Energy conversion and renewable energy

Summary

This course presents an overview of (i) the current energy system and uses (ii) the main principles of conventional and renewable energy technologies and (iii) the most important parameters that define their efficiency, costs and environmental impacts.

Content

Keywords

Energy system ; Energy conversion ; Fossil and renewable sources

Learning Prerequisites

Required courses

Physics I
Physics II

Recommended courses

This course is recommended to master students in their first year - as it presents different topics covered in more details in other courses, it is NOT recommended to take it in the second year if possible.

Important concepts to start the course

• Thermodynamics (conservation laws - 1st and 2nd principles)
• Conservation principles (energy, mass, momentum)

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

• Model energy conversion systems and industrial processes
• Draw the energy balances of an energy conversion system
• Describe the principles and limitations of the main energy conversion technologies
• Quantify the efficiency and the main emission sources of energy conversion processes
• Explain principles and limitations of the main energy conversion technologies
• Characterize fossil and renewable energy resources and their corresponding conversion technologies
• Explain the challenges related to energy: resources, energy services, economic and environmental impacts
• Compare energy conversion systems (efficiency, economics and impacts)
• Model energy conversion systems and industrial processes

Transversal skills

• Use a work methodology appropriate to the task.
• Demonstrate the capacity for critical thinking
• Write a scientific or technical report.
• Access and evaluate appropriate sources of information.
• Identify the different roles that are involved in well-functioning teams and assume different roles, including leadership roles.

Teaching methods

Ex-cathedra lectures of 2 hours per week, completed by 1 hour of exercises and 1 hour of project

Expected student activities

• Active participation to the lecture sessions
• Exercices consisting of theory questions and case studies, for the exam preparation
• Mini-project consisting in proposing an energy transition pathway for Switzerland

Assessment methods

• Written exam at the end of the semester (60%)
• Intermediate and final project report (40%)

Supervision

Resources

Notes/Handbook

The course material consists of the following:

• Course compendium (lectures, exercises, solutions, project and former exams with corrections), available as a .pdf and on a dedicated website
• Slides and Pre-recorded videos, available on Moodle and on a SWITCHtube channel

Note that the course compendium and the slides/videos present the same content, the main difference lies in the addition of examples and further details in the coursebook in case of interest or need of explanations. This is done so that the interested student can choose the most suitable material and follow the course in case of conflict with other courses.

Websites

• http://moodle.epfl.ch
• http://www.energyscope.ch

Moodle Link

• https://go.epfl.ch/ME-409

Videos

• https://tube.switch.ch/channels/90cbb52f