Postgraduate Diploma in Technical Design of Collective Self-Consumption
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Technical Design of Collective Self-Consumption. 8 modules covering Real Decreto 244/2019 (self-consumption), ITC-BT-40 (low-voltage generating installations) and PVsyst. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Technical Design of Collective Self-Consumption — 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
Understand the modalities and regulatory framework of collective self-consumption.
Characterise participants' demand based on load curves.
Design the photovoltaic array of a collective installation.
Calculate energy distribution coefficients among participants.
Design the electrical installation and its grid connection.
Assess the integration of storage and energy management.
Analyse the economic viability and governance model of the project.
Who it's for
- Photovoltaic self-consumption engineer who wants to specialise in Technical Design of Collective Self-Consumption.
- PV installation designer who wants to specialise in Technical Design of Collective Self-Consumption.
- Collective self-consumption manager who wants to specialise in Technical Design of Collective Self-Consumption.
- Authorised electrical installer who wants to specialise in Technical Design of Collective Self-Consumption.
- Energy community consultant who wants to specialise in Technical Design of Collective Self-Consumption.
- Energy licensing technician who wants to specialise in Technical Design of Collective Self-Consumption.
- Graduates in engineering or sciences looking to enter photovoltaic self-consumption.
What you'll work with
- Real Decreto 244/2019 (self-consumption)
- ITC-BT-40 (low-voltage generating installations)
- IEC 60364-7-712 (photovoltaic installations)
- IEC 62446-1 (testing and documentation of PV systems)
- UNE-EN 50549-1 (connection of generation to distribution networks)
- IEC 61215 (qualification of PV modules)
- Orden TED/1247/2021 (variable distribution coefficients)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Real Decreto 244/2019 and modalities1.2Self-consumption with and without surpluses1.3Nearby installations via the network1.42 km distance criterion1.5Renewable and citizen energy communities1.6RED II Directive and the internal market1.7Agents: holder, consumers and manager1.8Marketing and compensation of surpluses1.9Experiences in buildings and industrial estates1.10Case study: regulatory fit of a residential community
2.1Hourly load curves of participants2.2Access to distributor data and Datadis2.3Residential, commercial and industrial profiles2.4Simultaneity and complementarity of consumption2.5Seasonality and weekends2.6Growth forecast with electric vehicles2.7Heat pumps and electrification2.8Segmentation of participants2.9Self-consumption and self-sufficiency indicators2.10Practical exercise: aggregating load curves of 30 homes
3.1Roof and shading study3.2Irradiance with PVGIS and databases3.3Selection of modules and inverters3.4String configuration and MPPT3.5Optimisers and microinverters3.6Simulation in PVsyst3.7Losses due to temperature, soiling and cabling3.8Structures and roof loads3.9Expected hourly output3.10Laboratory: simulation of a 100 kW installation
4.1Fixed distribution coefficients4.2Variable hourly coefficients4.3Optimisation of coefficients per participant4.4Distribution file and its communication4.5Surpluses and simplified compensation4.6Managing participant admissions and withdrawals4.7Fairness and distribution criteria4.8Coefficient calculation tools4.9Common distribution errors4.10Workshop: calculating optimal hourly coefficients
5.1Connection schemes for internal and network connections5.2Low-voltage electrotechnical regulations5.3ITC-BT-40 and generation5.4Anti-islanding protection and disconnection5.5Metering and bidirectional meters5.6Earthing and surge protection5.7Access and connection procedures5.8Registration in the self-consumption register5.9Distributor requirements5.10Practical exercise: single-line diagram of a collective installation
6.1Community batteries and their sizing6.2Energy management with EMS6.3Shared vehicle charging6.4Flexibility and demand response6.5Monitoring and user platforms6.6Communication with participants6.7Installation maintenance6.8Insurance and guarantees6.9Performance indicators6.10Case study: community battery in a neighbourhood
7.1Installation budget7.2Savings per participant and return7.3Financing models and grants7.4Legal structures: cooperative and association7.5Agreements between participants7.6Taxation of self-consumption7.7IBI and ICIO tax rebates7.8Social participation and energy poverty7.9Project risks7.10Workshop: economic model per participant
8.1Definition of scope and participants8.2Aggregated demand analysis8.3Photovoltaic installation design8.4Calculation of distribution coefficients8.5Electrical design and connection8.6Economic analysis and financing8.7Governance model8.8Procedural plan8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM Institute campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, making it possible to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is PVsyst, SketchUp with Skelion, PVGIS, AutoCAD, advanced Excel, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for analysing consumer load curves, photovoltaic design on roofs and verification of self-consumption installations. Assessment is continuous, per module, plus a final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Understand the modalities and regulatory framework of collective self-consumption.
Characterise participants' demand based on load curves.
Design the photovoltaic array of a collective installation.
Calculate energy distribution coefficients among participants.
Design the electrical installation and its grid connection.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. A university degree is not required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
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 comprises 800 hours in total, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
The programme uses PVsyst, SketchUp with Skelion, PVGIS, AutoCAD and advanced Excel. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the open-source alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the final integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are credited towards the higher-level programme. Please check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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