• Renewable Energy

The Renewable Energy module provides students with specialist training in this field,
with strong emphasis on engineering design, but also includes discussions of costs, grid
integration, optimal resource exploitation and environmental aspects. The aim of this
module is to introduce students to the fundamentals of a range of sources of renewable
energy and the means of its conversion into mechanical and/or electrical power. In
addition, the technical, economic, environmental and ethical issues associated with the
exploitation of renewable energy sources are highlighted and discussed.

Students will be provided with a good overview of well-established and rapidly growing
forms of renewable energy, learning fundamental design concepts of horizontal and
vertical axis wind and tidal current turbines, and hydraulic turbomachinery, and analysing
key power and load control strategies. An introduction to solar energy for electrical and
heat power generation is also included. Student will be taught how to assess renewable
energy resources, and how to reliably determine the maximum share of the available
source that can be converted into electricity or heat.

Using engineering, physical and mathematical models, students will learn about the
formulation and solution of multidisciplinary problems of renewable energy engineering.
The discussion of realistic engineering problems and machine design/usage challenges
will expose students to technologies presently used in the research and development
departments of modern renewable energy organizations.