Renewable Generation and Energy Conversion

With the continuous increase in energy demand and environmental problems, renewable energy systems have become an important research topic worldwide.

In this context, this course aims to provide students with the key understanding, concepts and principles of electrical energy systems with the integration of renewable energy components. Specifically, this course focuses on renewable energy systems such as wind turbines, solar energy systems, tidal and wave systems, distributed generation, storage technologies and others.

The course also aims to show how inverter topologies are used in renewable energy systems (wind and PV) and utility applications, and to study the inverters in more detail in terms of their efficiency, control characteristics, dynamics description and regulation.

At the end of the course, the student will be able to analyse the renewable energy potential at a given location and to size the corresponding generators. He will also be able to identify the most common conversion chains and work as a system designer.

The information acquired will enable the student to work with experts in the design of renewable power plants.

The students should have the following background:

-         trigonometry, basic calculus, complex numbers, and phasor concepts;

-        the basic concepts of electricity and magnetism to understand electrical circuits;

-        a working knowledge of ac three-phase electrical circuits;

-        fundamental electric power engineering concepts such a power factor, active and reactive power generation and distribution;

-        power electronics basics;

-        steady-state characteristics of various Ac-DC, DC-DC, and DC-AC converter circuits.

Introduction about renewables in power systems

The Solar Resource

Photovoltaic Materials, Electrical Characteristics of cell, module and array

BIPV, floating and agrivoltaic PV systems

Monitoring and diagnostic of PV systems

Concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies

Wind resource

Wind Power Systems

Marine power system technologies

Renewable non programmable indices to evaluate impact on power systems

Fuel cell

Hydrogen

Electrochemical storage

Power converters topologies for stand alone and grid connected systems

Maximum power point tracking strategies

Grid synchronization algorithms

Control of energy production systems in isolated or connected grids

1)Gilbert M. Masters, “Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems”, Wiley-IEEE Press, 2013

2)Nick Jenkins, Janaka Ekanayake, “Renewable energy engineering”, Cambridge University press, 2017

3) Bent Sørensen - Renewable Energy Conversion, Transmission and Storage, Academic press,   2007

Other teaching stuff 

Power point files (they are available on web side “stadium”)

Use guide of dedicated software (e.g. PVSyst, SAM, PSIM, Matalb/Simulink)