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AP®︎/College Environmental science

Course: ap®︎/college environmental science   >   unit 5, renewable and nonrenewable energy resources.

  • Renewable and nonrenewable energy sources
  • Global energy use
  • Intro to energy resources and consumption

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Video transcript

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  • Please note: The Academy will close at 3 pm on Thursday, April 18, for Big Bang Gala . 1

Optimal and Sustainable: Renewable Energy Revamp

Renewable energy lesson

What factors and constraints do we have to consider when designing a renewable energy plan for a community?

In this lesson, students will be challenged with an optimization problem. The fictitious town of Solutionville has decided to replace coal, their current source for electricity, with more sustainable energy sources. In designing Solutionville’s sustainable energy future, students must consider not only the geographic constraints of various renewable energy options–wind energy, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, and solar energy–but they must also meet specific energy production requirements and budgetary constraints.

While this challenge can be solved using a variety of mathematical skills, the lesson comes with an Excel spreadsheet that has been pre-loaded with all of the cost and energy production parameters that students must work within. The spreadsheet allows students to more efficiently manipulate their energy source options to see what combination maximizes energy production while minimizing cost.

Students should have a basic understanding of fossil fuels and their impacts on the environment before approaching these challenges. It is recommended your students watch the video What’s the Deal With Fossil Fuels? and complete the accompanying lesson The Heat is On: Cause and Effect and Climate before tackling this challenge.

  • Why might we want to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources to power our cities?
  • What does it mean to ‘optimize’ something, like a plan or solution? What kinds of tools can we use to efficiently solve an optimization problem?
  • What are the benefits and drawbacks of different renewable energy technologies?
  • Students will examine some of the benefits and drawbacks to using renewable energy sources instead of coal.  
  • Students will explore the geographic conditions that favor or restrict the use of various renewable energy technologies in a particular place.  
  • Students will create an optimal renewable energy plan for a community that meets specific constraints and criteria.
  • Video: Renewable Energy: Clean Tech Solutions
  • Computer with internet access and projector
  • Fossil Fuels Reading   (1 per student) also available in  Spanish
  • Renewable Energy Readings (1 per group) also available in  Spanish
  • U.S. Energy Potential Maps (1 per group)  also available in Spanish
  • Student Activity Guide (1 per student)  also available in  Spanish
  • ​ NOTE: The Spreadsheet Tool will open in Google Drive. Download the spreadsheet as a Microsoft Excel (.xls) file.
  • Calculators
  • Sticky notes
  • (Optional)  Butcher paper (1 piece per pair)
  • (Optional) Markers, tape
  • The day before the activity, print out pages 1-2 of the  Fossil Fuels Reading  for each student. Ask students to read page 1 and fill in the Benefits and Drawbacks chart on page 2 for homework.  
  • Print out one set of  Renewable   Energy Readings   per group (minus the completed Benefits and Drawbacks charts).  
  • Print out one set of U.S. Energy Potential Maps per group.  These maps are modified from the U.S. DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.  See their data disclaimer here .  
  • Print out one Student Activity Guide per student.  
  • Make sure that students have the Spreadsheet Tool  downloaded as a Microsoft Excel file (.xls) on their computers or laptops.

Pre-Activity Homework

The day before the activity, print out one Fossil Fuels Reading for each student. Ask students to read page 1 and fill in the Benefits and Drawbacks chart on page 2 for homework.

Part I: Introduction to Renewable Energy (60 minutes)

  • Ask students to talk to a partner for 1-2 minutes about what they know about renewable energy .  
  • Show students the video:  Renewable Energy: Clean Tech Solutions  
  • Spend a few minutes discussing the video. You might need to replay it once or twice more for students.  
  • Expert jigsaw: Divide students into groups of four and give each group one set of Renewable Energy Readings. Tell students to pick one renewable energy source to become the ‘expert’ on in their group: geothermal, wind, hydroelectric, or solar.  
  • Students will individually read through the one-page summary of their energy source, then fill in the Benefits and Drawbacks chart.  
  • Each student will take a turn explaining their renewable energy source to their fellow group members, including some of the benefits and drawbacks.  
  • Group members who are listening should write the benefits and drawbacks that they hear on sticky notes (one per note), and stick them on a class table on the board in the appropriate row/column. The table will not only serve as a reference for students, but as an assessment for common thinking.  
  • Give each group one set of U.S. Energy Potential Maps.  
  • As a team, students should decide which city (or cities) would be the best and worst places to use each renewable energy source:
  • Are there any cities that could potentially use more than one renewable energy source?
  • Tomorrow, your task will be to design a renewable energy plan for a town. Thinking about the benefits and drawbacks of the renewable energy sources we explored today, do you think using just one of these energy sources to power a community or city is enough? Why or why not?

10. Complete Part I by having a class discussion about how fossil fuels compare to renewable energy sources. Before moving on to Part II, students should be able to explain why a city or community might want to use renewable energy sources for electricity over fossil fuels.

Part II: Optimization Challenge (60-90 minutes)

  • Begin with a discussion recapping nonrenewable energy sources (fossil fuels) and renewable energy sources (e.g., wind power).  
  • Divide students into pairs. Give each student a Student Activity Guide and go over the instructions for the activity outlined on the worksheet. Be sure students can access the Spreadsheet Tool on their computer or laptop, and practice manipulating the spreadsheet as a class to get students comfortable using it.  Then, give students time to work through the activity with their partners.  
  • At the end of the activity, groups can either present their plans to the class, or students can do a gallery walk around the classroom. Discuss the activity:
  • What did you notice about the renewable energy plans of the other groups?   Why do you think they made the choices they did?
  • Do you think it is better to choose just one renewable energy source to power a community, or more than one?  Why?
  • What other factors do you think you might need to take into account in your design? (E.g., cost to run after the infrastructure is built, community member concerns)
  • How do engineering and technology impact society?  How does society influence engineering and technology?  (E.g., Engineering and technology can impact people’s quality of life by affecting the environment they live in. Society can control how quickly technology can advance or what kinds of technology can be used by implementing cost constraints. )
  • How do engineering and technology impact the natural world/environment?  How does the environment influence engineering and technology?  (E.g., Engineering/technology can cause damage to the environment if it creates pollutants or can help the environment if clean technology replaces dirty technology.  Environmental conditions can constrain what kinds of technology can be used in a particular area.) ​

​ Teacher Tip: In this activity, there is more than one renewable energy plan that fulfills the outlined cost and energy production needs and meets the environmental constraints — see three examples here . Instead of focusing on what the ‘right’ answer is, ask questions to make sure your students can clearly justify and articulate their choices.

