SPG8024 2020-21
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SPG8024 – Quantifying Energy Decision Making –
Academic year 2020-21
Module Assessment
Achievement of the SPG8024 module learning outcomes is assessed based on a report submitted at
the end of teaching week 9.
Submit your work on Canvas page in the ‘Assignments’ area
The deadline is 2 pm on Monday 9 November 2020.
Details of the report requirements are given in this document.
While carrying out this activity, consider that the task you have been given and the associated report
are designed to assess your understanding of the knowledge and skills listed below. Critically review
your work to check that you have demonstrated your learning for each of these. After doing this
review and, if necessary, modify your report to ensure it includes each element.
Elements of knowledge and skill being assessed
1. Concepts of heat, temperature, energy and power. How they are used to express energy
system properties and performance.
2. The correct way to express physical quantities (including those above) across a wide range of
magnitudes in the International System of units (SI).
3. How fundamental physical laws of thermodynamics describe the limitations when
converting energy from one form to another.
4. The effect of the time value of money on investments in long-term projects, as characterised
by energy system technologies.
5. Project financial appraisal measures; lifetime cost, cost-benefit ratio, payback period,
internal rate of return, unit production cost.
6. Fundamental concepts in power systems; supply & demand, availability, security of supply,
reliability, capacity factor, capacity margin.
7. Differences between centralised and distributed systems.
8. Exploitation of renewable energy resources with consideration of; availability, system
integration, economic, social and political factors.
SPG8024 2020-21
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Task specification
You will be provided with information concerning the costs and revenues that are associated with
investing in two energy technology projects. You will take the role of a consultant, advising your
client on the benefits and drawbacks of each proposal and providing an evidenced recommendation
for which project your client should pursue.
You are not a salesperson trying to convince your client to make a particular decision, your advice
will be based on careful, honest evaluation of the information available. The information you are
provided with may not be complete, so you will need to carry out research to provide additional
information and estimates for quantifiable parts of your analysis.
Report specification
Word count and non-text elements
Approximate word count: 2,000 words. Only the main text is included in this count; the title page,
table of contents, references and similar parts are excluded from the word count.
Non-text elements consisting of diagrams, graphs and tables need to be included to provide
information that cannot be conveyed effectively through words alone. Note that these elements are
essential to include so that your ability to present information in these ways can be assessed.
Clear and concise writing
It is essential that you communicate the information in your report:
Clearly – use an effective structure, use descriptive figure captions, ensure nomenclature is
defined, define the symbols used in equations.
Concisely – ensure that you use as few words as possible to unambiguously explain your
work, use effective referencing to build on the work of others, do not repeat similar
information at multiple places in your report.
Document format
You do not have to use a particular format for the document. Here are some recommendations that
you can follow:
• Use Word or equivalent document preparation software.
• Use Styles to format headings consistently and auto-generate a table of contents.
• Use captions to label your figures and tables, use cross-referencing to refer to these in the
text.
• Include references by using a reference management plugin to a programme such as
endNote, Zotero or Mendeley.
• Use an 11pt Arial font or similar.
SPG8024 2020-21
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Report sections
Title page
Include your name, student number, module title, date of submission, report title
Introduction
Briefly outline the purpose and content of the report
Energy system needs
Outline the present trends in the power system and the way in which the projects you are appraising
are aligned or unaligned with these trends.
Technology descriptions
Explain the physical basis for the technologies that are included in the projects you are appraising.
Financial appraisal
Use the methods you have been shown for financial appraisal to illustrate how the costs and
benefits of the projects will evolved over their lifetimes.
Non-financial appraisal
Discuss factors other than purely financial considerations that your client should be aware of.
Consider at least the environmental, social and political circumstances surrounding these
technologies.
Alternative technologies
Provide a brief review of at least two alternatives to the technologies in your appraisal and identify
the key differences between them.
Recommendation
Advise your client on what they should do next and identify any uncertainties in your appraisal that
should be assessed in more detail to gain a more complete picture of the decision to be made.