ENSC
195/285-PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY
Term: Spring/fall
HOURS:
30
Class Hours
30 Hours of Field work
Credits: 4
Instructor:
Gary
Flomenhoft,
Research Associate Gund Institute
Lecturer, ENSC
617
Main St.
gary.flo@uvm.edu
802-656-2996
cv:
http://www.uvm.edu/giee/cvs/Garyvita.htm
Course
Description:
Energy
is
the
most
important natural resource because it is used to extract and
produce all
other resources, as well as powering transportation, industry, and
housing. The
availability of energy is key to economic development.
As fossil fuel costs continue to rise,
and climate change becomes a more urgent issue, development of
renewable energy
is becoming a crucial element of community and international
development.
The
purpose of
this workshop course is to provide students with knowledge and training
in
theory, installation and maintenance of small-scale renewable energy
systems. These systems include solar hot
water,
solar photovoltaics, small wind turbines, micro-hydro, biofuels, and
energy
efficiency. Geothermal energy and
ground-source heat pumps may also be included in the curriculum. After
a
thorough grounding in renewable energy theory, students engage in a one
week
hands-on installation experience with one or more of the technologies. Projects may include:
Repair
and installation of a solar hot water system
Installation
and wiring of a photovoltaic and inverter for back-up lighting
Installation
of a wind turbine.
Conducting
a biodiesel workshop and researching biodiesel potential.
Converting
vehicles to run on vegetable oil.
Installing
water collection and piping for micro-hydro system
Installing
a low-head, medium head, or high-head micro-hydro system
Distribution
of energy efficient light bulbs
Field
work
can
take
place in developing countries such as Dominica or locally in
Vermont. Developing countries often have a
large
trade deficit due to importation of many essential items like fuel,
food, etc.
and often import all their transportation fuel and diesel to run their
power
plants. For example, Dominica
imports all their motor fuel and produces 60% of their electricity from
imported diesel fuel. At the same
time the island has overwhelming domestic energy resources including
hydro,
wind, biomass, solar, and even geothermal. Our workshops, trainings,
and
installations help to facilitate the transfer of these technologies to
the
county, and promotes their development and use.
Students
studying
Community
and
International Development can benefit greatly from
having an experience working in a developing country with local
partners in
service-learning projects. To
conduct projects in the developing world, we often work with the
national or
local government, local ngos, international ngos, private business, and
charities. These collaborative projects provide students with great
insight
into another culture, and provide a rewarding experience of helping to
make a
difference, rather than just traveling as a tourist.
Installed equipment is available to future classes for
training or research.
After
completing
the
background training and the installation workshop
portions of the course, students then complete a final project which
entails designing a small-scale renewable energy system for a dwelling,
which includes load analysis, component sizing, and selection of energy
source, charge controllers or regulators, battery storage systems,
inverters, and overload wiring protection.
Textbook
Required
Chiras,
Dan,
The Homeowners Guide to Renewable Energy
New
Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, Canada, 2006
ISBN:
13:978-0-86571-536-3
Photovoltaic
Design
and
Installation Manual
Solar
Energy
International
New
Society Publishers, 2004
ISBN:
978-0-86571-520-2
ADDITIONAL Reading
Kemp, William, The
Renewable Energy Handbook
Aztext
Press,
Tamworth,
Ontario,
2005
ISBN:
0-9733233-2-9
Ewing,
Rex
A.,
Power
With Nature
Pixyjack
Press,
Masonville,
Colorado,
2006
ISBN:
0-9658098-9-7
Grading
Classroom
assignments
50%
Fieldwork
peer
rating
20%
Final
project
30%
* * *
I
reserve the
right to make necessary changes and additions to this syllabus and to
the
Course Outline throughout the semester. These changes or additions will
be
announced in class.