MES course descriptions and specialisations
Foundation courses:
ENGY7000: Energy & Technology Principles
This course introduces students to the key scientific principles that underpin energy systems. Students are provided with an overview of topics related to sources of energy and power generation, including supply and demand and future scenarios for 2050. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the suite of energy and technology options available.
ENGY7001: Fundamentals of Climate Change
This course introduces students to the science and theory of climate change and students will gain an understanding of the policy, legal and regulatory aspects of climate change. Throughout the course summaries and updates from IPCC reviews will be discussed, and Australian and international forecasts will also be examined. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the difference between adaptation and mitigation, and the instruments that provide for both.
ENGY7002: Drivers for the Transition to a Low Carbon Economy
This course explores the rapidly evolving policy, legal and regulatory issues relating to climate change and carbon management in detail. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the Australian and international policy and legal frameworks shaping the transition towards a low carbon future. Legislative and regulatory tools, strategies and arrangements will be discussed and the impact of these on government and corporate entities will be reviewed.
ENGY7003: Low Emission Technologies & Supply Systems
Students will analyse current and emerging technology options to manage and reduce energy consumption, improve efficiency and mitigate climate change. Key power generation and low emission technologies and their costs, benefits, challenges, risks and associated supply systems will be examined, including renewable energy options and Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS), gas, cogeneration and oil production. The course provides students with a broad understanding of the numerous technologies and supply systems and will prepare them for an introduction to decision making tools including cost benefit analysis.
ENGY7107: Economics & Finance of Carbon Management
This course provides students with an in-depth knowledge of the factors that govern a company’s exposure to the financial and economic aspects of climate change and carbon management. Some topics covered include the risks and benefits of emissions trading possibilities, carbon taxes, market mechanisms and other carbon policy decision implications. The course includes a discussion of offset mechanisms and Australian and international schemes for carbon mitigation.
ENGY7004: Energy Options to Fuel the Low Carbon Economy
Students will assess energy and greenhouse gas abatement investment options through the application of a range of methodologies and tools, including cost benefit analysis, life cycle analysis, marginal abatement cost curves and portfolio analysis. Assessment criteria will encompass a range of factors, including those related to technology cost, carbon cost and project financing. Selection criteria and implementation strategies associated with infrastructure, network issues, maturity and scale, as well as social and environmental considerations, will also be explored. Importantly, emphasis is placed on the assessment tools rather than specific technology options.
Specialisation courses: Carbon Management
ENGY7200: Mitigation Responses – A Risk Management Approach
This course explores the tools and methodologies necessary to enable students to undertake a full risk management analysis, assessment and evaluation of different scenarios and case studies, and introduce the concept of project and portfolio management to mitigate climate change. The course aligns with present day standards in risk management and uses case studies to underline the key principles involved. Students will gain an understanding of the core functions of risk management and project management, including cost, time, quality, scope, procurement, communication and lifecycle integration, and how this is applied to carbon management.
ENGY7201: Applied Carbon Methods – MRV for Business and Government
This course is designed to impart a professional knowledge of skills in the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of carbon as it relates to carbon management. Topics include how to identify climate change related corporate risks and develop climate change strategies as part of a sustainability strategy. Corporate carbon auditing including protocols, methodologies, international standards, calculations and databases will also be examined. The course also covers how to apply these management methods and skills in different areas, including upstream and downstream policies in business supply chains, carbon inventory management, carbon accounting and corporate climate change management.
Specialisation courses: Low Carbon Solutions
ENGY7300: Power Generation Technologies
This course builds on ENGY7003 to further develop and explore technologies for power generation that address the challenge presented to us by climate change. Power generation technologies including renewables and low emission technologies will be discussed. Resource mapping, storage and grid integration, including centralised and decentralised systems, will be explored as will recent developments to reduce implementation costs. Competitive electricity market principles will also be discussed.
ENGY7301: Energy Efficiency Opportunities
This course investigates the role that energy efficiency and low carbon solutions can play in reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Some topics covered include energy efficiency and conservation, sustainable energy use, smart grids, metering, the psychology of energy consumption, non-price barriers, regulatory drivers and public policy interventions.
Specialisation Project
ENGY7115: Professional Project in Energy Studies
ENGY7115 is the culminating experience of the MES program; whereby students are required to design and undertake self-directed project work that consolidates and applies the concepts, principles and methodologies learned to date. Students are strongly encouraged to anchor their project on a focal issue of personal or professional development interest. The rationale behind the project will be firmly rooted in a current, emerging or forecast challenge facing the energy sector, explored through integrated stakeholder and disciplinary viewpoints. Students must negotiate the scope and outcomes of the project with IEC prior to commencing work. Where possible, students will be linked with IEC or partner university supervisors for academic guidance.
