What Is Renewable Energy Engineering?
Renewable energy engineering is the application of engineering science to the generation, conversion, storage, distribution and efficient use of energy from renewable sources.
Renewable energy engineers design systems that harness naturally replenished energy resources such as sunlight, wind, flowing water, tides, waves, geothermal heat and sustainable biological resources.
The discipline combines electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, materials science, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, power systems engineering, control engineering and environmental science.
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Engineering the energy transition
Renewable energy engineering connects natural energy resources with the electrical grids, buildings, industries and transport systems that require reliable energy.
What Is Renewable Energy?
Renewable energy comes from energy resources that are naturally replenished on timescales relevant to human activity.
Solar Energy
Energy arriving from the Sun in the form of electromagnetic radiation.
Wind Energy
Kinetic energy associated with moving air.
Hydropower
Energy extracted from moving or falling water.
Marine Energy
Energy from tides, waves and ocean currents.
Geothermal
Heat originating within the Earth.
Bioenergy
Energy derived from biological material and renewable biogenic resources.
Solar Energy Engineering
Solar energy engineering converts sunlight into useful electrical or thermal energy.
Photovoltaics
Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly into electricity.
Solar Thermal
Solar collectors convert sunlight into heat.
Concentrated Solar Power
Mirrors or lenses concentrate sunlight to produce high-temperature heat for power generation.
Solar Farms
Large arrays of photovoltaic modules generate electricity at utility scale.
Photovoltaic Engineering
A photovoltaic cell converts incident solar radiation into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect.
Photovoltaic engineering involves semiconductor materials, cell architecture, module design, electrical systems, thermal management and power electronics.
Wind Energy Engineering
Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of moving air into mechanical rotation and then electrical energy.
Wind engineering combines aerodynamics, structural engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and meteorology.
Wind Turbines
Rotor Blades
Aerodynamically shaped blades extract energy from moving air.
Nacelle
Contains major mechanical and electrical components.
Generator
Converts mechanical rotation into electrical power.
Tower
Supports the turbine at a height where wind conditions are generally more favourable.
Foundation
Transfers structural loads into the ground or seabed.
Control System
Adjusts turbine operation according to wind speed, direction and system conditions.
Wind Power
The available power in a wind stream depends strongly on wind speed.
where ρ is air density, A is the rotor swept area and v is wind speed.
The cubic dependence on wind speed makes accurate wind-resource assessment particularly important.
Offshore Wind Engineering
Offshore wind farms exploit strong and relatively consistent winds over the sea.
Fixed Foundations
Structures are attached to the seabed in relatively shallow or moderate water depths.
Floating Wind
Floating platforms allow wind turbines to operate in deeper water.
Subsea Cables
Transmit electricity from offshore turbines towards shore.
Offshore Substations
Collect and transform electrical power before transmission to shore.
Hydroelectric Engineering
Hydropower converts the gravitational potential and kinetic energy of water into mechanical and electrical energy.
Hydroelectric engineering involves dams, reservoirs, waterways, turbines, generators, electrical systems and civil structures.
Types of Hydropower
Reservoir Hydropower
Stores water behind a dam and releases it through turbines when electricity is required.
Run-of-River
Generates electricity using the natural flow of a river with limited storage.
Pumped Storage
Uses electricity to pump water uphill and later releases it through turbines to generate electricity.
Tidal Energy
Tidal energy exploits the predictable movement of seawater caused primarily by gravitational interactions involving the Earth, Moon and Sun.
Tidal Stream
Underwater turbines extract kinetic energy from tidal currents.
Tidal Range
Uses differences in water level associated with tides.
Tidal Barrages
Large structures can exploit tidal water-level differences to generate electricity.
Wave Energy
Wave-energy devices convert the mechanical energy associated with ocean waves into useful power.
Oscillating Water Columns
Wave motion drives air through a turbine.
Point Absorbers
Floating devices move with waves and convert this motion into electrical energy.
Attenuators
Long floating structures extract energy from wave-induced relative motion.
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal engineering exploits heat stored within the Earth.
Geothermal Heat Pumps
Use relatively stable ground temperatures for heating and cooling buildings.
Geothermal Electricity
High-temperature geothermal resources can generate electricity.
Enhanced Geothermal Systems
Engineering approaches seek to access geothermal heat where natural reservoirs are less suitable.
Bioenergy Engineering
Bioenergy uses biological material as an energy resource.
Biomass
Organic material can be combusted or processed to provide heat and power.
Biogas
Anaerobic digestion can produce methane-rich biogas from organic materials.
Biofuels
Biological feedstocks can be converted into liquid fuels.
Waste-to-Energy
Certain waste streams can be processed to recover useful energy.
Energy Storage
Energy storage is important because many renewable resources, particularly wind and solar, vary with weather and time.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
High-efficiency electrochemical storage used extensively in electricity and transport applications.
