RSE3241 Hydropower
Faculty of Engineering
RSE3241 Hydropower is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Engineering, offered in 2025 in Semester 2 at Clayton. It needs ENG2005 and unlocks 1 unit.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Semester 2
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 4 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before RSE3241
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
After RSE3241
1 unit list RSE3241 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
Overview
This unit covers all aspects of hydropower, including the fundamental physics behind energy storage in potential energy, the design and construction of hydropower systems and the operation of hydropower stations and their influence on the integrated electrical system. You will gain an appreciation of the principles, history and significance of hydropower within the national electricity market (NEM). You will learn to evaluate components and describe the process of designing and constructing hydropower stations, assess environmental values, impacts and management in hydropower projects and develop comprehensive environmental management strategies (EMS) for the lifecycle of hydropower projects. The unit places particular emphasis on the current trend towards pumped hydro energy storage (PHES), reflecting the latest industry trends and technological advancements.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Assignment 1Written20%
- Assignment 2Written20%
- Project40%
- Presentation20%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Appreciate the principles, history and significance of hydropower in the national electricity market (NEM).
- 2
Evaluate components and describe the process of designing and constructing a hydropower station.
- 3
Assess environmental values, impacts and management in hydropower projects.
- 4
Design and construct a hydropower station, with a focus on pumped hydro energy storage (PHES).
- 5
Develop an environmental management strategy (EMS) for the lifecycle of hydropower projects.
Workload and teaching
- Practical activities24 hours
- Workshops24 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachProblem-based learning
The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of 3-6 hours of scheduled learning activities and 6-9 hours of independent study per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher-directed learning, peer-directed learning and online engagement. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities.
All items discussed in the lectures are practised in the practice classes and in the assignments.
A student-centred teaching approach where students engage with real-world challenges to develop solutions. In this unit, students explore authentic problems related to hydropower system design, environmental impact, energy efficiency, and infrastructure resilience. The aim is to promote critical thinking, interdisciplinary knowledge integration, and practical application of hydropower engineering principles.
Learning resources
Required resources
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
Recommended resources
There are no prescribed texts for this unit. You will be informed of recommended readings in the lecture notes, which will be available via the unit Moodle site.
Where it fits
RSE3241 is part of 3 areas of study in the 2025 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Qianbing Zhang
- Unit Coordinators
- Associate Professor Qianbing Zhang
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for RSE3241?
You need ENG2005 before you enrol.
What can I take after RSE3241?
RSE3241 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 1 unit, including RSE4050.
When is RSE3241 offered?
In 2025, RSE3241 runs in Semester 2 at Clayton.
How much work is RSE3241?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does RSE3241 have an exam?
No. RSE3241 has 4 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include RSE3241?
RSE3241 is part of Civil engineering, Environmental engineering and Renewable energy engineering.