Energy, Sustainability & the Environment

Power generation and environmental engineering are central to the advancement of a sustainable future in developed and emerging economies. Energy engineering and sustainability are broad interdisciplinary subjects.

Third Year

This Engineering Area offers the opportunity to draw together modules across electrical, mechanical and civil engineering, underpinned by fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. For example, 3A1 introduces incompressible fluid flows, and 3A5 focuses on power generation in gas and steam turbine plants, and fuel cells. But, in parallel, thermofluids may be studied in other application areas, such as buildings and infrastructure (3D5 and 3D8, complemented by Part IIB modules such as Architectural Engineering and Sustainable Development). Across Parts IIA and IIB, this Engineering Area enables students to study the whole power industry and associated technologies (fossil fuel, nuclear and renewable energy). 

Students intending to qualify in this Engineering Area must include at least six of the modules listed.

Recommended Engineering Area Extension Activity: Flow visualisation or IC engine performance/emissions or Design and performance of a portable motor-generator set

Fourth Year

Students intending to qualify in this Engineering Area in the fourth year must include at least four of the modules listed below:

Number and title of module
4A2Computational fluid dynamics
4A3Turbomachinery
4A9Molecular thermodynamics
4A13Combustion and IC engines
4B14Solar electronic power: generation and distribution
4B19Renewable electrical power
4D13Architectural engineering
4D14Contaminated land and waste containment
4D15Sustainable water engineering
4I5Nuclear materials
4I7Electricity and environment
4I10Nuclear reactor engineering
4I11Advanced fission and fusion systems
4M14Sustainable development
4M15Sustainable energy
4M16Nuclear power engineering
4M18Present and future energy systems