The (FEL) group was a subgroup of the Energy Centre (which has been replaced by the Energy Community of Practice). The FEL consisted of early careers engineers with interests in the future of energy. The group completed their work programme in October 2021 and as a result disbanded.

The main focus of the group was to:

• partake in educational outreach;
• engage the public on matters related to energy; and
• create content, such as articles and videos, on energy related topics.

Each of these activities were designed to be accessible, globally relevant, socially aware and industrially required.

Project objectives 

The FEL’s objective was to produce activities to share knowledge of current global and social issues that are affecting the energy sector, from the perspective of early careers engineering working in the sector.

The group aimed to produce a series of very specific outputs. These were:

1. A series of articles highlighting opportunities and challenges within the energy sector aimed towards early career chemical engineers.
2. A series of educational videos on process intensification using 3D printing.
3. A video series on energy blends throughout the world.
4. Holding a discussion panel on energy forecasting and chemical engineers’ ability to predict energy systems in the future.

Outputs 

The outputs of the project were as follows:

1. A series of articles in The Chemical Engineer on the opportunities and challenges in the energy sector. This includes lithium ion battery production and how chemical engineers will be needed to support growth in this sector, how early career chemical engineers will need to consider climate change equity in their career journeys, and the impact on brexit on UK energy policy.

2. A three-part video series exploring the role of 3D printing in chemical engineering research.

3.  A panel discussion held on future energy scenarios. Read a summary of the discussion in this blog.

Project completion 

The group completed most of its planned activities in the October 2021, and was disbanded thereafter. Each of these articles, videos and blogs have highlighted the opportunities and challenges in the energy sector from the perspective of early career chemical engineers, working in research and industry, as well as highlighted the social aspects of energy strategy.

We would like to thank all the volunteers for their contribution to the group.

More information

If you would like to know more about this project, please email energy@icheme.org.