Renewable Energy BSc (Hons) with foundation year

Climate change, disasters, resource scarcity, energy crises, globalisation, human rights, collective action, social media, post-truth, technological advancement alongside grinding poverty. Burgeoning rights movements and freedoms juxtaposed with escalating inequality and oppression. Collective action and societal polarisation. We live in complex, challenging and energising times. The world faces significant and unprecedented challenges. At the same time, efforts are being made to meet these challenges from major global initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals, The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to grassroots movements such as Extinction Rebellion and Black Lives Matter.  

This module introduces the world today, how we got here, and where we may be going. It asks you to consider your place in the world, how the issues of the present and past shape and impact you and your future, and the role you may play in it all.

Compulsory

This module aims to provide a critical overview of the nature of academic research and help you to evaluate current research in your subject area. You will have opportunities to develop and demonstrate a range of key scientific, social science, technical and mathematical/statistical skills to address simple research questions and you will present your research findings in multiple forms. 

This module will give you the confidence to plan and design simple research projects, implement a variety of academic research techniques, and allow you to develop and demonstrate your digital literacy.

Compulsory

This module aims to develop your ability to understand fundamental energy principles (e.g., kinetic energy, potential energy, conservation, laws of thermodynamics, etc.) and apply appropriate mathematical techniques to problems found within the energy sector, including performing resource assessments and basic technical and economic calculations. For example, calculating home energy usage, seasonal solar PV energy yield or calculating profitability of an energy project. The module is designed to prepare you for more advanced study and enhance your understanding. 

A main learning objective of the module is to ensure you become comfortable with using MS Excel for analysis and solving various energy sector problems. This helps you to ensure an understanding of applying first principles and develop the key skills that are required to use more advanced software packages. 

Compulsory

This module examines conventional energy supply systems, its history, formation, supply chains, and its current status. You will learn about key upstream/downstream components of the oil, gas, coal, and nuclear industries, as well as global energy consumption; where and how energy is used in the different sectors (electricity, heating/cooling, industry and transport). The aim of the module is to ensure you have a solid grounding with all these varied components so that your subsequent modules can build on your knowledge and focus on the future of our global energy system. The module covers the present-day energy mix of fossil-fuel, nuclear, and renewable energy sources, and is the benchmark against which future changes can be measured.

The Module will teach and inform you about several of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals – especially those related to Affordable and Clean Energy; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Sustainable Cities and Communities; and Responsible Consumption and Production.

Compulsory

This module will aim to provide you with the vital underpinning in energy economics that will enhance your understanding and equip you with the necessary skills to tackle applied concepts of evaluating the financial benefits, costs, and comparisons of different renewable energy solutions. The module will majorly link to UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #7 “Affordable and Clean Energy” in that energy is becoming more sustainable and widely available, as well as contributing towards parts of SDG goal #12 “Responsible Consumption and Production” in reducing consumption and making that sustainable. 

The module also aims to develop your knowledge of the financial and market risks associated with renewable energy economics and trade. It will provide you with a focused insight into energy markets and renewable fuels. Through studying this module, you will develop a more detailed knowledge of renewable energy price risks and mitigation tools. The module will therefore give you the skills and knowledge to make business/management decisions in the renewable energy sector in the transition from fossil fuels towards net carbon zero. The module will enlighten you in the basic economic theories that practitioners in the industry will be using to evaluate investment decisions and project evaluations, and your knowledge and understanding will be raised through your heightened ability to understand complex problems and develop solutions and ideas.

Compulsory

This module offers you a practical examination of how the United Nation's (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be implemented and furthered within the Built and Natural Environment. The module will introduce you to how individuals, communities and businesses within the Built and Natural Environment could be responding to the UN SDGs and helping to transform the world through their impact.

The module identifies how the SDGs impact your course discipline by exploring the 17 SDGs and focusing on the delivery and implementation of a student-led project that encompasses the most applicable SDG or a combination of SDGs to your specific academic discipline.

A global approach is needed for the UN SDGs to be fully realised and your place in this as an actor on the international stage will be enhanced.

Compulsory

Climate change is viewed by many as the most pressing issue facing the world today. In this module you will learn about the science and impacts of climate change, as well as strategies to mitigate or adapt to the problem, thus enabling you to develop your own critical opinion of the subject. We will explore the structure of the atmosphere in terms of natural and enhanced greenhouse states and discuss natural and anthropogenic causes of climate change. You will discover the effects that a changing climate has on global societies and on earth systems, such as the biosphere. We will also discuss what can be done about the problem by reviewing mitigation and adaptation strategies and examining the effectiveness of national and international climate change policies.

This module has relevance to all UN Sustainable Development Goals, as climate change directly impacts poverty (SDG1), hunger (SDG2) and health (SDG3), especially in non-OECD countries, as well as terrestrial (SDG15) and aquatic (SDG14) ecosystems. It also considers the future role of clean energy (SDG7), economic growth (SDG8) and infrastructure (SDG9) within the auspices of climate action.

Compulsory

This Module explores the key technologies that are expected to power our future global energy system, namely onshore wind, solar PV, and bioenergy. You will learn about these resources, and how these can be converted into 'useful' energy, and what their current and projected costs are.

The Module will also give you more information and a greater understanding about other mature renewable and low-carbon technologies (in the case of hydroelectric and geothermal), emerging and developing energy sources (incl. wave, tidal, ocean thermal, etc.) and energy storage systems. This will allow you to develop skills used in research, as informed by the research experience of the Module staff. This module contributes towards the following SDGs: 7 and 13.