  • Navigate the  U.S. Energy Mapping System

Explore innovative renewable energy use in real communities around the world:

​​ Interactive: Mapping renewable energy around the world

A renewable energy success story above the Arctic Circle

Why a small German village bet big on renewables

NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas (Grades 6-8)

  • MS-ESS3.A: Natural Resources
  • MS-ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
  • MS-ESS3.D: Global Climate Change
  • MS-ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions

NGSS Science and Engineering Practices (Grades 6-8)

  • Designing solutions
  • Using mathematics and computational thinking

NGSS Crosscutting Concepts (Grades 6-8)

  • Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World
  • Energy and Matter: Flows, Cycles, and Conservation

Nuclear energy lesson

What's Your Reaction? How do we find a solution to a complex problem? We need tools to help us better understand the various dimensions of a problem, what factors we must weigh in deciding whether a solution is good/viable or not, and where to find credible information to help us draw conclusions. In this lesson, students must decide whether or not they support building a nuclear power plant in a fictitious community to replace coal as the primary source of electricity.

Energy is an important part of our everyday lives. We use energy to cook, get around, and send emails. In this unit, we'll explore the issues associated with fossil fuels and how people are coming up with innovative sustainable energy alternatives for a brighter future.

Energy icon

         Browse All Materials:

  • Activity: The Heat is On: Cause and Effect and Climate
  • Activity: Building Better Buses: Transportation Design Challenges
  • Activity: Optimal and Sustainable: Renewable Energy Revamp  [you are here]
  • Video: Renewable Energy: Powered by Poop
  • Activity: Nuclear Energy: What's Your Reaction?   [up next!]
  • Video: Your Digital Footprint: Data and Energy Use
  • Supplemental Video: The Chemistry of Clothes
  • Supplemental Video: How To Measure a Changing Climate
  • Supplemental Video: The Climate is Changing but How's the Weather?

Attached Files

application/pdf file

Food, water, energy—we need solutions to the environmental issues of our day.

Flipside Science

  • Natural Sources Of Energy

Renewable Energy

Energy is one of the major inputs for the economic development of the country. Any sustainable energy source that comes from the natural environment is a renewable energy source. Renewable energy is inexhaustible and a clean alternative to fossil fuels. In this article, we will learn about the types and sources of renewable energy.

What is Renewable Energy?

Renewable energy is energy that is produced from natural processes and continuously replenished. A few examples of renewable energy are sunlight, water, wind, tides, geothermal heat, and biomass. The energy that is provided by renewable energy resources is used in 5 important areas such as air and water cooling/heating, electricity generation, the rural sector, and transportation.

According to a report in 2016 by REN21, the global energy consumption by the use of renewable energy resources contributed to 19.2% in 2014 and 23.7% in 2015. Many countries have started to invest in these renewable energy resources as these resources will help in maintaining sustainable development. The amount of investment in 2015 was about 286 billion dollars and major sectors were biofuel, solar power, wind, and hydroelectricity.

The existence of renewable energy resources is spread over a wide geographical area in comparison to the conventional energy resources which are often concentrated in a limited number of countries like the oil and gas are mostly concentrated in the Middle East countries. The use of renewable energy resources in energy generation is resulting in less pollution and has a significant effect on economic benefits and energy security.

Examples of Renewable Energy

We can define renewable energy as those energies which can never be depleted. The importance of renewable energy is invaluable. These types of energy sources are different from fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, and natural gas. Some examples of renewable energy sources are:

  • Wind energy
  • Solar energy
  • Geothermal energy
  • Biomass energy

Sources of Renewable Energy

The sources could sustain for a longer period of time and can easily be renewed often. Sustainable sources are biomass, nuclear power, geothermal, wind energy, solar power, tidal power, and wave power.

Renewable energy

The sources of renewable energy are known to be less polluting and therefore the whole world is looking forward to new carbon emission norms, where carbon will play a major role in developing new factories and industries. They will be rated according to the carbon emission and the products that they are producing will be rated accordingly.

Types of Renewable Energy

  • Solar Energy:  The radiant light and heat energy from the sun is harnessed with the use of solar collectors. These solar collectors are of various types such as photovoltaics, concentrator photovoltaics, solar heating, (CSP) concentrated solar power, artificial photosynthesis, and solar architecture. This collected solar energy is then used to provide light, heat, and different other forms of electricity.
  • Wind Energy:  The energy we get from winds is known as wind energy. For this, windmills have been used for hundreds of years to pump out water from the ground. We use large tall wind turbines that allow winds to generate electricity. The natural airflow on the surface of the earth is used to run the wind turbines. The modern-day wind turbines range from about 600 Kilowatt to 5 Megawatts, for commercial purposes these are rated with an output power of 1.5 to 3 Megawatts. The most preferred locations for these wind turbines to be installed are the areas which and strong and have constant airflows on offshore and sites that are at high altitudes. The power generated from wind energy in 2015 met 4% of global energy consumption.
  • Hydroelectricity:  According to statistics, hydroelectricity generated around 16.6% of the global energy resources and constituted about 70% of all renewable electricity. This energy is another alternative source of energy that is generated by the construction of dams and reservoirs on the flowing water, the kinetic energy from the flowing water is used to run the turbines which generate electricity. Tidal power converts the energy of tides and Wave power which captures the energy from the surface of the ocean waves for power generation. These two forms of hydropower also have huge potential in electric power generation.
  • Geothermal Energy:  It is the energy that is generated from the thermal energy which is stored in the earth. The heat energy is captured from sources such as hot springs and volcanoes and this heat is directly used by industries for heating the water and other purposes.
  • Biomass Energy:  This type of energy is derived from biomass which is a type of biological material derived from living organisms and plant-derived materials which are called lignocellulosic biomass. Biomass can be directly used via combustion to produce heat and indirectly it can be used to convert to biofuels. Biomass can be converted to other usable forms of energy such as transportation fuels like ethanol, biodiesel, and methane gas.

Important Questions Asked From Renewable Energy

Q.1) What are the 7 types of renewable energy?

  • Hydroelectric energy
  • Hydrogen and fuel cells
  • Geothermal power
  • Tidal energy

Q.2) What are the examples of renewable energy?

Q.3) What is considered renewable energy?

Energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power.

Q.4) Is renewable energy efficient?

Renewable energy is 100% efficient.

Q.5) What are the benefits of renewable energy?

There are various environmental and economic benefits of renewable energy. They do not produce any greenhouse gas and reduce some types of air pollution.

Q.6) What are the renewable sources of energy?

Q.7) Why we should use renewable energy?

Q.8) What is bad about renewable energy?

One disadvantage of renewable energy is that it is difficult to generate quantities of electricity that are as large as those produced by fossil fuel generators.

Q.9) What are the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy?

Q.10) Is renewable energy good?

Q.11) Is renewable energy sustainable?

All renewable energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, wave and tidal power are forms of sustainable energy.

Q.12) What is the importance of renewable energy?

Stay tuned with BYJU’S to learn more about various forms of energy along with interesting video lessons.

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EME 802 Syllabus - Spring 2024

This syllabus is divided into several sections. You can read it sequentially by scrolling down the length of the document. It is essential that you read the entire document as well as the material covered in the course Orientation. Together these serve as our course "contract."