Pumped Hydropower
Stores energy by moving water to a higher elevation.
Flow Batteries
Store energy in liquid electrolytes contained in external tanks.
Thermal Storage
Stores energy as heat for later use.
Compressed Air
Stores energy through compression of air.
Hydrogen
Electricity can be converted into hydrogen for longer-duration energy storage and other applications.
Battery Engineering
Battery systems convert electrical energy into chemical energy during charging and reverse the process during discharge.
Battery engineering involves electrochemistry, materials science, thermal management, electronics, control systems and safety engineering.
Renewable Energy and the Electrical Grid
Large-scale renewable generation must be integrated into electrical power systems while maintaining frequency, voltage, stability and reliability.
Smart Grids
A smart grid uses digital communications, advanced sensors, automation and control systems to manage electricity generation, transmission, distribution and demand.
Smart Meters
Provide detailed information about electricity consumption.
Demand Response
Adjusts electricity consumption in response to grid conditions.
Distributed Generation
Allows electricity to be generated close to where it is used.
Digital Control
Automates parts of the electricity system and improves system visibility.
Electrical Transmission
Renewable resources are often located far from major centres of electricity demand.
High-voltage transmission systems transport electricity over long distances while reducing transmission losses.
High-Voltage AC
Alternating-current transmission remains fundamental to modern power networks.
HVDC
High-voltage direct current can be advantageous for certain long-distance and subsea transmission applications.
Interconnectors
Link electricity systems in different regions or countries.
Power Electronics
Power electronics is essential for connecting renewable generation and storage technologies to electricity networks.
Inverters
Convert direct current into alternating current.
Converters
Change electrical voltage, current or frequency as required.
Grid Synchronisation
Ensures power-electronic systems operate correctly with the electricity network.
Power Quality
Engineers manage harmonics, voltage variations and other electrical effects.
Green Hydrogen
Hydrogen can be produced using renewable electricity through electrolysis of water.
Hydrogen may be useful in sectors that are difficult to electrify directly, including some industrial processes, chemical production and heavy transport.
Renewable Heat
Renewable energy engineering is not limited to electricity generation.
Heat Pumps
Transfer heat from the environment into buildings or industrial systems.
Solar Thermal
Uses solar radiation to heat water or other fluids.
Geothermal Heat
Uses heat stored in the ground for heating applications.
Biomass Heat
Uses biological fuels to provide thermal energy.
Energy Efficiency
Renewable energy engineering is closely connected with energy efficiency.
Reducing energy demand can decrease the amount of generation, storage and transmission infrastructure required.
Efficiency improvements can be achieved in buildings, transport, industry, electrical equipment and energy networks.
Engineering Design Challenges
Intermittency
Solar and wind output varies with environmental conditions.
Resource Assessment
Engineers must accurately characterise available solar, wind, water or geothermal resources.
Materials
Components must withstand mechanical loads, corrosion, temperature changes and environmental exposure.
Grid Integration
Variable generation must operate within electrical-system constraints.
Reliability
Energy infrastructure must deliver predictable performance over decades.
Environmental Impact
Projects must consider land use, ecosystems, resources and local environmental conditions.
Offshore Renewable Engineering
The marine environment creates demanding engineering conditions.
- corrosion;
- wave loading;
- wind loading;
- subsea foundations;
- underwater cables;
- marine operations;
- extreme weather; and
- long-term structural fatigue.
Environmental Considerations
Renewable energy technologies generally have lower operational greenhouse-gas emissions than fossil-fuel generation, but no energy technology is completely without environmental impacts.
Engineering assessments may consider:
- land use;
- materials and manufacturing;
- mineral resources;
- water use;
- ecosystems;
- visual and acoustic effects;
- construction impacts;
- recycling; and
- end-of-life management.
Life-Cycle Engineering
Renewable energy systems are evaluated over their entire engineering life cycle.
Life-cycle analysis helps engineers understand the environmental, economic and resource implications of different technologies.
Renewable Energy Engineering in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has significant renewable-energy resources, particularly offshore wind, as well as solar, hydropower, bioenergy and emerging marine-energy technologies.
Offshore Wind
The UK's extensive coastline and strong offshore winds provide major opportunities for offshore wind development.
Onshore Wind
Onshore wind contributes renewable electricity generation in many parts of the UK.
Solar Power
Solar photovoltaic systems are deployed across domestic, commercial and utility-scale sites.
Hydropower
Scotland and other parts of the UK have significant hydropower resources.
Marine Energy
The UK's island geography provides opportunities for tidal and wave-energy research.
Energy Storage
Battery storage and pumped-storage technologies can support greater integration of variable renewable generation.
Renewable Energy Engineering in Scotland
Scotland has particularly strong resources for wind, hydroelectric and marine renewable energy.
Wind
High-quality wind resources support both onshore and offshore projects.
