electiveHQ

Background and context: Basic energy concepts. The Sun. Solar spectral flux. Earth's atmosphere. Terrestrial emissions of energy. Earth's mean global energy budget. Greenhouse effect. Global warming and climate change. Energy trends in Ireland. Economics and environmental impact of renewable energy projects. Wind power meteorology: Power in the wind. Wind measurements. Turbulence. Windshear. Wind variability. Statistics of wind. Wind resource estimation and wind power forecasting using statistical and physical modelling methods. Wind power production estimation. Wind turbine aerodynamics and regulation: Wind turbine concepts. Momentum theory and Betz limit. Blade element theory. Wind turbine optimum performance. Stall and pitch regulation. Wind generator systems and grid integration: Wind turbine generator options. Electrical layout of wind turbine and wind farm (WF). Grid integration of WFs to distribution and transmission systems. Electrical aspects of offshore WFs. WFs as power plants. Hydro: Hydrological cycle. Resource estimation. Analysis of selected hydro turbines. Photovoltaic: Solar geometry and resource estimation. PV physics. PV cell characteristics and equivalent circuit. Optimum power operation. PV systems. Integration of PV systems into distribution grids.