Data science involves applying computational, statistical, and machine learning techniques to gain insights into real-world problems. This module focuses on the data science project life cycle, providing a clear understanding of the five steps in the data science process: obtain, scrub/wrangle, explore, model, and interpret. These steps form the foundation for all data science investigations.

You will gain an appreciation for the requirements, complexities, and tools needed for each step of the project life cycle. You will also understand the process of constructing a data pipeline, from raw data to knowledge. Case studies from the engineering domain will be used to explore each of these steps.

The module focuses on how to finance a business opportunity (project) that can be isolated from the rest of a company’s business activities. Financing through a combination of debt and equity are discussed, based on the future profitability of the project where project cash flow is the main source of capital recovery, and the project assets are the only collateral. The concepts of construction loans and public-private partnerships are discussed.

A number of case studies will be covered in the module, including projects to construct a bridge, a satellite and a wind turbine farm. Current module content includes infrastructure and development finance, time value of money, basic accounting statements, ratio analysis, economic analysis of investment decisions, market valuation (EVA and MVA), the national accounts and economic growth, feasibility studies and techno economic analysis, risk and uncertainty in infrastructure finance and project development.

At the end of this module, you will understand the principles and techniques applied in the definition of industrial and commercial projects for green hydrogen production, conversion, storage, handling and end-application, with consideration of the integration of technologies and supply chains in a manner that optimises the economic and environmental benefits.

Specific topics include:

• Technical design and feasibility
• Economic assessment, including all aspects of costing along the green hydrogen value chain
• Environmental assessment within the broader framework of sustainability
• Project selection on the basis of a multi-criteria platform

The purpose of the module is to present principles of general management within the context of technical disciplines. The course themes include the business environment and strategic management on a firm level, touching on the role of innovation and technology for competitiveness on a systems level from international and national perspectives.

The course will include a significant focus on tools and techniques for technology and innovation management exploring the link between technology management and business management taking a capabilities approach. These capabilities include acquisition, protection, exploitation, identification and selection. We relate traditional approaches to technology management to what it means for the context of the fourth industrial revolution, platform economies and innovation platforms.

The functions of engineering management, namely planning, organising, leading and controlling will also be discussed. This will include a specific focus on human resource management, both insofar as managing projects, people and groups is concerned as well as aspects of labour relations and specifically the labour law and contractual requirements in South Africa. We contextualise the above under the theme of “leadership”, with an exploration of different leadership styles, communication and motivation.

This module will introduce the fundamental concepts related to green hydrogen, for both technologists and policy makers. It begins with production of green energy, the conversion of electrons to hydrogen through several production technologies, the storage, transportation and handling of hydrogen, and how hydrogen can be directly used or finally converted to other valuable products downstream.

Specific topics include:

• Green electricity: the characteristics of renewable produced electricity, and requirements from a renewable energy grid on hydrogen production.
• Hydrogen production technologies: source of electricity, feedstock, electrolysis, and alternative routes
• Storage, transportation and handling: storage (pressure, cryogenics, solids), and transportation (rail, pipeline, liquid, carriers)
• Direct hydrogen use: energetic use (fuel cells, FCEV, gas-steam, combustion), and material use (steel, concrete, chemicals)
• Downstream processing: energy carrier (ammonia, syn fuels, LOHC), green products (PtX, green ammonia, methanol), and calculation of process efficiency

This module focuses on the practical and commercial application of various technologies for biomass conversion into bioenergy. The production of first- and second-generation biofuels, as well as other forms of renewable energy, such as electricity, will be covered.

Specific topics include:

• Sustainable supply of biomass for bioenergy production
• Electricity production from biomass
• Bio-ethanol production, including substrate preparation, microbial conversion and separations
• Thermo-chemical conversions, including combustion, gasification and pyrolysis, and the use of these for green electricity production
• Biogas production, for example from landfill sites, animal dung, and waste-water treatment
• Biodiesel production, including process basics, product purification, and waste treatment

The module will prepare students to successfully complete the research component of their postgraduate studies. The module includes topics such as understanding different research methodologies, how to perform a literature study, use of e-databases, using the library, research ethics (and the related requirements and procedures at Stellenbosch University), plagiarism (including self-plagiarism), how to publish your research, scientific writing, data handling and representation, and area-specific research methodologies. The primary output of this module will be the submission of a research proposal to the satisfaction of your supervisor(s).

This course aims to provide a systemic view of the global and South African energy systems, focusing specifically on the current and potential future role of hydrogen within these systems. After completing this module, you will understand:

• Demands on energy systems, including demands by the people, industry and the government.
• The global and South African energy system, including the current market situation (global and South Africa), as well as trends and existing scenarios.
• The evolution of energy systems, including driving factors for the evolution of energy systems, the current (green) hydrogen market situation, and potential pathways for (green) hydrogen development.
• Hydrogen supply chains, including the basics of energy supply / provision chains, “traditional” provision of electrical energy, renewable provision of electrical energy, and storage of renewable energy.

The module focuses on advanced topics in project management, and it is expected that participants have either attended a project management course or have experience in managing projects. The module builds on the traditional project scheduling by addressing critical chain management and looks at managing project risks through the identification and assessment of risk potentials and mitigating strategies, including resource / cost management and contingency planning. The selection of appropriate teams and structures to facilitate contract management are discussed, along with executing project leadership through proper communication channels. The importance of procurement, from tender procedures through to supplier selection will be highlighted. The different nuances between commercial and research projects will be explained.

This module serves as the capstone of the postgraduate programme. For this module, students will conduct a major research investigation under the direct supervision of an experienced researcher or industry practitioner in the field of green or sustainable chemical engineering. Students will demonstrate the ability to identify, formulate, and conduct a research project directly related to the field of sustainable chemical engineering. Students will be required to draw on all prior learning to successfully develop and investigate a research project, reporting on key results and conclusions, and submitting a mini-thesis for examination.