Renewable Energy, Bachelor's Programme

1. General university admissions certificate with Mathematics R1 and R2, and Physics 1 or equivalent.
   or
2. One-year preparatory course for engineering education.
   or
3. Two-year technical tertiary vocational programme and Mathematics R1 and R2, and Physics 1.
4. Trade certificate based on VG1 Electrical engineering and computer technology and Mathematics R1 and R2, and Physics 1 or equivalent.

The program provides the students with knowledge of production, transmission, conversion and efficient use of energy - with an emphasis of energy from renewable sources. Elective courses allow for a specialization in electrical or thermal energy engineering or battery technology. The program also offers the students to elect more generic courses like control theory, project management or extra mathematics.

The program offers three specializations:

• Electrical engineering, providing skills and knowledge on production, transmission and use of electrical energy, and
• Thermal energy engineering, focusing on combustion and efficient use of thermal energy in buildings.
• Battery Technology, focusing on battery chemistry and battery systems

For all specializations, the teaching is based on the latest developments within the respective fields.

The students start pursuing the specialization of their choice in the 3rd semester. In the 5th semester, the students are offered a selection of relevant elective courses at UiA, or they spend the semester as exchange students at another institution.

Upon completing the programme, the graduate:

Knowledge

• Has broad knowledge that provides an integrated system perspective on engineering in general, with a specialization in renewable energy.
• Has basic knowledge in mathematics, natural sciences, and relevant social sciences and economic subjects, and understand how these can be integrated into solving energy-related engineering problems.
• Has basic knowledge about various energy sources, with a particular focus on renewable sources such as hydropower, wind power, solar energy, and bioenergy.
• Has knowledge of the history and development of technology, the engineers role in society and consequences of development and use of technology with an emphasis on Norwegian energy supply and the international energy situation.
• Understands the terminology used in the production, transmission, and use of electrical energy and heat.
• Can update his/her knowledge within the field through information gathering and contact with professional communities and practical experience.

For those specializing in electrical power:

• Is familiar with the main characteristics of electrical power systems and how electrical energy engineering plays a central role in future sustainable energy systems, whether based on water, wind, oil, gas, hydrogen, biofuels, or other sources.

For those specializing in energy technology (heat):

• Understands the operation and structure of modern heating systems, including heat pumps, heat exchangers, ventilation systems, cooling systems, and energy-efficient buildings.

For those specializing in battery technology:

• Can explain the operation and structure of batteries and battery cells, and understand the entire battery value chain, from raw materials to recycling.

Skills

• Can describe the most important renewable energy resources and apply this knowledge to analyze specific technical issues and their utilization.
• Can apply the terminology used in the production, transmission, and use of electrical energy.
• Can apply the terminology used in the production, transmission, and use of heat energy and be familiar with the main characteristics of heating and cooling systems.
• Can analyze the environmental consequences of energy use and influence energy use in a more sustainable direction.
• Has knowledge of relevant software and broad digital engineering competence, including basic programming skills.
• Can identify, plan, and carry out an energy engineering project both independently and in teams.
• Can find, evaluate, use, and reference information and academic material and present it in a way that illuminates a problem.
• Can contribute to innovation and entrepreneurship by participating in the development and realization of sustainable and socially beneficial products, systems, and/or solutions.

General Competence

• Can apply his/her knowledge of energy systems in the business sector and participate in the implementation of new solutions in society.
• Can collaborate with engineers from different backgrounds and adapt their professional practice to the current work situation.
• Has insight into the environmental, health, social, and economic consequences of products and solutions within their field and be able to place these in an ethical and life cycle perspective.
• Can communicate energy-related knowledge to various target groups in both written and spoken Norwegian and English and contribute to highlighting the importance and consequences of technology.
• Can identify aspects relating to security, vulnerability, data protection and information security in products and systems that use ICT.

Knowledge

The engineering education in Norway is regulated and supervised by the Ministry of Education and Research. The engineering education programme consists of general, technical and optional subjects including social-economic subjects. Social-economic subjects is a general term for subjects like economics, marketing, languages, communication, administration, leadership, management, law, ethics and environmental issues in a wide perspective. The content of the general subjects is prescribed by the former National Council for Engineering Education, while the technical, optional and social-economic subjects are designed by the faculty itself.

Ordinary lectures are optional, but many of the subjects taught entail compulsory exercises, field work and laboratory exercises. These have to be carried out satisfactorily before the candidate is allowed to sit the final exam. The schedule includes exercises and laboratory work in order to give all the students access to the equipment and/or assistance to complete the exercises. The students must expect to work more than the scheduled hours to complete the exercises to satisfaction. Assistant lecturers/student assistants may not be present during all the scheduled periods.

Estimated work-load for a full-time student one semester is 900 hours.

Regarding bachelor thesis: For every student/group there will be 5 compulsory meetings with guidance.

Skills

Upon completion, the candidates should be able to:

• describe the most important renewable energy sources and apply knowledge of these to analyze the utilization of these
• apply the terminology of production, transmission of electricity and/or thermal energy
• analyze the environmental impacts associated with the use of energy aa well as being able to push our way of consuming energy in a more sustainable direction
• find, analyze, refer to and apply relevant information and literature and synthesize this to clarify problems
• contribute to innovation and entrepreneurship through participation in planning and realization of sustainable products, systems and solutions that benefits the society

Study programme evaluation is conducted annually in the programme committee in accordance with the Quality System, section 4.2. Before the meeting of the study programme committee, the student representative may obtain suggestions and ideas from fellow students.

Programme coordinator Tore Vehus

mail: post at uia.no

phone + 47 3814 1000