Hydropower
Mountainous terrain and water resources provide opportunities for hydroelectric generation and pumped storage.
Marine Energy
Tidal-stream resources around Scotland are among the most significant in Europe.
Renewable Energy Engineering in North West England
North West England has expertise across engineering, manufacturing, energy systems, nuclear technology, offshore engineering and advanced materials.
The region's industrial infrastructure and universities provide a potential foundation for renewable-energy development, including offshore wind, grid infrastructure, energy storage, hydrogen and low-carbon industrial systems.
Careers in Renewable Energy Engineering
Renewable Energy Engineer
Designs and evaluates renewable generation systems.
Electrical Engineer
Works on generators, transmission, distribution, converters and grid integration.
Mechanical Engineer
Designs turbines, rotating machinery, mechanical systems and thermal equipment.
Structural Engineer
Designs foundations, towers, offshore structures and supporting infrastructure.
Energy Systems Engineer
Studies the interaction between generation, storage, networks and demand.
Materials Engineer
Develops materials capable of surviving demanding renewable energy environments.
Grid Engineer
Works on transmission, distribution, stability and renewable generation integration.
Energy Analyst
Uses engineering, economic and computational methods to assess energy systems.
Subjects in Renewable Energy Engineering
| Subject | Engineering relevance |
|---|---|
| Thermodynamics | Heat engines, energy conversion and thermal systems |
| Fluid Mechanics | Wind, hydro and marine energy systems |
| Electrical Engineering | Generators, motors, grids and power systems |
| Power Electronics | Inverters, converters and energy storage |
| Materials Science | Durability, corrosion and structural performance |
| Control Engineering | Automated operation and optimisation |
| Structural Engineering | Towers, foundations and offshore structures |
| Energy Systems | Integration of multiple energy technologies |
| Environmental Science | Assessment of ecological and environmental impacts |
History of Renewable Energy Engineering
Water wheels and wind-powered machines demonstrate early engineering use of naturally available energy.
Windmills and water wheels become increasingly sophisticated mechanical energy systems.
Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel discovers the photovoltaic effect.
Early hydroelectric power stations and experimental wind generators are developed.
Hydroelectric generation begins developing as a practical electricity technology.
Bell Laboratories demonstrates an important practical silicon photovoltaic cell.
The energy crises stimulate increased research into renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Wind and solar technologies begin developing into increasingly commercial energy industries.
Rapid reductions in the cost of wind and solar technologies accelerate deployment.
Large-scale offshore wind, solar farms, battery storage and smart-grid technologies expand rapidly.
Renewable energy engineering increasingly focuses on grid integration, energy storage, electrification and low-carbon industrial systems.
Integrated Renewable Energy Systems
Future energy systems are likely to combine several technologies rather than depend on a single energy source.
Such systems can balance different patterns of generation and demand across time and geography.
Electrification
A major element of the energy transition is the replacement of direct fossil-fuel combustion with electricity generated from low-carbon sources.
Electric Vehicles
Electric motors can replace internal-combustion engines in many transport applications.
Heat Pumps
Electric heat pumps can provide efficient heating for buildings.
Industrial Electrification
Some industrial processes can increasingly use electricity directly instead of fossil fuels.
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The Future of Renewable Energy Engineering
Floating Offshore Wind
Floating platforms could allow offshore wind development in deeper waters.
Long-Duration Storage
New storage technologies could provide energy over many hours or days.
Green Hydrogen
Renewable electricity could produce hydrogen for industrial and energy applications.
Advanced Batteries
New chemistries may improve energy density, cost, durability and resource efficiency.
Smart Energy Networks
Digital control will increasingly coordinate millions of distributed energy resources.
Artificial Intelligence
AI can assist forecasting, optimisation, predictive maintenance and energy-system management.
Major Engineering Challenges
Variability
Wind and solar output varies according to weather and time.
Transmission
Large renewable resources can be located far from population centres.
Storage
Energy storage is required for some applications and system conditions.
Materials
Large-scale deployment requires substantial quantities of metals and engineered materials.
Planning
Energy infrastructure requires long-term spatial, environmental and electrical-system planning.
Reliability
Future energy systems must maintain reliable electricity supplies despite variable generation.
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Summary
Renewable energy engineering applies engineering principles to the generation, conversion, storage and management of energy from renewable resources.
Its major fields include:
- solar photovoltaic engineering;
- solar thermal engineering;
- wind engineering;
- offshore wind;
- hydroelectric engineering;
- tidal energy;
- wave energy;
- geothermal engineering;
- bioenergy;
- battery and energy storage;
- power electronics;
- electrical grids;
- hydrogen systems;
- energy efficiency; and
- integrated energy systems.
Renewable Energy Engineering
From sunlight and wind to electricity grids, energy storage, hydrogen and advanced offshore systems — engineering the infrastructure of a low-carbon energy future.