Eugene Morgan

Eugene Morgan

Associate Head for Undergraduate Education Associate Teaching Professor Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University

  • Zoom: Meeting ID: 961 2357 1088
  • E-mail: Please use the Canvas course e-mail system (see the Inbox link in Canvas).
  • Office Hours: I will check for and reply to messages throughout the workday. Please contact me to make an appointment if you’d like to speak to me at a given time. I am fairly flexible this semester and will make every effort to accommodate your schedule. We can also speak using Zoom.  

renewable energy sources assignment

Dr. Sarma Pisupati

Professor of Energy and Mineral Engineering College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University

Dr. Pisupati is the co-developer of this course and is the instructor for the Spring semesters.

  • Phone: 814-865-0874 (office) 814-880-1241 (cell). If for any reason, you do not get an e-mail reply within 24 hours, do not hesitate to call on cell phone.
  • E-mail: Please use the Canvas course e-mail system and send all messages to all teachers (see the Inbox link in Canvas).
  • Virtual office hours are provided Zoom Meeting room ( Zoom Conference Room ).

Course Overview

Description The Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems course provides a graduate-level understanding of the conversion principles and technology behind various renewable energy sources. It also examines the issues involved in the integration of various renewable energy sources and their economics for heat, power, and transportation needs. Based on the technical and sustainability challenges, the future outlook for each of the sources and systems is discussed. This is a required core course for the Master of Professional Studies in Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems Program.

Prerequisites and concurrent courses: NO official course prerequisite, but please see the Resources tab above for information about expected preparation for the course.

Course Objectives

When you successfully complete this course, you will be to:

  • understand the principles of operation of the broad spectrum of renewable energy technologies;
  • conduct preliminary resource assessments for a variety of renewable energy technologies;
  • analyze energy technologies from a systems perspective;
  • articulate the technical challenges for each of the renewable sources; and
  • discuss economic, technical, and sustainability issues involved in the integration of renewable energy systems.

Expectations

On average, most students spend eight to ten hours per week working on course assignments. Your workload may be more or less depending on your study habits.

We have worked hard to make this the most effective and convenient educational experience possible. The Internet may still be a novel learning environment for you, but, in one sense, it is no different than a traditional college class: How much and how well you learn is ultimately up to you. You will succeed if you are diligent about keeping up with the class schedule and if you take advantage of opportunities to communicate with me, as well as with your fellow students.

Specific learning objectives for each lesson and project are detailed within each lesson. The class schedule is published under the Calendar tab in Canvas (the course management system used for this course).

Required Course Materials

Recommended textbooks (not required):.

Boyle, Godfrey. Renewable Energy: Power for a Sustainable Future , Third Edition. Oxford University Press, 2012.

Tester, et al. Sustainable Energy, Choosing Among Options , 2nd Edition. MIT Press, 2012.

Online lesson content

All other materials needed for this course are presented online through our course website and in Canvas. In order to access the online materials, you need to have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password. If you have any questions about obtaining or activating your Penn State Access Account, please contact the Outreach Helpdesk .

Reserve materials

This course may use library Electronic Reserves (E-Reserves). More information about how to access this content is available in the course Orientation.

Assignments

This course will rely on a variety of methods to assess and evaluate student learning, including:

  • Discussions: Each lesson will have discussion questions clearly identified in the lesson content. You are to comment on these questions in the Canvas discussion board as well as respond to another student's comment to earn your full participation grade for this category.
  • Quizzes:  Each lesson will have an associated quiz that is due upon the completion of the lesson (I have built in an extra grace period of 1 day - quizzes submitted in this window will be accepted with a 20% grade penalty). Additionally, the lowest quiz grade will be dropped. 
  • Homework Assignments: There will be ~5 HW assignments throughout the course of the semester. They will cover material from multiple lessons per assignment.
  • Exams: There will be two exams in this course. The first will be after the 4th lesson, based on the material covered in lessons 1-4, and the second will be based on lessons 5-9.
  • Course Project: There will be a team project in this course that requires students to work together on a feasibility study for a renewable energy development project in a location of their choice using the technologies and tools presented in this class. More details will be provided several weeks into the course. A proposal will be required approximately halfway through the semester.
  • Citation and Reference Style: This page, the Academic Integrity and Citation Style Guide , provides a guide for a variety of styles (APA, MLA, AMA, Turabian, and Chicago). While we will not specify a particular style that must be used for your reports, you must choose one and be consistent with it in your writing.

It is important that your work is submitted in the proper format to the appropriate Canvas Drop Box or Discussion Forum and by the designated due date. I strongly advise that you not wait until the last minute to complete assignments—give yourself time to ask questions, think things over, and chat with others. You'll learn more, do better...and be happier!

Due dates for all assignments are posted on the course calendar in Canvas.

Make-up Exam Policy

Make-up exams will only be granted through the approval of the course instructor for legitimate and excused absences. Prior notification and approval for a make-up exam must be obtained by the student at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled exam. Special circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

We will use the Canvas grade book to keep track of your grades. You can see your grades in the grade book, too, by clicking the Grades link in Canvas. Overall course grades will be determined as follows. Percentages refer to the proportion of all possible points earned.

There is no curve for this course.

Late Policy

"Late work" is not accepted, as this is a graduate course. However, in exceptional circumstances, you may contact the instructors to obtain approval for a late submission prior to the deadline. It is understood that many of you are working professionals, and situations may arise in which schedules can become difficult. All I ask is that you please try to keep these requests to a minimum, and that you do indeed make a request for an extension in advance. You will also notice there is a built-in "extension" for the quizzes, which is to accommodate different time zones and potential busy evenings when these are due. Please try to aim for the nighttime deadline (or earlier) as a best practice.

EME 802 Course Schedule

The course schedule for all assignments and activities will be managed through the Canvas Calendar. Please refer to the Calendar often to keep current on what is due and when. Any changes will be e-mailed to the class and updated in the Calendar.

Each lesson is roughly one week long in this course, with a couple of exceptions. In general, the lessons will be opened one or two at a time as the group works through the material. Each lesson will have an associated quiz. There will also be discussion questions posed within each lesson. Additionally, there will be ~5 HW assignments throughout the course. These will cover material from several lessons per assignment. The due dates for all of these materials may vary depending on the lesson, so pay close attention to the dates in Canvas.

Final Team Project Due During Finals Week

Class Support Services

Penn State Online offers online tutoring to World Campus students in math, writing, and some business classes. Tutoring and guided study groups for residential students are available through Penn State Learning .

Course Policies

Deferred grades.

If you are prevented from completing this course within the prescribed amount of time, it is possible to have the grade deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. To seek a deferred grade, you must submit a written request (by e-mail or U.S. post) to your instructor describing the reason(s) for the request. It is up to your instructor to determine whether or not you will be permitted to receive a deferred grade. If, for any reason, the course work for the deferred grade is not completed by the assigned time, a grade of "F" will be automatically entered on your transcript.

I cannot overemphasize the importance of academic integrity. DO NOT copy and paste from unreferenced sources. Without exception: If you use a direct quote from any source, as part of any submitted assignment, the quote must be clearly noted and properly referenced. (In-line references are fine.)

