The Department of Physics

Course Description

Introduce the student to the general understanding of energy choices with special attention to the leading renewable energy systems. Current sources of renewable energy technologies will be analysed and applications of future renewable energy sources, pollution, and economics of all sources will be discussed. Through in-class discussions, and problem solving sessions, Students would have an opportunity to improve their ability to reason through challenging situations in the physical Universe using basic principles to develop appropriate solutions. Assessment and evaluation is done in the form of in-course tests and a Final examination.

CONTENT

Overview of the Current Sources of Energy and the world oil production. Estimates of the quantity of energy consumed and produced globally. Identification of the case for Renewable Energy in terms of energy requirements, energy types, conventional fuels, advantages & limitations, current events; pollution and other effects. Description of the types of renewable energy technologies: Solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, biomass. Overview of energy conservation and efficiency of the use of each type of renewable energy technology. Identification of the technical, economic and legal issues for use of each of these types of renewable energy technologies. Description of the solar energy conversion techniques. Analysis of the extraction of electrical energy from solar energy systems. Applications of solar energy systems in in the generation of electricity. Evaluation of the different types of solar energy systems mainly solar thermal and solar PV systems. Distinguish between each of these types of solar energy conversion systems. Advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of each type of solar energy system. Discussion of the integration of solar energy conversion systems. Economics of solar energy conversion systems. Introduction to Biomass. Biofuels. Impact on Agriculture. Brief overview of global wind power. Wind energy distribution and climate, origin and nature of atmospheric winds. Advantages and disadvantages of wind energy use. Description of wind energy conversion systems. Economics of the use of wind energy. Overview of geothermal energy. Description of the production of electrical energy from geothermal energy sources. Current applications of geothermal energy. Description of geothermal energy conversion systems. Economics of the use of geothermal energy. Advantages and disadvantages of the use of geothermal energy. Overview of hydropower energy. Description of the production of electrical energy from hydropower energy sources. Current applications of hydropower energy sources. Description of hydropower energy conversion systems. Economics of the use of hydropower energy Advantages and disadvantages of the use of hydropower energy sources.

GOALS/AIMS

This course will focus on developing an understanding of the concept of Renewable Energy Technology. This concept integrates the importance of using the various types of renewable energy technologies, description of the various renewable energy systems, applications of the renewable energy systems. The factors which affect the operations of each of these renewable energy systems will be examined.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Explain the concept of renewable energy
• Identify the importance of the use of the renewable energy technologies
• Identify and describe the diverse types renewable energy technologies
• Discuss the applications of the renewable energy technologies
• Identify the role of the current environment and status for deployment of renewable energy on a global basis
• Develop a case study of renewable energy deployment
• Describe the business requirements and success
• Critique past and current policies, legislations, and proposals for renewable energy technologies.

Assessment