Course Details

1. Differentiate between conventional and dispersed electrical energy generation.
2. Concept of smart and micro-grids and their relation to sustainable energy.
3. Recognize the necessity for low carbon sectors and identify low carbon technologies.
4. Understand the importance of energy storage and identify energy storage technologies.
5. Appreciate the role of electric vehicles for sustainable energy.
6. Familiarization with multi-generation methods and their relation to sustainable energy.

1.      Conventional versus dispersed generation: advantages and disadvantages, multi-generation (cogeneration, micro CHP, waste heat recovery, tri-generation, heat storage,heat networks), steady- state operation of distributed generation systems,full-system energy flows to/from supply and to/from loads, selection of technologies and configurations, system reliability and condition monitoring.

2.      Smart grids and micro-grids: introduction, transmission and distribution perspectives, design,voltage and frequency control, distributed generation and active network management, present and future challenges.

3.       Low carbon emissions and technologies: introduction, climate mitigation and adaptation,bio-renewables (bio-energy, bio-chemicals, bio-materials), production and conversion of biomass.

4.       Energy storage technologies: introduction, battery principles-design and operation,hydrogen transmission and storage infrastructure, solar thermal storage,pumped-hydro storage, energy storage for cooling, energy storage in organic fuels.

5.       Electric Vehicles: introduction and definitions, plug-in concept and relation to smart grids, electric vehicles with fuel cells, electric vehicles with batteries(lead acid based, nickel based, sodium based, lithium based, metal-air based),hybrid vehicles, power management techniques of electric vehicles, efficiency of electric vehicles.

• James Momoh, Smart Grid: Fundamentals of Design and Analysis, Wiley-IEEE Press, 1st edition, 2012
• F.S. Barnes, J.G. Levine, Large Energy Storage Systems Handbook, CRC Press, 2011
• P. Mancarella (editor), G. Chicco (editor), Distributed Multi-Generation Systems: Energy Models and Analyses, Nova Science Pub Inc, 2008

• J. Newman, K.E.Thomas-Alyea, Electrochemical Systems, 3rd Edition, Wiley, New York, 2004
• A.J.Bard and L.R.Faulkner, Electrochemical methods: fundamentals and applications, 2nd Edition, Wiley, New York, 2001
• F.C.Walsh, A First Course in Electrochemical Engineering, 1993
• C A. Almansoori, and N. Shah, Design and Operation of a Future Hydrogen Supply Chain – Snapshot Model, Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 84(A6), 2006, page 423-438
• A. Sims (ed) Bioenergy options for a cleaner environment in developed and developing countries. ISBN: 0080443516
• A. Boyle, Godfrey. Renewable energy. ISBN: 0199261784
• B. Bioenergy - a sustainable and reliable energy source. A review of status and prospects, a report for IEA Bioenergy, http://www.ieabioenergy.com/LibItem.aspx?id=6479
• R. Zito, Energy Storage: A New Approach, 1st edition, Wiley-Scrivener, 2010
• R. Huggins, Energy Storage, Springer, 2010
• T. Reddy, Linden's Handbook of Batteries, 4th Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2010
• J. Larminie, Electric Vehicle Technology Explained, 2nd edition, Wiley, 2012

Students are taught the course through lectures (3 hours per week) in classrooms or lectures theatres, by means of traditional tools or using computer demonstration.

Auditory exercises, where examples regarding matter represented at the lectures, are solved and further, questions related to particular open-ended topic issues are compiled by the students and answered, during the lecture or assigned as homework.

Topic notes are compiled by students, during the lecture which serve to cover the main issues under consideration and can also be downloaded from the lecturer’s webpage. Students are also advised to use the subject’s textbook or reference books for further reading and practice in solving related exercises. Tutorial problems are also submitted as homework and these are solved during lectures or privately during lecturer’s office hours. Further literature search is encouraged by assigning students to identify a specific problem related to some issue, gather relevant scientific information about how others have addressed the problem and report this information in written or orally.

Students are assessed continuously and their knowledge is checked through tests with their assessment weight, date and time being set at the beginning of the semester via the course outline.

Students are prepared for final exam, by revision on the matter taught, problem solving and concept testing and are also trained to be able to deal with time constraints and revision timetable.

The final assessment of the students is formative and summative and is assured to comply with the subject’s expected learning outcomes and the quality of the course.