Renewable Energy Engineering MSc

This course enables those with an undergraduate degree or equivalent in related sciences or engineering to specialise in renewable energy engineering, technology and applications.

It provides an in-depth knowledge of renewable energy systems design and development within an engineering environment.

This degree has been accredited by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), under licence from the UK regulator, the Engineering Council, as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for candidates who have already acquired an accredited CEng (Partial) BEng(Hons) degree.

Those students with an IEng accredited, or unaccredited, undergraduate degree will have their undergraduate programme modules reviewed by IMechE, upon completion of this MSc, and may be required to take further learning (if any) for CEng registration.

See www.imeche.org for further information.

Accreditation is a mark of assurance that the degree meets the standards set by the Engineering Council in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC). Some employers recruit preferentially from accredited degrees, and an accredited degree is likely to be recognised by other countries that are signatories to international accords.

Please check the Engineering Council course search for more information

What will you study?

The course combines specialist skills to provide career pathways in the following areas of project engineering and management:

• Solar power engineering design and development
• Wind power engineering design and development
• Bio-fuel technologies
• Renewable energy business and management

Option modules introduce you to subjects designed to help further enhance your career ambitions. The MSc project gives you the opportunity to choose a field of study in which to establish yourself as a specialist. You will be given a wide range of projects, many of which are associated with real-world problems in the engineering industry.

Advanced topics such as 3D solid modelling, virtual product design and simulation, and finite element analysis allow you to gain further practical and theoretical knowledge of analytical software tools used in product design. There will also be plenty of opportunities for you to engage in laboratory and group activities.

Many engineering academic staff are engaged in a range of research and consultancy activities funded by the Research Councils, the European Union, the government, trade unions and industry. These activities ensure our staff are in touch with the latest industry thinking and bring best practice to your studies.
Find out more...

Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list.

Core modules

• Biomass and Fuel Cell Renewable Technology

• Biomass and Fuel Cell Renewable Technology

  This broad-based module comprehensively examines:

  • biomass and fuel cell technology;
  • the principle engineering methodologies for producing biomass ;
  • fuel cell energy as a prime source of power; 
  • the relevant applications for renewable energy generation;
  • how the design and manufacturing processes involved may be applied in the development and optimisation of new and innovative renewable energy systems; and
  • some of the key issues relating to environmental concern as well as biomass and fuel cell policy.

  The module is primarily delivered through formal lectures and practical laboratory sessions, supported by case studies and tutorials, with comprehensive course material available via StudySpace.

   

  
   
• Renewable Energy Systems

• Renewable Energy Systems

  This core module is primarily focused on the impact of renewable energy technology and engineered systems from a social, economic, environmental, business management and policy context.

  It is set against the background of global warming, sustainability issues, the acquisition and development of renewable energy sources and how these factors are influenced by government and international organisations, thus affecting business decision making. The comprehensive content examines:

  • the different aspects of social, economic and environmental business management;
  • how this can create operational efficiencies and a competitive advantage;
  • the differential effect applicable to varying industries; and
  • aspects of corporate social responsibility.

  Core factual material is primarily delivered through lectures and supported by tutorials, with comprehensive course material available via StudySpace.

  
   
• Solar Power Engineering

• Solar Power Engineering

  This core module provides a detailed examination of the solar energy conversion process, system design and application. The comprehensive content considers:

  • how the principles of solar energy, as a prime source of power, can be utilised in the design, development and manufacture of relevant energy systems and technologies;
  • current and future technological requirements; and
  • the key issues and influences surrounding solar energy deployment.

  Core factual material is primarily delivered through lectures and supported by tutorials, with comprehensive course material available via StudySpace.

  
   
• Wind Power Engineering

• Wind Power Engineering

  The comprehensive content of this module examines:

  • the measurement and assessment of wind resources; together with
  • the principles and technology of machines used in the generation of power from the wind, including:
    • their aerodynamics;
    • the aero-elastic;
    • fatigue characteristics of their materials; and
    • the operation of ancillary equipment, including gear boxes and electrical machines.

  The module also considers the latest developments and technical progress of wind-powered installations and covers all aspects of life-time project management, including:

  • planning and public acceptance;
  • costing and financial incentives;
  • technologies; and
  • plant operation, including maintenance and power system integration.

