Master in Renewable Energies

Program Presentation

Throughout history, social groups have selected their energy systems based on two sets of variables: technical availability and economic viability.

Only recently have we come to see a new variable that may involve the acceptance or rejection of an entire energy system based on the environmental impacts that their use maycause: the environmental factor.

Thus, in the immediate future, this factor should be seen as a crucial element with the ability to influence the setting of potential alternative energy systems for a country. This aspect is particularly important when evaluating and comparing different energy sources and resources for a more sustainable world.

There is no comprehensive solution in the short and medium term to the problem of declining resources and environmental pollution, but rather that the future lies in energy diversification,which is where renewables can complement traditional forms of energy without replacing them.

The Master in Renewable Energies that wepresent here provides a central part, which is the core of the program, where the peculiarities of clean forms of energy are detailed in the context of the current energy framework and potential future scenarios, with an added value compared to other programs of this type: on one hand, it incorporates the parts concerning environmental management tools, as it is important to know how to perform impact studies and incorporate renewable and energy efficiency technologies within the overall management system of the company; and, on the other hand, it includes a part dedicated to the phenomenon of climate change and its relationship to renewable energy, in reference to the portion of vulnerability and mitigation.

Who is the programme for?

The Master's Degree in Renewable Energy is aimed at university graduates from middle grade or higher that, by their personal characteristics or by their experience, may want quality training in the field of renewable energy.

Diploma

Successful completion of the Program will enable you to be awarded the degree in Master in Renewable Energies.

After successfully completing the Program, the student will receive the degree as awarded by the University where they have enrolled.

Program Structure

The estimated duration of the Master’s Program in Renewable Energy is 900 hours (90 credits).

With regard to the distribution of the time, it is established that:

  • Being a distance learning program and not subject to instructor-led classes, specific beginning date is not set, and so the student can register at any time, provided that there are spaces available.
  • For academic and learning reasons, the program has a minimum duration of one-year.
  • The maximum time available to perform the program is two years. In this period of time, the student should have supplied all the appropriate evaluations, as well as the Final Project or Thesis.

The credit structure of the Master Program in Renewable Energy is collected in the following table:

  CREDITSa DURATIONb HOURS
1st Part: Environmental Management Tools 12 7 120
2nd Part: Renewable Energy 33 7 330
3rd Part: Climate Change 25 6 250
4th Part: Scientific Research Methodology and the Master's Final Project 20 4 200
TOTAL 90 24 900

a. The equivalence in credits may vary according to the university that awards the degree
b. Duration in months

Objectives

General Objective

  • Contribute to the growth of new business opportunities that represents the field of renewable energies through the performance of a cooperative and collaborative work, to respond in an open, critical and reflective way to the various expressions in which the interaction between society, knowledge and technology manifests.

Specific Objectives

  • Be aware of the economic, social and environmental implications of sustainable development, realizing the concept’s real importance.
  • Justify the need to implement an environmental management system in the company.
  • Set forth the various stages of implementing an EMS.
  • Implementing ISO 14001:2004 in any type of business.
  • Examine a case study on the application of ISO 14001.
  • Learn about the tools and instruments of environmental management employed in decision-making processes.
  • Study the conceptual framework of the Environmental Impact Assessment.
  • Analyze the phases and particularities of the Environmental Impact Assessment as a technical instrument of the EIS.
  • Interpret the legislative framework and the administrative procedure referred to in the EIAs of various countries.
  • Analyze the framework and the current energy scenarios for the future, at the global level.
  • Diagnose the environmental and socio-economic implications of the global and local impacts caused by anthropogenic activities.
  • Design an ACS installation through the F-CHART method.
  • Design a solar heating system using the F-CHART method.
  • Design the photovoltaic equipment of a permanent or weekend solar housing.
  • Design the impeller of a Francis turbine and a Pelton wheel.
  • Develop the environmental impact study of a hydraulic plant or a wind farm.
  • Design a wind turbine farm in function of several variables.
  • Relate the technologies that utilize the vapor of a geopressured deposit with the production of heat and/or electricity.
  • Differentiate between the uses for biomass, either for a material end or energy usage.
  • Define the different utilizations of the sea as an energy source, in terms of potential and economic viability.
  • Know the global agreements, negotiations and existing policies on climate change.
  • Interpret the concepts of climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Career Opportunities

Some of the professional opportunities for the Master in the Application of Renewable Energies are the following:

  • Research of energy-efficient technologies from the point of view of energy.
  • Technical adviser in renewable energies.
  • Maintenance technician of wind farms, solar collection systems, etc.
  • Installer of solar thermal and photovoltaic harnessing infrastructure.
  • Teaching.

