Renewable Energy Engineering MSc
Why choose this course?
Climate change is a major challenge for the 21st century, requiring an alternative supply of cleaner energy from renewable sources. This course is designed with an engineering focus that deals with applications, combined with the business element; applicable whether you work for a large organisation or a small-to-medium-size enterprise.
On this course you will gain skills and expert knowledge in solar power, wind power, biofuel and fuel cell technologies, renewable energy business and management. You will use computer-aided simulation technologies such as Polysun for solar-energy applications, WindPRO for wind farm applications and Gabi for life cycle assessment in biomass applications. Through option modules, you will be able to specialise in project engineering and management, risk management or engineering design and development. Advanced topics include 3D solid modelling, computer-aided product development and simulation, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and simulation.
| Mode | Duration | Attendance | Start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full time | 1 year | Delivered in one-week blocks | January 2023 and September 2023 |
| Full time | 2 years including professional placement | Delivered in one-week blocks plus placement year | January 2023 and September 2023 |
| Part time | 2 years | Delivered in one-week blocks | January 2023 and September 2023 |
Important: if you are an international student requiring a Student Route visa to study in the UK you will also need an ATAS certificate for this course.
| Location | Roehampton Vale |
Reasons to choose Kingston University
- You will be prepared for a career in a wide range of industries, including automotive, aerospace, construction, petroleum, power and manufacturing.
- The course meets the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) if you already have an Accredited CEng (Partial) BEng(Hons) or an Accredited IEng (Full) BEng/BSc(Hons)..
- Kingston has excellent industrial links throughout many countries. Some examples include work with: Matra-Marconi Space; Ericsson; Balfour Beatty; The National Health Service; and British Gas.
Why renewable engineering?
Find out about the importance of this field of study.
Global warming and the consequences of climate change will increasingly affect both developing and developed countries, especially if the greenhouse gases currently increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are not brought to an acceptable level.
A global priority for the 21st century must be to tackle CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, replacing them with sources of energy that are cleaner, sustainable and renewable. According to the International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), the world's current use of renewable energy is only 13% of overall energy consumption.
In response to this, European Commission directives set a 20% reduction in the use of fossil fuel in Europe by 2020 and a 15% increase in the use of renewable energy in the UK. This means there are business incentives for developing alternative energy resources and technologies as a substitute for fossil fuel technology.
With the expected global growth in the renewable energy sector, there will be a crucial need for qualified and skilled engineers with specialist knowledge of the relevant technology. This MSc course focuses on viable sustainable and renewable sources of energy conversion based on systems using solar, wind and bio technologies.
Accreditation
The MSc will meet, in part, the academic benchmark requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Accredited MSc graduates who also have a BEng(Hons) accredited for CEng, will be able to show that they have satisfied the educational base for CEng registration.
It should be noted that graduates from an accredited MSc programme, who do not also have an appropriately accredited honours degree, will not be regarded as having the exemplifying qualifications for professional registration as a chartered engineer with the Engineering Council; and will need to have their first qualification individually assessed through the individual case procedure if they wish to progress to CEng.
Find out more about Further Learning by visiting the Institution of Mechanical Engineers website.
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 website for more information about accredited degrees.
Further learning details are available on the Institution of Mechanical Engineers website.
What you will study
The course provides an in-depth knowledge of renewable energy systems design and development, commercial and technical consultancy and project management within the sustainable engineering environment.
You will gain technical skills in and knowledge of solar power, wind power, biofuel and fuel cell technologies, as well as renewable energy business and management. In addition, you will gain practical skills in up-to-date computer-aided simulation technologies such as Polysun for solar energy applications, WindPRO for wind farm applications and ECLIPSE for biomass applications.
Option modules enable you to specialise in project engineering and management, as well as risk management or engineering design and development. Advanced topics, such as 3D solid modelling, computer-aided product development and simulation, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and simulation allow you to gain further practical and theoretical knowledge of analytical software tools used in product design.
Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list.
If you start this course in January, you will complete the same modules as students who started in September but in a different format – please contact us at SECAdmissions@kingston.ac.uk for more information.
Teaching on this course usually takes place in two separate specific week blocks (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm). For further details please contact secpgstudentoffice@kingston.ac.uk.