The term "Netiquette" refers to the etiquette guidelines for electronic communications, such as e-mail and bulletin board postings. Netiquette covers not only rules to maintain civility in discussions, but also special guidelines unique to the electronic nature of forum messages. Please review Virginia Shea's " The Core Rules of Netiquette " for general guidelines that should be followed when communicating in this course.

This course must be viewed using one of the following browsers: Firefox (any version), Safari (versions 5.1 or 6.0), or Internet Explorer with the MathPlayer PlugIn . If you use any other browsers, there will be pages that do not load properly. If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Outreach Helpdesk (for World Campus students) or the ITS Help Desk (for students at all other campus locations).

Technical Requirements

For this course, we recommend the minimum technical requirements outlined on the World Campus Technical Requirements page, including the requirements listed for same-time, synchronous communications. If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the IT Service Desk  (for World Campus students) or Penn State's IT Help Portal  (for students at all other campus locations).

Internet Connection

Access to a reliable Internet connection is required for this course. A problem with your Internet access may not be used as an excuse for late, missing, or incomplete coursework. If you experience problems with your Internet connection while working on this course, it is your responsibility to find an alternative Internet access point, such as a public library or Wi-Fi ® hotspot.

Mixed Content

This site is considered a secure web site, which means that your connection is encrypted. We do, however, link to content that isn't necessarily encrypted. This is called mixed content. By default, mixed content is blocked in Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome. This may result in a blank page or a message saying that only secure content is displayed. Follow the directions on our Technical Requirements page to view the mixed content.

Penn State E-mail Accounts

All official communications from Penn State are sent to students' Penn State e-mail accounts. Be sure to check your Penn State account regularly, or forward your Penn State e-mail to your preferred e-mail account, so you don't miss any important information.

Academic Integrity

This course follows the procedures for academic integrity of Penn State's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Penn State defines academic integrity as "the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner." Academic integrity includes "a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation, or deception." In particular, the University defines plagiarism as "the fabrication of information and citations; submitting others' work from professional journals, books, articles, and papers; submission of other students' papers, lab results or project reports and representing the work as one's own." Penalties for violations of academic integrity may include course failure. To learn more, see Penn State's Academic Integrity Training for Students . 

Course Copyright

All course materials students receive or to which students have online access are protected by copyright laws. Students may use course materials and make copies for their own use as needed, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor’s express permission is strictly prohibited. University Policy AD 40, the University Policy Recording of Classroom Activities and Note Taking Services addresses this issue. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct, and/or liable under Federal and State laws.

For example, uploading completed labs, homework, or other assignments to any study site constitutes a violation of this policy.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Office for Student Disability Resources  website provides contact information for Campus Disability Coordinators at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the Office for Student Disability Resources  website.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled. You will participate in an intake interview and provide documentation. See documentation guidelines at  Applying for Services from Student Disability Resources . If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Change in Normal Campus Operations

In case of weather-related delays or other emergency campus disruptions or closures at the University, this online course will proceed as planned. Your instructor will inform you if there are any extenuating circumstances regarding content or activity due dates in the course due to these delays or closures. If you are affected by a weather-related emergency, please contact your instructor at the earliest possible time to make special arrangements.

Reporting Educational Equity Concerns

Penn State takes great pride in fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated ( Policy AD29 Statement on Intolerance ) and can be reported through Educational Equity via  Report Bias .

Counseling and Psychological Services

Many students at Penn State face personal challenges or have psychological needs that may interfere with their academic progress, social development, or emotional well-being.  The university offers a variety of confidential services to help you through difficult times, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, consultations, online chats, and mental health screenings.  These services are provided by staff who welcome all students and embrace a philosophy respectful of clients’ cultural and religious backgrounds, and sensitive to differences in race, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation.  Services include the following:

Counseling and Psychological Services at University Park  (CAPS) : 814-863-0395 Counseling Services at  Commonwealth Campuses Penn State Crisis Line (24 hours/7 days/week): 877-229-6400 Crisis Text Line (24 hours/7 days/week): Text LIONS to 741741

Military Personnel

Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.

Connect Online with Caution

Penn State is committed to educational access for all. Our students come from all walks of life and have diverse life experiences. As with any other online community, the lack of physical interaction in an online classroom can create a false sense of anonymity and security. While one can make new friends online, digital relationships can also be misleading. Good judgment and decision-making are critical when choosing to disclose personal information to others whom you do not know.

If you are prevented from completing this course within the prescribed amount of time for reasons that are beyond your control, it is possible to have the grade deferred with the concurrence of the instructor, following Penn State Deferred Grade Policy 48-40 . To seek a deferred grade, you must submit a written request (by e-mail or U.S. post) to the instructor describing the reason(s) for the request. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested before the beginning of the final examination period.  It is up to the instructor to determine whether or not you will be permitted to receive a deferred grade. If permission is granted, you will work with the instructor to establish a communication plan and a clear schedule for completion within policy.  If, for any reason, the coursework for the deferred grade is not complete by the assigned time, a grade of "F" will be automatically entered on your transcript.

This course will be conducted entirely online. There will be no set class meeting times, but you will be required to complete weekly assignments with specific due dates. Many of the assignments are open for multiple days, so it is your responsibility to complete the work early if you plan to travel or participate in national holidays, religious observances or University approved activities.

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  • Renewable Energy

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What is Renewable Energy?

Renewable energy, as the name suggests is an energy that can be renewed or replenished. It is often referred to as 'clean energy' because it is less harmful to the environment as compared to non-renewable energy. Renewable energy is obtained from natural resources and processes that are constantly replenished.

Whenever a question arises about what is renewable energy, we can simply say that it is the energy obtained from the resources which constantly renew themselves, hence it is available in sufficient amounts for our use such that it would not finish no matter how much we use it. Sunlight and wind energy can be taken as an example. These resources keep flourishing even if their availability is dependent on time and weather respectively.

Renewable Energy Definition

It is the type of energy obtained from the resources which do not deplete or replenish themselves within a human's lifetime. It is opposite to the energy obtained from depleting fossil fuels.

Renewable Energy Resources

These are those resources that produce renewable energy. They are mostly present in nature. To the question 'what are renewable energy sources’, we can say that a renewable source is a natural resource that either through natural reproduction or other recurring processes replenishes the depleted or consumed amount of resource within a finite time interval on the human time scale. Solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, and water (hydro) are major renewable resources.

Types of Renewable Energy

Here are some major renewable energy examples.

Solar Energy

Solar energy is the energy obtained from the sun. The radiant light and heat energy are harnessed by solar collectors. The sun's energy can be captured to generate electricity or heat through a system of panels or mirrors.

Solar or photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly into electricity while solar thermal collectors use heat-absorbing panels and a series of attached circulation tubes to heat water or buildings.

Wind Energy

Wind power or wind energy makes the use of wind to provide mechanical power to electric generators through wind turbines so that they can do operations like milling or pumping. The wind hits two or more propeller-like blades around a rotor. This rotor is connected to the main shaft connected to the generator so that when the rotor moves it moves the shaft in turn, hence electricity is produced as the generator operates. These turbines are installed mostly in high-altitude areas.

