Sustainable Energy Engineering MSc

This module covers:

• Current trends and future prospects for fossil fuel and renewable energy supplies 
• Analysis of energy contributions from different sources: Energy vectors, conversion efficiency and distribution systems, especially for electricity generation.
• Engineering components and analysis of renewable energy technologies, including wind, solar PV and hydropower - generator types, electrical performance.
• Economic and environmental assessment of energy conversion technologies 
• Energy Policy: carbon reduction initiatives and life-cycle assessment 
• Sustainable transport options and infrastructure.
• Comparison of low carbon energy options including biofuels and nuclear 

A project-oriented module involving a review of publications and views on a topic allied to the chosen specialist subject. The module will also involve organisation and design of the main project. Skills will be acquired through workshops and seminars that will include:

• Further programming in MATLAB and /or MSExcel Macros
• Project planning and use of Microsoft Project
• Measurement and error analysis
• Development of laboratory skills including safety and risk assessment

Students will select a further set of specialist seminars from, eg:

• Meshing for computational engineering applications
• Modelling using CAE packages
• Use of CES Selector software
• Specific laboratory familiarisation
• Use of MSVisio software for process flow
• Use of HYSYS process modelling software
• Use of PSpice to simulate analogue and digital circuits

The specialist seminars will be organised within the individual MSc courses.

This project involves students undertaking an original, independent, research study into an engineering or industrial topic appropriate to their specific MSc programme. The project should be carried out in a professional manner and may be undertaken on any topic which is relevant to the MSc programme, as agreed by the relevant Course Director and module convenor.

The project has several aims, beyond reinforcing information and methodology presented in the taught modules; the student is expected to develop skills in research, investigation, planning, evaluation and oral and written communication.

Final reporting will take the form of a written account including a literature review and an account of the student's contribution. A presentation will be made to academic staff towards the end of the project.

This module exposes you to topics relevant to engineers today that are new and/or developing rapidly and which may be associated with important segments of the UK economy. The aim of the Case Study is to develop your skills in acquiring, assimilating, synthesising and presenting technical and business information in an appropriate form based on sound research.

For efficiency and clarity, the module will have complementary themes running in parallel at times, as shown below:

The module will involve two pieces of individual courseworks in wind loading and buffeting.

Method and Frequency of Class:

 Method of Assessment:

The module aims to provide students with knowledge of key environmental and sustainability issues of relevance to energy supply and use, materials consumption, and product design/manufacture.

Topics include:

1. Drivers for sustainability, including patterns of energy use, material consumption, waste generation, and associated environmental impacts in UK and globally.
2. Factors influencing the availability of non-renewable and renewable energy and material resources.
3. Principles for the efficient use of energy resources including energy use in buildings, heat and power generation, and heat recovery systems.
4. Life cycle assessment of engineering activities, with focus on greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions, their impacts, and mitigation measures.
5. Economic analysis of investments in energy savings, material substitution, product design, and value recovery from end-of-life products; Cost-benefit analysis incorporating environmental externalities; and the role of government regulations in influencing business decisions.

Delivery

Assessment method

This module will look at the potential of various waste streams in industry, domestic sources, and agriculture, as well as the different combustion technologies available. It will include a strong international focus, particularly on small to medium scale renewable energy schemes in developing countries. The module will also have dedicated socio-cultural, socio-economic, policy and guidance and techno-economic seminars to introduce students to the interdisciplinary nature of the subject.

Assessment: 30% group coursework, 70% exam

This module aims to provide you with the fundamental knowledge of energy storage science and the practical skills related to this area. It covers the following topics:

• fuels storage (coal, oil, natural gas, biomass, hydrogen etc)
• mechanical energy storage (springs, compressed air, fly wheels etc)
• heat or thermal energy storage (phase transformation, endothermic and exothermic reactions etc)
• electricity storage (electrochemical means, such as batteries, fuel cells, redox flow batteries, supercapacitors)
• integration of storage with supplier and users (power electronics for interfacing energy stores with power grid, renewable sources and users)

You’ll spend two hours in lectures and three hours in practicals per week.

The module aims to provide students with knowledge of key environmental and sustainability issues of relevance to energy supply and use, materials consumption, and product design/manufacture.

Topics include:

1. Drivers for sustainability, including patterns of energy use, material consumption, waste generation, and associated environmental impacts in UK and globally.
2. Factors influencing the availability of non-renewable and renewable energy and material resources.
3. Principles for the efficient use of energy resources including energy use in buildings, heat and power generation, and heat recovery systems.
4. Life cycle assessment of engineering activities, with focus on greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions, their impacts, and mitigation measures.
5. Economic analysis of investments in energy savings, material substitution, product design, and value recovery from end-of-life products; Cost-benefit analysis incorporating environmental externalities; and the role of government regulations in influencing business decisions.

This module aims to provide students with a comprehensive grounding in renewable energy sources and allied conversion systems with the focus on their application within the built environment.

Specifically the module will cover:

1. energy principles
2. solar energy resources
3. solar thermal collectors
4. solar photovoltaics
5. wind energy
6. district heating and heat pumps
7. biomass energy
8. CHP
9. efficient boilers
10. heat recovery

For each of the renewable and energy efficient systems, the student will learn and develop an understanding of principle of operation, basic components, merit and limitations, and investigate the contribution they can make to a building's energy requirement with reference to their environmental impact.

This module will examine aspects of performance analysis and system design/sizing of renewable energy systems for building integration. The course provides opportunities to gain experience in issues of technology selection, system design, installation and performance analysis of a range of renewable energy systems. The module will emphasize solar energy technologies (photovoltaic and solar thermal systems) and small-scale wind turbines, and their integration into buildings.

This includes aspects of weather data resource/collection, system performance analysis, system design parameters, design/simulation tools, field evaluation of these technologies and cost appraisal.

This module considers:

• Hydrogen use in the transport and energy sectors
• Sustainable sources of Hydrogen
• Hydrogen storage and distribution
• Fuel cell technologies
• Hydrogen Vehicles
• Grid stability and decarbonisation of heat applications
• Economic and environmental feasibility assessment

Content to be confirmed.

In this module, you will study how to make informed decisions under uncertainty, with a focus on the risks and challenges involved in large-scale engineering projects.

You will explore frameworks for balancing risk and benefit, particularly in contexts involving safety, environmental impact and financial or technological uncertainty. Through real-world case studies on plastics, metals, industrial minerals and energy, you will examine how innovation drives sustainable and responsible engineering solutions.

On this module, you’ll build on your Thermofluids 1 and 2 knowledge to explore advanced heat transfer, thermal power systems and fluid mechanics. You’ll study conduction, convection, radiation and boiling/condensation heat transfer, as well as mass transfer and combined modes. The module also covers thermal power systems, including gas turbines, steam cycles, solar and nuclear power and turbomachinery – equipping you with the skills to analyse and design complex thermal systems.