Geoenergy (Incorporating Pg Cert/Pg Dip) MSc

The energy demands of our changing world must balance an expanding global population with a desire to shift towards more carbon-neutral sources. The world needs skilled practitioners who are adept at environmentally-sensitive energy generation. Our course prepares you to develop energy solutions and be a driving force for a sustainable mixed-energy economy.

Course description

This innovative course has been designed to produce graduates who can actively contribute to the global energy transition, have the ability to tackle climate change and the expertise to combine emerging techniques with conventional ones. You will consider a variety of energy sources, with your main focus being on how we can responsibly obtain energy from the Earth (conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons and geothermal energy) and how we mitigate global warming (carbon capture and subsurface storage, a key technology that many governments are deeming to be imperative to meet their carbon unit quotas).

The course aims to view energy from all aspects: finding, producing, assessing impact, and protecting the climate while powering the economy and providing for society. You will be able to apply traditional exploration and production skills to provide for future global power while ensuring a sustainable climate.

Energy is vital to our everyday lives, but how we obtain it is changing. Many parts of the world are stepping up to the energy challenge, with governments in Germany, Denmark and Kenya actively pursuing new geothermal district heating schemes, and petroleum companies already running CO2 injection projects in Algeria, Norway and further proposed sites. Local and UK governmental authorities are starting to consider energy needs of the population and CO2 impact of choices in deciding future energy resources.

In addition, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals seek to build a platform for the future, in particular Goal 7 where 'ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all' is listed as a priority, and the UK 25 Year Environment Plan identifies 'mitigating and adapting to climate change' as a key goal. Geologists play a crucial role in this transition as their specialist skills include being able to help not only secure future energy, but also ensure that solutions are implemented in an environmentally-sensitive manner. Our course prepares students to produce a range of energy-producing techniques that can be applied in the UK and globally.