Energy MPhil, PhD

Program Overview

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Overview

By pursuing research in the School of Engineering, you'll join a successful research group

. Our focus is on energy. Our mission is to foster, promote and conduct research of international quality. We attract high-quality graduates and researchers and train them to international standards.

This research degree and our other energy programmes focus on topics, including:

novel geo-energy

power electronics

drives and machines

the sustainable development and use of key resources

We can supervise MPhil and PhD projects in topics that relate to our main areas of research, which are:

Bio-energy

Our research spans the whole supply chain:

growing novel feedstocks (various biomass crops, algae etc)

processing feedstocks in novel ways

converting feedstocks into fuels and chemical feedstocks

developing new engines to use the products

Cockle Park Farm has an innovative anaerobic digestion facility. Work at the farm will develop, integrate and exploit technologies. These will link with the generation and efficient use of renewable energy from land-based resources. This includes biomass, biofuel and agricultural residues.

We also develop novel technologies for gasification and pyrolysis. This large multidisciplinary project brings together expertise in:

agronomy

land use

social science with process technologists and engineers

It is complemented by molecular studies on the biology of non-edible oilseeds as sources for production of biodiesel.

Novel geo-energy

New ways of obtaining clean energy from the geosphere is a vital area of research. Particularly given current concerns over the limited remaining resources of fossil fuels.

Newcastle University won a Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher Education award. This was for its world-renowned Hydrogeochemical Engineering Research and Outreach (HERO) programme. The Sir Joseph Swan Centre for Energy Research seeks to build on its record of excellence and place the North East at the forefront of research in:

ground-source heat pump systems

other larger-scale sources of carbon-free geothermal energy

developing more responsible modes of fossil fuel use

Our fossil fuel research encompasses both the use of a:

novel microbial process (recently patented by Newcastle University). This is to convert heavy oil (and, by extension, coal) to methane

coupling of carbon capture and storage (CCS) to underground coal gasification (UCG) using drilled boreholes

This hybrid technology (UCG-CCS) is well suited to early development in the North East. It still has 75% of its total coal resources in place.

Sustainable power

We undertake fundamental and applied research. This is in various aspects of power generation and energy systems, including:

the application of alternative fuels, such as hydrogen and biofuels to engines and dual-fuel engines

domestic combined heat and power (CHP), and combined cooling, heating and power (trigeneration) systems. Both using waste vegetable oil and/or raw inedible oils

biowaste methanisation

biomass and biowaste combustion, gasification

biomass co-combustion with coal in thermal power plants

CO2 capture and storage for thermal power systems

trigeneration with novel energy storage systems. This includes the storage of electrical energy, heat and cooling energy

engine and power plant emissions monitoring and reduction technology

novel engine configurations such as free-piston engines and the reciprocating Joule cycle engine

Fuel cell and hydrogen technologies

We are recognised as world leaders in hydrogen storage research. Our work covers the entire range of fuel cell technologies, from:

high-temperature hydrogen cells

low-temperature microbial fuel cells

We address some of the complex challenges which are slowing the uptake and impact of fuel cell technology.

Key areas of research include:

biomineralisation

liquid organic hydrides

adsorption onto solid phase, NAo-porous metallo-carbon complexes

Sustainable development and use of key resources

Our research in this area has resulted in the development and commercialisation of novel gasifier technology. This is for hydrogen production and subsequent energy generation.

We have developed ways to produce alternative fuels. In particular, a novel biodiesel pilot plant that has attracted an Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) AspenTech Innovative Business Practice Award.

Major funding has been awarded for the development of fuel cells for commercial application. This has led to both patent activity and highly-cited research. Newcastle University is a key member of the SUPERGEN Fuel Cell Consortium. Significant developments have been made in:

fuel cell modelling

membrane technology

anode development

catalyst and fuel cell performance improvements

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Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2022-23.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Program Outline

Your development

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Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE) researcher development programme

Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:

perform better as a researcher

boost your career prospects

broaden your impact

Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.

You’ll cover:

techniques for effective research

methods for better collaborative working

essential professional standards and requirements

Your programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.

Find out more about the SAgE researcher development programme

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Doctoral training and partnerships

There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:

Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)

Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)

Being part of a CDT or DTP has many benefits:

they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.

you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students

they’re often interdisciplinary

your PhD may be funded

Find out more about doctoral training and partnerships

If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.

The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:

EPSRC Aura Centre for Doctoral Training in Offshore Wind Energy and the Environment

IAPETUS2 Doctoral Training Partnership

Sustainable Electric Propulsion Centre for Doctoral Training

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Geospatial Systems

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Renewable Energy Northeast Universities (ReNU)