This is an extensive course covering all aspects of solar energy conversion including: solar resource estimation, solar photovoltaic technologies, solar thermal conversion technologies, equipment design and selection, system design and deployment. This includes physics of solar energy conversion, physics of solar photovoltaic technology, different technologies for conversion of solar energy into electricity and technology for conversion of solar energy into thermal energy based systems. In addition, integration and deployment challenges of solar energy conversion devices will be highlighted. 

You must have completed the first 2 years (or equivalent) on one of the undergraduate Renewable Energy degree programmes.

Not recommended for interdisciplinary pathways.
 

An extensive course covering all aspects of solar energy conversion: solar resources estimation, solar photovoltaic conversion technologies and solar thermal conversion technologies. This will enable students to estimate, design, implement and deploy solar systems and power plants. An exclusive focus will be given towards solar system integrated into the residential and commercial buildings.

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

1 acquire comprehensive knowledge and understanding of solar energy potential, its geographical variance and the implications for the use of solar technology in the UK and elsewhere;

2 apply, scientific and mathematical methods to analyse new and/or abstract insolation data and, without guidance, can produce bankable statements of the solar energy resource at specific sites, for both solar thermal and solar electricity applications;

3 acquire, and apply scientific and mathematical methods, and knowledge of precedent practice, in the design and project development processes for solar energy projects;

4 acquire extensive knowledge of solar photovoltaic and solar thermal conversion technologies, their limiting factors, implementation methodology and challenges surrounding these technologies for building integrated system will be developed;

5 understanding engineering components, materials and processes such that, by working autonomously, they can select and rate solar technologies to match the demands of particular user profiles, and select balance-of-plant items that maximise the solar energy harvested under cost constraints;

6 appreciate the life cycle carbon and energy balance for solar technologies and an understanding of the contribution solar technologies can make to addressing climate change;

7 will enable to design and deploy solar energy technology for wide range of applications

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

8 analyse new and/or abstract data and situations scientifically, without guidance, using the range of techniques covered in the syllabus plan;

9 transform  with minimum guidance abstract data and concepts towards a given purpose and can produce designs that are potentially innovative;

10 make valid, non-trivial, observations on the operational performance and the technical and commercial risk of renewable energy projects with confidence and minimum supervision or guidance;

11 critically review observations of the condition and performance of renewable energy developments including commenting on the reliability of equipment, and validity and significance of data and methods;

12 investigate contradictory information in such data or methods and identify reasons for contradictions, and identify possible measures to improve this situation;

13 choose an appropriate observation or design method from the complete repertoire of observation and design methods covered within the syllabus plan and are confident in evaluating own and others performance in doing so.

Personal and Key Transferable/ Employment Skills and  Knowledge:

14 autonomy in planning and managing resources that support the syllabus plan and can reflect on the efficiency of use of these resources;

15 conduct and present / report calculations, to a deadline, with awareness of professional codes of conduct and can incorporate an ethical dimension and/or exercise personal judgement into/on their work;

16 recognise differing roles within a team and the ability to assume many of these roles (including, possibly, leadership) depending on circumstances.

Introduction to the potential solar resource:

- understanding of the geographical variance of solar radiation and the factors that influence it;

- assessing potential for exploitation of solar energy;

- resource measurement and characterisation (laboratory experiment);

- direct and diffuse solar radiation (laboratory experiment);

- computation of sunpath diagrams (computer workshop).

 

Active solar thermal systems:

- nature of applications, multiple uses of technology;

- flat plate collectors;

- evacuated tube collectors;

- system design and integration;

- installation;

- commissioning procedures;

- performance;

- fit of supply to demand accounting for variations in availability of solar resource;

- introduction to solar thermal for power generation;

- parabolic dish / stirling engine systems;

- heliostat systems;

- trough concentrators.

 

Photovoltaic (PV) systems:

- introduction to semi-conductor physics;

- historical development of PV technology;

- manufacturing of Silicon and thin film PV technologies;

- operational characteristics for multiple PV technologies: this will include Silicon based PV and non-Silicon based PV tehcnologies- technological details of Si solar cells, modules, and solar arrays, performance and characterisation of various PV technologies;

- consideration of PV technologies to include: amorphous silicon, mono-crystalline silicon, poly-crystalline silicon, cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper-indium-diselenide (CIS);

- understanding physics of solar cell characterisation techniques: characterisation of solar cells (laboratory experiments) and use of PV in large scale solar farm design.

If a student is referred or deferred, the failed / non-completed component(s) will be re-assessed at the same weighting as the original assessment.

Basic reading:                                                         

ELE – ENE3009 ELE Page via https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Reading list for this module: