This module is designed to give an overview of the interconnected areas of global climate change, fossil fuel use, systems of renewable energy and technologies for sustainability. The areas covered include: The anthropomorphic greenhouse effect, fossil fuel use in Ireland and implications of peak oil, carbon footprint, combined heat and power (CHP), grid connection of renewables, energy efficient homes (including passive homes), transportation, solar power (passive and active), wind power, hydroelectric power, biomass and biofuels, geothermal power (including heat pumps), wave power, tidal power, nuclear power, carbon capture and storage, combined cycle power plants, and the hydrogen economy.
Global warming overview:
- Greenhouse - anthropomorphic & anthropomorphic,
- Climate change – evidence, explanations, effects,
- World & Ireland greenhouse gas emissions,
- Sources of greenhouse gases – major contributors in Ireland,
- Kyoto, predictions and trends.
Energy, fuels, transport and buildings:
- Fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal),
- World reserves and projections – peak oil and its consequences,
- Present demands and future predictions,
- Hybrids and flexible fuel vehicles (FFV),
- Fuel cells and batteries,
- Sustainable building design.
Wind Power :
- Wind energy resource in Ireland – onshore & offshore,
- Turbine designs – Horizontal axis (HAWT) and vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT),
- Efficiency & Betz limit,
- Noise and environmental issues,
Solar Power:
- Space & water heating - Passive & active solar heating,
- Solar collectors – flat plate, evacuated tube,
- PV basics, arrays, concentrators.
Biomass, wave, wind and tidal power:
- Biofuels: anerobic digestion,
- Energy from solid wastes,
- Advanced conversion – gasification.
Hydro power:
- Hydro power resource in Ireland,
- Turbine designs,
- Hydro power worldwide,
Wave power:
- Wave power resource and developments in Ireland,
- Wave power device types,
Tidal power:
- Tidal power types,
- Examples of tidal power projects worldwide.
Geothermal power:
- Geothermal Power,
- Geothermal heat pumps.
Nuclear power:
- Basic nuclear physics,
- Current and proposed nuclear power plant types,
- Resonance, enrichment, coefficient of reactivity, fuel rods, reactor control,
- Fuel reserves, CO2 emissions, fission products, waste and safety issues
New Technologies:
- Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS),
- Hydrogen economy,
- High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission grids,
- Smart electricity grids and distributed generation (DG),
- Co-generation – Combined Heat & Power (CHP),
- Combined Cycle Power Plants(CCPP) and Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) Plants.
Lectures, tutorials, laboratories and homework assignments
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Formal Examination | 42 |
| Other Assessment(s) | 58 |