MET-234 Principles of Renewable energy
This course will explore and discuss the principals of renewable energy on various scales, including the regional and global context, with an eye towards the developed and developing nations. The student will study how different renewable power can be utilized in a wide variety of settings and limitations imposed. This course is intended for second year students in Mechanical Technology, Instrumentation & Controls Technology and Engineering Science. With the growing application of renewable energy, students interested in this business sector will have a solid foundation in renewable energy. Field trips to wind turbine, solar panel and geothermal installations will be conducted when viable.
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Course Outline
Department
Science and Technology
Course Description
This course will explore and discuss the principals of renewable energy on various scales, including the regional and global context, with an eye towards the developed and developing nations. The student will study how different renewable power can be utilized in a wide variety of settings and limitations imposed. This course is intended for second year students in Mechanical Technology, Instrumentation & Controls Technology and Engineering Science. With the growing application of renewable energy, students interested in this business sector will have a solid foundation in renewable energy. Field trips to wind turbine, solar panel and geothermal installations will be conducted when viable.
Credit Hours
3Course Learning Outcomes
- Describe the technology of each of the sources of renewable energy
- Describe economic issues around renewable energy sources
- Performing an analysis to evaluate, compare and select energy systems based on economic and environmental considerations
Topic Outline
- 1. Introduction and the relationship between energy and society
- 2. Methods of analysis for renewable energy (RE) technologies
- 3. Renewables: cost and performance
- 4. Energy policy
- 5. Overview of RE systems
- a. Energy mathematics and basics for each type of renewable energy
- b. Economics and environmental factors of each type of energy
- c. Energy efficiency and design relative to
- d. Passive solar
- 6. Solar utilization in buildings
- a. Design-related efficiency
- b. System elements
- c. Functional systems
- d. Passive solar mathematics
- 7. Solar thermal systems
- a. Design efficiency (energy chain and losses)
- b. System elements
- c. Applications
- d. Solar thermal mathematics
- e. Economic factors
- f. Environmental factors
- 8. Photovoltaic systems
- a. Photovoltaic system design
- b. Design-related efficiency
- c. System elements
- d. Grid-tied systems and off-grid systems
- e. Photovoltaic system mathematics
- f. Economic factors
- g. Environmental factors
- 9. Wind energy
- a. Wind turbine design
- b. Design-related efficiency
- c. System elements
- d. Power control
- e. Wind parks (farms)
- f. Off-grid applications
- g. Wind power mathematics
- h. Economic factors
- 10. Biomass energy
- a. Feedstock
- b. Conversion to gaseous fuels
- c. Conversion to liquid fuels
- d. Conversion to electricity
- e. Economic assessment
- 11. Geothermal energy
- a. Design
- b. Design-related efficiency
- c. System elements
- d. Economic assessment
- 12. Hydroelectricity
- a. Historical perspective
- b. Environmental impact concerns
- c. Future potential
- 13. Marine-based and emerging technologies
- a. Wave and tidal power
- b. Promising new research