Program Overview

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Sustainable Fuels

2024/25 Part-time Postgraduate Short course and CPD

Award

Contributes to the Postgraduate Certificate of Professional Development

Faculty

Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment

School

Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment

eLearning

This course is taught online so you can study where you want, when you want.

Credit points

15

Start date

28 January 2025

Overview

This course introduces participants to the diverse sources, technologies and applications of energy from biomass.

Summary

This short course will introduce students to the diverse sources, technologies and applications of sustainable fuels. Students will be able to understand the impact of different fuels on the society and the environment.

About this course

About

This course introduces participants to the diverse sources, technologies and applications of energy from biomass for electricity generation, heat generation and as transport fuel. The aim of the course is to establish the amounts and role of sustainable biomass and detail the technologies that are capable of exploiting it effectively. Energy from waste will also be considered as an option. Environmental and social impacts of biomass and waste use will also be examined.

This course is designed to meet a need for engineers and energy professionals to deliver energy conscious and environmentally sustainable solutions for use by the public, industry, services and government. The course is designed to provide participants with an in depth knowledge and understanding of the scientific and technological issues concerning energy systems.

The aims of the course is to establish the amounts the role of sustainable fuels (low carbon and net zero) from biomass/biowaste and detail the technologies that are capable of exploiting it effectively. Environmental and social impacts of fuels will also be examined.

Linked programmes

• MEng (Hons) Energy and Building Services Engineering
• PgDip/MSc Renewable Energy and Energy Management
• PgCertPD Professional Development

Assessment

• Written Assignment (Coursework) [50%]: Students will have to select a biowaste source available in their area and assess it, in terms of availability and energy production potentials, with existing feedstock/biowaste sources. Then, they will have to identify a energy conversion technology to produce hydrogen from the feedstock selected, analysing in detail:
  • Technology aspects and possible lay-out of the hydrogen production plant
  • Economics of hydrogen production from the selected feedstock
  • Challenges in the upscaling of the technology identified. Student will submit the report (max 1,350 words) and a summary (150 words) of the information presented in lay-man term, to ensure that a non engineer cohort is able to understand what the technology can achieve and the potential impact of the solution investigated.
• Class Test (Written) [50%]: Students will have to answer to an online class test of the duration of 1 hour and a half in total in order to test and demonstrate their knowledge and understanding on the topic.

Attendance

This course is delivered fully online for 12 weeks in Semester 2, starting 30 January 2025, with no on campus attendance requirements.

Entry requirements

• Degree in Physical Sciences, Environmental Sciences, all Engineering disciplines.

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English must meet the minimum English entrance requirements of the University and will need to provide recent evidence of this (certified within the last two years).

• Most of our courses require a minimum English level of IELTS 6.0 or equivalent, with no band score under 5.5.
• Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement.

Start dates

• 28 January 2025

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Attendance and Independent Study

• As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable.
• For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns.
• For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer.
• A course handbook is also made available.

Assessment

• Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module.
• Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods.
• Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes.
• You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments.
• This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.

Calculation of the Final Award

• The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
• Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award.
• Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component.
• The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5.
• At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.

Fees and funding

Prices

• Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and EU Settlements Status Fees: £583.35
• England, Scotland, Wales and the Islands Fees: £583.35
• International Fees: £1,424.10

Fees information

• Payment of Fees and Deposits: Information about how to pay for a course including different payment options is available at [insert link].
• Fees and Funding: Information and advice about course fees and a guide to budgeting for your living costs, as well as sources for financial assistance including hardship funding, scholarships, prizes and awards, is available at [insert link].

Additional mandatory costs

• It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.
• Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above.
• We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies.
• Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment.
• Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.

Academic profile

• The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
• Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).
• We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher.
• Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning.
• Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.

Sustainability at Ulster

• Ulster continues to develop and support sustainability initiatives with our staff, students, and external partners across various aspects of teaching, research, professional services operations, and governance.
• At Ulster every person, course, research project, and professional service area on every campus either does or can contribute in some way towards the global sustainability and climate change agenda.
• We are guided by both our University Strategy People, Place and Partnerships: Delivering Sustainable Futures for All and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Our work in this area is already being recognised globally. Most recently by the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact rating where we were recognised as Joint 5th Globally for Outreach Activities and Joint Top 20 Globally for Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals.
• Visit our Sustainability at Ulster destination to learn more about how the University strategy and the activities of Ulster University support each of the Sustainable Development Goals.