Project-Based Learning at Universities: A Sustainable Approach to Renewable Energy in Latin America—A Case Study

Miguel Antonio Soplin Pastor (), Melany Dayana Cervantes-Marreros, José Dilmer Cubas-Pérez, Luis Alfredo Reategui-Apagueño, David Tito-Pezo, Jhim Max Piña-Rimarachi, Cesar Adolfo Vasquez-Perez, Claudio Leandro Correa-Vasquez, Jose Antonio Soplin Rios, Lisveth Flores del Pino and Amilton Barbosa Botelho Junior
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Miguel Antonio Soplin Pastor: Faculty of Chemical Engineering, National University of the Peruvian Amazon, Iquitos 16001, Peru
Melany Dayana Cervantes-Marreros: Faculty of Chemical Engineering, National University of the Peruvian Amazon, Iquitos 16001, Peru
José Dilmer Cubas-Pérez: Faculty of Chemical Engineering, National University of the Peruvian Amazon, Iquitos 16001, Peru
Luis Alfredo Reategui-Apagueño: Faculty of Chemical Engineering, National University of the Peruvian Amazon, Iquitos 16001, Peru
David Tito-Pezo: Faculty of Chemical Engineering, National University of the Peruvian Amazon, Iquitos 16001, Peru
Jhim Max Piña-Rimarachi: Faculty of Chemical Engineering, National University of the Peruvian Amazon, Iquitos 16001, Peru
Cesar Adolfo Vasquez-Perez: Faculty of Chemical Engineering, National University of the Peruvian Amazon, Iquitos 16001, Peru
Claudio Leandro Correa-Vasquez: Faculty of Chemical Engineering, National University of the Peruvian Amazon, Iquitos 16001, Peru
Jose Antonio Soplin Rios: Faculty of Chemical Engineering, National University of the Peruvian Amazon, Iquitos 16001, Peru
Lisveth Flores del Pino: Center for Research in Chemistry, Toxicology and Environmental Biotechnology, National Agrarian University La Molina, Lima 15024, Peru
Amilton Barbosa Botelho Junior: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 12, 1-15

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.

Keywords: Peruvian university; innovative teaching and learning; project-based learning; Global South; unrepresented institutions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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