Course Objective

This course aims to familiarize students with the main low-carbon energy production pathways in the context of the electrification of energy uses and the energy transition. A significant part of the course is devoted to solar and wind energy, from resource assessment to the design, sizing, and operation of energy production facilities.

The topics covered include renewable energy in the context of the energy transition; thermodynamics fundamentals; solar photovoltaic energy; solar thermal energy; onshore and offshore wind energy; hydropower; geothermal energy; bioenergy; energy storage technologies; techno-economic analysis of the main low-carbon energy pathways; and their integration into electricity grids.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to design a solar or wind energy production facility. More specifically, they will be able to:

• Explain the fundamental principles of solar and wind energy production.
• Identify and select suitable sites for energy installations.
• Determine the key parameters required for sizing the main energy production equipment.
• Critically compare different technologies and justify choices based on technical, economic, and environmental criteria.
• Assess the techno-economic performance of the main low-carbon energy pathways and analyze their integration into a decarbonized energy system.

Course Content

1. Overview of Low-Carbon Energy and the Energy Transition

• Global energy context and climate change
• Electrification of energy uses and decarbonization of the economy
• Overview of the main low-carbon energy pathways
• Energy, environmental, and economic performance indicators

2. Energy Resources and Thermodynamics Fundamentals

• Energy balances
• Efficiencies and thermodynamic limits
• Solar resource
• Wind resource
• Meteorological data sources

3. Solar Photovoltaic Energy: Principles and Technologies

• Photovoltaic effect
• Photovoltaic cells, modules, and strings
• Crystalline and thin-film technologies
• Inverters and system architectures
• Performance and losses

4. Design and Sizing of a Photovoltaic Installation

• Assessment of the solar resource
• Module orientation and tilt
• Sizing of the main equipment
• Estimation of annual energy production
• Case study

5. Solar Thermal Energy

• Solar thermal collectors
• Solar water heating
• Concentrated solar power plants
• Thermal energy storage
• Industrial applications

6. Wind Energy: Principles and Technologies

• Wind turbine aerodynamics
• Betz limit
• Power curve
• Main components
• Onshore and offshore wind turbines

7. Siting and Sizing of a Wind Farm

• Characterization of the wind resource
• Site selection
• Wake effects
• Estimation of annual energy production
• Technical, environmental, and regulatory constraints

8. Other Low-Carbon Energy Pathways and Storage Technologies

• Hydropower
• Geothermal energy
• Bioenergy
• Batteries
• Pumped-storage hydropower (PSH)
• Hydrogen
• Comparison of the main energy storage technologies

9. Techno-Economic Analysis of Energy Projects

• Capital and operating expenditures (CAPEX/OPEX)
• Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE)
• Energy payback time
• Sensitivity analysis
• Comparison of the main low-carbon energy pathways

10. Integration of Low-Carbon Energy into Electricity Grids

• Supply-demand balance and electricity grid stability
• Variability and predictability of solar and wind power generation
• Power system flexibility (storage, demand response, demand-side management)
• Smart grids and energy management
• Complementarity of different low-carbon energy pathways
• Challenges related to the electrification of energy uses (transport, heating, and industry)
• Case study on the integration of renewable energy into an electricity grid