Sustainable and Renewable Energy Course

Lesson 1 • Sustainability Frameworks and Principles

Introduces sustainability definitions, the triple-bottom-line model, and life-cycle thinking. Equips students to evaluate energy systems holistically.

Lesson 2 • The Global Energy Transition

Surveys drivers, barriers, and milestones of the shift from fossil fuels to renewables. Sets the strategic context for all subsequent chapters.

Lesson 3 • Energy Fundamentals and Units

Covers energy forms, conversion principles, and standard measurement units. Provides the quantitative vocabulary needed throughout the course.

Lesson 4 • Environmental Impacts of Fossil Fuels

Examines greenhouse gas emissions, air quality degradation, and ecological damage from fossil fuel use. Links environmental harm to the urgency of renewable adoption.

Lesson 1 • PV System Sizing and Performance Analysis

Applies load analysis, yield estimation, and performance ratio calculations to real projects. Students produce a complete residential or commercial system sizing exercise.

Lesson 2 • PV System Design and Components

Details inverters, charge controllers, wiring, and mounting structures for PV systems. Connects component knowledge to functional system design.

Lesson 3 • Photovoltaic Cell and Module Technology

Covers PV cell physics, module types, and performance parameters. Students distinguish technology trade-offs relevant to project selection.

Lesson 4 • Solar Resource Assessment

Explains solar irradiance, sun path geometry, and data tools for site evaluation. Accurate resource assessment underpins all solar system sizing decisions.

Lesson 1 • Wind Resource Characterisation

Covers wind speed distributions, Weibull statistics, and measurement methods. Accurate resource data is the foundation of any wind project.

Lesson 2 • Offshore Wind Technology

Examines fixed-bottom and floating foundation types, installation logistics, and offshore electrical systems. Highlights the unique engineering challenges of marine environments.

Lesson 3 • Wind Turbine Aerodynamics and Components

Explains lift-based rotor aerodynamics, Betz limit, and major turbine components. Connects physics to turbine design choices.

Lesson 4 • Wind Energy Yield and Feasibility Assessment

Integrates resource data, turbine power curves, and losses into annual energy production estimates. Students complete a simplified wind project feasibility study.

Lesson 1 • Comparing Dispatchable Renewables

Applies a structured framework to compare cost, reliability, environmental impact, and scalability across hydro, biomass, and geothermal. Prepares students for multi-technology portfolio decisions.

Lesson 2 • Biomass and Bioenergy Pathways

Surveys biomass feedstocks, thermochemical and biochemical conversion routes, and biofuel types. Students evaluate sustainability criteria for bioenergy projects.

Lesson 3 • Geothermal Energy Systems

Explains geothermal gradients, reservoir types, drilling, and power plant configurations. Positions geothermal as a baseload renewable with geographic constraints.

Lesson 4 • Hydropower Resource and Technology

Covers hydraulic head, flow measurement, turbine types, and run-of-river vs. reservoir systems. Establishes hydropower as a mature, flexible renewable resource.

Lesson 1 • Electrochemical Battery Technologies

Covers lithium-ion, flow batteries, sodium-ion, and emerging chemistries with performance trade-offs. Students match battery types to application requirements.

Lesson 2 • Mechanical and Thermal Storage

Examines pumped hydro, compressed air, flywheel, and thermal energy storage systems. Broadens the storage toolkit beyond electrochemical solutions.

Lesson 3 • Hydrogen as an Energy Carrier

Covers electrolysis, hydrogen storage, fuel cells, and the green hydrogen value chain. Positions hydrogen as a long-duration storage and decarbonisation vector.

Lesson 4 • Role of Storage in Renewable Systems

Explains variability challenges, grid services, and the value stack of energy storage. Motivates why storage is central to high-penetration renewable grids.

Lesson 1 • Power Grid Fundamentals

Reviews AC power, voltage levels, transmission and distribution architecture, and grid stability concepts. Provides the electrical foundation for understanding integration challenges.

Lesson 2 • Demand Response and Flexibility

Examines demand response programmes, flexible loads, virtual power plants, and aggregation platforms. Shows how demand-side resources complement supply-side renewables.

Lesson 3 • Smart Grid Technologies and Infrastructure

Covers advanced metering, sensors, communication protocols, and grid automation. Connects digital infrastructure to renewable integration capability.

Lesson 4 • Grid Planning for High Renewable Penetration

Applies capacity expansion modelling, ancillary service markets, and interconnection planning to 100% renewable scenarios. Students evaluate grid investment strategies.

Lesson 1 • Renewable Energy Project Finance

Covers project finance structures, debt and equity instruments, power purchase agreements, and revenue certainty mechanisms. Students model basic project cash flows.

Lesson 2 • Site Selection and Due Diligence

Covers land assessment, resource confirmation, environmental screening, and community mapping. Rigorous site selection reduces project risk before significant capital is committed.

Lesson 3 • Construction, Commissioning, and Handover

Details construction management, quality assurance, commissioning testing, and operational handover procedures. Students understand how development transitions to operations.

Lesson 4 • Permitting and Regulatory Compliance

Explains environmental impact assessment, grid interconnection applications, and construction permitting processes. Students navigate regulatory pathways without referencing jurisdiction-specific codes.

Lesson 1 • National and Regional Energy Planning

Applies integrated resource planning, scenario analysis, and just transition principles to national-scale renewable strategies. Students produce a regional energy transition roadmap.

Lesson 2 • Renewable Energy Policy Instruments

Surveys feed-in tariffs, auctions, renewable portfolio standards, carbon pricing, and subsidies. Students evaluate policy effectiveness across different market contexts.

Lesson 3 • Energy Market Structures and Pricing

Explains wholesale electricity markets, marginal pricing, capacity markets, and the merit order effect of renewables. Connects market design to renewable investment signals.

Lesson 4 • Economic Analysis of Renewable Projects

Applies levelised cost of energy, net present value, internal rate of return, and payback period to renewable investments. Students perform a full economic appraisal.