Course Details

1. Identify and associate the properties of sunlight and solar geometry.
2. Understand the fundamental operating mechanisms by which PV cells generate electrical energy.
3. Assess and examine solar radiation data and measurements.
4. Understand and classify solar thermal technologies and systems.

1.       Introduction to Solar Energy: solar energy, the greenhouse effect.

2.       Properties of sunlight: basics of light, photons, solar radiation in space and terrestrial solar radiation, motion of the sun, solar time, elevation angle, declination angle, azimuth angle, position of the sun.

3.       Solar radiation: solar radiation on a tilted surface, calculation of insolation(solar radiation energy on a surface), measurement and analysis of solar radiation.

4.       Photovoltaics:the PV phenomenon, semiconductor materials and structure, generation and recombination, diode equations for PV.

5.       Cells,modules and arrays: solar cell operation, IV characteristics and efficiency of cells, module design, interconnection effects, temperature effects, lifetime of PV modules.

6.       Solar collectors: description, flat plate, concentrating collectors, temperature effects, effects of dust and shading, performance, efficiency, characteristics,practical considerations.

7.        Solar thermal power systems: Parabolic troughs, Sterling engines, Solar towers, thermal storage.

• S.P. Sukhatme, Solar Energy: Principles of thermal collection and storage, 3rd edition, Mc Graw Hill 2008
• G.N. Tiwari, Solar Energy: Fundamentals, design, modeling and applications, 1st edition,Narosa Publishing house, 2004

• T. Kissell, Introduction to Solar Principles, Prentice Hall, 2011
• J.A. Duffie, W.A. Beckman, Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes, 4th Edition, John Wiley & Sons Wiley, 2013

Studentsare taught the course through lectures (3 hours per week) in classrooms orlectures theatres, by means of traditional tools or using computerdemonstration.

Auditoryexercises, where examples regarding matter represented at the lectures, aresolved and further, questions related to particular open-ended topic issues arecompiled by the students and answered, during the lecture or assigned ashomework.

Topicnotes are compiled by students, during the lecture which serve to cover themain issues under consideration and can also be downloaded from the lecturer’swebpage. Students are also advised to use the subject’s textbook or referencebooks for further reading and practice in solving related exercises. Tutorialproblems are also submitted as homework and these are solved during lectures orprivately during lecturer’s office hours. Further literature search isencouraged by assigning students to identify a specific problem related to someissue, gather relevant scientific information about how others have addressedthe problem and report this information in written or orally.

Studentsare assessed continuously and their knowledge is checked through tests withtheir assessment weight, date and time being set at the beginning of thesemester via the course outline.

Studentsare prepared for final exam, by revision on the matter taught, problem solvingand concept testing and are also trained to be able to deal with timeconstraints and revision timetable.

The finalassessment of the students is formative and summative and is assured to complywith the subject’s expected learning outcomes and the quality of the course.