Renewable Energy Sources

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Knowledge:

• Familiarity with Renewable Energy Sources
• Understanding of theoretical fundamental principles of solar energy and solar technology
• Understanding of the main mechanisms of solar energy production
• Understanding the solar technology and the process of calculating the energy produced, the installation of solar systems.
• Understanding of the main theoretical principles of winds’ creation and of the mechanisms of wind energy production
• Wind potential analysis.
• Understanding the mechanisms of wind power generation.
• Understanding the technology of wind turbines and the process of calculating the energy produced
• Understanding of hydrological cycle and of the mechanisms of hydraulic energy production
• Understanding of the main mechanisms of energy production from biomass
• Basic principles of geothermal energy

Skills – Abilities:

• Wind potential calculation.
• Calculation of wind energy production.
• Calculation of solar energy production.
• Calculation of thermal power and of coefficient efficiency of solar thermal systems

• Calculation of heating load coverage percentage for heating and hot water production using solar thermal systems

COURSE CONTENT

1. Introduction in Renewable Energy Sources
2. Solar Radiation: Laws of solar radiation, laws of infra-red radiation, greenhouse effect, solar radiation in the atmosphere (scattering-diffusion-reflectance), energy balance of the planet, instrumentation
3. Solar thermal collectors: classification, flat-plate solar collector, energy balance of a flat-plate solar collector, efficiency coefficient of a flat-plate solar collector, types of flat-plate solar collectors, solar thermal systems, calculation of heating load coverage of a flat-plate solar collector, method f-chart
4. Solar energy in the built environment: applications of solar energy in the built environment, energy conscious design of buildings, shading and solar control, natural cooling and heating, natural ventilation
5. Wind energy : Wind, main forces creating winds, types of winds, wind energy, types of wind-turbines, wind-turbines components, calculation of Betz limit, calculation of wind energy potential
6. Hydrology-Hydro-power energy: Water in the atmosphere, Hydro-cycle, Hydro-power systems, hydro-electric stations, hydro-turbines
7. Biomass: definitions, Biomass sources, basic technologies for energy production from biomass
8. Geothermal energy: basic theoretical principles, geothermal energy, geothermal fields, geothermal fluids
9. Photovoltaics: types of PV, structure and function, capacity coefficient, materials, advantages and disadvantages