Content area

Abstract

New teaching methods are essential to prepare 21st-century engineers for sustainable challenges. This study used project-based learning to evaluate the energy potential of water channels in fish farms in Loreto, Peru. Chemical engineering students applied theory to practice, enhancing skills like field data collection and technical assessment. The results show a practical potential of 18.37 kW and a theoretical potential of 84.19 kW, enough to power 37–244 households. This approach not only highlights renewable energy opportunities but also demonstrates the effectiveness of connecting theory and practice in real-world contexts. Despite simplified calculations, this project significantly impacts engineering education in Latin America, serving as an example of successful learning and inspiring innovative teaching techniques. All of the students (100%) agreed that the project helped in terms of practical skill and problem-solving capability development, teaching motivation, and relevance training for professional life.

Details

1009240
Title
Project-Based Learning at Universities: A Sustainable Approach to Renewable Energy in Latin America—A Case Study
Author
Pastor Miguel Antonio Soplin 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Cervantes-Marreros, Melany Dayana 1 ; Cubas-Pérez, José Dilmer 1 ; Reategui-Apagueño Luis Alfredo 1 ; Tito-Pezo, David 1 ; Piña-Rimarachi Jhim Max 1 ; Vasquez-Perez, Cesar Adolfo 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Correa-Vasquez, Claudio Leandro 1 ; Soplin Rios Jose Antonio 1 ; del Pino Lisveth Flores 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Botelho Junior Amilton Barbosa 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Faculty of Chemical Engineering, National University of the Peruvian Amazon, Iquitos 16001, Peru; [email protected] (M.D.C.-M.); [email protected] (J.D.C.-P.); [email protected] (L.A.R.-A.); [email protected] (D.T.-P.); [email protected] (J.M.P.-R.); [email protected] (C.A.V.-P.); [email protected] (C.L.C.-V.); [email protected] (J.A.S.R.) 
 Center for Research in Chemistry, Toxicology and Environmental Biotechnology, National Agrarian University La Molina, Lima 15024, Peru; [email protected] 
 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; [email protected] 
Publication title
Volume
17
Issue
12
First page
5492
Number of pages
16
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
Place of publication
Basel
Country of publication
Switzerland
Publication subject
e-ISSN
20711050
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
Document type
Journal Article
Publication history
 
 
Online publication date
2025-06-14
Milestone dates
2025-02-25 (Received); 2025-05-15 (Accepted)
Publication history
 
 
   First posting date
14 Jun 2025
ProQuest document ID
3223943117
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/project-based-learning-at-universities/docview/3223943117/se-2?accountid=208611
Copyright
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.
Last updated
2025-06-25
Database
ProQuest One Academic