The course is Energy from Biomass and it’s important because biomass is one of the most
important sources of renewable energy worldwide. Biomass means wood, means crops, means plants, and means
organic waste. It is available in millions of tonnes worldwide and it is a very important
source of renewable energy, widely used and which we should make even more use of.
The course is for people with a degree in Engineering and Physical Sciences who want to learn more
about this subject. This course can open a wide range of employment opportunities in
the Biomass area or in the research area on this subject, so it is important for anyone
who wants to foster their career perspectives in this area, or if they are interested in
doing more research in this area. Aberdeen is rapidly becoming a global centre for the
Renewable Energy Industry and for research. There are over 100 industries working in renewable
energy in and around Aberdeen and in the biomass sector there are various plants which produce
renewable energy from biomass. The course will also benefit from students being helped
in their studies by senior industrial lecturers. Students will learn all the technologies currently
used to produce energy from Biomass. They will learn about combustion, pyrolysis, gasification,
anaerobic digestion, bioethanol and biodiesel, covering virtually all of the ways in which
we can convert biomass into energy. Students will learn all the main technologies used
to obtain renewable energy from biomass. They will learn about combustion, gasification,
pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion, bioethanol and biodiesel, covering virtually all the
ways in which we can get renewable energy from biomass. For each of these technologies
we will cover the fundamental principles, the thermodynamics, the mass and the energy
balances, which are the fundamentals for the design of these processes. Knowing more about
renewable energy from biomass will certainly enhance any career in the industry. Also students
might benefit from knowing more about this technology if they want to do a PhD in this
area. In addition they can carry on to do our full MSc Programme in Renewable Energy
Engineering, which again can greatly enhance their careers. The course is taught by a combination
of lectures, tutorials, and labs. Everything will be recorded so online students will be
able to access their materials in their own time whenever they prefer. The course is assessed
by a combination of assignments and a final exam. We expect the students will work on
this course for about 10 to 15 hours per week over the three months of the course. All the
resources will be available online for the students and they will be totally free and
total flexible to study the course in their own time when they prefer. Also students will
be able to access discussion boards and online discussions with the lecturer, and of course
they can email lecturers whenever they want.