^{(This is an excerpt from the ASME Energy Grand Challenge Roadmap)}

Energy is a global commodity that is integral to nearly every aspect of society. The energy sector contains some of the oldest functional mechanical equipment and technology in the nation and is currently undergoing major changes in all aspects of the energy value chain. These changes reflect an increased emphasis on climate change and sustainability and range from the diversification of fuel sources to the implementation of end-use energy efficiency programs.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is the premier organization for promoting the art, science, and practice of mechanical and multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences to diverse communities throughout the world. ASME has dedicated itself to promoting and enhancing the technical competency and professional well-being of its members and, through quality programs and activities in mechanical engineering, to better enabling its practitioners to contribute to the well-being of humankind. ASME’s mission is “to serve our diverse global communities by advancing, disseminating and applying engineering knowledge for improving the quality of life and communicating the excitement of engineering.” ASME develops standards and certification programs that enhance public safety, and provides lifelong learning and technical exchange opportunities benefiting the engineering and technology community.

ASME boasts particular strengths in energy. Its members design the generation equipment, operate the power plants, and develop the technologies that comprise the energy sector. Today, over one-third of ASME’s technical divisions are focused on or strongly related to today’s foremost energy concerns, producing a wide variety of energy-related programs, products, and activities.  With these vast capabilities in mind, ASME recognizes it can significantly contribute to the development and integration of technologies to improve energy production, transmission, and use nationwide. ASME also recognizes its role in continuing to lead the discourse on the ways in which the United States and other areas of the world can secure the energy future for generations to come. 

ASME  Vision – “ASME will be the essential resource for mechanical engineers and other professionals throughout the world for solutions that benefit humankind.” Why ASME? • Unbiased, technically informed voice • Diverse membership from industry, academia, and government • Convener/facilitator of innovation networks • Global reach, supporting workforce growth • Collaboration opportunities that advance knowledge • R&D advocacy to stimulate innovation• Standards and certification programs

This ASME Energy Grand Challenge Roadmap is among the first steps ASME is taking to identify, organize, and build upon existing energy capabilities, products, and services to better serve those who rely on and expect the highest quality energy information and expertise.

ASME’s reach—its members, programs, products, services, and robust volunteer structure and capabilities—extends into all parts of the energy value chain. This wealth of capability gives ASME the ability to offer unique value in addressing energy issues using a holistic, systems-level approach. ASME’s ability to offer both deep technical expertise in individual parts of the value chain and broad technical expertise across the entire chain is a valuable capability that ASME can build on and leverage to make increased contributions to major national and global energy challenges.

ASME’s Energy Grand Challenge Strategy

The ASME Energy Grand Challenge embodies ASME’s commitment to making meaningful contributions to energy challenges facing the United States and other areas of the world. The ASME Board of Governors established the Energy Grand Challenge in 2008 as one of three ASME strategic priorities, along with globalization and engineering workforce development.

The strategy for the Energy Grand Challenge is bold:

ASME will serve as an essential energy technology resource for business, government, academia, practicing engineers, and the general public and as a leading energy policy advocate. As a credible, unbiased voice, ASME will be a key source of energy technology information and standards.  We will achieve this by leveraging our knowledge-based communities, expanding our energy portfolio, building a more effective energy workforce, and supporting balanced energy policies in the United States and other areas of the world.

ASME will implement this strategy by internally aligning its vast energy-related capabilities and resources and leveraging these resources with those of its many partners.

ASME Priorities for Energy

ASME recognizes that, as a professional engineering society, it can make the most meaningful contributions to energy by optimizing its volunteer and staff resources and by partnering with other organizations. These two approaches allow ASME to achieve a much greater impact than it could alone and form the foundation of the successful ASME approach to the Energy Grand Challenge.

• Create a cohesive, unified presence for ASME in the energy sector. ASME is deeply involved in many aspects of the energy sector, a broad presence resulting from the critical role engineers play in the energy workforce. Seven ASME technical divisions and two technical institutes serve as major players in the energy sector with many other ASME technical divisions serving in supporting roles. ASME’s energy efforts also include numerous codes and standards, certification, training, conferences and workshops, and technical publications. ASME will align its internal resources to create a cohesive, unified presence in the energy sector. This approach better positions ASME to address energy issues holistically along the energy value chain, ensure consistency in public policy and public outreach messages, and help partners and other interested parties understand ASME’s diverse energy activities. Doing so will allow ASME to build on and leverage its vast energy capabilities to make increased contributions to addressing major energy challenges.

