CEM160: Renewable Energy Systems

Module code: CEM160

Module provider: School of Construction Management and Engineering, School of Built Environment

Credits: 40

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Dr Maria Vahdati, email: m.m.vahdati@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Emmanuel Essah, email: e.a.essah@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 11 November 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The aim of this module is to provide the students with a knowledge of the technical, environmental and social issues associated with a range of renewable energy technologies. These include biomass, solar, wind, hydro and marine energy technologies. Technical and non-technical barriers and issues limiting widespread use of renewable energy are discussed.

Assessment through laboratory work, use of energy software and group activities gives students an opportunity to examine and analyse data as well as to investigate issues concerned with the use of renewable energy. Feasibility of renewable energy options for specific locations is included.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a range of the renewable energy technologies covered, supporting their arguments with quantitative analysis.
2. Assess the technical, environmental and social issues associated with a range of renewable energy technologies.
3. Conduct resource feasibility studies for the renewable energy technologies covered.
4. Undertake the outline specification and design of commonly used concepts for the exploitation of several types of renewable resources.

Module content

The underlying science and technical principles necessary for the assessment and analysis of the following renewable energy technologies:

• Wind energy (including relevant elements of fluid mechanics)
• Hydro power (including relevant elements of fluid mechanics)
• Biomass (including relevant elements of heat transfer and thermodynamics)
• Solar, encompassing PV and solar thermal

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Assessment through laboratory work, use of energy software and group activities gives students an opportunity to examine and analyse data as well as to investigate issues concerned with the use of renewable energy. Site visits will allow engagement with the application of these technologies.

Study hours

At least 100 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The below information applies toall full time and flexible modularstudents on taught PGT programmes in SBE

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Student presentations

Reassessment

Additional costs