Postgraduate Diploma in HPC Depot Design and Peak Management
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in HPC depot design and peak management, structured in 8 modules covering fleet electrification, high-power chargers, depot design, demand simulation, peak power management, grid connection and regulation, and operation and economics, with an assigned technical tutor.
Postgraduate Diploma in HPC Depot Design and Peak Management — studying from Ireland
Ireland's energy sector is undergoing significant change, with a growing share of wind power, expanding grid infrastructure and investment in interconnection and storage. The Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and Gas Networks Ireland manage major transmission and distribution assets, while EirGrid operates the national electricity transmission system. Engineers work on grid planning, renewable integration, network operation and energy system modelling. Regulation is provided by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, with national targets set by government climate and energy policy.
Fees for Ireland: €895 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Which Irish bodies oversee energy and network engineering recognition?
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities regulates electricity and gas markets in Ireland, and EirGrid and ESB Networks operate the transmission and distribution systems. Engineers Ireland sets professional engineering standards and chartership. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so their recognition is for employers or the relevant body to determine.
Do Irish energy and utility employers consider private online engineering qualifications?
Irish utilities, grid operators and consultancies generally prioritise professional registration, relevant degrees and operational experience. A private online qualification may support your application as evidence of study, but how it is weighed is at each employer's discretion. We cannot guarantee any outcome, so ask prospective employers directly.
Can I study alongside a job, and does my employer need to fund it?
The programme is online and taught in English, so you can study from home in Ireland with no travel and no student visa required. Plan for 1,900 hours on a master's, 800 on a postgraduate diploma or 300 on a specialist course. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer funding is possible but not required, so it is worth raising with your employer.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Plan the electrification of heavy-duty vehicle fleets.
Select high-power chargers according to fleet operation.
Design the electrical and civil layout of a charging depot.
Simulate demand profiles from routes and timetables.
Apply peak management strategies with charging control and storage.
Handle the grid connection process in compliance with applicable regulations.
Assess the total operating cost of the depot.
Who it's for
- Charging infrastructure engineers.
- Fleet electrification engineers.
- Electric depot designers.
- Fleet energy managers.
- E-mobility consultants.
- Grid connection engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into public transport.
What you'll work with
- IEC 61851-23 (DC charging stations)
- IEC 62196-3 (DC charging connectors)
- ISO 15118-20 (vehicle-to-grid communication)
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 (AFIR)
- ITC-BT-52 (electric vehicle charging installations)
- IEC 63110-1 (management of charging infrastructure)
- OCPP 2.0.1 (charge point communication protocol)
- AutoCAD
- DIgSILENT PowerFactory
- Python (demand simulation)
- MATLAB/Simulink
- ETAP
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Fleet types: buses, trucks and logistics1.2Operating patterns and duty cycles1.3Energy consumption per kilometre1.4Battery chemistries for heavy vehicles1.5Overnight and opportunity charging strategies1.6Megawatt Charging System (MCS)1.7IEC 61851 standards and CCS Combo1.8Barriers to depot electrification1.9European AFIR regulatory framework1.10Case study: route analysis of an urban bus fleet
2.1High-power DC charger architectures2.2Chargers with shared power2.3Inverted and conductive pantographs2.4Cable charging versus pantograph2.5Cooling of cables and connectors2.6ISO 15118 communication and Plug&Charge2.7OCPP 2.0.1 protocol2.8Conversion efficiency and losses2.9Equipment availability and reliability2.10Practical exercise: charger selection for a logistics depot
3.1Bay layout and vehicle flows3.2Conduits, cable trays and galleries3.3Design of transformer substations3.4Low-voltage protection and selectivity3.5Earthing and electrical safety3.6Ventilation and fire protection3.7ITC-BT-52 requirements3.8Expandability and phased design3.9Coordination with civil works and operations3.10Workshop: preliminary electrical design for a 50-bus depot
4.1Modelling aggregated charging demand4.2Simulation of vehicle arrivals and departures4.3Minimum state of charge and operating margins4.4Simultaneous charging curves and coincidence4.5Influence of temperature on consumption4.6Monte Carlo scenario simulation4.7Depot planning tools4.8Service compliance indicators4.9Scaling up to the full fleet4.10Laboratory: demand simulation in Python
5.1Smart charge scheduling5.2Power allocation algorithms5.3Optimisation with hourly prices5.4Peak shaving with stationary batteries5.5Rooftop photovoltaic integration5.6Contracted power and capacity charge5.7Charging management systems (CMS)5.8Vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-building5.9Flexibility services for the DSO5.10Practical exercise: charging optimisation with linear programming
6.1Grid access and connection application6.2Flexible and limited connections6.36.1TD access tariffs and network charges6.4Self-consumption associated with the depot6.5Energy supply and contracts6.6MOVES grants and European funds6.7Metering and billing requirements6.8Obligations of the charge point operator6.9Cybersecurity of charging infrastructure6.10Case study: connection strategy for a peri-urban depot
7.1Preventive maintenance of chargers7.2Monitoring and availability KPIs7.3Fault and spare-parts management7.4Total cost of ownership of the electric fleet7.5Depot CAPEX and OPEX7.6Charging-as-a-service business models7.7Sensitivity analysis of energy prices7.8Fleet carbon footprint7.9Change management for staff7.10Workshop: TCO model of an electric versus diesel bus
8.1Definition of the fleet and its operation8.2Simulation of energy requirements8.3Selection of charging technology8.4Electrical design and layout8.5Peak management strategy8.6Grid connection study8.7Economic analysis and TCO8.8Phased implementation plan8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
The programme is delivered 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is AutoCAD, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, Python (demand simulation), MATLAB/Simulink and ETAP, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: simulating fleet charging profiles, designing charging depots and peak power management studies. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: IEC 61851-23; IEC 62196-3; ISO 15118-20; Regulation (EU) 2023/1804; ITC-BT-52; IEC 63110-1; OCPP 2.0.1.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer able to run the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with AutoCAD, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, Python (demand simulation), MATLAB/Simulink and ETAP, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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