EEE-488

Renewable and Alternate

Energy Systems
Dr. Rabiah Badar
Assistant Professor, Office no. 323,
Electrical & Computer Engineering Department,
COMSATS University Islamabad.
[email protected]
Course Introduction

1. Introduction to fundamental concepts of renewable and alternate energy

sources and discussion of trends
2. Illustration of challenges and issues w.r.t. supply and environment
3. Design of renewable and alternate energy power plants
4. Discussion of economics of renewable and alternate energy systems

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Recommended Text and References

 Textbook
Renewable Energy: Technology, Economics and Environment
By
M. Kaltschmitt, W. Streicher and A. Wiese
 Reference Text
 Renewable Energy Policy By Paul Komor
 Online resources

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Course Learning Outcomes (CLO)

1. List and generally explain the energy principles, main sources of energy and their
primary applications (C2-PLO1).
2. Demonstrate the challenges and issues related to various energy sources
including fossil fuels, with regard to supply and environment (C3-PLO2).
3. Design and develop solutions involving primary renewable energy technologies
(C5-PLO3).
4. Analyze and evaluate the statistics on renewable energy technologies in terms of
feasible economics and environment in the larger energy mix picture (C4-PLO7).

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PLO Coverage
 PLO 1 – Engineering Knowledge
An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, engineering fundamentals and an
engineering specialization to the solution of complex engineering problems.
 PLO 2 – Problem Analysis
An ability to identify, formulate, research literature, and analyze complex engineering
problems reaching substantiated conclusions using first principles of mathematics, natural
sciences and engineering sciences.
 PLO3 – Design/Development of Solutions
An ability to design solutions for complex engineering problems and design systems,
components or processes that meet specified needs with appropriate consideration for
public health and safety, cultural, societal, and environmental considerations.
 PLO7 – Environment and Sustainability
An ability to understand the impact of professional engineering solutions in societal and
environmental contexts and demonstrate knowledge of and need for sustainable
development.
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Topics to be Addressed (Tentative)

 Introduction to Energy, related parameters and its importance (2 weeks)

 Sources of Energy: Conventional and Renewables (2 weeks) CLO 1
 Alternate Energy Sources (2 weeks)
 Environmental impact of various Energy sources (2 week) CLO 2
 Solar Energy and Solar Power Plant Design (3 weeks)
CLO 3
 Wind Energy and Wind Power Plant Design (3 weeks)
 Economic Aspects of Renewable Sources (2 weeks) CLO4

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Marks Distribution

Assessment Type Subject Contribution

Assignments (minimum 4) 10%
Quizzes (minimum 4) 15%
Midterm 25%
Terminal 50%

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General Guidelines and Class Policies
1. Arrive on time and leave after teacher has left the room
 To not miss important announcements
2. Plagiarism is not tolerated; Copied work will be rejected
 Future work of suspected student/group will be thoroughly scrutinized
3. All the assessments will be conceptual so take notes in class
4. You have to “earn” marks in each assessment so take them seriously
5. Fulfilment of attendance requirements is solely the responsibility of student
6. Turn off your cell phones and students are not allowed to leave the class room for making/ taking
phone calls.
7. Take handwritten notes, note-taking on laptop computers are not allowed
8. Bring notebooks, calculators, pen and text book in lecture
9. Pay attention to the instructor and participate in class discussions.
10. Gossiping or discussion with other class fellows during lecture is strictly prohibited
11. Don’t do other course’s work during class time
12. Students who know that they are going to miss the class should make arrangements in advance.
There will not be any make-up for quizzes and mid-term exam except the cases of hospitalization
or detention

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Introduction

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What is Energy?
 Derived from Greek word ‘en-ergon’ which means ‘in-work’ or ‘work content’
 The ability to perform work
 Comes in many forms e.g. heat, light, height, etc.
 Higher energy consumption an indicator of prospering country. How?
 Answer: Higher industrialization and commercialization → higher demand for
manpower → higher employment rate → higher per capita income → higher
energy consumption
 Therefore, If a country has higher energy consumption it must be prosperous
 Energy sources categorized as renewable and non-renewable/fossil fuel-based

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Renewable vs. Fossil Fuel Based Energy:
Green vs. Brown Energy
 Energy → ability to do work
 Renewable source → natural resource which replenishes to “overcome” resource
depletion caused by usage and consumption, either through biological reproduction or
other naturally recurring processes in a finite amount of time in a human time scale. –
Wikipedia
 Fossil fuel-based source → natural resource of economic value that cannot be readily
replaced by natural means on level equal to its consumption. – Investopedia
 Formation of oil, coal, natural gas takes billions of years

 Water as a resource has been in use for decades to produce electricity

 Only conventional energy resource that is “somewhat” green
 Doesn’t produce emissions while in operation but may affect ecosystem/local habitat

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Alternate Energy Resources - Definitions
1. Energy derived from sources that do not use up natural resources or harm
the environment. – Princeton WordNet
2. Energy that is not popularly used and is usually environmentally sound, such
as solar or wind energy (as opposed to fossil fuels). – Natural Resources
Defense Council
3. Fuel sources that are other than those derived from fossil fuels. Typically
used interchangeably for renewable energy. Examples include: wind, solar,
biomass, wave and tidal energy. – Materials Management
4. Energy generated from alternatives to fossil fuels. Need not be renewable.
Torridge District Council

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Energy Resources - Pakistan

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Energy Principles
1. Energy is neither created nor destroyed
2. Changes from one form to another
 Car engine burns gasoline converting chemical energy in gasoline into mechanical
energy
 Solar photovoltaic cells change radiant energy from the sun into electrical energy
 Total amount of energy in universe remains the same
 Energy efficiency → amount of useful energy obtained from system

