PRGR620 Energy Systems & Sustainable Environments

[2 cr.]

This course covers a wide range of topics and for ease of teaching should be divided into three section.

• Part 1 - Worldwide importance of energy systems including their historical and current energy perspectives, concepts and applications of energy systems. This section will also focus on estimation and evaluation of energy resources.
• Part 2 - Sustainable Energy systems; approaches to energy systems analyses and sustainability metrics. Biological Carbon Capture Storage, including the following processes: soil carbon, CO₂ to energy, Forests & forest ecology, Digestate from Anaerobic Digestion (AD) process, Biochar Grassland management, Biomass to oil.
• Part 3 - Comprehensive overview of the principal types of renewable energy-including solar, thermal photovoltaics, bioenergy, hydro, tidal, wind, and wave. In addition the underlying physical and technological principles of renewable energy systems and the future prospects of different energy sources. Energy efficiency analyses including energy balance, cost-benefit analysis and cost-efficiency analysis of various energy scenarios and renewable energy choices.