Geothermal Energy

Earth has its thermal energy stored in it. The energy that is generated from the thermal energy stored in the earth is called geothermal energy. Hot springs and volcanoes are used to capture the heat energy and this heat is directly used by industries for heating the water and other purposes.

Hydropower or hydroelectricity is the energy generated by the use of water. Dams and reservoirs are constructed on flowing water which uses the kinetic energy of the water to run turbines and in turn, generate electricity. Hydropower is also generated by making use of tides known as tidal energy. Also, energy from the surface of ocean waves is used to produce electricity known as wave energy.

Bioenergy is derived from biomass which is the organic waste of animals and plants. Biomass contains stored chemical energy. It is burnt to produce bioenergy. It may be converted to biofuel and then used or it can directly be used to produce heat through combustion. The heat generated from combustion is used to run generators to produce electricity.

Importance of Renewable Energy

The importance of renewable energy lies in the need for renewable energy over the conventional form of energy. Some important points are given below.

Renewable energy is a source of clean, inexhaustible energy.

It is pollution-free as it does not produce any greenhouse gas and polluting emissions which are otherwise produced in the case of non-renewable sources.

The costs for renewable energy are also falling at a sustainable rate opposite to the rate trend of fossil fuels.

It reduces energy dependence on fossil fuels.

It can be easily generated because renewable sources are mostly present all around, there is no non-availability issue.

Both economically and environmentally, renewable technologies are becoming competitive to conventional sources of energy.

Uses of Renewable Energy

The major use of all renewable energies is to generate electricity. In 2018, 26.2 percent of global electricity requirements were fulfilled by renewable energy which is expected to rise to 45 percent by 2040.

Solar energy can be directly used for heating and lighting homes, for hot water heating, solar cooling, etc.

Biomass is also used to heat buildings and provide heat in industries. It is also used as a fuel when converted to liquid biofuel.

arrow-right

FAQs on Renewable Energy

1. What are the benefits of using renewable energy for small businesses?

Making our business go green can help us avoid big electricity bills. Using renewable energies, we can do a handsome amount of production at a lower cost.

As a reward for the green initiative. The company can get tax incentives from the local government. About 30% of renewable energy system installation costs can be funded with the help of these incentives.

This will make the organisation a healthier place to work for employees. Reducing carbon footprint will have a positive impact on both the environment and the workplace.

2. What are the disadvantages of renewable energy?

The higher upfront cost is the biggest disadvantage renewable energy holds. It includes capital cost, upfront building or land cost, installation cost, etc.

Intermittency is another factor. Renewable resources are not present 24×7 and whole year round which is not the case in fossil fuels.

Because they are not always available they need to be stored which again is a bit difficult and expensive as well.

Renewable energy also has geographical limitations. You need to have a large farmhouse or open land to install a wind turbine or solar energy system for their significant use. All geographies are not suitable for renewable technologies.

FREE K-12 standards-aligned STEM

curriculum for educators everywhere!

Find more at TeachEngineering.org .

  • TeachEngineering
  • Greenewables: Making Renewable Energy Poster Presentations

Hands-on Activity Greenewables: Making Renewable Energy Poster Presentations

Grade Level: 4 (3-5)

(four 60-minute sessions)

Expendable Cost/Group: US $0.00

Group Size: 4

Activity Dependency: Energy Conservation: Considering Sources, Cost and Impact

Subject Areas: Physical Science, Science and Technology

NGSS Performance Expectations:

NGSS Three Dimensional Triangle

Curriculum in this Unit Units serve as guides to a particular content or subject area. Nested under units are lessons (in purple) and hands-on activities (in blue). Note that not all lessons and activities will exist under a unit, and instead may exist as "standalone" curriculum.

  • What Is Energy? Short Demos
  • Energy Detectives at Work
  • Wasting Energy at Home
  • Design a Net-Zero Energy Classroom

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Engineering connection, learning objectives, materials list, more curriculum like this, pre-req knowledge, introduction/motivation, vocabulary/definitions, troubleshooting tips, activity extensions, activity scaling, additional multimedia support, user comments & tips.

Engineers help design and create healthier tomorrows

Every day we use energy to light our homes, listen to the radio, keep our food cold, etc. Engineers are concerned about how all this energy is produced and what it is doing to our environment. They are currently developing alternative energy sources and ways to conserve energy. Solar, wind, and nuclear power are some of the alternatives to the existing high carbon-dioxide-emitting coal plants. However, no energy source is perfect and engineers are constantly weighing the pros and cons of each energy source.

After this activity, students should be able to:

  • Write stories, letters and reports with greater detail and supporting material.
  • Draft, revise, edit and proofread for a legible final copy.
  • Apply skills in analysis, synthesis, evaluation and explanation to their writing and speaking.
  • Incorporate source materials into their speaking and writing (for example, interviews, news articles, encyclopedia information).
  • Write and speak in the content areas using the technical vocabulary of the subject accurately.
  • Recognize, express and defend a point of view orally in an articulate manner and in writing.

Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .

Ngss: next generation science standards - science, international technology and engineering educators association - technology.

View aligned curriculum

Do you agree with this alignment? Thanks for your feedback!

State Standards

Colorado - science.

  • poster-making materials
  • computers with word processing and graphics software
  • Internet access
  • (optional) Adobe Acrobat software for making PDF documents

An understanding of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, and the concept of energy conservation. A familiarity with Internet research capabilities.

Did you know that a pile of cow manure can be used to generate electricity? Or, a field of corn? Or, sewer sludge? Or, a big heap of rotting bananas? That's right. Australian engineers have developed an electricity generator fueled by decomposing bananas (see news story, Australian technology converts banana waste into electricity, fuel ). This is an example of how biomass —living material that releases methane gas as it decomposes—can be used to power an electrical turbine to generate electricity.

You probably already know that high dams such as the Hoover Dam are used to capture the energy of water falling from a great height to generate electricity. This is called high-head hydropower. But did you know that electricity can be generated in a relatively shallow stream, river or tidal basin? That is called low-head hydro and it is more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly than building high dams. In this case, the motion (kinetic energy) of the water turns the electrical turbine. (For more on low-head hydro, see the literacy activity A Case of Innovation .)

In the literacy activity for  Windmill of Your Mind: Distributed Energy Goes to School , you learn how a windmill provides the electricity for a school, again by driving an electrical turbine.

Biomass, hydropower and windmills—These are just three sources of alternative energy for generating electricity that you will investigate in this activity. Let's learn about some new ways to cook up electricity!

