Renewable Energy Engineering MSc

About the Course

The extensive consumption of fossil fuels worldwide has been contributing increasingly to global warming, air pollution and imminent energy crisis. One of the global challenges of the 21st century is to tackle these risks surrounding excessive CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. However, a report by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) shows that the world's current use of renewable energy is only 13% of its overall energy consumption.

In response to this, European Commission directives aim for a 20% reduction in fossil fuel usage throughout Europe by 2020, and a 15% increase in the use of renewable energy in the UK within the same time period. For Scotland, the Scottish Executive has a target of generating 17% to 18% of electricity from renewables by 2010, a figure rising to 80% by 2020. Renewables located in Scotland count towards both the Scottish target and to the overall target for the UK. Consequently, according to the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan (LCTP) by 2020: 34% of carbon emissions will be cut, over 1.2 million people will be employed in 'green' jobs; the efficiency of 7 million homes will be improved, with over 1.5 million of them generating renewable energy. With any luck, more than 50% of the world‘s energy supply could be met with renewables by 2050 .

It follows through that huge business incentives, markets and a wide variety of employment opportunities throughout the world can be expected with the development of renewable energy resources as a substitute for fossil fuel technology. The purpose of the MSc programme is to help meet this demand by cultivating qualified and skilled professionals with specialist knowledge into the relevant technology within the renewable energy sector.

Aims

The primary aim of this programme is to create Master’s degree graduates with qualities and transferable skills ready for demanding employment in the Renewable Energy sector. These graduates will have the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development and acquiring new skills at the highest level.

Specific aims are as follows:

• To provide education at postgraduate level in Renewable Energy.
• To develop the versatility and depth to deal with new, complex and unusual challenges across a range of Renewable Energy issues, drawing on an understanding of all aspects of renewable energy principles including economic assessment.
• To develop imagination, initiative and creativity to enable graduates to follow a successful engineering career with national and international companies and organisations.
• To provide a pathway that will prepare graduates for successful careers including, where appropriate, progression to Chartered Engineer status.
• To set up a strong foundation for those who expect to continue onto a PhD or industrial research and development.

Initial programme learning outcomes.

The programme will provide opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:

Knowledge and Understanding of:

1. The principles and environmental impact of Renewable Energy Technologies, including solar (thermal and electricity), wind, tidal, wave and hydro, geothermal, biomass and hydrogen.
2. The principles of energy conversion and appropriate thermodynamic machines.
3. The heat and mass transfer processes that relate to energy systems and equipment.
4. The principles, objectives, regulation, computational methods, economic procedures, emissions trading, operation and economic impact of energy systems. 
5. The diversity of renewable energy system interactions and how they can be integrated into actual energy control systems and industrial processes.

At the Cognitive Thinking Skills Students will be able to:

1. Select, use and evaluate appropriate investigative techniques.
2. Assemble and critically analyse relevant primary and secondary data.
3. Recognise and assess the problems and critically evaluate solutions to challenges in managing Renewable Energy projects.
4. Evaluate the environmental and financial sustainability of current and potential Renewable Energy activities
5. Develop a thesis by establishing the basic principles and following a coherent argument.

In terms of Practical/Professional/Transferable skills, students will be able to:

1. Define and organise a substantial advanced investigation.
2. Select and employ appropriate advanced research methods.
3. Organise technical information into a concise, coherent document.
4. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
5. Design and select renewable energy equipment and systems based on specific requirements/conditions.
6. Work as part of, and lead, a team.

Enquiries

Marketing and Recruitment Office
School of Engineering and Design
Email sed-pg-admissions@brunel.ac.uk
Tel +44 (0)1895 265814/266633

Course Director: Dr Yunting Ge

Accreditation

The requirement of UK-SPEC reinforces the need for a recent graduate with a Bachelor degree to take an appropriate postgraduate qualification in order to become a chartered engineer (currently, an accredited Bachelors degree does not enable the graduate to proceed to Chartered Engineer status without additional learning at M level). This MSc program will be compliant with the further learning requirements of UK-SPEC.  Accreditation will be sought from the Institute of Mechanical Engineering (IMechE) and Energy Institute.  As a result, it will appeal to recent graduates who have not yet obtained the appropriate qualifications but intend to become Chartered Engineers.  Most importantly, it will appeal to Mechanical, Chemical and Building Services Engineering graduates who wish to specialise in energy, or suitably experienced graduates of related subjects such as Physics.

Course Content

Modes of Study

1-Year Full-Time
The taught element of the course (September to April) includes seven modules; delivery will be by a combination of lectures, tutorials and group/seminar work. A further four months (May to September) is spent undertaking the dissertation.

3-5-Years Distance Learning (from 2014)
The distance learning programme is designed to enable you to conduct most of your studies at home, in your own time and at your own pace. There is no requirement to attend lectures at Brunel University and there is no set timetable of lectures, instead you follow a structured programme of self-study at home or at work. This gives you the freedom to arrange a work programme to suit yourself and you should usually allow about twelve hours each week for study. There are set submission dates for assignments but we have tried to design the programme so that they are well-spaced, giving you the maximum flexibility in your study plans.

Students can take between 3 and 5 years to complete the course. The average is 3 years, with students taking four modules in the first year, three modules in the second year and the dissertation in the third year. However, depending on your other commitments you can take longer up to a maximum of 5 years. Students are supplied with a study pack in the form of text books and CD-ROMs; you have assignments to submit and exams to sit each year. Examinations can be taken either at Brunel University or in the country you are resident in. We have an extensive network of organisations (Universities, Colleges and British Council Offices) throughout the world who will provide invigilation services. The cost of invigilation away from Brunel is your responsibility. Examinations are held in May each year.