Study Plan

The Master's Degree in Renewable Energy has a curricular structure based on four sequential training parts.

  • 1st PART: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT TOOLS (120 HOURS)

From a management point of view, this first part provides, on the one hand, the essential tools to manage renewable and clean energy technology developments within a company's global system; and, on the other hand, the forecasting tools for environmental impact assessment for impact studies of this type of energy.

The subjects and the corresponding hours that make up the first part are shown in the following table:

1ST PART: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT TOOLS
# SUBJECTS HOURS
1 Introduction to Sustainable Development 10
2 Environmental Impact Assessment 70
3 Business Environmental Management 40
TOTAL 120

These subjects, in spite of being independent of each other, are structured according to a coherent teaching order that facilitates their understanding. Each subject is divided into chapters, whose content includes printed material that should be studied to satisfactorily answer the evaluated activities.

  • 2nd PART: RENEWABLE ENERGIES (330 HOURS)

This part focuses on the current context of renewable solar energy (thermal and photovoltaic), wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal, and marine energy, in the current framework of energy policies, regulations, technical aspects, impacts, among others.

The subjects and corresponding hours that make up the second part are shown in the following table:

2ND PART: RENEWABLE ENERGIES
# SUBJECTS HOURS
1 Introduction to the Renewable Energy 50
2 Solar Thermal Energy 40
3 Photovoltaic Solar Energy 40
4 Hydraulic Energy 50
5 Wind Energy 50
6 Geothermal Energy 30
7 Biomass Energy 40
8 Sea Energy 30
TOTAL 330
  • 3rd PART: CLIMATE CHANGE (250 HOURS)

Because of its importance and current and future relevance in government agendas, a third part relating to climate change has been considered necessary to be introduced. In this context, it describes the main commitments and agreements of this area, the socio-economic and climatic factors that influence the vulnerability and adaptation to climate change and, finally, the nature of technological measures taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) in some sectors.

The chapters and corresponding hours that make up the third part are shown in the following table:

3RD PART: CLIMATE CHANGE
# SUBJECTS HOURS
1 Agreements, Negotiations and Instruments on Climate Change 80
2 Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change 90
3 Mitigation of Climate Change 80
TOTAL 250
  • 4th PART: SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND THE MASTER’S FINAL PROJECT OR DEGREE THESIS (200 HOURS)

Finally, the fourth part is devoted to the study of the Scientific Research Methodology subject as a step prior to the development of the Master's Final Work.

The Scientific Research Methodology subject (50 hours) presents the stages of the research process and its techniques, so that the student becomes familiar with the scientific method, allowing them to generate contributions within their field of work. We also review some of the main statistical tools that further help substantiate hypotheses, by providing a mathematical support to the observations made.

On the other hand, to be awarded the master’s degree in Climate Change, the presentation and completion of the Master's Final Project or Degree Thesis (150 hours) is necessary. The aim is to produce a complete document that shows the total development of the proposed project, contemplating the possibility of its actual implementation. It must be a contribution to some of the fields studied or to their relationship, both theoretical and applied, and respecting the doctrines, theories, and related disciplines.

4TH PART: SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND THE MASTER’S FINAL PROJECT OR DEGREE THESIS
# SUBJECTS HOURS
1 Scientific Research Methodology 50
2 Master's Final Project or Degree Thesis 150
TOTAL 200

Note: The contents of the academic program may be subject to slight modifications, depending on the updates or the improvements made.

