Energy Courses

The Energy specialization in the Green Technology Diploma program provides in-depth knowledge in renewable and alternative energy sources, as well as, their conversion, and utilization in different forms in buildings and systems. In addition, it offers both quantitative and qualitative tools for design and evaluation of renewable energy systems for integration in building systems and industrial processes to improve performance, and enhance sustainability.

PRGR 603 Solar Radiation and Energy Conversion - 2 credits

The course covers characteristics of solar radiation and relative motion of Earth and Sun; beam incidence angles; sun-path diagrams and collector shading; clear sky models; isotropic and anisotropic diffuse radiation models; and utilizability. This module also covers solar thermal energy conversion with an emphasis on the design, performance, and selection of solar thermal technologies, such as, tracking and stationary solar concentrators, solar water heaters and systems, solar thermal power plants, solar ponds, and solar updraft towers.

Course Syllabus

PRGR 604 Solar PV Electricity - 2 credits

The course covers the principles of solar radiation and solar electricity using Photo-Voltaic (PV) technology. Topics, such as, solar radiation: components, geometry of earth and sun, geometry of collector and sun beam, effect of earth’s atmosphere, and measurements of solar radiation are discussed. This module also covers semi-conductor basics, Photo-Voltaic (PV) module characteristics, efficiency analysis; PV module types such as mono-crystalline, polycrystalline, amorphous, multilayer cells, current research; PV module manufacture; grid connection and grid-codes, remote (off-grid) connections; economics and sustainability aspects.

Course Syllabus

PRGR 605 Wind Energy - 2 credits

The course is an introduction to wind energy and fundamentals of converting wind energy to electrical energy. The module covers wind turbine types and components, turbine systems, power generation and control systems, connection to the electric grid, maintenance, wind site assessment, and wind farm mechanisms on land and offshore.

Course Syllabus

PRGR 606 Energy Storage - 2 credits

The course covers the fundamental principles of energy storage technologies, the main economics aspects of each technology, and a case study analysis of a particular project. The technologies that will be discussed encompass: solar power (solar chimneys, geothermal and Photovoltaic); chemical storage (biofuels, hydrogen, electrochemical (batteries); thermal (thermocline, molten salt, and ice storage)); mechanical (compressed air storage, flywheel, and pumped hydroelectric energy); electrical (super capacitors and superconducting magnetic energy storage); hydropower (tidal and waves); and wind power.

Course Syllabus

PRGR 609 Renewable Energy Lab * - 2 credits

A laboratory course* that covers PV modules, such as, characteristics, effect of alignment, temperature, irradiance and shading, maximum power tracking, implementation of grid tie, grid tie with battery backup, stand alone, and direct PV systems. Other topics include: wind turbines such as the implementation of a stand-alone and grid tie systems, doubly-fed induction generator, synchronization, effect of wind speed on voltage and frequency, optimal operating point, fault ride through testing, balanced, and unbalanced faults.

*Labs are non-mandatory electives and are generally offered face to face. Students have the option to take the lab virtually. 

PRGR 615 Biofuels - 2 credits

Course material includes: studies of types, sources and processing of biodiesel, biomass, bio-methane and bioethanol. Assessing advantages, problems and principles in biofuel production, biogas and digester design, and solid biomass processing will also be discussed.

Course Syllabus

 
PRGR 616 Waves, Tidal, and Hydro Renewable Energy - 2 credits

This course gives an overview of the use of ocean thermal, wave, tidal, and hydro renewable energy. It provides a comprehensive analysis of hydro renewable energy collection and utilization for electric power production and other applications with an emphasis on design, sizing, performance analysis, and selection of hydro renewable energy technologies. Also covered in this course are mini-hydro systems. A variety of designs are discussed for devices that extract energy from waves, and the technologies and methods for generating electricity from different ocean temperatures between the warm surface water of the ocean and the cold deep water.

 
PRGR 617 Energy Efficiency in Buildings Evaluation and Design - 2 credits

The module discusses various schemes for conserving energy in buildings and energy types including: space heating and cooling, water heating, and energy for lighting and powering electrical and electronics equipment. It also covers passive and active energy conservation techniques including energy efficient HVAC equipment. The course addresses integration of solar energy into boilers, condensing units of building systems, and introduces optimized control strategies. The students will also be introduced to Visual DOE or E-Quest to perform energy simulation of buildings. Such tools will then be used to carry out a full building simulation taking into consideration occupancy data, equipment, lights, and building envelope. A base case of energy usage will thus be established and energy conservation measures are then applied to deduce possible savings and their economic value.

Course Syllabus

 
PRGR 620 Energy Systems and Sustainable Environments - 2 credits

This course introduces students to the concept of sustainability in the context of energy use. It stresses on the different aspects involved in our daily-life use of energy: environmental, societal, political, financial, etc. It covers technologies and means used in improving the sustainability of current fossil-fuel (coal, oil and gas) based energy, electric, and nuclear systems by reducing their environmental and societal impacts. Finally, it introduces different renewable (‘clean’) energy technologies that can be used as alternatives to traditional (‘dirty’) energy systems.

Course Syllabus

PRGR 621 Waste to Energy Processes and Technologies - 2 credits

This course is divided into the following parts:

Part 1- Fundamental principles of waste management with particular emphasis on organic wastes, waste generation and characterization, techniques for waste collection, storage, transport, and utilization (including recycling and recovery). The focus is on the application of engineering science to develop integrated waste management systems.

Part 2- Waste-to-energy technology including: mass burning and modular combustion, refuse derived fuel systems, anaerobic digestion, composting, comparison, and bench-marking of the technologies with respect to energy efficiency. Also covered are the environmental impacts, costs, etc., hazardous waste generation, producer responsibility, and legislation.

Part 3- Waste-to-energy projects implementation concepts including: risk assessment (waste, energy and materials market, environmental protection, and legal issues) and the implementation process in regards to feasibility, siting, procurement/ownership, financing, plant construction, and operations.

Course Syllabus