Renewable Energy Engineering

Year 1

Year 1 sets the foundation of the course. During this year, you will engage in a wide range of activities to understand the breath of the subjects within the renewable energy engineering. You will be introduced the fundamental principles in engineering mathematics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and renewable energy engineering. Year 1 is designed to kickstart the development of your professional, technical and practical skills in laboratory work and engineering practices. You will also gain transferable skills, such as IT, numeracy and communications, and build your ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Year 2

You will continue to build upon the foundations established in Year 1, deepening your knowledge and understanding of core areas in renewable energy, mechanical, and electrical engineering. You will develop programming skills relevant to renewable energy, enhance your problem-solving abilities, and gain proficiency in analysing and critically evaluating technical information. This year also focuses on the advancement of practical, technical, and transferable skills, providing a better understanding of the integrative nature of the engineering process. You'll also gain awareness of the interconnections between engineering, innovation, sustainability, and the environment.

Year 3

You will study core technology and systems in renewable energy engineering covering areas such as energy storage, conversion, integration, smart grids and drive systems. You will take part in a renewable group project addressing various aspects of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and you will collaborate with your team to design, implement and test solutions. Through this experience, you will develop knowledge and skills in project management, team working and leadership and gain understanding of the environmental and social impact of engineering solutions.

Year 4

You will explore advanced technologies and systems of wind, solar and geothermal energy and low emission vehicles. This will provide you a critical understanding of specialised areas of renewable energy and equip you with a wide range of professional, technical and practical skills, which are at the forefront of the development. Building on this foundation, you will carry out a year-long substantial research project, which involves planning and managing the work, researching and undertaking the investigation, analysing and reflecting on the outcome and presenting the completed work professionally.

Learning Methods

You will study four 15-credit modules each term and 8 modules per academic year. Typically, you will have four hours per module per week in a mixture of lectures, tutorials, laboratories, engineering practices, workshops, computer simulations and individual or group project work. Industrial engagement, such as field trips and industrial guest talks are also provided in some modules.

Your course resources will be available on Moodle, our virtual learning environment, where you can find lecture notes, tutorials, coursework assignments, laboratories worksheets, additional reading, and much more.

Activity Summary

Year 4

• Lectures - 20 students per group, 8 hours per week
• Tutorial - 20 students per group, 4 hours per week
• Project Supervision - one-to-one, 1 hour per week
• External Visits - 20 students per group, 4 hours per week

How long is a BEng (Hons) Renewable Energy Engineering course?

A Renewable Energy Engineering degree can be successfully completed in 4 years, in which the opportunity to receive the necessary skills are obtained.

Independent Study

Independent study allows you to consolidate what you have learned in the class and reflect on your engineering practices. The amount of independent study should be equivalent to the amount of the timetabled classes, and this may include reading lecture notes, undertaking tutorial problems, writing up reports and practise lab skills.

Staff Delivering on This Course

The academics teaching the course have a wealth of renewable energy, mechanical and electrical engineering experience, gained through teaching, industry projects, research, and previous working in the industry. There are also opportunities for industry experts to deliver guest lectures. 

Many of our academic staff are Associate Fellow, Fellows or Senior Fellows of the Higher Education Academy, which is a professional recognition of practice, impact and leadership of teaching and learning.

Assessment

Typically students are assessed:

Year 1

• 3 written exams, typically for 2.5 hours 
• 2 reports
• 2 portfolios
• 1 oral assessment
• 1 practical skills assessment

Year 2

• 4 written exams, typically for 2.5 hours
• 3 reports
• 1 portfolio
• 1 practical skills assessment

Year 3

• 3 written exams, typically for 2.5 hours 
• 3 reports
• 1 portfolio
• 1 oral assessment

Year 4

• 2 written exams, typically for 2.5 hours 
• 4 reports
• 1 dissertation
• 1 oral assessment

Feedback

We aim to provide you with feedback within 20 working days of submission of coursework.

Academic Support

The Inclusion Centre advises and supports students who disclose a sensory or mobility impairment, chronic medical condition, mental health issue, dyslexia and other specific learning differences. Applicants are encouraged to arrange a pre-entry visit to discuss any concerns and to view the facilities.

Online Learning & Support

All undergraduate and postgraduate students, whether you are learning on campus or by online learning, benefit from using our collaborative virtual learning environment, CampusMoodle. You will be provided with 24/7 online access to your learning material and resources, along with the ability to interact with your class members and tutors for discussion and support.

Study Skills Support

The Study Support Team provides training and support to all students in:

• Academic writing
• Study skills (note taking, exam techniques, time management, presentation)
• Maths and statistics
• English language
• Information technology support

Library Support

The Library offers support for your course, including the books, eBooks, and journals you will need. We also offer online reading lists for many modules, workshops and drop-ins on searching skills and referencing, and much more.

Placements

Although placements form part of our MEng programmes, they are not yet currently embedded in our BEng courses.

Job Prospects

Clean energy and renewables industry is a fast-growing sector with a shortage of talents nationally and globally.

Is Renewable Energy Engineering a good career choice?

Graduates from this course have excellent opportunities to establish a successful career and thrive in the rapidly growing renewable energy industry. Career prospects include roles such as

• Renewable Energy Engineer
• Energy Engineer
• Solar Energy Engineer
• Wind Energy Engineer
• Battery Systems Engineer
• Renewable Energy Storage Engineer
• Biomass Energy Engineer

What is needed for a BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering course?

Standard Entry Requirements

• SQA Higher: BBCC to include Maths and either Engineering Science, Physics, Chemistry  or Technological Studies. English at National 5 grade C or above is required if not held at Higher.
• GCE A Level: CCC to include Mathematics and one from Physics, Chemistry, Design Technology, Electronics, or Engineering. GCSE English at grade 5/C or above is required if not held at A Level.
• Irish Leaving Certificate Higher: H3H3H3H3 to include Maths and either Physics, Chemistry or Technological Studies. English at grade O3 or above is required if not held at Higher.
• IB Diploma: 26 to include Higher Level Maths and Physics or Chemistry at grade 5. English is required at a minimum of Standard Level grade 4.

Minimum Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirements for widening access applicants are:

• SQA Higher: CCCC to include Maths and either Engineering Science, Physics, Chemistry or Technological Studies. English at National 5 C is required if not held at Higher.

Applicants from Partner Colleges

For direct entry into stage 2 you should have an appropriate HNC (or equivalent).

For direct entry into stage 3 you should have an appropriate HND (or equivalent).

International Students

International students who do not meet our direct entry requirements for this course can gain additional entry points through our International College at Robert Gordon University.

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English should have an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with no component lower than 5.5, or an equivalent.

We accept a variety of in-country and secure English language tests, find out more:

Please note, some courses may require a higher standard of English than stated in this page. Contact admissions@rgu.ac.uk for further information.