Typical Modules

Core

• Energy Technologies I-Solar Thermal and electricity systems (15 credits)
  The module covers the details related to solar energy including concentrating solar power, solar water heating, solar space heating and cooling, solar desalination, photovoltaic, and modelling of solar thermal power systems.
  

• Renewable Energy Technologies II-Wind, Tidal, Wave, Hydroelectricity (15 credits)
  The module covers the present situation and potential development of power generation with wind, tidal and wave, fundamental principles related to these renewable energies, technologies for the selection, design and operation of systems related and integration with national grid.
  

• Renewable Energy Technologies III-Geothermal, Biomass, Hydrogen (15 credits)
  This module covers: Environmental and economic benefits of these renewable energies; The present situation and potential development of these renewable; Fundamental principles related to these renewable energies; Technologies for the selection, design and operation of systems related to these renewable energies.
  

• Management of Energy Systems and Economics (15 credits)
  This exclusive module focuses on the principles, objectives, regulation, computational methods, economic procedures, emissions trading, and operation of energy systems. 
  

• Design and Integration of Renewable Energy Systems (30 credits)
  This module covers:
  
  • Sustainable Energy in the Built Environment: Carbon Impact of the Built environment; targets and performance; processes for delivering energy to buildings; patterns of energy usage in buildings; methods of energy demand assessment and reduction; introduction to the design process; design strategies for carbon mitigation; effect of climate change; energy and environmental criteria for design; tools for building energy and environmental appraisal; methods of subjective and objective assessment of environmental conditions and energy demand for optimal performance.
  • Energy demand and building services design: introduction to building services engineering, thermal load calculations; space planning for services; systems analysis and evaluation; Thermal Energy Distribution Systems; Electrical Systems, Controls and Metering system selection and cost analysis; Design Integration and statutory Legislation; Power system load assessment; Space planning and co-ordination.
  • Renewable system integration: Tools for selection of suitable renewable technologies for various types and building use, use of marginal abatement curves (MAC) for technology cost evaluation, design of selected systems, integration with thermal and electrical services systems and equipment. 
    

• Energy Conversion Technologies  (15 credits)
  This module provides a broad introduction to the principles of energy conversion and thermodynamic machines and demonstrates their application to energy conversion and management in buildings. Emphasis is placed on refrigeration plant, energy conversion plant and energy management.
  
  • Refrigeration covers the basic principles and components of vapour compression systems, heat pumps and absorption systems
  • Energy Conversion considers power cycles, combined heat and power, combustion processes, boiler plant, thermal energy storage and environmental impacts.
    

• Dissertation (60 credits)
  The dissertation is a stimulating and challenging part of each MSc course. Dissertations may be carried out on any approved topic related to the renewable energy industry. Essentially the dissertation gives the student the opportunity to apply the techniques and disciplines covered in the taught course to a topic of their own interest, of interest to a sponsoring or industrial organisation, or of research interest.
  

Optional

• Environmental Legislation: Energy and Environmental Review and Audit (15 credits)
  This module includes: environmental regulations, hands-on environmental review and audit, environmental management systems, energy audit & management, establishing a monitoring and targeting scheme.
  

• Advanced Heat and Mass Transfer (15 credits)
  This module presents theory and practical concepts of single and two-phase heat transfer and applies this to actual heat and mass transfer equipment. Main topics include: concepts of heat transfer; boiling; condensation; heat exchangers; mass transfer concepts and equipment.
  
  

Teaching and Learning

Students will be introduced to subject material, including key concepts, information and approaches, through a mixture of standard lectures and seminars, laboratory practical, field work, self study and individual research reports. Supporting material will be provided via u-Link. The aim is to challenge students and inspire them to expand their own knowledge and understanding.

Preparation for work will be achieved through the development of ‘soft’ skills such as communication, planning, management and team work. In addition, guest speakers from industries will provide a valuable insight into the real world of renewable energy.

Many of the practical activities in which the students engage develop into enjoyable experiences, for example working in teams for laboratory and field work and site visits.
We encourage students to develop personal responsibility and contribution throughout the course. Many elements of coursework involve, and reward, the use of initiative and imagination. Some of the projects may be link with research in CEBER, CAPF and BIPS, http://www.brunel.ac.uk/sed/research.

Assessment

Each module is assessed either by formal examination, written assignments or a combination of the two. Cut-off dates for receipt of assignments are specified at the beginning of the academic year. Examinations are normally taken in May. MSc dissertation project normally is carried out over four months (FT students) or one year (DL students) and it is accessed by submission of an MSc dissertation.

Careers

The MSc programme provides a pathway to Masters-level learning for students who wish to proceed to become Chartered Engineers. The primary destination is designed for these graduates to take senior technical and management positions in many areas of postgraduate employment in both the UK, EU and overseas such as manufacturing industries, energy and environmental consultancy companies, energy advice and research centre, academia, and national and international non-governmental organisations.

Fees for 2013/14 entry

UK/EU students: £5,800 full-time

International students: £15,000 full-time

Distance learning students (per 15 credit module): £670 Home/EU, £670 Overseas

Read about funding opportunities available to postgraduate students

Fees quoted are per annum and are subject to an annual increase.

Entry Requirements

Students require a minimum 2.2 UK honours degree or an equivalent international degree qualification in related engineering disciplines. Students from disciplines that involve a high degree of mathematical competence such a Physics and Mathematics will also be considered.

English Language Requirements

Brunel also offers our own BrunELT English Test and accept a range of other language courses. We also have a range of Pre-sessional English language courses, for students who do not meet these requirements, or who wish to improve their English.