Energy Resources and Engineering

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Defend a chosen engineering solution.
• Analyse the environmental and economic risk associated with a given approach.
• Predict the performance of energy systems, e.g. power station output, wind turbine, PV array.
• Identify and evaluate an engineering approach to a given problem.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Oral presentation.
• Poster Presentation.
• Problem analysis and problem solving.
• Exercise independent judgement.
• Report Writing.
• Information handling.
• Critical Analysis.
• Engineering approach to solution of problems.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Energy supply and demand.
• Fundamental limitations of energy conversion.
• The relationship between resources, energy generation and use.
• Interactions and differences between technologies and the need for a diverse energy mix.

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Produce a graphically interesting and technically concise poster.
• Write a well structured, clear and concise report.
• Research for further information to develop appropriate ideas in the energy field.
• Apply knowledge in energy to convey applicability of certain technologies.
• Demonstrate practical skills necessary for the execution of a project.
• Assemble appropriate information from the lectures and elsewhere to satisfy the needs for your tasks in the energy field. [SM8M, EA7M]

The course will endeavour to cover the following topics

A. Overview of energy resources Fossil fuel: oil, gas, coal, nuclear (fission, fusion). Renewables: wind, wave, tidal, solar, geothermal and hydropower. Principles of energy supply.

B. Energy usage Industrialised country energy usage. Energy use in the UK. Current infrastructure to meet UK demand.

C. Electricity generation. Conventional methods of generation - oil, gas, coal, nuclear. Historical, current and future practice. Environmental and financial aspects of traditional technologies.

D. Renewable energy Energy from Wind: Resource, historical use. Wind turbine technologies. UK examples. Off-shore developments. Environmental impact and public perception. Waves / Tidal

Energy: Resource. Prototypes. Proposed installations. Site selection issues. Case study - marine current turbine and wave device technologies. Hydropower: Resource, historical use. Solar Energy Resource issues. Photovoltaics (PV) Photovoltaic technologies: grid connected and standalone systems. Practical demonstration of PV systems. Technology and Applications. Geothermal Energy: Historical and current technology. Examples may include USA, Iceland and Southampton.

E: Hydrogen

F: Carbon polices and carbon wedges

Teaching activities:

lectures, visit to PV systems at UoS with infra red camera

Learning activities:

3 day mini conference event with individual presentations and posters. Students have the opportunity to attend additional days of the conference event. Field trips to nearby renewables facilities where possible. Private study, module materials are available on Blackboard.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.