New and Renewable Energy

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New and Renewable Energy is the means by which the challenges of environmental and energy sustainability will be met. Durham's degree will equip you with the skills required to meet these challenges.

Introduction

The School is one of a small number of general Engineering departments in the UK. We consider the discipline as an integrated subject rather than sub-dividing the discipline into narrow areas. Our courses produce modern Engineers who are capable of solving problems across the traditional Engineering boundaries, which is an ideal environment for Engineers working in New and Renewable Energy. For example, in a wind turbine, the choice of generator has a direct consequence for the aerodynamic design of the turbine.

The top reasons for coming to Durham to study on our New and Renewable course are:

1. Outstanding course content equips Engineers for the challenges of the renewable energy sector. A combination of taught modules and a major research project provides the correct balance of instruction and student led creativity.
2. Excellent research led teaching. The academic staff at the School are all actively engaged in research at the frontiers of modern Engineering analysis, design and practice. This excitement and knowledge is brought into the MSc programme through design projects and the research project.
3. Accredited course. Our MSc in New and Renewable Energy is fully accredited by the IMechE and the IET. This means that your Durham degree provides an important first step to becoming a Chartered Engineer.
4. Enviable external reputation. In the Times Good University Guide for 2010, Durham is ranked 3rd behind Oxford and Cambridge. Our graduates are also highly sought after by employers.
5. The unique College system at Durham University provides an unbeatable environment in which to study.

Please visit our course content and teaching, learning and assessment pages for more details regarding the course or view our course brochure. We also publish course related newsletters (issue 3 may be of particular interest to those applicants who require financial assistance).

Students who have a strong interest in the social sciences may wish to consider the MSc in Energy and Society.
Information can be found by accessing the Taught programme

Calendar

September: Start of Fundamentals module including 30 hours of lectures and two days of labs (Course starts 16th September 2013).
October: Start of taught courses.
November: Start of MSc Design Project
December: Final presentation and hand in of MSc Design Report.
January: Start of Research Project.
Easter: Finish taught courses.
May/June: Examinations for taught courses.
August: Hand in of Research Project and oral examination.

Student Interview

Longhuan Du, pictured here (third from the left), joined our MSc programme in New & Renewable Energy in September 2011

Why did you choose to study at Durham University?

The University of Durham is a world top 100 university with a good reputation. The nice and charming environment of Durham is perfect for studying and living.

Why did you decide to study New and Renewable Energy at Master’s level?

The MSc in New and Renewable Energy course content is designed to be just right for those people who are interested in renewable technology. Here you could not only learn about many different ways to convert natural energy resources to electricity, but also you could investigate and understand how electricity is transferred through the National Grid and how the Grid could be optimized to accommodate renewable energy sources by applying Smart Grid technology.

Which aspects of the course have you found particularly helpful?

The group design project provides students with the experience of working as a team with real data and it also gives us the opportunity to gain experience of applying the theoretical knowledge that has been learned in class into a practical engineering design.

For my research and development project I was able to select from a wide range of topics and pick the one that I was most interested in. My choice was to undertake research into the fatigue prediction of very large wind turbine blades using a combination of experimentation and numerical simulation. The facilities are excellent and all the teachers and staff in the school are willing to help me to unveil the Enigma.

Longhuan Du is now studying for a PhD in the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences here at Durham.

Career prospects

The majority of our graduates go on to an Engineering career, where the Durham degree is a respected qualification. Management and finance are other popular options as a numerate, rigorous and challenging degree prepares you for more than just an Engineering career. Further postgraduate qualifications are also a popular choice.