Section outline

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    Announcements & Student Forum

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    • General Module Announcements Forum
      View all general news and announcements from the your module leaders.
    • Student forum

      Forum Description: This forum is available for everyone to post messages to. Students can raise questions or discuss issues related to the module. Students are encouraged to post to this forum and it will be checked daily by the module leaders. Students should feel free to reply to other students if they are able to.

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    Module information

    • This module covers various renewable energy sources (geothermal, solar, biomass, wind, hydro, tidal and wave energies) and energy conversion technologies (e.g. ground source heat pump, air source heat pump, wind turbine, solar photovoltaic, fuel cell, hydrogen fuel).

    • Module Aims and Learning Outcomes Page
    • Module schedule & Expectations File

      Tuesday 9:00 - 11:00, Peter Land: PL3.01

      Click here to download the module overview

      26.7 KB
    • Syllabus Page

      1.  Introduction. Global energy scene past and present, fossil fuels and climate change, renewable energy.

      2.  Origins of Renewable Energy Sources. Solar radiation and solar processes, net radiation flux at Earth, Earth’s energy cycle; absorption of radiation in the atmosphere, absorption processes at the Earth’s surface, water cycles, tidal forces and wave motion and wind energy.

      3.  Thermodynamics. Laws of thermodynamics, forms of energy, energy conversion, efficiency.

      4.  Building energy efficiency. Thermal comfort, heating and cooling loads, building service systems, building energy efficiency.

      5.  Wind Power. Wind velocity and kinetic energy, types of wind turbines, aerodynamics of turbines, power generation from wind turbines, economic and environmental impacts of wind power.

      6.  Solar Energy Conversion. Variation of solar radiation, solar thermal systems, solar heating, photovoltaic; semiconductors and the p-n junction, bioenergy and biomass; solar energy storage, biomass conversion to fuels, economic and environmental costs of solar power.

      7.  Hydro and Wave Energies. Ocean currents and river flows, potential energy storage; power, head and flow rate, hydroelectric power generation and environmental impacts, power from waves.

      8.  Non Solar Renewables. Geothermal energy; types of geothermal resources, technologies for exploitation of geothermal energy. tidal energy, harnessing tidal power.

      9.  Alternative Energy Storage and Conversion. Hydrogen fuels, hydrogen generation and storage; electrochemical cells and the electrolysis of water, fuel cell technologies; chemical energy to electricity, electrochemical conversion of energy.

      10.  Sustainability of Resources. renewable energy global demands, forecasting future energy requirements, balancing economic and environmental considerations, future policies and integrated energy solutions.

    • Module overview File
      26.7 KB
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    Week 1: Introduction: Global energy scene past, present and future

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    Week 2: Thermodynamics of energy conversion

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    Assessment Information

    Assessment is carried out through the following elements:

     
    Seq  Type Description Weight 
    01 CWK CWK report  50%
    02 Exam Final Exam  50%

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    Module Data Sheets

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    Week 3: Geothermal energy

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    Q-Review

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    Student Feedback

    • Student Feedback Forum
    • SEMS Big Red Box (Virtual) URL

      Please leave your feedback anonymously on any aspect of your university experience here. Every two weeks, the Senior Leadership Team will personally review and address your comments, ensuring your voice is heard and acted upon. Whether it's suggestions, concerns, or praise, drop it in the red box and help shape positive change in our department.

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    Course Representatives

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    Student Handbook

    Below you can find the handbook for all undergraduate and taught postgraduate students in all Engineering and Materials Science programmes.
    The handbook includes information regarding:

    • Preliminary information
    • School Information
    • School Procedures
    • Programmes and modules of study
    • Writing and Assessment
    • Student Services

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    Module Support Information & Resources

    Below you can find some student guides you may find useful to support your studies.

    Timetable

    Forums

    Assessments / Feedback

    Other useful resources

    Please see below links

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    Student Support Services

    Student Support Services

    Student Support Contacts

    Every School has a dedicated student support contact who can offer advice on matters you feel may be impeding your ability to study. Below you can find the SEMS student support contacts:

    Location: School Office, 3rd Floor Engineering Building, Mile End Campus
    Student portal: AskQM
    Phone: 020 7228 8770

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    Week 4: Building energy efficiency 1

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    Week 5: Building energy efficiency 2

    • Learning Objectives

      • ability to size heating and cooling systems.
      • ability to assess system performance.
      • ability to analyse heating and cooling systems.
      • ability to design high efficiency systems.

    • Interactive large group session

      Please click on the Q-Review tab to view the lecture recording.

    • Lecture notes: Week5 Building energy efficiency 2 File
      11.4 MB

    • Student-paced learning activities

      Pre-recorded lecture and reading materials are available below.

