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MODULE TITLE	Key Skills for Renewable Energy Applications	CREDIT VALUE	15
MODULE CODE	ENEM106	MODULE CONVENER	Dr Helen C M Smith (Coordinator)

DURATION: TERM	1	2	3
DURATION: WEEKS	12	0	0

Number of Students Taking Module (anticipated)	20

DESCRIPTION - summary of the module content

This module will develop your core competencies and skills and introduce relevant tools which are used in renewable energy technology and project development, and then apply these to a renewable energy feasibility study addressing a real-world challenge. The module addresses a range of skills around computer based software tools, financial analysis, project management and sustainability, and general academic skills, which will be important throughout your MSc programme and in wider employment. These skills will then be consolidated through an in-depth renewable energy feasibility study.

This module is compulsory for MSc Renewable Energy Engineering students, and is designed to complement and support the technology-focused ENEM101 Renewable Energy Systems module.

AIMS - intentions of the module

This module aims to equip you with key skills which are fundamental to the Renewable Energy Engineering MSc programme and a renewable energy engineering career. These include the use of computational tools including geographic information systems (GIS) and Matlab programming. Beyond the computational skills, the module will develop your understanding of project finance analysis including calculation of key finance performance indicators as well as community or crowd funding and structures, and address the sustainability of projects through life-cycle analysis (LCA). It will also introduce project management techniques, and will develop your general academic skills including sourcing and synthesis of data and information, report writing and presentation skills.

The module will bring these elements together, and draw on your technology-specific knowledge from the ENEM101 Renewable Energy Systems module, in the project feasibility study.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs) (see assessment section below for how ILOs will be assessed)

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

1 Show competence in the use of key software packages with a specific focus on renewable energy technologies;

2 Understand the fundamental principles of computer programming and be able to write simple programs and analyse data;

3 Exhibit a sound knowledge of project management and financing principles;

4 Understand the application of life cycle analysis techniques;

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

5 Understand spatial and geographic data

6 Demonstrate advanced research skills and the ability to synthesise information from a wide range of sources

7 Apply a range of project management skills to successfully plan a multi-disciplinary project

Personal and Key Transferable/ Employment Skills and Knowledge:

8 Manage and direct your own learning;

9 Present your work effectively;

10 Work effectively as part of a team

SYLLABUS PLAN - summary of the structure and academic content of the module

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:

Introduction to computer programming and data analysis with Matlab
CAD/Solidworks self-directed learning
Spatial data and GIS
Project management
Project financial planning and analysis
Life cycle analysis
Approaches to renewable energy feasibility studies
Site visit(s) to support feasibility study where permitted

LEARNING AND TEACHING

LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities	40.00	Guided Independent Study	110.00	Placement / Study Abroad

DETAILS OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled learning and teaching activities	16	Seminars: Delivery and discussion of core concepts
Scheduled learning and teaching activities	12	Guided workshops on software applications
Scheduled learning and teaching activities	12	Guided group-work sessions to support project work
Guided independent study	110	Tutorial exercises, independent reading and research, assessment preparation and write-up

ASSESSMENT

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT - for feedback and development purposes; does not count towards module grade

Form of Assessment	Size of Assessment (e.g. duration/length)	ILOs Assessed	Feedback Method
Matlab tutorial exercises	10 hours	1, 2	Verbal
GIS tutorial exercises	10 hours	1, 5	Verbal

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT (% of credit)

Coursework	100	Written Exams	0	Practical Exams

DETAILS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Form of Assessment	% of Credit	Size of Assessment (e.g. duration/length)	ILOs Assessed	Feedback Method
Individual report	20	1200-word equivalent	3, 8	Verbal
Group project report	50	3000-word equivalent/student	3, 4, 6-9	Written
Individual presentation	30	20-min equivalent	5, 9	Written

DETAILS OF RE-ASSESSMENT (where required by referral or deferral)

Original Form of Assessment	Form of Re-assessment	ILOs Re-assessed	Time Scale for Re-assessment
Individual report (20%)	Individual planning submission (20%)	3, 8	PGT ref/def period
Group project report (50%)	Individual report (50%)	3, 4, 6-9	PGT ref/def period
Individual presentation (30%)	Individual presentation (30%)	6, 9	PGT ref/def period

RE-ASSESSMENT NOTES

Referred and deferred assignments will mirror the original modes of assessment.

RESOURCES

INDICATIVE LEARNING RESOURCES - The following list is offered as an indication of the type & level of
information that you are expected to consult. Further guidance will be provided by the Module Convener

Web-based and electronic resources:

ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Reading list for this module:

Type	Author	Title	Edition	Publisher	Year	ISBN	Search
Set	NA	ISO 14040:2006 Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Principles and framework					[Library]
Set	NA	ISO 14044:2006 Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Requirements and guidelines					[Library]
Set	Attaway, S.	MATLAB: a practical introduction to programming and problem solving				9780128163450	[Library]
Set	Burrough, P. A., R. A. McDonnell, C. D. Lloyd	Principles of Geographic Information Systems	3rd			9780198742845	[Library]
Set	Onwubolu, G.	Computer-Aided Engineering Design with SolidWorks		Imperial College Press, London	2013	9781848166653	[Library]
Set	Singh, Anoop; Pant, Deepak; Olsen, Stig Irving (Eds.)	Life Cycle Assessment of Renewable Energy Sources		Springer	2013	978-1-4471-5363-4	[Library]

CREDIT VALUE	15	ECTS VALUE	7.5

PRE-REQUISITE MODULES	None
CO-REQUISITE MODULES	None

NQF LEVEL (FHEQ)	4	AVAILABLE AS DISTANCE LEARNING	No
ORIGIN DATE	Wednesday 09 March 2022	LAST REVISION DATE	Friday 10 March 2023

KEY WORDS SEARCH	Renewable energy; CAD; Matlab; LCA; Project management; Project finance

ENEM106 - Key Skills for Renewable Energy Applications (2023)