BAE: Bioenergy Engineering

Learn about bioenergy and biofuel principles as you develop equipment and methods for efficient and environmentally sound production. Engineers in this option study microbiology, biochemical engineering, heat and mass transfer, storage of biological products, materials handling, and unit processes.

Our graduates are problem solvers in the bioenergy industry.

Courses in math, chemistry and biology prepare you to study advanced bioenergy engineering. Much of your education takes place in labs, where you will:

• Make discoveries about renewable energy in the biodiesel and biofuel labs.
• Experiment with cold flow issues, storage stability and nitrogen oxide emissions.
• Evaluate engine warranty information.
• Design new processes for novel bioenergy feedstocks.

In your senior year, you’ll draw on everything you have learned to solve a problem for an industry sponsor. Working in a team, you might transform used French fry cooking oil into biodiesel for the J. R. Simplot Company, or design a sensor for fuel quality control. Present your findings at the University of Idaho Engineering Expo where future employers judge student projects.

Students are encouraged to complete an internship the summer between their junior and senior year.  Many conduct research with professors in biological and agricultural engineering.

Prepare for Success

This major is a good fit if you can see yourself:

• Studying math, biology and physics.
• Using creativity, scientific knowledge,and engineering expertise to plan and build new devices and ways of doing things.
• Using strong communication skills to work in teams that may include biodiesel plant owners, scientists and policymakers.

To prepare, you may want to:

• Participate in 4-H activities, volunteer at a biodiesel operation or make your own biodiesel at home.
• Stay current with new technologies and equipment.
• Practice your leadership skills in student office.

Your First Year

Your first year, you will hone your communication skills with course work in writing. You will also study engineering problem solving and engineering for living systems.

More advanced courses cover topics such as engineering graphics, bioprocessing, fundamentals of biorenewable resources, production and uses of biofuels, biomass conversion technologies, and instrumentation and measurements.

See the four-year plan.

What You Can Do

With this degree, you may accept a job like one of these:

• Process engineer: Manage an operation to produce alternative fuel from algae or other sources.
• Design engineer: Develop new equipment and systems for a bioenergy plant, food processor, pharmaceutical company or equipment manufacturer.
• Quality control engineer: Supervise production in factories, determine the causes of component failure and test manufactured products to maintain quality.
• Project engineer: Estimate the time and cost to complete projects that improve operations and systems in a biodiesel or food processing plant.

Opportunities

Our graduates are highly sought by manufacturers, agribusiness firms, government agencies and nonprofit organizations.  Starting salaries are as high as $55,000.

You may also want to continue your education. Earn an advanced degree in engineering or food science.

Current Research

Do research alongside faculty members who are currently researching many topics in food and bioprocess engineering, including biological waste treatment and biofuel production.

Earn money working with faculty on grant-funded research projects like these:

• Biodiesel Education Grant: Analyze how the Washington state ferries are using biodiesel for their fleets. Identify and solve the potential barriers to the growth of the biodiesel industry and educate the public about the environmental benefits of biodiesel use.
• USDA Research Grant: Design a probe that uses UV light to detect the amount of biodiesel in a blend.
• Department of Energy: Discover why biodiesel causes less engine wear than regular diesel.

Activities

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers: Join the student branch, plan parties or the homecoming float, meet business leaders and potential employers, and work with a team to build a ¼-scale tractor for the International Student Design Competition.
Tau Beta Pi: Receive career assistance and leadership opportunities through this national honor society of engineers.
Society of Women Engineers: Network and develop professionally.

Hands-On Experience

Intern. Get practical experiences in companies such as these:

• Tillamook: Work in the quality control lab of a manufacturing plant that makes cheese.
• RK Mechanical, Inc.: Design and estimate costs to build crop storage structures.
• Technochem: Build on-farm and industrial biodiesel plants.

Study abroad. Deepen your understanding of your major—and the world—in countries like these:

• Mexico: Tour chicken farms and a tequila manufacturing plant.
• India: Learn about 1,000-year-old farming practices on terraced hillsides.
• France: Explore small wine and cheese manufacturers.