Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Energy

This is a one-year postgraduate course designed to provide civil engineers and other suitably qualified professionals with a good understanding of energy management and efficiency as well as sustainable energy generation. The course will further advanced knowledge in efficiency techniques, sustainable energy technologies and energy management systems and strategies. It will include theory and practice along with economics, current legal requirements and standards.

The course will be of particular interest to those already in employment as part of ongoing professional training as well as leading to the widening of new job opportunities for its graduates. The Diploma award is based on a combination of the results of two examination papers and an individual project. Students must pass each paper and the project and neither of these can be deferred. This course has been approved by Engineers Ireland as meeting its requirements for continuing professional development.

Course Organisation

Lectures are held on Friday evenings from 7.00pm - 10.00pm and Saturday mornings from 9.30am - 12.30pm each week over two semesters (late September to April). In addition to attending lectures, participants may be required to submit coursework as part of the students' assessment. Examinations take place in May. Topics covered include:

Energy efficiency.
Energy demand (buildings/transport/industry).
Sustainable energy generation (wind/biomass/solar).
Energy management.
Energy legislation and environment.
Low carbon (fuel cells/nuclear).

Course Content

The course consists of 3 taught modules each carrying 20 ECTS credits.

Module 1: Energy management and efficiency will introduce topics such as energy physics, energy resources, climate change and environment. Energy demand and energy management will be detailed sectorally in terms of energy in buildings; in transport and in industry. There will be a focus on measures for energy reduction and energy efficiency along with assessment procedures. Topics in energy economics, policy, embodied energy and life cycle analysis and finally energy legislation and energy markets will be addressed.

Module 2: Sustainable energy technologies will introduce energy generation and conversion. It will concentrate on renewable energy generation technologies (and include lectures on wind, wave, tidal, biomass, biofuels, geothermal, hydro, solar, waste to energy) and low carbon technologies (nuclear energy, hydrogen, fuel cells). Grid integration and energy storage will be addressed as well as the future of fossils including clean coal and carbon capture and storage.

Module 3: Individual project is a key element of the course where the theoretical and technical aspects of Sustainable Energy which have been presented, analysed and discussed in the other two modules are brought into practical and innovative focus. Each student will be expected to engage in a piece of original study to reveal a novel aspect of sustainable energy.

Course Entry Requirements

A minimum Lower Second Class (2.2) award in an Honours Bachelor of Engineering or Science Degrees or equivalent professional qualification.

ENGINEERING PG DIPLOMAS BROCHURE (PDF)