Module information

1.  Introduction. Global energy scene past and present, fossil fuels and climate change, renewable energy.

2.  Origins of Renewable Energy Sources. Solar radiation and solar processes, net radiation flux at Earth, Earth’s energy cycle; absorption of radiation in the atmosphere, absorption processes at the Earth’s surface, water cycles, tidal forces and wave motion and wind energy.

3.  Thermodynamics. Laws of thermodynamics, forms of energy, energy conversion, efficiency.

4.  Building energy efficiency. Thermal comfort, heating and cooling loads, building service systems, building energy efficiency.

5.  Wind Power. Wind velocity and kinetic energy, types of wind turbines, aerodynamics of turbines, power generation from wind turbines, economic and environmental impacts of wind power.

6.  Solar Energy Conversion. Variation of solar radiation, solar thermal systems, solar heating, photovoltaic; semiconductors and the p-n junction, bioenergy and biomass; solar energy storage, biomass conversion to fuels, economic and environmental costs of solar power.

7.  Hydro and Wave Energies. Ocean currents and river flows, potential energy storage; power, head and flow rate, hydroelectric power generation and environmental impacts, power from waves.

8.  Non Solar Renewables. Geothermal energy; types of geothermal resources, technologies for exploitation of geothermal energy. tidal energy, harnessing tidal power.

9.  Alternative Energy Storage and Conversion. Hydrogen fuels, hydrogen generation and storage; electrochemical cells and the electrolysis of water, fuel cell technologies; chemical energy to electricity, electrochemical conversion of energy.