“This project strengthened my capabilities in sustainability analysis, systems modelling, and technical reporting, all essential in modern automotive, energy, and engineering roles. It’s given me confidence working with real-world data, new software, and engineering trade-offs.”
At the University of Brighton, final-year projects give engineering students the chance to tackle real-world challenges and make an impact. These projects combine technical knowledge, research skills, and creativity, often addressing some of the most pressing issues in energy, transport, and sustainability.
In this blog, we speak with Oscar Sampson, an Automotive Engineering MEng student about their project, which focused on developing a standardised Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to evaluate the true environmental impact of energy technologies.
Choosing a project that matters
“I’ve always been interested in the decarbonisation challenges facing the energy and transport sectors, especially as climate change demands more than just switching to low-carbon fuels. When I joined STEP Lab, I realised that a lot of studies focus only on carbon emissions, even though technologies also impact land use, water, toxicity, and resource depletion. That gap inspired me to develop a fully standardised Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, so future evaluations could be fair, transparent, and comparable across different energy technologies.”
Poster project theme and outcomes
“My project assessed the full environmental impact of three major pillars of the energy transition:
- Electricity generation (wind, solar, nuclear, fossil fuels, etc.)
- Energy storage (batteries, pumped hydro, compressed air storage, thermal storage)
- Low/zero-carbon fuels (hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, etc.)
“Using LCA, I looked at everything from materials and construction to operation and end-of-life impacts, to understand which technologies are genuinely sustainable, not just low-carbon.
“A lot of “green” technologies look clean on the surface because we only consider CO₂ emissions in use. But some solutions actually shift environmental burden elsewhere; like heavy land requirements, high metal consumption, or toxicity impacts.
“My project solves the problem of inconsistent or incomplete environmental comparisons by developing a unified assessment approach that STEP Lab can now use for future research. This helps engineers and policymakers make decisions that avoid hidden impacts.”
Challenges and learning curves
“Structuring such a wide scope, power, storage, and fuels, into a standardised and repeatable methodology was challenging. Each technology set required use of different datasets and had slightly different system boundaries. Ensuring every technology was judged fairly and consistently required extensive cross-checking, data cleaning, and sensitivity analysis.”
Skills gained during my project
“The project built directly on the modelling skills I developed throughout my degree but applied them in a completely new context. It gave me the chance to use those foundations in a different software environment and expand them into new applications, particularly through building on the introductory exposure we’d had to Life-Cycle Assessment and taking it much further into a full, detailed methodology.
“I developed advanced skills in:
- Multi-stage data processing and environmental impact modelling
- Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) using ISO 14040/44 methods
- EcoInvent v3.9.1 database and EcoChain LCA software
- RETScreen stationary power generation emission modelling
- Advanced Excel automation (including my own adapted macro tools).”
Working in the STEP Lab
“The STEP Lab is a hub for sustainable engineering at Brighton. It’s where I’ve grown the most, professionally and technically, through access to real data, expert support, and an ambitious research community.
“Although much of my work was modelling-based, being part of STEP Lab gave me access to technical guidance, previous STEP Lab research meetings, and specialist software. All of which helped to progress my project.
“I collaborated regularly with the STEP Lab research team, including PhD researchers and other final-year students working on related energy topics. This shared environment helped ensure our work aligned and contributed to the lab’s wider research programme.”
Mentorship and support
“Dr Angad Panesar provided continuous technical support, weekly meetings, and project guidance throughout. He helped refine the scope, evaluate methodology choices, and maintain project quality.”
Most Rewarding Moment
“Seeing all three aspects, power, storage, and fuels, come together in a unified methodology was extremely rewarding. Knowing that the output will now support future STEP Lab research, and contribute to decision-making on sustainable energy technologies, made the work feel meaningful.”
Prepareing you for an engineering career
“This project strengthened my capabilities in sustainability analysis, systems modelling, and technical reporting, all essential in modern automotive, energy, and engineering roles. I also developed strong project-management habits that help keep structure. It’s has also given me confidence working with real-world data, new software, and engineering trade-offs.”
Advice for future students
“My advice would be to start early, plan realistically and keep in regular contact with your project supervisor. The more effort you put into your project the more you will get out of your project. Most importantly, choose a topic you genuinely have an interest in, it is a year long module and so keeping your interest will aid in consistent progress.”
Why choose engineering at Brighton?
Final-year projects like this are just one example of how Brighton prepares students for real-world engineering challenges. From hands-on lab experience to expert academic support and opportunities to work on cutting-edge research, our engineering degrees are designed to help you graduate with the skills employers value most.
If you’re passionate about solving problems, innovating for a sustainable future, and gaining practical experience that sets you apart, explore our engineering courses and discover how you can start your journey today.
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