With the Students

  • Divide the class into teams of three or four students each.
  • Tell the students: You are engineers fresh out of college who have just been hired by the alternative energy consulting firm, Greenewables, Inc. You work on a team that specializes in a form of renewable energy used to generate electrical power: passive solar, solar voltaics, wind power, low-impact hydropower, biomass, geothermal and (for more advanced students) hydrogen fuel cells.
  • Tell the students: Your team will produce a poster demonstrating the benefits of the technology you specialize in and a one- or two-page accompanying summary document in PDF format using Adobe Acrobat software, which incorporates images, graphic elements and appropriate fonts. Or, use a paper template your teacher provides, with a selection of images from which you can choose to cut and paste. Make your best case that your technology will help power the future.
  • Observing: First, conduct some background reading and research to learn as much as you can about how electricity is generated using alternative fuel sources. The best place to start is the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Also visit the Alternative Energy Institute and the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy websites. The TXU Energy's Generating Electricity website provides clear explanations of how electricity is generated using conventional and alternative sources of energy.
  • Thinking:  Supporters of alternative and renewable energy sources, such as the Union of Concerned Scientists, discuss the hidden environmental and social costs—such as health costs and environmental cleanup costs—of conventional fossil fuel sources of energy. These costs are not typically factored into the direct cost of the energy, which to you and your family represents the cost of electricity per kWh.
  • Renewable energy sources have difficulty competing in the marketplace with conventional sources because they have a higher direct cost to the consumer per kWh. Environmental skeptics challenge supporters of renewable energy sources by saying that the costs of these sources, in terms of maintenance and the inefficiency of operating small plants (called economies of scale) ensure that renewable sources will not be able to compete with conventional, at least not in a timely enough manner to have any impact on global warming or other environmental problems. What do you think? Remember, you are the expert on your Greenewable technology!
  • Writing: Make your written summary closely parallel your poster presentation, which itself is a summary of your argument for the benefits of your Greenewable technology. Here are a few of the questions to answer:
  • What is the energy source and how is it used to generate electricity?
  • What are the requirements and limitations of the source in terms of availability: Proximity to a geothermal source or river, stream or tidal basin? Reliable wind that is strong enough to turn a turbine, but not too strong to damage it? Unobstructed exposure to the sun's rays? Etc.
  • What environmental impacts are involved in exploiting the source (impact on fish and other wildlife, for example) and what are the "hidden costs" of minimizing any potential damage?
  • What are the pros and cons of the source?
  • How much will electricity cost if it is produced by this source? Can it compete in the marketplace?
  • Will the source generate enough power reliably to make the local plant able to sell energy back to the grid?
  • How does this source compare with others in terms of potential to "power the future"?

biomass energy: An energy resource derived from organic matter. Examples include wood, agricultural waste and other living-cell material that can be burned to produce heat energy. Also, algae, sewage and other organic substances may be used to make energy through chemical processes. Source: U.S. Department of Energy, www.ott.doe.gov/biofuels/student_glossary.html.

carbon neutral: Emitting no net carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Source: Wordspy, http://www.wordspy.com/words/carbonneutral.asp.

greenewables: A made-up, portmanteau word combining "green" and "renewable," suggesting types of energy that are both green and renewable. Source: Jane Evenson

hydraulic head: The source, fountain, spring or beginning, as of a stream or river; as, the head of the Nile; hence, the altitude of the source, or the height of the surface, as of water, above a given place, as above an orifice at which it issues, and the pressure resulting from the height or from motion; sometimes also, the quantity in reserve; as, a mill or reservoir has a good head of water, or 10 feet head; also, that part of a gulf or bay most remote from the outlet or the sea.

kilowatt hour: A unit of energy. 1 kWh = the work done by a power of 1,000 watts operating for one hour.

non-renewable resource: Of or relating to an energy source or a natural resource that is not replaceable after it has been used. Nonrenewable energy sources include oil or natural gas. A nonrenewable natural resource is metallic ore.

portmanteau: A new word formed by joining two others and combining their meanings. Examples: smog combines smoke and fog, motel combines motor and hotel, brunch combines breakfast and lunch.

renewable: Relating to or being a commodity or resource that is inexhaustible or replaceable. Renewable energy resources include solar energy and firewood.

Pre-Activity Assessment

Call-Out Questions/Quiz: Use call-out questions and a vocabulary quiz to reinforce basic concepts and vocabulary introduced during the Observing session.

Activity Embedded Assessment

Call-Out Questions: Use call-out questions during the Thinking discussion to test students' understanding of the concepts.

Post-Activity Assessment

Posters/Reports: Review the students' poster presentation and summary document to gauge their understanding of the concepts.

To get to online news articles in the References section conduct a keyword search on one of these search terms or a combination of the two through any search engine available on the internet: "global warming," "renewable energy" or "new way to generate electricity."

Greening the red planet? For an interesting spin on the theme of this activity, have students build their poster presentations around energy sources that would be suitable on Mars. Would green considerations still be relevant on the red planet? For some ideas, visit the Mars Millennium Project online. (search via any online search engine).

Go CarbonNeutral: Investigate organizations that provide ways to balance CO 2 (carbon dioxide) emissions in the atmosphere to slow down global warming. Learn what you and your family can do to neutralize the carbon contribution you make to global warming. Search the Internet for relevent websites.

How crazy can you get? Electricity from manure, germs... bananas? Go on a hunt for the wildest sources of alternative energy you can find. Do a keyword search (try "new way to generate electricity" for starters) at http://www.google.com.

Have you heard of a bus powered by used vegetable oil from a cafeteria? Research and report on this alternative fuel.

Choose teams to reflect an equitable distribution of skills and range of talents appropriate to the tasks.

Bananas Could Power Aussie Homes. August 27, 2004. BBC News, UK Edition. Accessed 2005. http://www.rense.com/general56/aasu.htm

renewable energy sources assignment

Students learn how water is used to generate electricity. They investigate water's potential-to-kinetic energy transformation in hands-on activities about falling water and waterwheels. During the activities, they take measurements, calculate averages and graph results.

preview of 'A River Ran Through It' Lesson

Students learn and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of renewable and non-renewable energy sources. They also learn about our nation's electric power grid and what it means for a residential home to be "off the grid."

preview of 'Off the Grid' Lesson

Students learn about power generation using river currents. A white paper is a focused analysis often used to describe how a technology solves a problem. In this literacy activity, students write a simplified version of a white paper on an alternative electrical power generation technology.

preview of 'A Case of Innovation: Technical Writing about River Current Power' Activity

Students get introduced to the real-world technical tool of a wind turbine propeller attachment. It’s a device that efficiently harvests wind energy, and in this activity they’ll build one of their own using a LEGO wind turbine, fan, and energy meter.

preview of 'Renewable Energy Design: Wind Turbines' Activity

Alternative Energy Institute. The Alternative Energy Institute.

Clean Energy Basics: Student and Teacher, "As a student or teacher, what do I need to know about energy efficiency and renewable energy?" National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), U.S. Department of Energy. 

Clean Energy: The Hidden Cost of Fossil Fuels . Updated August 10, 2005. Union of Concerned Scientists. http://www.ucsusa.org/clean-energy/coal-and-other-fossil-fuels/hidden-cost-of-fossils#.WIEWj1MrKM8

Colorado Wind & Distributed Energy: Renewables for Rural Prosperity . April 13-24, 2004. Governor's Office of Energy Management and Conservation, CO. http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20040127005671/en/Colorado-Wind-Distributed-Energy-Renewables-Rural-Prosperity

Cook, Gareth. New Fuel Cell Uses Germs to Generate Electricity . Published September 8, 2003. The Boston Globe. http://archive.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/09/08/new_fuel_cell_uses_germs_to_generate_electricity/

Energy Education & Training . Updated June 2, 2005. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy . Updated September 19, 2005. Energy Information Portal, U.S. Department of Energy. 