For a student to go on placement they are required to pass every module first time with no reassessments. It is the responsibility of individual students to find a suitable paid placement. Students will be supported by our dedicated placement team in securing this opportunity.
Core modules
Option modules (choose one)
Core modules
Biomass and Fuel Cell Renewable Technology
30 credits
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.
Solar Power Engineering
30 credits
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
30 credits
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.
Project Dissertation
60 credits
This project module allows you to choose an area to research relating to a specific industrial problem and recommend a solution; utilising relevant hardware and software technology in order to produce a conference paper, an oral presentation and a substantial dissertation.
On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:
- Formulate a research problem, clearly stating the objectives of the proposed research and by developing and expounding a valid hypothesis.
- Carry out a thorough literature search in order to develop a comprehensive and sufficiently deep appreciation of the selected research field.
- Demonstrate the ability to devise a sound methodology to proceed the project in a systematic manner.
- Demonstrate the ability to apply the research results to relevant industries and problems.
- Demonstrate powers of critical analysis consistent with work at a masters level and express hypotheses, analyses and deductions in a clear, concise and objective manner.
Option modules
Engineering Research Techniques, Entrepreneurship and Quality Management
30 credits
Engineering Research Techniques, Entrepreneurship and Quality Management is a core module for engineering students on various taught MSc programmes. The module is designed to provide the student with the research skills and techniques necessary to select and justify a research topic, plan project execution, use various resources to carry out a literature search and successfully complete the project and other module assignments on the course. It also addresses issues related to presentation of technical reports at MSc. level and for the purpose of wider publication in learned media.
The module further develops the students' knowledge and skills in business and management, with a particular focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. It supports students in producing proposals for enterprise ideas such as new products or services, or innovations in existing processes or organisations. Concepts of total quality management to enhance quality of products and processes in an industrial setting are presented and application of supporting quality tools and techniques are discussed.
The module content is designed to enhance the students' employability potential in a variety of national and international industrial organisations, or career opportunities in research and development arena. It also equips students with a set of skills to set up their own business in an engineering innovation area should they wish to do so.
Computational Fluid Dynamics for Engineering Applications
30 credits
This option module is designed for students in mechanical engineering and allied subject areas to be able to extend existing knowledge and skills of relevant computational techniques and advanced mathematics developed at undergraduate level. Emphasis is placed on the solution to fluids problems in a realistic mechanical engineering context.
On successful completion of the module you will be able to:
- Define and analyse simple engineering fluid flow problems using the Navier Stokes equations. Simplify flow problems and solve them.
- Construct appropriate solid models for CFD analysis, set up the solution domain and generate suitable surface and volume grids via meshing tools.
- Understand both flow physics and mathematical properties of governing of Navier Stokes equations and define appropriate boundary conditions.
- Use CFD software to model flow problems of relevance to mechanical engineers. Analyse the results and compare with available data.
Computer Integrated Product Development
30 credits
This option module is structured to develop an in-depth understanding of some of the fundamental CAD/CAM/CAE computing technologies that support the engineering product development process. The module also develops both an understanding of the role of these technologies within product data management (PDM) systems and its role as a key enabler for product lifecycle management (PLM).
On successful completion of the module you will be able to:
- Generate complex 3D solid models including a variety of component parts and assemblies.
- Develop a good understanding of different assembly techniques and the use of assembly geometry constrained.
- Understand and apply the concepts of FEM/FEA methods to solve engineering design problems.
- Understand and apply appropriate mechanism design techniques to validate product functionality.
Professional Placement
120 credits
The Professional Placement module is a core module for those students following a masters programme that incorporates an extended professional placement. It provides students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in an appropriate working environment, and develops and enhances key employability and subject specific skills in their chosen discipline. Students may wish to use the placement experience as a platform for the major project or future career.
It is the responsibility of individual students to find and secure a suitable placement opportunity; this should not normally involve more than two placements which must be completed over a minimum period of 10 months and within a maximum of 12 months. The placement must be approved by the Course Leader, prior to commencement to ensure its suitability. Students seeking placements will have access to the standard placement preparation activities offered by Student Engagement and Enhancement (SEE) group.
Read more about the postgraduate work placement scheme.
The information above reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. Updates may be made on an annual basis and revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year. The regulations governing this course are available on our website. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this may not be offered.
