Sustainable Energy Engineering enables development of long-term solutions to meet the world's rapidly growing energy needs using alternative energy sources such as wind, solar and biomass. This program contains three main streams: chemical, electrical and mechanical. Each stream provides a strong technical and practical foundation in its own specialisation, together with a substantial component of cross-disciplinary studies covering specialised topics in renewable energy.
Sustainable Engineering (Chemical) is focussed on producing chemical engineers with the knowledge and skills required to improve and design ground-breaking processes that are technically, economically and environmentally sound. The program has been designed to meet the growing demand for chemical engineers with the skills to apply sustainable techniques in process engineering. Sustainable Engineering (Chemical) is suitable for students with an interest in maths and chemistry and in the design of processes to produce sustainable products for the 21st century.
Sustainable Energy Engineering (Electrical) is about the electrical technologies supporting renewable energy systems including energy conversion units and power electronics converters. Graduates can work in a variety of areas including developing the next generation of PV and wind turbine systems, integrating renewable energy sources into the power grid and controlling power distribution networks which contain a mixture of conventional and renewable power sources. Sustainable Engineering (Electrical) is suitable for students interested in minimising the adverse environmental impacts due to electrical energy production through developing higher performance and lower cost renewable energy systems.
Sustainable Engineering (Mechanical) concerns the design of systems using heat, fluid flows and moving systems. It includes the assessment of aerodynamics, structural loads, vibrations, thermal power and cooling cycles, combustion and automatic control. The program is also concerned with all possible renewable energy forms including wind, wave, tidal, solar, geothermal, hydro, pumped storage and biomass. Sustainable Engineering (Mechanical) is suitable for students interested in design, moving components, engines, problem solving in relation to sustainability.
Graduates from each of the above streams will be specialised engineers with a focus on sustainable and renewable energy.
Please note that each level of the program is intended to be rolled out progressively on an annual basis, therefore in 2009, levels one and two are the only levels available level for commencing students.
You must not have completed more than 4 years full time equivalent university study (96 units). You must have gained a 'Recorded Achievement' in four SACE Stage 2 HESS (Higher Education Selection Subjects) General subjects (or interstate/International Baccalaureate equivalents). For a full list of SACE subjects and their HESS status please refer to the SATAC Tertiary Entrance Booklet. You compete for a place with your Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER).
You must have completed at least half a year full time equivalent higher education study. A Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated for each separate program you have undertaken (apart from some double degree programs where the GPA is combined). You compete on the basis of your best GPA.
You must meet the following criteria: you must be 21 years or over on January 1st of the year that you will be studying*, you must not hold a completed higher education level award, and if you have been enrolled in a course leading to a higher education level award in the last 3 years, you must not have completed more than 2 years full time equivalent university study. If you meet this criteria, you will be ranked according to your result in the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT). Your STAT result is weighted such that the verbal component contributes 35% and the quantitative component contributes 65% to your overall score. Personal Competencies (PC) and Employment Experience (EE) statements may also contribute to your rank. If you submit a PC or EE statement, and one of these ranks higher than your STAT score, then the highest ranking statement will contribute 50% to your overall rank and the STAT will contribute the remaining 50%. If you do not submit a PC or EE statement, or if the statements have a lower rank than the STAT, then you will compete for a place on the basis of your STAT result only. *The age restriction is 19 years or over if you have completed either the Flinders Foundation course or the UniSA Foundation Studies program or the UniSA Program for Adult Learners. Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Scheme. See Wilto Yerlo for further information.
* Students who have undertaken SACE Stage 2 Specialist Maths will be required to enrol in Maths 1A followed by Maths 1B. Students who have not taken SACE Stage 2 Specialist maths will be required to enrol in maths 1MA followed by Maths 1A and Maths 1B in summer semester to complete the requirements at Level 1.
^ Students with a Subject Achievement score of at least 13 in SACE Stage 2 Chemistry or equivalent must enrol in CHEM 1100 Chemistry IA / CHEM 1200 Chemistry IB. All other students must enrol in CHEM 1101 Foundations of Chemistry IA / CHEM 1201 Foundations of Chemistry IB.
ELEC ENG 1010 Electrical and Electronic Engineering IB (3 units)
MECH ENG 1007 Engineering Mechanics Dynamics (3 units)
CHEM ENG 1009 Materials I (3 units)
* Students who have undertaken SACE Stage 2 Specialist Maths will be required to enrol in Maths IA followed by Maths IB. Students who have not taken SACE Stage 2 Specialist maths will be required to enrol in Maths IMA followed by Maths IA and Maths IB in summer semester to complete the requirements at Level 1.
Plus courses in the area of Management and Professioanl Practice for Engineers, Power Quality and Condition Monitoring, Energy Management Economics and Policy, Distributed Generation Technologies, Wind turbine Design
# Students accepted into the Honours stream will take Honours Project and other students will take Design Project.
Sustainable Energy (Mechanical)
Level I
Semester 1
ELEC ENG 1009 Electrical and Electronic Engineering IA (3 units)
MECH ENG 4114 Corrosion: Principles & Prevention (3 units)
Career Opportunities
This program will develop graduates appreciation of the social and environmental requirements for the sustainable generation and distribution of energy on a rapidly growing world economy, and of the current and emerging technologies that can be applied to meet these requirements.
Graduates can expect to work in various industries from:
Turbine designers
Power station engineers
Technology development
Pharmaceutical
Environmental and Pollution Control
Environmental consulting
Bioprocessing
Designing, developing and building renewable energy technologies
Distributed generation system design and planning
Economic planning
Sustainable Energy
Energy production
Government Advisory Boards
Urban Planning
Energy policy
Any product manufacture that embodies sustainable engineering practices
Professional Accreditation
The program is designed to provide the necessary academic requirements
for professional membership of Engineers Australia and many overseas
engineering bodies.
The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.
Last updated:
Monday, 5 Jan 2009
Program Talks
The World of Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics
Listen to the Open Day Talk
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Learn how the right choice of program can prepare you for a challenging and rewarding career. This discussion will highlight the future of engineering and computer science and the importance of mathematics in relation to relevant issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, the mining boom and information and communication technology industries.
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