精东传媒app

Over the next decade or so, environmental concerns plus the depletion of the world's fossil fuel reserves accentuated by the industrialisation of developing countries, are going to force a reshaping of our use of energy.

This course prepares the student to play an informed and constructive part in that reshaping by studying the various forms of renewable energy and the engineering challenges involved in implementing them.

Students will investigate the wide range of renewable energy resources available to society and how engineers can implement them. Transitioning from fossil fuels to biofuels is an important component because many processes require the output of combustion to function efficiently; the inherent challenges involved are studied. Solar power is so abundant that it could easily satisfy the world's energy needs if storage and transmission challenges are overcome; how solar energy can be used for photo-voltaic or thermal applications is examined. The design considerations for harnessing wind and hydro energy are explored. The key issue of storing renewable energy when there is an over-abundance so that it can be supplied when there is insufficient is studied along with how the energy can be distributed to society. Some of the other forms of renewable energy which an engineer can utilise will also be studied.

The course objectives define the student learning outcomes for a course. On completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. analyse renewable energy systems using appropriate tools from the fields of thermofluids, heat transfer, and dynamics;
2. critically compare and contrast various renewable energy systems utilised for each renewable energy resource; and
3. evaluate the potential of renewable energy technologies as a replacement for fossil fuel combustion energy technologies.