Work placement scheme
Many postgraduate courses at Kingston University allow students to take the option of a 12-month work placement as part of their course. The responsibility for finding the work placement is with the student; we cannot guarantee the placement, just the opportunity to undertake it. You may find securing a professional placement difficult as they are highly competitive and challenging, but they are also incredibly rewarding. So it is very important to prepare and apply yourself if this is the route you wish to take. Employers look for great written and oral communication skills; and an excellent CV/portfolio. As the work placement is an assessed part of the course, it is covered by a student's Student Route visa.
Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme.
Entry requirements
Teaching and assessment
What this course offers you
- This course is part of the newly-established Alternative Energy Group for Renewable Energy Engineering at Kingston University.
- You gain hands-on virtual design experience using industry-recommended software technology in CAD, CFD and FEA analysis.
- The programme incorporates specialist field trips for group projects. You also have the opportunity to undertake research and industry-relevant dissertation projects, including the chance to work on research areas within wind power, solar power and biofuel.
- It will develop your professional, analytical and management skills, as well as improving your technical skills and knowledge. For example, you will gain communication, teamwork, IT and problem-solving skills.
- You can choose to study the course full-time or part-time to fit in with work commitments. September and January start dates give you extra flexibility plus the programme is modular, with majority of the modules delivered over one week.
- We regularly review all our postgraduate courses to make sure that they are up-to-date, reflect industry needs and are comparable to other university courses.
Who teaches this course?
The course is taught by the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Staff have a wide range of experience across research and industry and continue to practice and research at the cutting edge of their discipline. This ensures that our courses are current and industry informed ensuring you get the most relevant and up to date education possible.
The Department has strong links with industry leaders, including Delphi, Lotus Engineering, MAN and Thales. Many of our innovative, hands on projects involve students as well as academics and receive national and global coverage.
Our applied approach to teaching is supported by dedicated laboratories for mechanical, automotive and motorsport engineering, including wind tunnels, state-of-the-art rapid prototyping and manufacturing machinery, a fully equipped materials lab, engine test cells, an automotive diagnostics lab featuring the latest industrial software packages, and a modern electronics/robotics lab with the recent addition of a robot and electronic equipment from National Instruments.
Our courses encompass applications from all areas of engineering, providing our students with the knowledge and flexibility they need to work across many industries, both in the UK and overseas.
Postgraduate students may run or assist in lab sessions and may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader.
Fees for this course
Additional costs
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs that are not covered by tuition fees which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, access to shared IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees.
Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.
Our modern teaching environment
There is a wide range of facilities for practical work at our Roehampton Vale campus, where this course is based. You will have access to a modern environment with the latest technology and industry-standard equipment, including:
- rolling roads;
- automotive testing facilities;
- a Lotus Exige; and
- cars and motorcycles built by engineering students.
We also have a dedicated postgraduate workroom with high spec PCs and a range of software.
The £4 million Hawker Wing, which opened in December 2007, provides three floors of extra space for students and staff at Roehampton Vale, including improved learning and teaching facilities.
Field trip gallery
How the engineering staff work with industry partners
Our excellent industrial links have developed over many years and throughout many countries. Some examples include work with:
- Matra-Marconi Space Ltd;
- Ericsson;
- Balfour Beatty;
- The National Health Service; and
- British Gas.
Our Industrial Advisory Committee reviews and advises industrial activities. The Committee acts as a forum for discussing teaching, research and consultancy to industry.
After you graduate
Graduates have gone on to work in organisations such as Atkins, Alstom Power, Inditex, Vattenfall, Shell, and SGS UK Ltd. The course is also an ideal foundation for a PhD and an academic or research career in renewable energy.
Engineering research
Many 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.
Research centres
Many of our staff in the Faculty are research active. This ensures they are in touch with the latest thinking and bring best practice to your studies.
Current research projects at the Applied Engineering Research Centre cover the following areas:
- CFD and fire modelling
- applied engineering
- manufacturing
- material processing and surface engineering.
Changes from 1 August 2022
Up until 31 July 2022, this course was taught in the Faculty of Science Engineering and Computing. For students enrolling from September 2022, the course will be delivered by the Faculty of Engineering, Computing, and the Environment. There will be no impact on the teaching or the award of the degree.
