Postgraduate Diploma in Energy Harvesting (piezo/thermal/solar)
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Energy Harvesting (piezo/thermal/solar). 8 modules covering IEC 62830-1 (semiconductor devices for energy harvesting), IEEE 176 (piezoelectricity standards) and COMSOL Multiphysics. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Energy Harvesting (piezo/thermal/solar) — studying from Malta
Malta's healthcare system relies on public hospitals alongside a growing private sector, creating demand for engineers in medical devices, clinical technology and facilities. The Medicines Authority and the Health Directorate set regulatory expectations that shape work on medical equipment. Biomechanics and wearable technology are emerging interests, particularly in rehabilitation, sports science and occupational safety. Professionals in this area often collaborate with clinicians, distributors and regulators to ensure devices meet national and European requirements.
Fees for Malta: €895 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Is this programme recognised by a professional body in Malta for engineers working in health, biomechanics or wearables?
SEIUM Institute's qualifications are its own private qualifications. They are not official Maltese state degrees and are not accredited by any national body. In Malta, engineering titles are regulated through the Malta Council for Professions and the Chamber of Engineers, and medical devices fall under the Medicines Authority. Recognition of a private qualification is decided by employers or the relevant body, so check with them before enrolling.
Will employers in Malta value this training for roles in wearables or operational safety?
Employers in Malta's health technology, manufacturing and safety-related sectors decide for themselves how much weight to give a private online qualification. Many weigh practical experience and a final project heavily. SEIUM's programmes include a final project, but whether it helps your career in Malta depends on your employer's view. Speaking with prospective employers beforehand is the most reliable way to find out.
Can I study this alongside a full-time job in Malta, and is employer funding possible?
The programmes are 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from home without a student visa. Master's programmes are 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, so plan your weekly time accordingly. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Each student gets an assigned technical tutor for support.
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
Explain the physics of ambient energy harvesting.
Model piezoelectric transducers for real-world vibrations.
Size thermoelectric generators for body or industrial temperature gradients.
Evaluate photovoltaic cells under indoor lighting.
Design conditioning electronics with maximum power point tracking.
Select energy storage elements and charge management strategies.
Integrate a complete autonomous system with a positive energy balance.
Who it's for
- Energy harvesting engineer who wishes to specialise in Energy Harvesting (piezo/thermal/solar).
- Autonomous sensor designer who wishes to specialise in Energy Harvesting (piezo/thermal/solar).
- Ultra-low-power electronics engineer who wishes to specialise in Energy Harvesting (piezo/thermal/solar).
- Transducer researcher who wishes to specialise in Energy Harvesting (piezo/thermal/solar).
- IoT systems engineer who wishes to specialise in Energy Harvesting (piezo/thermal/solar).
- Energy management engineer who wishes to specialise in Energy Harvesting (piezo/thermal/solar).
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter the Internet of Things.
