

• Energy and Sustainability

Credits/Program Requirements

Credits / Program Requirements

If you hold a master’s degree related to the PhD in Energy, you may obtain your doctoral degree in eight full-time semesters under a structured, in-person academic model.

A minimum of 30 credits must be earned through mandatory and elective courses offered in the curriculum.

Elective Courses I, II, and III are selected under the guidance of the thesis advisor(s), with the goal of strengthening the student's knowledge in their specific research line.

Each elective course carries a defined number of credits and may be selected from the program list or taken at other IPN schools or centers, or at external institutions through academic mobility (subject to approval by the CMP+L Academic Committee). If a student completes one to three elective courses during the PhD, the total number of accumulated credits will exceed the minimum 30 required.

In the first semester, the three designated courses are mandatory. In the second semester, the required elective course may be chosen from the available list with the support of the thesis advisor(s). Beginning that semester, a tutorial committee is assigned to evaluate the student’s thesis progress.

By the fourth semester, the student must take a pre-doctoral examination and present evidence of at least one accepted article for publication in a peer-reviewed international journal, as well as proof of a valid English proficiency exam.

To present the doctoral degree examination, the student must provide evidence that the results of their doctoral research have been published or accepted for publication in a specialized international journal indexed in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) or an equivalent source, endorsed by the IPN Secretariat for Research and Graduate Studies (SIP), as recommended by the corresponding academic board (Art. 49 of the REP-IPN).