• Build partnerships to increase the effectiveness and impact of ASME initiatives. Despite ASME’s broad energy presence, the energy sector extends well beyond its reach. To fully address energy challenges facing the nation, ASME must leverage its capabilities with those of partner organizations. Strong partnerships with leading companies, government agencies, academic institutions, and other professional societies will bring different perspectives, skill sets, and resources to help ASME address the most complex energy issues and achieve far more than it could alone.

Trends and Drivers Shaping Future Energy  Needs and Requirements • Increased emphasis on climate change and sustainability creates the need for holistic approaches • Growing recognition of the need for a National Energy Policy • Increased energy diversification and use of renewables creates challenges for grid reliability and drives the need for smart grid and energy storage • Increasing need for codes and standards to facilitate greater commercialization of renewables and other innovative energy technologies in the United States and globally • Increasing concerns about energy security and resilience drive the need for new metrics • Aging infrastructure requires new materials and standards • Aging workforce drives the need to attract new talent • Shifting economic landscape leads to insufficient investment in energy • Increasing recognition of the link between energy and water stimulates the need for innovative approaches to the energy-water nexus

The two organizational priorities described above—focused internally and externally, respectively—anchor ASME’s overall approach to the Energy Grand Challenge. Optimized internal organization and external partnerships will allow ASME to pursue the four following priorities as the core contributions ASME will make in the energy sector:

• Serve as an impartial, authoritative, rational voice in energy matters by offering technical expertise to regulators and policymakers. To assist in the development, evaluation, and integration of current and future energy technologies, ASME must maintain its reputation as an unbiased and authoritative voice. With an objective stance, ASME can become the “go-to” organization for energy technical expertise that can help develop policies, codes and standards, and certification programs to support existing and emerging energy technologies.

• Develop and promote codes and standards and related products and services to support energy technology innovation and commercialization. Codes and standards are needed in many parts of the rapidly changing energy sector, particularly around renewable and emerging energy technologies. Standards for energy lifecycle analysis that support a holistic view of energy will inform policy and business decisions and encourage energy technology innovation. The development of ASME codes and standards is a transparent, consensus-driven process that involves code committees who represent a balance of engaged individuals with the necessary technical expertise. 

• Support the expansion and development of a more effective energy workforce. A significant portion of ASME’s 127,000 members work in energy industries or teach mechanical engineering to undergraduate and graduate students. ASME will leverage this great member resource through its engineering workforce development initiative to bolster the size and technical ability of the energy sector workforce to meet the quickly changing needs of the sector. This strategic objective complements ASME’s ongoing advocacy to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education initiatives nationwide.

• Increase public awareness and knowledge of the energy sector. As an organization representing those who envision, design, build, operate, and maintain modern energy technology, ASME is positioned to offer an experienced, informed, and unbiased voice to a public in need of credible information. By working with the public, ASME can promote understanding of basic scientific and energy realities, leading to increased interest in energy engineering and greater public acceptance of effective and responsible energy solutions.

Top-Priority Opportunities for ASME Action

ASME has established a bold strategy for its Energy Grand Challenge and has identified priorities to implement that strategy. Effective implementation will require the active development and deployment of ASME’s energy capabilities. ASME has identified nine top-priority opportunities to focus its efforts in achieving its Energy Grand Challenge strategy. These opportunities cut across the full spectrum of ASME’s strategy and serve to expand ASME’s professional offerings as an energy technology resource.

The top-priority opportunities for ASME’s Energy Grand Challenge are listed in Figure ES-1. Chapter 5 of this roadmap presents a series of one-page action plans for each top-priority opportunity. Each action plan provides a more detailed description of the priority; identifies the key challenges addressed by the activity and the desired outcomes of ASME’s efforts; and presents a preliminary list of tasks, potential partners, key milestones, and immediate next steps. These one-page plans are intended to jump-start the implementation of ASME’s energy strategy and set a precedent of action to address the energy challenges facing the United States and other areas of the world.

View the full ASME Energy Grand Challenge report

ASME's Energy Grand Challenge Technical Connection