Renewable Energy Engineering

Overview

On this Renewable Energy Engineering degree, you'll study a branch of engineering that focuses on powering the world sustainably. From energy conversion and storage technology, to low carbon heating systems, electrical circuit analysis and large network grids, you'll develop the engineering skills and technical knowledge you need to design, assess and improve electrical, renewable and alternative energy systems that benefit the climate and society.

Follow in the footsteps of engineers who worked on radical advancements such as solar-powered drones and the hydrogen fuel used to heat and power green homes.

BEng or MEng?

You can study this course as a 3-year Bachelor's degree (BEng) or a 4-year integrated Master's degree (MEng). The MEng allows you to achieve a Master’s level degree with just one extra year of undergraduate study, further enhancing your career prospects.

What you’ll experience
• Design renewable energy systems for electricity, transport or heating applications, for residential and commercial markets
• Use cost analysis to compare renewable energy technologies with traditional fuel systems from the points of view of business, industry and maintenance
• Get a better understanding of solar PV, wind turbines, batteries, hydrogen energy, energy-efficient buildings and sustainable transport.
• Learn about many aspects of smart grid management, energy storage, charging of electric vehicles and system automation

• Work in industry on optional modules or your optional placement year, networking with and working alongside established experts and prospective employers

Work experience and career planning

When you graduate, you'll be ready for a career working at the forefront of the technology responsible for renewable energy. Not only is the work rewarding, but you'll be working in a highly skilled area, which is always in-demand, and get to be part of the solution to one of the most pressing issues facing society.

You'll graduate with the skills and understanding to work in many related areas, including:

• Energy generation – such as in solar or wind power
• Energy conversion and storage – in areas such as batteries and hydrogen fuel cell technologies.
• Sustainable transport systems – in fields such as electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, as well as hydrogen and biomethane vehicles
• Low carbon heating systems – such as in solar, thermal, hydrogen energy, as well as biomethane and heat pumps
• Energy efficient buildings – in areas such as energy conservation, new materials, smart energy management and energy audits
• Security – working to improve national security by working on new technologies and infrastructure

What jobs can you do with a renewable energy engineering degree?

You'll be able to take roles such as:

• solar PV system engineer
• wind energy engineer
• energy storage engineer (battery specialist)
• hydrogen energy system engineer
• fuel cell system engineer
• zero carbon heating engineer
• electric vehicle charging specialist
• smart grid engineer
• energy management specialist
• energy audit specialist 

• business development manager

Teaching

Teaching on this course includes:

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Tutorials
• Laboratory work
• Computer-aided engineering system activity

There's an emphasis on problem solving and project work to reflect the challenges experience in your career. Tasks will often begin with you researching a problem or project brief, before moving on to lab sessions to identify, then implement, practical solutions.

Teaching staff are all members of the IET (Institute of Engineering and Technology), and many are Chartered Engineers. The teaching staff on this course also have a range of professional experience, including working as a team leaders, and in higher management, in industry.

You can access all teaching resources on Moodle, our virtual learning environment, from anywhere with a web connection.

How you're assessed

You'll be assessed through:

• Written examinations
• Coursework
• Practical tests
• Project work
• Presentations

You'll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. For example, you can take online quizzes on theory-related skills, such as electrical circuit network parameters, to get automatic feedback. You also get feedback on lab-related skills through the submission of the logbook you've recorded the details of practical sessions in.

You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments, so you can improve in the future.

Every Tuesday in term time you'll also attend a 1-hour feedback and support session.