TUDelft MicroMasters Program in Solar Energy Engineering you will gain the knowledge and skills needed to pursue a career in the solar energy field and become a successful solar energy professional.
This program will teach you what is expected from solar experts, and will prepare you for employment in various capacities including:
- Systems design and engineering
- Solar systems installation
- Device fabrication and characterization
- QA and reliability testing
- Project management and consultancy as well as (technical) sales
Solar energy technology use is expanding rapidly. The Solar Photovoltaic (PV) sector is the largest and fastest growing renewable energy employer worldwide with an increasing need for experts that can support this growth.
The program includes diverse learning activities, including videos, readings, exercises and real-world applications. You will be guided through the content in an inspiring, hands-on, but rigorous manner. It is designed so knowledge is built gradually. We therefore recommend that students follow the courses in the suggested order. However, you may choose to enroll in any course of your choice based on your background knowledge or experience.
The program is taught by photovoltaics research experts from TU Delft with many years of experience working with industry partners. Among these experts is Professor Arno Smets, the first ever recipient of the edX Prize for Exceptional Contributions to Online Teaching and Learning.
- The physics of and how to model all aspects of a working solar cell: performance, efficiency limits and design rules.
- Design concepts and fabrication processes of various photovoltaic (PV) technologies and applications.
- How to evaluate components of a PV system: PV modules, inverters, DC-DC converters, batteries, charge controllers and cables.
- Application techniques for designing a PV system ranging from a residential rooftop system to a utility scale solar farm.
- Design concepts of microgrids that include PV systems.
- How to assess the economics and ecology of PV systems and communicate these accordingly.
Courses in TUDelft MicroMasters Program in Solar Energy Engineering
- Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Energy Conversion
Learn how solar cells generate electricity, and about the semiconductor physics and optics required to design and manufacture solar cells. - Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Technologies
Explore the main PV technologies in the current market, to gain in-depth knowledge on the design and processing methods of solar cells. - Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
Explore the wide range of solar energy applications and learn to design a real PV installation with excellent performance and reliability. - Solar Energy: Integration of Photovoltaic Systems in Microgrids
Learn how to integrate a photovoltaic system into a microgrid of your design. - Solar Energy Engineering: Comprehensive Exams
Finalize the Solar Energy Engineering program to become a MicroMasters graduate.
Certificate & Credit pathway for TUDelft MicroMasters Program in Solar Energy Engineering
MicroMasters programs are designed to offer learners a pathway to an advanced degree and can count as credit toward completing a Master’s degree program. Learners who successfully earn this MicroMasters program certificate may apply for admission to a Master’s program, and if accepted, the MicroMasters program certificate will count towards the degree.
Learners who successfully earn the MicroMasters program certificate may apply to the Master of Science program Sustainable Energy Technology (SET) or the Master of Science program Electrical Engineering (track: Electrical Power Engineering) at TU Delft. You will need to go through the regular admission procedures for MSc students and meet the entry requirements for those MSc programs. If you are admitted and you would like to be exempted from courses in the aforementioned MSc programs, you are required to send a formal waiver request. Campus courses that can be waived (up to 16-18 credits) are courses that are equivalent to the solar energy courses of the MSc program in question:
- MSc Sustainable Energy Technology
- MSc Electrical Engineering (Electrical Power Engineering track)
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) offers a pathway to credit for MicroMasters program certificate holders toward RIT’s Master of Science in Professional Studies. This is an interdisciplinary degree program that allows students to strategically combine multiple, complementary in-demand fields of study. Read more about the program and how to apply with your MicroMasters program certificate.
Job outlook:-
- Solar energy adoption is growing at a surprisingly fast rate with predicted falling costs and new technologies resulting in solar generating 20% of electricity by 2027 (Research Policy, 2016)
- Estimated annual salary of engineers working in the solar energy industry amounts to $85,000 (USA Department of Labor)
- Solar photovoltaic was the largest renewable energy employer with 3.4 million jobs in 2017, an annual increase of more than 10% over the previous years (IRENA, 2018)
- Job opportunities include engineering and consultancy roles at renewable energy companies, specialized solar engineering companies, leading consultancy firms, oil and gas companies that are preparing for the transition to renewables, and non-profit orgs.
Duration:- 1 year 1 month 9 – 10 hours per week
Cost:- $ 1125