Management

Academic Administration

  • Dr. Eduardo García Villena. Director of the Environment Area in the International Ibero-american University (UNINI)

Teaching staff and Authors

  • Dr. Ángel M. Álvarez Larena. Dr. in Geology. Prof. at the Autonomous University of Barcelona
  • Dr. Roberto M. Álvarez. Prof. of the University of Buenos Aires.
  • Dr. Óscar Arizpe Covarrubias. Prof. at the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur, Mexico
  • Dr. Isaac Azuz Adeath. Prof. at the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur, Mexico
  • Dr. David Barrera Gómez. Doctor from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia
  • Dr. Brenda Bravo Díaz. Prof. of the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico
  • Dr. Rubén Calderón Iglesias. Prof. of the European University Miguel de Cervantes
  • Dr. Leonor Calvo Galván. Prof. of the University of León. Spain
  • Dr. Olga Capó Iturrieta. Dr. Industrial Engineering. Prof. of the Research Institute in Agropecuarias, Chile
  • Dr. Alina Celi Frugoni. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
  • Dr. José Cortizo Álvarez. Prof. of the University of León. Spain
  • Dr. Antoni Creus Solé. Dr. in Industrial Engineering
  • Dr. Juan Carlos Cubría García. Prof. of the University of León. Spain
  • Dr. Raquel Domínguez Fernández. Prof. of the University of León
  • Dr. Luís A. Dzul López. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
  • Dr. Xavier Elías Castells. Director of the By-product Exchange of Catalonia
  • Dr. Milena E. Gómez Yepes. Dr. in Project Engineering. Prof. of the University of the Quindio, Colombia
  • Dr. Ramón Guardino Ferré. Dr. in Project Engineering. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
  • Dr. Emilio Hernández Chiva. Dr. in Industrial Engineering. Spanish National Research Council, CSIC
  • Dr. Cristina Hidalgo González. Prof. of the University of León
  • Dr. Francisco Hidalgo Trujillo. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
  • Dr. Víctor Jiménez Arguelles. Prof. of the Autonomous Metropolitan University. Mexico
  • Dr. Miguel Ángel López Flores. Prof. of the National Polytechnic Institute (CIIEMAD-IPN)
  • Dr. Izel Márez López. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
  • Dr. Carlos A. Martín. Prof. of the National University of the Littoral, Argentina
  • Dr. Isabel Joaquina Niembro García. Dr. in Project Engineering. Prof. of the Monterrey Institute of Technology
  • Dr. César Ordóñez Pascua. Prof. of the University of León
  • Dr. José María Redondo Vega. Prof. of the University of León. Spain
  • Dr. Gladys Rincón Polo. Prof. of the Simón Bolívar University, Venezuela
  • Dr. José U. Rodríguez Barboza. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
  • Dr. Ramón San Martín Páramo. Dr. in Industrial Engineering. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
  • Dr. Raúl Sardinha. Prof. of the Piaget Institute, Portugal
  • Dr. Héctor Solano Lamphar. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
  • Dr. Martha Velasco Becerra. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
  • Dr. Alberto Vera. Prof. of the National University of Lanús, Argentina
  • Dr. Margarita González Benítez. Professor at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain.
  • Dr. Lázaro Cremades Oliver. Professor at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain
  • Dr. (c) Pablo Eisendecher Bertín. Professor of the Environment Department in FUNIBER
  • Dr. (c) Kilian Tutusaus Pifarré. Professor of the Environment Department in FUNIBER
  • Dr. (c) Karina Vilela. Professor of the Environment Department in FUNIBER
  • Dr. (c) Erik Simoes. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
  • Ms. Omar Gallardo Gallardo. Prof. of the University of Santiago in Chile
  • Ms. Susana Guzmán Rodríguez. Prof. of the Central University of Ecuador
  • Ms. Icela Márquez Rojas. Prof. of the Technological University of Panama

FUNIBER Training Scholarships

The Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) allocates periodically an extraordinary economic item for FUNIBER Training Scholarships.

To apply, please fill out the information request form that appears in the web of FUNIBER or contact directly the Foundation’s headquarters in your country that will inform you if you need to provide some additional information.

Once the documentation is received, the Evaluation Committee will determine your application's eligibility for the FUNIBER Training Scholarship.