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Leaving Cert Engineering: Energy & renewables

How often Energy & renewables comes up on the Engineering papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 8 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

OL Asked on 8 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

June 2028 is the first exam on the new Engineering course. These come from the 2016–2025 papers, so read them as a guide.

Energy & renewables, Higher Level(7 marks)

Quick ones on Energy & renewables.

(a)Energy conversion in a wind turbine?
  1. Chemical energy of the air to electrical energy
  2. Kinetic energy of the wind to electrical energy
  3. Potential energy of the wind to heat energy
(b)Why does a heat pump deliver more heat energy than the electricity it uses?
  1. It stores heat from the previous day and releases it
  2. It burns a small amount of gas as well as electricity
  3. It moves existing heat in from the air or ground
(c)Semiconductor material most solar PV cells are made from?
  1. Silicon
  2. Lead
  3. Copper
Show the answers

(a) Kinetic energy of the wind to electrical energy

(b) It moves existing heat in from the air or ground

(c) Silicon

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Energy & renewables.

Higher Level

Asked on 8 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q2, Q9(c)OR
2024Q9(c)OR
2023Q1(m), Q9(c)OR
2022Q1(g), Q1(m)
2021Q2, Q9(c)OR
2019Not asked
2018Q1(m)
2017Q1(m)
2016Q8(c)OR

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Energy & renewables questions

Energy & renewables, 3 marks

Burning biomass is often described as close to carbon neutral because?

  1. Biomass gives off no CO2 when it burns
  2. It produces only water vapour when burned
  3. The plants took in that CO2 as they grew
Show the answer

The plants took in that CO2 as they grew

The CO2 released was absorbed from the air recently by the growing plants. It is only close to neutral if crops are regrown and transport energy is low.

Energy & renewables, 3 marks

Why is combined heat and power (CHP) efficient?

  1. It stores surplus electricity in the ground
  2. It uses the waste heat from generating electricity
  3. It needs no fuel, so there are no running costs at all
Show the answer

It uses the waste heat from generating electricity

A normal power station throws away much of its fuel energy as heat. CHP puts that heat to use in buildings or processes, so more of the fuel is used.

Energy & renewables, 3 marks

A Pelton wheel turbine is best suited to?

  1. High head, low flow
  2. Low head, high flow
  3. Tidal barrages only
Show the answer

High head, low flow

A Pelton wheel uses high-speed jets hitting buckets, so it suits water from a great height. Kaplan turbines suit low head and high flow.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 8 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q1(j)
2024Q1(k)
2023Q1(h)
2022Q1(c)
2021Q1(d)
2019Not asked
2018Q1(b)
2017Q1(c), Q1(l)
2016Q1(l)

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Energy & renewables questions

Energy & renewables, 2 marks

What is renewable energy?

  1. Energy from coal, oil and natural gas
  2. Energy stored only in batteries for later
  3. Energy from sources that will not run out
Show the answer

Energy from sources that will not run out

Wind, solar, wave, tidal, hydro and biomass are naturally replaced. Fossil fuels took millions of years to form and will run out.

Energy & renewables, 3 marks

A main benefit of renewable energy?

  1. It needs no equipment
  2. Less greenhouse gas is released
  3. It never varies with the weather
Show the answer

Less greenhouse gas is released

Wind and solar power give off no CO2 while running, which cuts climate change and fuel imports. Their output does depend on the weather.

Energy & renewables, 2 marks

What does a solar PV panel do?

  1. Turns sunlight directly into electricity
  2. Heats water directly using the sun
  3. Stores electricity from the day for night
Show the answer

Turns sunlight directly into electricity

Photovoltaic cells made of silicon produce DC when light falls on them. Solar thermal panels heat water; batteries store energy.

Other Engineering topics

All of Leaving Cert Engineering