Education in Electrification for Societal Sustainability: History and philosophy

Abstract

We all depend on electricity, and as such, we define a mapping of electrification onto education because we all need a provision of life sustained by infrastructure that is powered by electricity. Electrification began at the end of the 19th century, becoming global, but is not yet complete. It is evolving, and in the last few decades, electrical power systems have undergone a reenchantment, a paradigm shift associated with renewable energy sources, energy storage systems, power electronics, modernization of communication, and automation of infrastructures. This article starts with several concepts and boundaries that have transformed electrical energy from a somewhat simple technology to the recent acceleration of the development process. We also look at how current and future pedagogical perspectives for the 21st-century electrical engineer will help us to become a sustainable society.