Newcastle University

Pre Requisite Comment

Engineering first degree or other equivalent qualification

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the fundamentals of available sources of renewable energy and give details of its conversion into electricity. Students will gain an overview of the engineering challenges of renewable energy production and a wider understanding of renewable energy in a societal context. The leading technologies in the field will be examined in detail, with a focus on electrical machine requirements.

Outline Of Syllabus

•       Energy picture: Put energy generation into context General trend in energy consumption and present production.
•       Resource understanding: Relative abundance of resource national maximum resource of major renewable sources.
•       Hydro power: Understanding of engineering behind the resource – large verses low head, run of river – turbine options, resource calculations, environmental constraints.
•       Solar thermal and PV: Understanding of engineering behind the resource Understanding of basic physical processes, overview of economic viability.
•       Wind engineering: Detailed understanding of engineering behind the resource – basic fluid dynamics – Betz limit. Components of typical state of the art wind turbine. Fixed speed verses variable speed, gearbox v direct drive.
•       Wave and Tidal power: Understanding of engineering behind the resource –challenges and state of the art.
•       Social + economic context: Appreciation of importance of environmental legislation and other topics outside of the engineering discipline such as details of planning, consenting and financing
•       Energy Storage Systems: Batteries, Ultra Capacities, Flywheels, Thermal Storage System.
•       Cogeneration and Trigeneration
•       Energy Management with Renewable Energy and Energy Storages
•       Renewable Energy for Singapore: Resources and Standards such as Green Marks

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Review the practicalities of harnessing renewable energy resources; of their rather diffuse nature; and of the possible environmental cost of utilising renewable energy, such as degrading visual amenity, alteration of water flows in rivers and estuaries, or other damage.
• Calculate the energy available from specific renewable energy resources at a given site.
• Discuss the challenges to electrical machine design and power conversion unique to renewable energy applications.
• Describe the engineering challenges associated wind, wave, tidal and hydro power.
• Describe characteristics desirable in electrical machines suitable for wind, wave, tidal and hydro power.
• Evaluate the guiding principles of solar PV.
• Discuss present and future developments in electrical infrastructure

Intended Skill Outcomes

• Electrical machine design experience.
• Evaluating and making decisions on limited information.
• Importance of cross-discipline knowledge for meaningful contribution to the energy debate.
• Forming an engineering argument.
• Group work.
• Presentation skills.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures and module material provide core material and guidance for further reading. The module material also provides problem solving practice and improves planning skills and gives the students the opportunity to manage their own learning. Five hours of directed research is to give students practice assessing specific complex issues which will be discussed in the tutorials. The coursework develops research skills and the ability to utilise relevant information from different sources.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The examination is an appropriate way to assess both theoretical knowledge and understanding and problem solving skills under time-constraint as required in industry. The coursework involves problem solving exercises to enable a more realistic engineering problem to be set and using the acquired knowledge from lectures and independent self-study to find possible solutions.

The written exercise is a mini project on renewable energy sources and their impact on power systems. The submission files include a literature review and a report.

General Notes

N/A