Synchronous and induction generators and their control. Power conversion equipment.
Distribution Networks: Technical issues such as voltage changes, fault levels and calculations, earthing, power quality, stability and protection. Regulations and Codes of Practice.
Smart Grids: Network Operations, Energy Management, Information & Control Interoperability and Electrical Energy Storage.
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Materials in energy production and storage, such as: fuel cells, wind turbines, solar panels, offshore structures, biomass, nuclear catalytic materials, nanotechnology, processing techniques, heat transfer in materials and instrumentation. The role of materials engineering in the circular economy from cradle to grave.
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The student will learn about important elements of project management, such as planning, control, cost, problem solving skills, report writing and defend the outcome during a viva session. The project is normally completed during 13 weeks of full time research or part time equivalent, 26 weeks.
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There are two major parts in the contents.
Renewable energy finance: Ecological/Environmental economics, concepts of sustainability, emissions calculations, energy and financial payback, accounting rate of return, Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), profit ratios, probability applications, sensitivity analysis, RE financial calculations, project finance practical applications, equity and debt finance, venture finance, mezzanine finance, leasing, risk management, securitisation.
Environmental law: Introduction to environmental law, European community environmental law and policy, administration and enforcement of environmental law, private regulation of environmental pollution, protection of specific environments, water pollution, contaminated land, waste management, land ownership rights and effect of planning law
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- Managing a research project: selecting, planning and execution
- Team work.
- Information searching, information sources.
- Data: organising, processing and presenting.
- Reports: evaluation and review, structuring and writing.
- An overview of project management.
- Quality management.
- Time management and cost control.
- Performance monitoring and difference resolution.
- Project implementation, completion and evaluation.
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Review of exisiting technology with respect to solar energy systems and their performance. Detailed design of solar energy systems; including autonomous off-grid Photo-Voltaic (PV) systems. Methodology and rationale for grid connection. Feed-in tariff and other governmental policies. Optimised design of solar water and space heating systems. Daylighting and solar light-pipes. Economic, energetic and environmental pay-back times. Financing and economic evaluation of systems. Systems control and energy storage.
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Review, mathematical analysis and application of renewable energy resource data for the detailed design of appropriate renewable energy systems; including autonomous off-grid systems, and methodology and rationale for grid connection. Systems control and energy storage on both a micro and macro scale will be considered. Economic and environmental impact of Biomass energy systems will be covered. Hydro electric systems design, including water turbine selection and Flow Duration Curve analysis for optimisation of energy yield will be presented Methods of estimating life cycle carbon emission and ecological impacts will also be considered.
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