The MSc Sustainable Energy & Green Technologies enables you to focus on advanced education and training in the development and optimisation of renewable energy resource exploitation, the efficiency in energy generation and utilisation pathways (including energy conservation), the mitigation of environmental impacts, and preparation for business innovation and job creation opportunities in renewable energy systems technology development, plant biotechnology and entrepreneurship. The programme is underpinned by the best European practice by incorporating compatible EU policy drivers such as the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) for energy research, current R&D in crops (through ongoing research initiatives under the Charles Parsons Energy Research programme), and the collaboration with internationally acknowledged experts in the subject domains from universities, research institutions and industry. This programme enables you to maintain the relevance of academic and research training, and therefore enhance your employability in the area of sustainable energy.
This programme is delivered by a highly research-intensive School comprised of a European Research Council Fellow and six Marie Curie Fellowships. The Programme Director Professor. Kevin McDonnell won the inaugural SEAI Energy Innovation award, and the Environcom award for energy innovation and is a Fulbright Scholar. This programme provides opportunities for site visits and industry internships where possible. The UCD School of Biosystems & Food Engineering consistently wins up to €3 million in annual research funding.
Vision and Values Statement
The programme in Sustainable Energy & Green Technologies is aimed at science and technology graduates who wish to develop a career or further studies in the sustainable use of energy and to understand the impact of energy choices on the environment. We enable our students to understand and address the resource and environmental challenges the world faces. The programme challenges students to engage with topics such as sustainable energy, life cycle assessment, and environmental impacts, and to have a balanced and technical approach to understanding those topics. The programme is delivered by internationally recognised research active academic staff who bring their research experience to the classroom for the benefit of the students.
In this programme, energy is considered in the wider context of consumption patterns, efficiency, economics, policy and regulation both nationally and internationally. While there is a particular focus on the deployment of renewable energies in grid-connected systems, there are also opportunities to explore off-grid systems in dissertation projects. Students are challenged to take on a number of case studies in teams as well as individually, and present their findings to their peers in an open forum. The teaching and assessment techniques used include problem-based learning, individual and team project work, presentations, as well as in-term and end-of-year assessments. Students are also actively encouraged and supported in obtaining a work placement that supports and underpins their chosen thesis research topic.
