Knowledge, perception and awareness of renewable energy by engineering students in Nigeria: A need for the undergraduate engineering program adjustment

Abstract

Several studies have investigated the perception and awareness level of renewable energy among various groups of people around the world. Not much is known about the perception and knowledge level of undergraduate engineering students in Nigeria towards renewable energy, even though her engineering students have a crucial role to play in ushering the country into the net-zero carbon economy of the future. This research was carried out to provide answers to questions concerning the perception and awareness level of engineering students in Nigeria towards renewable energy. Quantitative data obtained via a questionnaire survey showed that 98.1% of the engineering students agreed to have heard about renewable energy, while only 24% are highly confident about their understanding of renewable energy. 76% agreed that renewable energy is not part of their undergraduate curriculum, and 90.1% want renewable energy to be included in their curriculum. From the findings it was observed that there is an equal understanding of renewable energy among male and female engineering students in Nigerian universities. The challenges associated with introducing renewable energy into undergraduate engineering programs and the strategies for deploying renewable energy into the undergraduate curriculum for engineering students were discussed. A new curriculum with renewable energy education was proposed. This study would be beneficial to the Nigerian government and relevant university regulatory bodies in Nigeria, such as the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), and the Council of Registered Engineers in Nigeria (COREN), in making decisions as regards engineering students in Nigeria and in drafting renewable energy policies.