Program Overview

Renewable and Electrical Energy Engineering – BEng (Hons)

Course Overview

Energy and especially Electrical Energy is needed for everything we do in today’s world. Climate change is real and caused by burning fossil fuels. While energy prices are low at the moment they won’t stay low in the long term. So, we need new ways to produce energy and we need to make smarter use of the energy we have. The EU and Ireland have set very ambitious targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency. The outcome of the COP21 Climate Change Agreement in Paris may lead to more aggressive energy targets. Meeting these targets will need huge investment in energy production, distribution, monitoring and control systems. This will create jobs for people with the right skills.

This programme covers all the technologies needed to produce energy and in particular electrical energy from renewable sources, to monitor and control energy systems and to connect them to the electricity grid. It is a mixture of theory and practical hands-on learning in all aspects of Renewable Energy Technology, electrical technology and automated monitoring and control systems. The skills learned on the programme can be used in a wide range of industries and good graduates are in high demand.

Entry Requirements

Leaving Certificate

• A minimum of 2 H5 & 4 O6/H7 grades in six Leaving Certificate subjects, including English or Irish and a minimum of an O4 in Mathematics.

Mature Applicants

• Candidates applying as mature applicants may be required to attend an interview and may be requested to take an aptitude test to prove their suitability for a place on this programme.

International Applicants

• International applicants should apply directly to the International Office at TUS, allowing plenty of time for completing the visa process. Applications for September start should be made by 1st June at the latest to ensure visas are processed in time. You should familiarise yourself with visa processing times for your country of origin to ensure you make a timely application.

Course Modules

Year 1

• Electrical Installation 1
  • Practice and develop the basic skills to complete a domestic electrical installation.
• Electrical Technology 1
  • The fundamentals principles of DC & AC Electrical circuits, Electrical devices and their applications.
• Electrical Theory for Installation
  • The concepts of electrical power systems including supply, power, cables, protection and safety.
• Energy Transition Introduction
  • Basic energy concepts, overview of existing fossil fuel energy supply and use and alternative energy systems.
• Engineering Mathematics 1
  • A foundation in mathematical principles: arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, complex numbers, elementary calculus and statistics with extensive problem-solving.
• Engineering Professional Development 1
  • Develops valuable transferable personal and professional skills such as professional engineering standards and ethics, project management, problem solving, team working and communications.
• Engineering Science
  • Fundamental Principles and Practical applications in Engineering Science necessary to support other core modules.
• Industrial Control Fundamentals
  • The basic concepts of industrial control systems.

Year 2

• Control Installation
  • A broad knowledge of PLC based industrial control systems.
• Electrical & Instrumentation Drawing
  • Understand and design Electrical and Instrumentation drawings.
• Electrical Principles 2
  • 3-Phase Systems, Magnetics, Transformers, Motors and Generation with emphasis on practical applications.
• Engineering Mathematics 2
  • Apply the techniques of trigonometry, differentiation, integration, differential equations and linear algebra to model and solve engineering problems.
• Engineering Professional Development 2
  • Further develop project management, problem solving, team working, collaborative working and communications.
• Equipment Control Systems
  • Introduce the concepts of industrial electrical control systems in a range of applications.
• Industrial Installation
  • A broad knowledge of hardwired based industrial control systems.
• Photovoltaic Systems
  • A detailed understanding of the design, operation and applications of Photovoltaic systems.
• Statistics & Probability
  • Apply the techniques of probability, combinatorics, reliability analysis and statistics to model and solve engineering problems.
• Thermal Renewable Systems
  • A thorough understanding of the resources, technologies and applications of thermal renewable energy systems.

Year 3

• Advanced PLCs, HMI & SCADA
  • Specialised knowledge of advanced automation systems, structured programming approaches and distributed control & SCADA applications.
• Electrical Machines & Power Distribution
  • Specialised knowledge of high, medium and low voltage electrical integration and distribution of electrical equipment, plant and AC machines.
• Energy Efficiency & Auditing
  • Specialist knowledge of and analysis methods for energy usage in industry with a focus on energy efficiency and auditing.
• Energy Storage & Analysis
  • The operation and characteristics and analysis of energy storage technologies.
• Mathematics For Electrical Engineers
  • The necessary mathematical background to model, analyse and solve problems in electrical engineering.
• Process Instrumentation & Calibration
  • Detailed knowledge of industrial process instrumentation, calibration and control including the installation of control and measurement equipment.
• Wind Energy
  • A detailed overview of the conversion of wind energy into electrical energy.
• Work Placement
  • An opportunity to apply the theoretical and practical knowledge gained on the programme in a professional engineering environment.

Year 4

• Advanced Automation Design
  • Design and implement control solutions for interfacing with SCADA and Batch solutions.
• Advanced SCADA and Industrial Networks
  • Design and implementation of SCADA solutions for advanced automated solutions.
• Applied Statistical Analysis
  • Theoretical background and application of inferential statistics and statistical methods used in the analysis of data from designed experiments.
• Electrical Power Quality & Reliability
  • Understanding of the causes of power quality issues and problems and how to prevent them to provide greater power system reliability.
• Electrical Power Systems
  • Analysis of power flow, system stability and voltage frequency & reactive power control in Electrical Power Systems.
• Electrical Protection Systems
  • The design, selection and erection of switchgear and protection systems assemblies.
• Energy Management
  • Detailed understanding of how energy use should be monitored, analysed and managed.
• Renewable Energy: Policy, Planning & Environment
  • Energy policy, regulations, incentives, planning and environmental issues related to the development of renewable energy projects in Ireland.
• Renewable System Integration
  • Understanding of the barriers and challenges to the integration of renewable generation into the national grid.
• Statistical Process Control
  • Statistical analysis and related techniques in Quality systems.

Career Opportunities

• Design, Implement and Optimization of Renewable Energy Systems
• Energy Management
• Electrical Systems Engineering

Further Study

Successful graduates of this programme are eligible for Level 9 and 10 postgraduate programmes within TUS or elsewhere.