Energy Information Administration . Updated September 20, 2005. U.S. Department of Energy. 

Energy Kid's Page. Energy Information Administration , U.S. Department of Energy. http://www.eia.gov/kids/

Europe's Leading Eco-Centre. Centre for Alternative Technology. http://www.cat.org.uk

Generating Electricity , Educational Programs. TXU Energy, Dallas, TX. 

Mars Millennium Project: A national arts, sciences, technology education initiative. http://mmp.planetary.org/

McKee, Maggie. "White House Report Says People Cause Global Warming." Published August 27, 2004. Breaking News, New Scientist , Reed Business Information Ltd. https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn6334-white-house-report-says-people-cause-global-warming/

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Updated September 16, 2005. U.S. Department of Energy. http://www.nrel.gov/

Our Changing Planet , the U.S. Climate Change Science Program for Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005 . Updated August 25, 2004. U.S. Climate Change Science Program, U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC. http://www.globalchange.gov/browse/reports/our-changing-planet-us-climate-change-science-program-fiscal-years-2004-and-2005

R.E.A.C.T. Renewable Energy Activities – Choices for Tomorrow , Teacher's Activity Guide for Middle Level Grades 6-8. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), U.S. Department of Energy, Golden, CO. http://www.nrel.gov/docs/gen/fy01/30927.pdf

Saint Mary's College Year 2100 Energy Project. Introduction to Physics II, Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN. 

Contributors

Supporting program, acknowledgements.

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under grants from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation (GK-12 grant no. 0338326). However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: December 17, 2020

  • Chemical Engineering
  • NOC:Renewable Energy Engineering: Solar, Wind and Biomass Energy Systems (Video) 
  • Co-ordinated by : IIT Guwahati
  • Available from : 2020-11-18
  • Intro Video
  • Lec 1 : Solar Energy: An overview of thermal applications
  • Lec 2 : Solar radiation
  • Lec 3 : Practice problems: Part I
  • Lec 4 : Practice problems: Part II
  • Lec 5 : Non-concentrating solar collectors: Part I
  • Lec 6 : Non-concentrating solar collectors: Part II
  • Lec 7 : Non-concentrating solar collectors: Part III
  • Lec 8 : Practice problems: Part I
  • Lec 9 : Practice problems: Part II
  • Lec 10 : Practice problems: Part III
  • Lec 11 : Parabolic solar collectors
  • Lec 12 : Practice problems
  • Lec 13 : Thermal energy storage systems: Part I
  • Lec 14 : Thermal energy storage systems: Part II
  • Lec 15 : Solar energy utilization methods
  • Lec 16 : Classification of energy resources
  • Lec 17 : Broad classification and compositional analysis
  • Lec 18 : Characteristics and properties of biomass
  • Lec 19 : Properties and structural components of biomass
  • Lec 20 : Biomass residues and energy conversion routes
  • Lec 21 : Utilisation of biomass through bio-chemical and thermo-chemical routes
  • Lec 22 : Conversion mechanism of biomass to biogas and its properties
  • Lec 23 : Classification of biogas plants
  • Lec 24 : Practice problems - I
  • Lec 25 : Practice problems - II
  • Lec 26 : Practice problems - III
  • Lec 27 : Bioconversion of substrates into alcohol
  • Lec 28 : Thermo-chemical conversion, torrefaction and combustion processes
  • Lec 29 : Thermo-chemical conversion of biomass to solid, liquid and gaseous fuels
  • Lec 30: Gasification process
  • Lec 32 : Practice problems - I
  • Lec 33 : Practice problems - II
  • Lec 34 : Turbine terms, types and theories: Part I
  • Lec 35 : Turbine terms, types and theories: Part II
  • Lec 36: Characteristics and Power Generation from Wind Energy: Part I
  • Lec 37: Characteristics and Power Generation from Wind Energy: Part II
  • Lec 38: Practice problems
  • Live Session 25-02-2021
  • Live Session 15-03-2021
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AGTM 170A GROUP RE SOURCE PRESENTATION CONTENTS 1.0

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CEE 6210 Renewable Energy Systems

Course description.

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2023-2024 . Courses of Study 2024-2025 is scheduled to publish mid-June.

The goal of this course is to survey renewable energy technologies and systems, primarily focusing on solar and wind as physically the largest renewable energy sources available to society, and considering hydropower, biomass, and geothermal energy as well.  The course explains calculations to support capacity, efficiency, and productivity of renewable energy.  Cost and economics of renewables are explored as well, along with the connection to U.S. and global climate and energy policy.  Homework assignments completed during the semester culminate in an individual renewable energy research project in line with the student's interests.

When Offered Fall.

Prerequisites/Corequisites Prerequisite: CEE 3310 or equivalent or permission of instructor.

Course Attribute (CU-SBY)

Comments Engineering students must take the course for a letter grade. Non-engineering students may take the course for either letter or S/U.

  • Identify and evaluate different types of renewable energy resources available in nature.
  • Analyze renewable energy conversion devices for technical, economic, and ecological performance.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the connection between ecological/social policy objectives and the deployment of renewable energy to meet human needs and improve quality of life.

View Enrollment Information

  Regular Academic Session.   Combined with: CEE 4210

Credits and Grading Basis

3 Credits Opt NoAud (Letter or S/U grades (no audit))

Class Number & Section Details

 7430 CEE 6210   LEC 001

Meeting Pattern

  • TR 8:40am - 9:55am To Be Assigned
  • Aug 26 - Dec 9, 2024

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IMAGES

  1. What Are the Five Major Types of Renewable Energy?

    renewable energy sources assignment

  2. Renewable Energy Types

    renewable energy sources assignment

  3. What are the different types of renewable energy?

    renewable energy sources assignment

  4. Types of Renewable Energy Sources

    renewable energy sources assignment

  5. The State of Renewable Energy

    renewable energy sources assignment

  6. Renewable Energy PowerPoint Template

    renewable energy sources assignment

VIDEO

  1. NPTEL

  2. Best Renewable Energy source #renewableenergy #engineering #technology #shorts

  3. Solar Photovoltaics Fundamentals, Technology and Applications

  4. Energy Resources and Power Stations Cambridge IGCSE O level Physics 0625/0972/5054 Lesson 31 Part b

  5. Energy Resources and Power Stations Cambridge IGCSE O level Physics 0625/0972/5054 Lesson 31 Part a

  6. Renewable Energy Sources AKTU [✓UNIT

COMMENTS

  1. Renewable Energy

    In this lesson, students are introduced to the five types of renewable energy resources by engaging in various activities to help them understand the transformation of energy (solar, water and wind) into electricity. Students explore the different roles engineers who work in renewable energy fields have in creating a sustainable environment - an environment that contributes to greater health ...

