About the course
This exciting MSc programme draws on over 20 years of research expertise in the University of Hull’s Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies (CSET), to help students develop an understanding of the innovative new approaches to energy technologies that are essential if our society is to meet global zero carbon targets.
The climate crisis has brought a growing realisation that the way we generate, store and utilise energy must change and buildings have been identified as one of the 5 key challenge areas that must be addressed through innovation if we are to successfully reduce carbon emissions.
This MSc course will provide you with practical and academic experience in advanced energy technologies for building and industry application, taught by leading academics and industry experts. These include solar energy, sustainable heating and cooling technologies, ‘smart’ energy technologies, biomass, energy storage, heat pump & heat pipe technologies with an emphasis on the application in buildings and industry. You will develop an in-depth understanding of the mitigation and adaptation approaches to reduce carbon dioxide emissions with an emphasis on high efficiency energy technologies and management as well as expertise in physical and numerical modelling of advanced energy technologies.
This MSc course has been specifically designed in close consultation with industry to match the demands of employers. CSET has developed strong international, national and regional links with both industry and academia, which strengthens its research outputs and ensures this course is based on ‘real-world’ cutting-edge technology with a global focus. CSET’s links with the Energy and Environment Institute and the Aura Innovation Centre, the University of Hull’s low carbon support centre for SMEs, provide further expertise.
You will have opportunities to link with a range of our existing research projects as well as external agencies to gain practical experience in the development of advanced energy technologies, preparing them for a career in this exciting sector.
This course will help you understand technical, practical, and the latest advanced energy technologies along with their applications in the industry. You will join a cohort of like-minded students to share your experience and work together on projects and coursework of advanced energy technologies.
We aim to equip a new generation of leaders and provide you with the knowledge, skills, and experience to embark upon a career in the sustainable energy sector.
Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies (CSET)
CSET is based within the Energy and Environment Institute (EEI) – an inclusive community of over 100 researchers and support staff at the University of Hull, working on themes around mitigation of climate change and its effects. We work closely with faculties including Science & Engineering at the university and globally with external collaborators in academia and industry. The CSET is led by Professor Xudong Zhao, recently elected Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences and one of only five UK-based academics to be included in the engineering category of the Highly Cited Researchers Report 2017.
What you'll study
This is a new programme comprising six taught modules and one research dissertation. It is closely aligned with the research areas of the Centre for Sustainable Technology (CSET) within the Energy and Environment Institute (EEI). The course comprises 180 credits, split across 120 credits worth of taught modules and a 60-credit written dissertation completed over the summer period.
All modules are subject to availability and this list may change at any time.
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Energy sources and utilisation technologies
An introduction to the characteristics of the available energy sources and relevant energy utilisation technologies. National and international examples of various energy systems are examined critically regarding the energy technology selection, system design, installation, and performance analysis for a range of energy systems. These fundamentals are essential to understanding both the origins and developments of energy sources and their utilisation technologies.
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Sustainable heating technologies and systems
This module aims to introduce and examine the sustainable heating systems with an in-depth attention to the fundamentals and challenges of the heating technologies. Key topics include heat pump, solar heating, biomass heating, hybrid heating, and other sustainable heating options.
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Sustainable cooling technologies and systems
Develop critical and informed knowledge of the sustainable cooling technologies and systems which are essential to carbon emission reduction of residential and industrial buildings.
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Energy storage technologies and systems
You'll be introduced to energy storage theories and technologies, as well as the latest innovations of the field for research and industry. The module imparts the sound knowledge and innovation mindset that employers urgently need in this exciting and fast-evolving field.
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Solar energy technologies and systems
Examine a range of solar energy technologies such as solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, concentrated solar power, and hybrid solar technologies. The performance and characteristics of the different types of solar energy technologies will be critically examined and practical examples of such systems will be discussed.
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Energy efficiency and smart energy technologies
On this module, you'll be introduced to the management of the energy supply and consumption. The key topics include smart energy supply and distribution, building energy management systems, building energy efficiency technologies, as well as incentives and policies to promote the application of energy efficiency technologies.
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Research Dissertation (Advanced Energy Technologies
In the research project, you will carry out an independent investigation into a specific area of energy and low carbon technologies, supervised by an experienced member of academic staff experienced in the field of enquiry.
Research dissertation
This programme includes a 60 credits research project (completed over the summer). In the research project, you will carry out an independent investigation into a specific area of energy and low carbon technologies, supervised by an experienced member of academic staff experienced in the field of enquiry.
Your research project enables you to apply the learnings into practice and to prepare for future employment. More importantly, you will develop sound skills of project management and problem-solving, which are essential to the energy or engineering sectors at advanced technical or managerial level.
You will have access to the Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies' new research laboratory at the Aura Innovation Centre at Bridgehead Business Park, to run experiments with the support of the Centre’s technical support staff. Equipment is available to test solar thermal and solar PV systems, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, as well as other critical energy efficiency technologies (e.g. heat pipe, heat pump, CHP, PCMs etc). You will also have access to extensive IT and computer facilities for computer modelling, design, calculation, and evaluation.
How you'll be assessed
The assessments focus on developing advanced technical levels, problem-solving skills, teamwork, and effective communication, which are essential to the workplace. You will be assessed through practical energy engineering assessments with relevance to the sustainability and energy industry, including consultancy projects, engineering projects, group work and coursework.