THE University of Aberdeen has today launched the UK’s first postgraduate degree programme in Energy Transition Systems and Technologies.
The new course, which is available to study full-time on campus from September (depending on the Covid-19 situation), or part-time online, is aimed at reinforcing and building upon the city’s reputation as a major international energy centre.
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It will educate to MSc level a new generation of systems engineers providing industry-relevant skills and training, with future career possibilities in all areas of the energy sector.
Based in the School of Engineering, with expert contributions from the Schools of geosciences, business and law, the new Masters programme will draw on much of the ground-breaking research being conducted within the University’s Centre for Energy Transition (CET).
Programme director Professor Russell McKenna said the city’s heritage and global reputation as the energy capital of Europe meant that it was perfectly placed to be hosting the UK’s first such degree programme.
He said: “This course was set up to fill a gap and meet a need. In recent years, non-hydrocarbon based energy has grown significantly in Aberdeen due its large talent pool of energy engineers and scientists, and the abundance of wind and ocean energy resources off the Aberdeenshire coast.
“The past 20 years has seen increased interest in more sustainable energy systems. The transition towards these systems has gathered momentum, aided by new technological innovations in areas such as wind and tidal energy, energy storage, carbon capture and storage, biofuels and hydrogen.
“Energy transition, however, continues to pose significant technological, commercial and political challenges for businesses and governments.
“Energy transition engineers are faced with the challenge of redesigning our entire energy infrastructure while ensuring continued access to reliable and affordable energy. To achieve this, we must understand how to successfully integrate Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs) into our current and future energy systems.”
With an emphasis on the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy types through the integration of LCTs into current and future energy systems, the programme will encourage students to take a ‘systems-thinking’ approach to energy transition.
It will also combine technical knowledge of individual LCTs – including energy efficiency technologies and renewable energies such a wind, solar and ocean energy – with non-technical aspects, such as economic and political developments.
Alix Thom, OGUK’s Workforce Engagement & Skills manager, said: “Today’s announcement by the University of Aberdeen, already respected globally for its world-class energy programmes in oil and gas, is both timely and encouraging.
“Courses like this will be key to harnessing and promoting the creative thinking that is required to develop solutions to unlock the challenge of net-zero.”