  2. Renewable and nonrenewable energy sources

    Renewable energy sources include solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal energy. They also include biomass and hydrogen fuels. These energy sources are sustainable and generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels. Renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. Clockwise from top left: a solar power station, a wind farm, a ...

  3. Renewable Energy Activities: Choices for Tomorrow

    research assignments that required problem solving and experiment design. As a result of these lab experiences, teachers developed a realistic "scientific ... Scientists are exploring the practicality of other sources called renewable energy sources. These include sun, wind, geothermal, water, and biomass. The renewable energy resources are ...

  4. Renewable Energy Living Lab: Power Your School

    Renewable energy resources are currently a hot topic in science and engineering as society looks for ways to produce affordable power without permanently damaging our environment. ... Inform students that in order to complete the assignment, they will use the Renewable Energy Living Lab to determine where potential sites are. Follow the ...

  5. Energy Resources and Systems

    Several activities are included to teach and research the differences between renewable and non-renewable resources and various energy resources. Students work with a quantitative, but simple model of energy resources to show how rapidly finite, non-renewable energy sources can be depleted, compared to the ongoing availability of renewable resources. Then they complete a homework assignment ...

  6. PDF Research Projects in Renewable Energy for High School Student

    7. In contrast to nonrenewable, renewable energy sources produce little or no pollution or hazardous wastes, pose few risks to public safety, and are entirely domestic resources. Explain why you agree or disagree with this statement. 8. Energy sources are used mainly to produce electricity--a more useful energy source. Choose any energy source ...

  7. Renewable and nonrenewable energy resources

    Renewable fuel sources include sunlight, wind, moving water, biomass from fast-growing plants, and geothermal heat from the earth. The lifespan of renewable resources looks like a circle. We can use them and then we can use them again without worrying about them running out. Nonrenewable energy sources on the other hand, are sources that exist ...

  8. Renewable energy

    In contrast, renewable energy sources accounted for nearly 20 percent of global energy consumption at the beginning of the 21st century, largely from traditional uses of biomass such as wood for heating and cooking.By 2015 about 16 percent of the world's total electricity came from large hydroelectric power plants, whereas other types of renewable energy (such as solar, wind, and geothermal ...

  9. Optimal and Sustainable: Renewable Energy Revamp

    Part II: Optimization Challenge (60-90 minutes) Begin with a discussion recapping nonrenewable energy sources (fossil fuels) and renewable energy sources (e.g., wind power). Divide students into pairs. Give each student a Student Activity Guide and go over the instructions for the activity outlined on the worksheet.

  10. PDF The Economics of Renewable Energy

    Biomass is humanity's original energy source, in use since the discovery of fire. It still accounts for 10% of world primary energy supply and is the world's largest single renewable energy source, since much of the world's population uses wood, charcoal, straw, or animal dung as cooking fuel (IEA 2012).

  11. PDF Science Projects in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

    Renewable energy technologies are clean sources of energy that have a much lower environmental impact than conventional energy technologies. Importing energy is costly, but most renewable energy investments are spent on local materials and workmanship to build and maintain the facilities. Renewable energy investments are

  12. Renewable Energy

    Course 1 • 12 hours • 4.8 (465 ratings) You will understand the key physical characteristics of renewable energy and electricity. You will have the knowledge to assess the advantages and disadvantages of wind, solar, and other important renewable energy technologies. You will be able to evaluate and recommend alternative renewable energy ...

  13. Introduction

    Solar, wind, water, biomass, and geothermal are all renewable energy sources. 1 Green energy, while similar to renewable energy, is a subset of sources that have the highest environmental benefits. 2 Clean energy sources emit low carbon, and include renewable energy sources along with nuclear power. 3. Renewable energy sources have been used to ...

  14. Renewable Resources ( Read )

    Renewable Resources and Alternative Energy Sources. A resource is renewable if it is remade by natural processes at the same rate that humans use it up. Sunlight and wind are renewable resources because they will not be used up (Figure below). The rising and falling of ocean tides is another example of a resource in unlimited supply.

  15. PDF Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Energy Resources Research Assignment

    Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Energy Resources Research Assignment Your task is to select and research two energy resources (one renewable and one non-renewable). You will then make a PowerPoint presentation on your resources. The PowerPoint should consist of a thorough description of each resource by answering the questions below.

  16. Importance of Renewable Energy

    The energy that is provided by renewable energy resources is used in 5 important areas such as air and water cooling/heating, electricity generation, the rural sector, and transportation. According to a report in 2016 by REN21, the global energy consumption by the use of renewable energy resources contributed to 19.2% in 2014 and 23.7% in 2015.

  17. EME 802 Syllabus

    Grid integration of large-capacity Renewable Energy sources and use of large-capacity Electrical Energy Storage (link is external) (Begin with Section 2.3, then all of Section 4.) Renewable Energy: Power for a Sustainable Future, Ch. 10.2 & 10.6-10.8. (found in Canvas) Assignments: Quiz 3; Respond to Lesson 3 Discussion Questions.

  18. What is Renewable Energy?

    Renewable energy comes from sources or processes that are constantly replenished. These sources of energy include solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, and hydroelectric power. Renewable sources are often associated with green energy and clean energy, but there are some subtle differences between these three energy types.

  19. Renewable Energy

    Renewable Energy Resources. These are those resources that produce renewable energy. They are mostly present in nature. To the question 'what are renewable energy sources', we can say that a renewable source is a natural resource that either through natural reproduction or other recurring processes replenishes the depleted or consumed amount ...

  20. PDF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

    The potential of renewable energy sources is enormous as they can in principle meet many times the world's energy demand. Renewable energy sources such as biomass, wind, solar, hydropower, and geothermal can provide sustainable ener gy services, based on the use of routinely available, indigenous resources.

  21. Greenewables: Making Renewable Energy Poster Presentations

    Students form expert engineering teams working for the (fictional) alternative energy consulting firm, Greenewables, Inc. Each team specializes in a form of renewable energy used to generate electrical power: passive solar, solar photovoltaic, wind power, low-impact hydropower, biomass, geothermal and (for more advanced students) hydrogen fuel cells. Teams produce poster presentations making a ...

  22. Renewable Energy Engineering: Solar, Wind and Biomass Energy Systems

    NPTEL provides E-learning through online Web and Video courses various streams.

  23. Agtm 170a Group Re Source Presentation Contents 1.0

    AGTM 170A ENERGY SOURCES OF ARIZONA AND THE UNITED STATES SPRING 2024 GROUP RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE PRESENTATION ASSIGNMENT Make sure your presentation content contains the following: Define your renewable energy source. What is it? Explain what characteristics your energy source has that classify it as "renewable". What percentage of total renewable energy production does your source make up ...

  24. Class Roster

    The goal of this course is to survey renewable energy technologies and systems, primarily focusing on solar and wind as physically the largest renewable energy sources available to society, and considering hydropower, biomass, and geothermal energy as well. The course explains calculations to support capacity, efficiency, and productivity of renewable energy. Cost and economics of renewables ...