MSc Renewable Energy

Postgraduate, Full-Time

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Gain the theoretical and practical skills to explore the growing field of renewable energy technologies.

  • Napier code:

    52762MM

  • Course type:

    Full-Time

  • Duration:

    1 year, or 18 months for January start

  • Award:

    MSc

  • Location:

    Merchiston campus

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Course introduction

Renewable energy technologies have become an important part of energy production. Strong initiatives and investments from the public and private sectors have made this a rapidly growing field and created further career opportunities in the sector.

This is one of the few courses offered at Masters level which not only encompasses renewable energy technologies but also complements with the essential related elements of renewable energy finance and environmental law.

These elements touch on financial analytical tools, project structuring, finance and management in renewable energy, while the law element will consider legal framework impacting upon renewable energy provision.


renewable energy

The course will extend your skills into various renewable energy technologies such as wind, solar, hydro, biomass, wave etc.

Study renewable energy capture, energy storage, energy audit and life-cycle analysis, as well as learning the concept of the system, design, development and applications.

The course is accredited by the Energy Institute, UK. Combined with a suitable accredited undergraduate degree, the MSc degree would then satisfy the academic requirements of the UK Engineering Council for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.

Subjects include

  • Sustainable energy technologies
  • Solar energy: technology, modelling and analysis
  • Renewable energy finance and environmental law
  • Research skills and project management
  • Distributed generation systems
  • MSc Project module


Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information on this is available in our disclaimer.

Career opportunities

  • Consultancies
  • Renewable energy industries
  • Renewable energy technology/design
  • Building services
  • Research & development


The entry requirement for this course is a Bachelor (Honours) Degree at a 2:2 or above.  We look for applicants to have a background in a relevant engineering field such as electrical, electronics, electrical & electronics, mechanical, automation, control, energy or renewable/sustainable energy in order to be eligible for the programme.

We may also consider alternative qualifications if you have sufficient relevant work experience within the industry. 

English language requirements

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test and our minimum English language requirements will apply.

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English, or your undergraduate degree was taught and examined in English (within two years of starting your postgraduate course). Check our country pages to find out if this applies to you.

ATAS

Please note this course requires an ATAS certificate unless you are a UK, EEA or Swiss national. The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) is designed to provide additional security checks on students who study certain courses in Science and Engineering. The scheme is managed by the ATAS Team based at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

Our entry requirements indicate the minimum qualifications with which we normally accept students. Competition for places varies from year to year and you aren't guaranteed a place if you meet the minimum qualifications.

International students

If your qualifications aren't listed above, visit our country pages to get entry requirements for your country.

Please note that non-EU international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:

BN Nursing/MN Nursing (Adult, Child, Mental Health or Learning Disability)

BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery

Admissions policies

We are committed to being as accessible as possible to anyone who wants to achieve higher education.

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures and how decisions are made.


Tuition fees
Students from 2018/19 2019/20
Home/EU £5,850 tba
Overseas £13,000 tba

Frequently Asked Questions about Fees
Information of Bursaries and Scholarships

Modules that you will study* as part of this course

Distributed Generation Systems ( ELE11113 )

Synchronous and induction generators and their control. Power conversion equipment.
Distribution Networks: Technical issues such as voltage changes, fault levels and calculations, earthing, power quality, stability and protection. Regulations and Codes of Practice.
Smart Grids: Network Operations, Energy Management, Information & Control Interoperability and Electrical Energy Storage.


Further information

Energy Materials ( MEC11110 )

Materials in energy production and storage, such as: fuel cells, wind turbines, solar panels, offshore structures, biomass, nuclear catalytic materials, nanotechnology, processing techniques, heat transfer in materials and instrumentation. The role of materials engineering in the circular economy from cradle to grave.

Further information

MSc Project ( ENG11100 )

The student will learn about important elements of project management, such as planning, control, cost, problem solving skills, report writing and defend the outcome during a viva session. The project is normally completed during 13 weeks of full time research or part time equivalent, 26 weeks.

Further information

Renewable Energy Finance and Environmental Law ( BSV11122 )


There are two major parts in the contents.

Renewable energy finance: Ecological/Environmental economics, concepts of sustainability, emissions calculations, energy and financial payback, accounting rate of return, Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), profit ratios, probability applications, sensitivity analysis, RE financial calculations, project finance practical applications, equity and debt finance, venture finance, mezzanine finance, leasing, risk management, securitisation.

Environmental law: Introduction to environmental law, European community environmental law and policy, administration and enforcement of environmental law, private regulation of environmental pollution, protection of specific environments, water pollution, contaminated land, waste management, land ownership rights and effect of planning law

Further information

Research Skills and Project Management ( MEC11117 )

- Managing a research project: selecting, planning and execution
- Team work.
- Information searching, information sources.
- Data: organising, processing and presenting.
- Reports: evaluation and review, structuring and writing.
- An overview of project management.
- Quality management.
- Time management and cost control.
- Performance monitoring and difference resolution.
- Project implementation, completion and evaluation.



Further information

Solar Energy: Technology, Modelling and Analysis ( MEC11121 )

Review of exisiting technology with respect to solar energy systems and their performance. Detailed design of solar energy systems; including autonomous off-grid Photo-Voltaic (PV) systems. Methodology and rationale for grid connection. Feed-in tariff and other governmental policies. Optimised design of solar water and space heating systems. Daylighting and solar light-pipes. Economic, energetic and environmental pay-back times. Financing and economic evaluation of systems. Systems control and energy storage.

Further information

Sustainable Energy Technologies ( MEC11123 )

Review, mathematical analysis and application of renewable energy resource data for the detailed design of appropriate renewable energy systems; including autonomous off-grid systems, and methodology and rationale for grid connection. Systems control and energy storage on both a micro and macro scale will be considered. Economic and environmental impact of Biomass energy systems will be covered. Hydro electric systems design, including water turbine selection and Flow Duration Curve analysis for optimisation of energy yield will be presented Methods of estimating life cycle carbon emission and ecological impacts will also be considered.

Further information

* These are indicative only and reflect the course structure in the current academic year. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.