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Forms of Energy
 Two broad categories of energy
1. Potential energy → stored energy or energy of position
 Chemical energy → stored in bonds of atoms and molecules
 Mechanical energy → stored in objects by tension
 Nuclear energy → energy stored in nucleus of atom [1]
 Gravitational energy → energy stored in object’s height [2]
2. Kinetic energy → energy from moving bodies
 Radiant energy → electromagnetic energy
 Thermal energy → comes from movement of atoms and molecules in a substance
 Electrical energy → from movement of electrons

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Energy Classification
 Primary energy: Energy form found in nature that has not been subjected to
any human engineered conversion process.
 Energy contained in raw fuels like coal
 Can be renewable or non-renewable
 Secondary energy: Energy sources made from other energy sources e.g.
hydrogen and electricity.
 Final energy: Energy sources produced from primary or secondary energy that
is directly consumed by end-user. e.g. electricity at your service mains or
wood briquettes to be used in house furnace.
 Useful energy: Energy available to consumer after last conversion step. e.g.
light from bulb or heat from electric heater.

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Energy Units
 Barrels – unit of volume for crude oil and petroleum products
 1 Barrel = 42 Gallons (US)
 1 Barrel also equal to 35 UK (imperial) Gallons
 1 Barrel = 9702 cubic inches or 5.6 cubic feet
 Gallons – measure of volume primarily used in the United States
 1 US Gallon = 3.785 liters or 231 cubic inches
 4 quarts in 1 Gallon, 2 pints in 1 quart and 16 US fluid ounces in a pint
 1 US Gallon = 4 x 2 x 16 US fluid ounces = 128 US fluid ounces
 Tons
 Short ton or US ton – 907.185 kg
 Long ton or UK ton – 1016.05 kg
 Metric ton or tonne – 1000 kg

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Energy Units (Cont’d)
 British thermal unit (BTU) – measure of heat content of energy sources
“Quantity of heat required to raise temperature of one pound of water by
1-degree Fahrenheit”
 Example: US Energy Information Administration collects data on volume or
weight of energy sources produced, imported, exported, or consumed and
converts this information into BTU equivalents for comparison
 Quantity of heat in kJ defined by this definition varies for varying initial
temperatures of water thereby resulting in a BTU ranging from 1.054 –
1.060 kJ.
 Barrels of oil equivalent – way of standardizing energy resources to energy
in 1 barrel of oil
 Example: One barrel of crude oil generally has the same energy content
(approx.) as 6000 cubic feet of natural gas, so this quantity of natural gas is
"equivalent" to one barrel of oil

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Energy Units (Cont’d)
 Million tons of oil equivalent – amount of energy released by burning one
million tonnes of crude oil
 Tonnes of coal equivalent – energy generated by burning one tonne of coal
 Equivalent to energy obtained from burning 5.2 barrels of oil or 890 cubic meters
of natural gas
 Tera Joules (TJ) – 1012 Joules
 Tera Watthours (TWh) – 1012 Wh or 109 kWh

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BTU Content of Various Fuels
 1 barrel of US produced crude oil = 5,722,000 Btu
 1 gallon of finished motor gasoline = 120,429 Btu
 1 gallon of diesel fuel = 137,381 Btu
 1 gallon of heating oil = 138,500 Btu
 1 barrel of residual fuel oil = 6,287,000 Btu
 1 cubic foot of natural gas = 1,037 Btu
 1 gallon of propane = 91,333 Btu
 1 short ton (2,000 pounds) of coal = 19,015,000 Btu
 1 kWh of electricity = 3,412 Btu

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Example 1 (a) Example 1 (b)

Example 1 (a) CLO1 (C2-PLO1)

House A has a natural gas furnace which used 81,300 cubic feet of natural gas for
heating last winter. House B has a furnace that burns heating oil which used 584
gallons of heating oil last winter. Identify the home which consumed more energy
for its heating needs.
Solution: Conversion Chart
1 cubic foot of natural gas = 1,037 Btu
House A usage = 81,300 x 1,037 Btu = 84,308,100 Btu
1 gallon of heating oil = 138,500 Btu
House B usage = 584 x 138,500 Btu = 80,884,000 Btu
Conclusion: House A consumed more energy for heating than House B.

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Example 1(b) CLO1 (C2-PLO1)
You want to compare the price of the fuels for heating house A and house B on an
equal basis. Natural gas costs at $10.98 per thousand cubic feet and heating oil costs
at $2.96 per gallon. Identify the cheaper option between two fuels by comparison of
fuel prices in dollars per million Btu.
Solution: Conversion Chart
1 cubic foot of natural gas = 1,037 Btu
1000 cubic feet of natural gas = 1,037,000 Btu = 1.037 MBtu
Cost of natural gas per million Btu = $10.98/1.037 = $10.59
1 gallon of heating oil = 138,500 Btu = 0.1385 MBtu
Cost of heating oil per million Btu = $2.96/0.1385 = $21.37
Conclusion: Natural gas is 21.37/10.59 = 2.017 ≈ 2 times cheaper than heating oil.

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Relationship Among Energy Units
1.Electrical and Mechanical

1 kWh = 36 × 105 Joules

2.Heat and Mechanical

1 calorie = 4·18 Joules

3. Electrical and Heat

1 kWh = 860 × 103 calories or 860 kcal

Calorific Value of Fuels
The amount of heat produced by the complete combustion
of a unit weight of fuel is known as its calorific value.