  The module is primarily delivered through lectures and practical laboratory sessions, supported by tutorials, with comprehensive course material available via StudySpace.

  
   
• Individual Project

• Individual Project

  This module allows you to put what you have learnt during the course into practical implementation of some forms –through using a mix of experimentation, research and literature review – to provide solutions or feasible recommendations to specific industrial problems.

  
   

Option modules (choose four)

• Advanced Materials Processing

• Advanced Materials Processing

  This module looks at:

  • the importance of modern materials in advanced manufacturing processes;
  • materials and processes that are available or in development; and
  • aspects of quality assurance related to advance materials.
  
   
• Business Resources Management

• Business Resources Management

  In today's globalised business platform, any successful company must not only perform well in a local region or country, but must also excel well amongst international competitors. This module gives you an in-depth understanding of important elements and techniques found in most successful business companies, and how they extend their successes into international markets.

  
   
• Computational Fluid Dynamics

• Computational Fluid Dynamics

  This module further enhances student knowledge and skills on problem solving capability by using software-based computational techniques.

  It will deliver more systematic study on modern computational fluid dynamics knowledge in further detail, including:

  • flow governing equations;
  • numerical scheme and stability analysis;
  • boundary condition definition in relation to flow characteristics; and
  • flow results analysis and presentation for the understanding of in-depth flow physics.

  We will use the commercial CFD suit ANSYS-CFX with in-class theoretical studies. You will spend significant amounts of time in computing labs and tutorials to practice various case studies, and novel concepts of high-performance computing will also be applied.

  The module is primarily delivered through lecturers, computing labs and tutorials for solving problems. Additional support materials are available on StudySpace.

  
   
• Computer Aided Product Design

• Computer Aided Product Design

  This module covers:

  • the analytical computing tools that extend the functionality of 3D Solid Modelling systems;
  • the industrial context of the computing tools in the product development process;
  • Finite Element Analysis (FEA) techniques - used to solve a range of engineering and scientific problems in solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer, kinematics, and dynamics; and
  • Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) techniques - with a particular reference to feature recognition and the automated generation of process plans for multi-axes prismatic components.
  
   
• Finance Resource Management

• Finance Resource Management

  This module examines the role of financial accounting within organisations. It provides an overview of financial accounting systems in business and public sector organisations.

  It also covers:

  • the needs of first level managers for financial information and their role in supplying information;
  • accounting concepts and conventions; and
  • ways of measuring income and valuing assets.
  
   
• Industrial Project Management

• Industrial Project Management

  This skills-based module teaches you how to:

  • undertake industrially relevant projects;
  • manage resources; and
  • keep track of project progression.

  You gain expertise in various project management techniques, such as PERT and CRP, as well as other suitable software systems.

  
   
• Industrial Systems and Management

• Industrial Systems and Management

  This module gives you an understanding of the key operational elements in a typical manufacturing company. It considers what enables a company to function and successfully interact in an integrated environment.
  
  This includes hardware, software and management concepts that are important to the success of the company. You also look at a logical framework to:

  • identify and analyse particular problems in an engineering company; and
  • recommend feasible solutions with justifications.
  
   
• Integrated CAD/CAM Systems

• Integrated CAD/CAM Systems

  This module develops a fundamental understanding of 3D solid modelling and the core technologies of part modelling and parametric modelling. This will enable you to develop complex geometry, which defines many of today's engineering and product models.

  The module also develops an understanding of:

  • the state-of-the-art engineering philosophies of concurrent engineering, collaborative working and virtual product development; and
  • the role of contemporary engineering computing tools to support these.
  
   
• Mechatronics and Automation

• Mechatronics and Automation

  This module covers the main principles of robotic, industrial automation and mechatronics systems. It looks at the main building blocks of such systems, namely:

  • modelling of dynamical systems, especially multi-body mechanical systems;
  • sensors and actuators for robotic systems;
  • feedback control; and
  • artificial intelligence methods.
  
   

The Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing teaches this course.

Find out more...

Learn more about the facilities available to you as a student of this course.

Find out more...

The range of events and lectures in the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing enhances your studies and adds an extra perspective to your learning.

Find out more...