    • Recorded lecture Week5-I File
      32.4 MB
    • Recorded lecture Week5-II File
      28.9 MB
    • Recorded lecture Week5-III File
      34.2 MB
    • Recorded lecture Week5-IV File
      18.8 MB
    • Reading material - Building and Energy File
      8.4 MB
    • List of videos on air cooled chillers File
      13.3 KB

    • Summary

      Study the lecture notes, read briefly the reading materials and review the learning objectives this week.

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    Coursework 1: Design and analysis of a sustainable energy application (50%)

    Coursework Details:

     
    Coursework number   001                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
    Coursework title Design and analysis of a sustainable energy application
    Coursework weighting  50%
    Issue date Monday 22th September 2025                                                            
    DUE DATE          Wednesday 26th November 2025
    Late submission penalty     For every period of 24 hours, or part thereof, that an assessment is overdue there shall be a deduction of five per cent (5%) of the total marks available (e.g. five marks for an assessment marked out of 100). After seven calendar days (168 hours or more late) the mark shall be reduced to zero, and recorded as 0FL(zero, fail, late). For more information see the taught programme academic regulations
    Feedback return date Friday  17th December 2025
    Mark return date Friday  17th December 2025
    Marking criteria

    Evaluation criteria

    The coursework report will be assessed on the basis of:
    • depth and relevance of research (e.g. review, design, analysis)
    • synthesis and evaluation of data
    • application and understanding of appropriate concepts
    • critical appraisal and analysis of issues
    • a clear, professional and well-presented report

     Marking criteria

     Understanding & Analysis (scientific awareness, justification)  40%

    0-15 clear fail: Demonstrates essentially no understanding of project; no meaningful analysis.

    16-19 borderline fail: Very limited grasp of key scientific issues (or key journal papers); little evidence of critical analysis (or limited number of key journal papers referenced).

    20-23 pass: Some comprehension of scientific issues; attempts to apply reason-based analysis.

    24-27 merit: Appreciation of scientific challenges (and has found journal papers beyond the initial suggested); reasoned justification of strategic decisions taken (or choice of papers referenced).

    28-33 distinction: Clear awareness of scientific challenges; logical approach to problem solving.

    33.5-40 exceptional: Lucid presentation of nub of challenges faced (or extensive number of papers referenced); mature, reasoning-based analysis.

    Quality & Originality of Results and Discussion.  40%

    0-15 clear fail: Quality of data (or papers discussed) doubtful; format unconventional.

    16-19 borderline fail: Presentation of data (or papers discussed) imprecise/inaccurate.

    20-23 pass: Some useful standard data presented (or papers discussed); format and presentation non-ideal.

    24-27 merit: Useful data presented (or papers discussed); most important details documented (data from some papers compared); some inconsistencies.

    28-33 distinction: High quality results/discussion of publication standard (data from multiple papers compared); format largely adheres to convention.

    33.5-40 exceptional: Outstanding high quality results (outstanding quantity of papers found with excellent discussion)/ discussion; substantial project progress made.

    Presentation (structure, clarity, written style, quality of English). 20%

    0-7 clear fail: Lacked any apparent order; English usage very poor. No links between text & schemes.

    8-9 borderline fail: Minimal organisation of material; difficult to follow; unclear; poor English.

    10-11 pass: Apparent structure into sections; English acceptable; some text to scheme links.

    12-13 merit: English good; clear organisation of material into logical section; Good, clear style. 

    14-16 distinction: Essentially error free; clear logical construction; balanced presentation of message.

    17-20 exceptional: Flawless English; clear, logical structure; engaging style; clear developed message.
    Student checklist:

    Report:
    Page size: A4, portrait
    Number of pages: 10 (maximum)
    Font size: 11pt (minimum)
    Margin: 20 mm all sides
    Note: separate title and content pages are not needed. See samples and template.

    Assessment materials:

    Click the link below to see coursework details.

    • Coursework 2025-2026 File

      The coursework is flexible, allowing you to choose any topic relevant to climate change, renewable and sustainable energies e.g. a comprehensive review on a specific topic, a modelling and simulation of a sustainable energy system, a design of a new concept. The sample coursework reports show good examples.

      50.5 KB

    • Coursework Submission

    • Coursework 1: Design and analysis of a sustainable energy application (50%) Assignment
      Opens: Saturday, 1 November 2025, 12:00 AM
      Due: Wednesday, 26 November 2025, 11:59 PM
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    Format of Exam Paper

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    Reading List

    • This module covers wide range of topic on renewable energies and technologies. In addition to books below, there are a number of reports, journal publications, videos etc each week as reading materials.

      Recommended books
      Renewable Energy, B Sorentsen, Academic Press.

      Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science, G M Masters, Prentice Hall.

      Renewable Energy, G Boyle, Oxford University Press.

      Energy Systems and Sustainability, G Boyle, B Everett, J Ramage, Oxford University Press.

      Sustainable Energy – without the hot air, David JC Mackay, UIT Cambridge, free available online.