ES2S202 - Energy Systems 01 Jul 2022 - 31 Aug 2028 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: ES2S202
Module Title: Energy Systems
Faculty: Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science
Faculty Group: Chemical and Environmental Sciences
Faculty Sub Group: Earth and Environmental Science
Module Leader: Ian Skilling
Module Team: Duncan Pirrie, James Reed, Niamh Breslin, Anthony Harris, Emma Higgins
First Intended Intake: SEP 2022 Final Year of Intake: 2027
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 5
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100175 - energy engineering
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Jul 2022
Valid To 31 Aug 2028

Module Aims

The Energy Systems module provides an overview of (1) the range of renewable (wind, solar, tidal, geothermal, hydro-electric, biomass) and non-renewable (fossil fuels, nuclear) sources of energy, and (2) the exploration and utilization of these systems at present and in the future.

The aims of this module are:

  1. To provide students with an appreciation of the energy requirements and energy mix needed at the present day and in the future
  2. To provide students with a detailed overview of the range of energy systems currently available and to promote discussion of their relative merits in terms of environmental concerns, cost and national security.

In engaging with the module appropriately, students will fully achieve level-appropriate Behaviour Domains of the following USW Graduate Attributes:

Commercial Awareness - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3

Communication - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3

Leadership - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3

Innovation and Enterprise - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3

Project Management - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3

Digital Literacy - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3

The Capabilities associated with these behaviours are found in the Graduate Attributes table at the end of the descriptor.

Content Summary

Non-renewable and renewable energy. Conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon systems. Nuclear energy systems; sources of uranium (extraction and production), nuclear waste disposal.? Geothermal energy; deep geothermal plants, ground source heating and cooling (ground source heat pumps).? Renewable energy technologies, resource assessment and utilisation: solar, wind, wave, tidal, biomass.? Environmental impacts.? Power generation, storage and transmission.? Energy supply and demand; reduction in energy demand through sustainable engineering and design.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 38
Practical classes and workshops 10
Independent Study 152
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Gain an in-depth appreciation of the advantages and disadvantages of the range of energy systems available for meeting the needs of society at present and in the future
LO2 Gain a detailed understanding of one of the following renewable sources that are applicable to the UK: wind, tidal, solar, nuclear or geothermal

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Report 2 Individual practical report based on one example on a renewable energy system 0 2000 50 No 40
Asynchronous Assessment Report 1 Individual report based on an overview of energy requirements for the UK 0 2000 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Report 2
Report 1

Reading List

Energy Systems: A Very Short Introduction (Jenkins). OUP (2019)

Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes (Da Rosa and Ordonez).? Academic Press (2021)

Renewable Energy in the UK: Past, Present and Future (Elliot) (2019)

Geologic Fundamentals of Geothermal Energy (Boden) (2016)