What you'll work with
- IEC 62830-1 (semiconductor devices for energy harvesting)
- IEEE 176 (piezoelectricity standards)
- IEC 60904-1 (measurement of photovoltaic characteristics)
- IEC 62133-2 (portable lithium batteries)
- IEC 62391-1 (electric double-layer capacitors)
- Directive 2014/53/EU (radio equipment)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Ambient sources: vibration, heat, light and RF1.2Power density available per source1.3Intermittent energy profiles1.4Energy balance of an autonomous node1.5End-to-end efficiency of the chain1.6Storage: supercapacitors and microbatteries1.7Comparison with primary batteries1.8Applications in wearables and industrial IoT1.9Estimating harvestable energy in an environment1.10Workshop: measuring vibration and light at a real workstation
2.1Direct piezoelectric effect and d31 and d33 coefficients2.2Materials: PZT, PVDF and AlN2.3Cantilever beams and resonance2.4Equivalent electrical model of the transducer2.5Frequency tuning and seismic mass2.6Broadband and nonlinear harvesters2.7Harvesting in footwear and joints2.8Fatigue and material depolarisation2.9Coupled finite element simulation2.10Laboratory: frequency sweep of a piezo beam
3.1Seebeck, Peltier and Thomson effects3.2Figure of merit ZT and Bi2Te3 materials3.3Thermal gradients on human skin3.4Contact thermal resistance and heat sink3.5Flexible TEG modules3.6Thermal and electrical load matching3.7Start-up at very low voltage3.8Integration into watches and patches3.9Thermal model of the body-device interface3.10Practice: characterising a TEG on the wrist
4.1LED and fluorescent lighting spectra4.2Amorphous silicon, organic and perovskite cells4.3Efficiency under low irradiance4.4I-V curves and maximum power point4.5Shading and orientation in wearables4.6Aesthetic integration in housings and textiles4.7Degradation and encapsulation4.8Measuring lux and converting to power4.9Sizing the photovoltaic area4.10Case study: electronic label powered by light
5.1Active rectification for piezo AC sources5.2SSHI and SECE techniques5.3Cold-start boost converters5.4Fractional open-circuit voltage MPPT5.5Commercial energy harvesting PMICs5.6Threshold management and hysteresis5.7Switching losses at microwatt levels5.8PCB design for ultra-low currents5.9Efficiency measurement with emulated sources5.10Laboratory: assembling a PMIC with MPPT
6.1Supercapacitors: leakage and ESR6.2Solid-state microbatteries6.3Hybrid storage architectures6.4Sizing for periods without energy6.5Overvoltage protection of the store6.6Starting from an empty store6.7Energy-aware firmware policies6.8Task scheduling based on energy6.9Simulating energy state over time6.10Workshop: sizing a supercapacitor for a sensor
7.1Low-power radios: BLE, LoRa and backscatter7.2Duty cycling and latency7.3Intermittent computing and checkpointing7.4Multi-source design: piezo, thermal and solar7.5Validation in a real user environment7.6System reliability and service life7.7Cost and lifecycle analysis7.8Industrial battery-free monitoring cases7.9Patents and commercial status of the sector7.10Case study: battery-free monitoring node
8.1Characterising the energy environment8.2Selecting sources and transducers8.3Designing the conversion chain8.4Sizing the storage8.5Firmware with energy management8.6Prototype and balance measurements8.7Autonomy and reliability analysis8.8Conclusions and proposed improvements8.9Report 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. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is COMSOL Multiphysics, LTspice, MATLAB/Simulink, Ansys Mechanical, KiCad, in free, academic or trial versions. Tests are studied using real procedures on a vibration shaker for piezoelectric characterisation, a thermal gradient bench for thermoelectric generators, and photovoltaic measurement under indoor lighting. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain the physics of ambient energy harvesting.
Model piezoelectric transducers for real-world vibrations.
Size thermoelectric generators for body or industrial temperature gradients.
Evaluate photovoltaic cells under indoor lighting.
Design conditioning electronics with maximum power point tracking.
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 standards documentation.
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 full-time employment.
You will work with COMSOL Multiphysics, LTspice, MATLAB/Simulink, Ansys Mechanical, KiCad. Free, academic or trial versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An own diploma from SEIUM Institute upon passing continuous assessment and the 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 advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
Related programmes
Postgraduate Diploma in FE Modelling of Head and Neck Applied to Sport
800-hour online Postgraduate Diploma in FE Modelling of Head and Neck Applied to Sport. 8 modules covering EN 1078 (cycling helmets), EN 1077 (ski helmets) and…
Diploma in Software Validation and Clinical Evidence (SaMD)
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in software validation and clinical evidence (SaMD). 8 modules covering fundamentals, the regulatory framework (Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (MDR), ISO 13485…
Postgraduate Diploma in IEC 60601 Conformity (Safety/EMC)
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in IEC 60601 conformity (Safety/EMC). 8 modules covering IEC 60601-1 (basic safety and essential performance), IEC 60601-1-2 (electromagnetic compatibility) and Fluke Ansur.…
More in Health, Biomechanics, Wearables & Operational Safety
All Health, Biomechanics, Wearables & Operational Safety programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships