Engineering

Renewable energy engineering is a discipline whose importance has grown with the urgency of the transition away from fossil fuels. It applies engineering principles to the design, development and management of systems that generate energy from wind, solar, tidal, hydro and other renewable sources, requiring knowledge of mechanical, electrical and civil engineering alongside an understanding of the energy systems and policy contexts within which these technologies are deployed. Engineers who can work across these boundaries are among the most in demand in the modern engineering workforce.

At the University of Durham this four-year, full-time programme builds on a common first two years in general engineering, giving you a broad technical foundation before you specialise in renewable energy. This structure gives you both the depth of specialist knowledge and the versatility of a general engineering training, preparing you to work on multi-disciplinary engineering projects and to lead engineering teams. The programme includes a sandwich year in professional practice and a year abroad, providing extended industry experience and international exposure in a sector that is genuinely global in scope.

Your placement year develops real engineering competence alongside your academic studies.

Renewable energy engineering graduates work in wind and solar energy companies, grid management and energy storage organisations, engineering consultancies, the offshore energy sector, utilities, government agencies and international development organisations working on energy access. The skills base also transfers to adjacent engineering roles in civil, mechanical and electrical engineering across a range of industries. Many graduates pursue chartered engineer status through recognised professional bodies, which marks an important milestone in a long-term engineering career.

Others go on to postgraduate study in energy systems, environmental engineering or sustainable development.