Introduction
“the future is green energy sustainability renewable energy”
(Schwarzenegger, 2012)
This quotation from the somewhat surprising source of actor turned politician Arnold Schwarzennegger shows firstly how widely the importance of changing our energy mix has spread, and for how long this idea has been understood. It is surprising to most people to find that the idea of a “greenhouse effect” caused by carbon dioxide has been around for almost 200 years, being first described by with Eunice Foote in 1856 or John Tyndall in 1859. Either way it is far from a new idea and is now virtually universally accepted within the scientific community.
For this reason, most future engineers will need a solid understanding of energy use and the importance of reducing energy use and its environmental impact. That understanding – at a broad level – is what we will seek to develop during this module. This module is one of the optional modules for the Engineering Systems HNC, and features in some other HNCs. It is worth 2 SQA credits at level 7 and should nominally take around 80 hours of study, though this is a very variable figure and really should only be used as a very rough guide. Further information is available from the SQA approved descriptor which is also provided.
If you need any further help or information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with your tutor.
Content of the unit
The unit is intended to provide you with knowledge and understanding of current issues and trends in the production and use of electricity. It will also allow you to gain an understanding of the need for sustainability and the importance of the adoption of renewable energy sources.
The unit is divided into 6 learning outcomes, with each outcome containing a variety of subtopics that all fall into a logical grouping. The learning outcomes describe what you will be able to do when you successfully complete the unit. Namely:
- Describe global energy uses and trends.
- Explain environmental effects associated with energy production and use.
- Analyse the costs of different sources of energy.
- Compare the advantages and disadvantages of alternative energy sources.
- Explain the concepts of efficiency and energy saving in buildings, transportation, and power generation.
- Analyse the benefits and drawbacks of applying renewable energy and efficiency improvement techniques to a specific problem.
Don’t worry if you don’t understand what these mean at the moment, all will become clear as you work through the unit.
Learning outcome 1
Describe global energy uses and trends
The first outcome looks at energy use of the course of history and predicted future trends in energy use. Over the course of the module, we will look at (SQA, 2011):
- Current energy use by sector.
- Future energy usage trends.
- Energy balance.
- New energy sources.
- Policies that impact on the adoption of Renewable Energy Systems.
Learning outcome 2
Explain environmental effects associated with energy production and use
The second outcome starts to look at the problems caused by current energy use, both in terms of amount used and how it is generated. We will look at (SQA, ibid):
- Negative environmental effects of energy use
- Greenhouse effects and global warming
- Role of carbon dioxide and other gases
- Carbon sequestration methods
Learning outcome 3
Analyse the costs of different sources of energy
This outcome looks at how much various sources of energy cost, and how we measure energy and power. We will look at (SQA, ibid):
- Standard units of energy and power.
- Production cost of energy from different sources.
- Distribution and storage issues.
Learning outcome 4
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of alternative energy sources
The outcome title is somewhat self-explanatory here – we will look at a variety of energy sources and what is good and bad about each of them. We will discuss (SQA, ibid):
- Wind power
- Wave and tidal power
- Solar power
- Geothermal energy
- Biomass and bioenergy
- Hydroelectricity
- New and emerging technologies
Learning outcome 5
Explain the concepts of efficiency and energy saving in buildings, transportation, and power generation
The cheapest and most renewable energy of all, is the energy we do not use – this outcome looks at methods of reducing our energy use in a variety of places. We will consider (SQA, ibid):
- Efficiency and energy saving in buildings
- Efficiency and energy saving in transportation
- Efficiency and energy saving in power generation
- Current legislation
Learning outcome 6
Analyse the benefits and drawbacks of applying renewable energy and efficiency improvement techniques to a specific problem
This final outcome is a little different to the others, as here you will be presented with a problem and will need to come up with a proposal for improving the energy use. You will look at (SQA, ibid):
- Interpretation of the problem
- Formulation of the proposals
- Evaluation of the proposals
- Presentation of findings
Assessment of the unit
How you will be assessed on the unit may vary slightly, but your tutor will be sure to keep you informed. A discussion of the most likely method of assessment is given in the assessment tab of these materials.
How to use these materials
These materials are designed to guide you through the unit and ensure that you are properly prepared for your assessment. This is done by a series of written notes, and plenty of practice materials. In addition, practice assessments are provided as far as possible– it is recommended you try these in the run up to your assessment, and preferably attempt them under conditions of your assessment before going back and checking your answers. The practice assessments are written in a way to give you an idea of what to expect in the actual assessments.
Precisely how you work through the materials is a matter of personal choice, but a suggested method could be to read the notes and then attempt the practice questions. If you find when trying the practice questions that you are struggling, refer to the notes until it makes sense. There are plenty of practice questions, be sure to make use of them. You do not have to work through the materials in the order they are provided but it is strongly recommended as they build on each other.
References
Schwarzenegger, Arnold, 2012. Green quest goes on [online]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-17863391 (accessed 23rd July 2021)
SQA, 2011. Renewable Energy Systems: Overview of Energy Use. Dalkeith: Scottish Qualifications Authority.