Compulsory

Health and Safety (H&S) considerations have become a critical component of management systems and strategies in various industries and organisations across the globe. Health & Safety in the Energy Sector will focus on practical management skills, and how you can use and apply these to ensure that work is carried out safely and without risk. The module is therefore designed for anyone working in any sector or country but with reference to the renewable energy sector.

The module is structured in line with the institute of Occupational Health and Safety (IOSH) syllabus on Managing Safety.

Compulsory

The aim of this module is to provide you with the ability to apply a range of techniques to the management of projects and systems in the energy industry. The module introduces the key issues and language involved in managing projects by exploring project management tools, techniques and terminology.

This module will explore the role of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a process for identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the environmental impacts of energy developments prior to major construction decisions being taken. An introduction to the development of EIA and the current legislative requirements are followed by an examination of risk and impact assessment methods, and data sources. The module will develop skills and the processes required to predict significant environmental impacts and propose mitigation measures and plans to implement them. 

Compulsory

This aim of this module is to further develop your research methods and skills for geography, energy and disaster management students, specifically focussing on the skills and understanding necessary to undertake a final year research project. The module is designed to challenge you to think critically, independently and work as part of a team. You will look to develop key research and practical fieldwork skills necessary for collecting and analysing quantitative and qualitative data. We will explain the components of a good project and provide opportunities to practise the required skills. In addition, the residential field trip² will provide further opportunities to gain experience of research and fieldwork methods and techniques. The module will support you in making an informed decision about the proposed topic of their final year project.

Compulsory

In this module, you will undertake a critical analysis of a specified location and associated project that has been influenced by the United Nation's (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Your analysis of the project will explore the impact, success or failure alongside possible solutions that will be fundamental to the positive future development of the location.

You will research, appraise, critique, develop and then communicate to a wider audience the impact and implementation of the identified SDGs for the location/ project. The focus of the review will be linked to your academic discipline within the Built and Natural Environment and draw upon prior learning from your previous cognate knowledge.

A global approach is needed for the UN SDGs to be fully realised and your place in this as an actor on the international stage will be enhanced, alongside the development of your inter-cultural competencies.

Compulsory

This module² provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon and gain experience for an approved placement undertaken during your programme. A placement should usually be at least 26 weeks or equivalent; however, each placement will be considered on its own merits, having regard to the ability to achieve the learning outcomes.

Optional

This module² provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon and gain experience for an approved international study/work placement undertaken during your programme. A work/study placement should usually be at least 26 weeks or equivalent; however, each placement will be considered on its own merits, having regard to the ability to achieve the learning outcomes.

Optional

This module is aimed at using different research methods and research skills to effectively communicate research novelties and ideas to the scientific and non-academic communities. It provides a background in research practice and helps students to understand various methodologies, and develop the skills of reading, reviewing, and critiquing academic literature in their related disciplines and to enable students to carry out research-oriented tasks (REL). It introduces academic research pertaining to renewable energy profession and associated skills, providing a sound academic background for the research dissertation module and for undertaking high calibre consultancy work when employed in industry.

Compulsory

To have a chance of limiting warming below 1.5°C, most recent scenarios from integrated assessment models (IAMs) require large-scale deployment of negative emissions technologies (NETs). These are technologies that result in the net removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.  This module will first provide an up-to-date status report of the global carbon budget and the role of NETs in meeting climate targets. This is followed by a technological overview of each of the various NETs. The module also explores how we quantify the potential global impacts of the different NETs on various factors to determine the biophysical limits to, and economic costs of, their widespread application.

Compulsory

Around one third of global primary energy consumption is used for space and process heating/cooling. This module examines the challenges of decarbonising this vital component of the global energy sector and you will learn how better energy management measures and renewable energy technologies can be deployed to meet this challenge. The largest proportion of this consumption is used for providing thermal comfort within our buildings (space heating/cooling). 

We will explore together how this might change depending upon local climate and how careful building design and adaptation can firstly reduce heating demand, before then exploring the options for renewable provision. This includes technologies such as air/ground/sea/lake sourced heat pumps, district heating and other renewable sourced heat sources. You will also review renewable options for process heat in the domestic sectors (water heating and cooking) and industrial sectors (low-medium-high temperature processes).

Compulsory

The transport sector (with the exception of freight and heavy-duty vehicles) is more amenable to decarbonisation than other sectors of the global economy. Transport therefore poses one of the most difficult and emotive challenges to energy system decarbonisation. Through studying this Module, you will take a detailed look at the global transport sector by an examination of the various transport modes and their outlook in light of the transition to a decarbonised world.   

One of the key themes that you will learn on this module is how the transition to decarbonised transport within the wider energy sector will be increasingly influenced by electrification and the commercialisation of hydrogen as a transport fuel.  You will use case studies and your own research on evolving fuel technology to demonstrate your understanding of the progress towards sector-wide improvements in transport sustainability. 

Compulsory

The aim of this module is to enable you to develop your research skills by conducting primary or secondary research focused on a specific problem of relevance to your discipline. You would use different methods and research skills, gained over previous years of study, to effectively communicate research novelties and ideas to the academic and non-academic communities. It will enable you to understand the importance of correct and critical analysis of all the factors involved in a problem and develop your initiative as you pursue and execute the investigation, demonstrating originality and creativity.

Compulsory

This module aims to introduce you to critical thought and methods as applied in an overseas field location². The module will extend your fieldwork skills and your grasp of contemporary methodologies and techniques. Emphasis in the classroom, and the field, is placed on experiential learning whilst also ensuring the continuation of transferable field and academic skills development. Experiences and skills that will be developed include undertaking research in the field; making observations, collecting and collating data; critically debating previous research, taking responsibility for one’s own learning though individual- and teamwork and formulating hazard and risk assessments for fieldwork.

Compulsory