Research Overview : Innovating on ennergy-efficient technologies
The College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University was originally established in May 1978, formerly known as the Department of Thermophysics Engineering, and renamed as the Department of Energy Engineering in September 1989. In September 1999, the departments of Energy Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Engineering Mechanics were merged into the College of Mechanical and Energy Engineering. In January 2009, the Department of Energy Engineering became independent again, and then in July 2014, was renamed as College of Energy Engineering.
In 1987, the discipline of Engineering Thermophysics was approved as a national key discipline. In 2007, the discipline of Power Engineering and Engineering Thermophysics was awarded as a first-tier national key discipline and listed in “Double-First Class” disciplines. At present, the College of Energy Engineering has established a great platform for innovation, strongly supported by Ph.D. programs in first-tier discipline, a State Key Laboratory, a National Engineering Research Center, “National 2011 Plan” Collaborative Innovation Center, National Global Science and Technology Cooperation Center, and a National Experimental Teaching Demonstrating Center, etc.
The college has three majors for undergraduate studies, i.e, Energy and Environment Systems Engineering (including three directions of energy and environmental engineering and automation, refrigeration and artificial environment and automation, and renewable energy science and engineering), Process Equipment and Control Engineering, and Vehicle Engineering. For postgraduate studies, the discipline of Power Engineering and Energy Thermophysics authorized to confer master and doctoral degrees. Meanwhile, it has 9 sub-disciplines, i.e., Energy and Environmental Engineering, Renewable Energy Science and Engineering, Engineering Thermophysics, Thermal Power Engineering, Refrigeration and Cryogenics Engineering, Power Machinery and Engineering, Fluid Machinery and Engineering, Process Equipment, Energy Storage Science and Technology, together with 2 sub-interdisciplines, Vehicle Engineering and Heating, Gas Supply, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Engineering.
The college consists of five institutes, covering Thermal Power Engineering, Process Equipment, Refrigeration and Cryogenics, Power Machinery & Vehicle Engineering, and Thermal Science & Power Systems. At present, the College has 146 faculty and staff, including 75 full-time professors, 3 members of Chinese Academy of Engineering, 5 special experts of Zhejiang Province, 8 Chang Jiang Scholars, 10 recipients of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, 5 funded by Ten Thousand Talent Program, 8 national candidates for Millions of Talent Projects，13 new (cross) century talents from the Ministry of Education, and 15 national young talents of various categories. The college also owns research teams that awarded “Chang Jiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team” by Ministry of Education in China, and “Innovative Research Group” by National Natural Foundation of China.
The college has been undertaking important research projects, including the National Key R&D Program, the National Natural Fund for distinguished young scholars, major research programs, key programs, excellent young scientists, earmarks, international cooperation programs and projects, as well as major crossing programs, research funding, with total research fund over 1 billion in the past three years.
The current dean of the college is Prof. Gao Xiang, an Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering.