Dr.

Adnan Ibrahim
Solar Energy Research Institute
(SERI)

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

• This course is a great first step for a career-focused individual to
understand the world of renewable and alternative energy possibilities. It
explores and compliment the knowledge relating to the principal of
renewable and alternative energy sources available today.
• Types of renewable and alternative energy includes nuclear, solar, wind
power, hydro and biomass energy.
• Each technology is examined in terms of the relevant physical principles;
the main and type of technologies involved; designs, materials and
management including the energy efficiency.

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

The module will work through the use material from the book, together
with additional online resources, exercises and activities to cover the
following topics:
• Nuclear energy – design and reactions.
• Solar energy – materials, types of cell, design and fabrication,
performance, process and mechanisms of reaction involved.
• Hydro – types of hydro available
• Wind energy – resource, types, design and performance.
• Biomass - resource, types, design and performance.

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

By the end of the course you should be able to:
• Understand the concept of renewable energy based on its design and
reactions, this includes the waste management and safety control.
• Understand solar technology, materials, mechanisms and design a
system that is involved in the production of electrical energy
• Understand the hydro and wind technologies, and design a system
that is involved in the production of electrical energy
• Able to design an integrated renewable and alternative energy that
maximized the energy efficiency that lead to the application of
concept, energy management and policy of renewable and alternative
technology in Malaysia

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Details of the course:
• Number of modules: 5
• Completion time: 14 weeks (approximately 2 hours/weeks)
• Prerequisite: None
• Delivery method: Lecture
• Assessment method: Assignment/PBL/Exam
• Essential reading:
• Kem, W. H. 2009. The Renewable Energy Handbook: The updated Comphrehensive Guide to Renewable Energy and
Independent Living. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 3 rd edition.
• Shekhawat, D., Spivey, J.J. & Berry, D.A. 2011. Fuel Cells: Technologies for Fuel Processing. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
• Razali, H., Sopian, K. & Mat, Sohif. 2012. Hidrogen bahan api enjin pembakaran dalam. Bangi: Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia Press.
• Stolten, D. & Emonts, B. 2012. Fuel Cell Science and Engineering: Materials, Processes, Systems and Technology Vol. 1 &
2. Wiley-YCH.
• Boyle Godfrey. 2012. Renewable Energy: Power for a Sustainable Future, 3rd ed, Oxford University Press.
• Zobaa, A. F. and Bansal, R. C. 2015. Handbook of Renewable Energy Technology. World Scientific.

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

 Contents
• What is Energy?
• What are fossil fuels?
• Overview of Renewable Energy
• Why Renewable Energy?
• Renewable Energy Overview
• Nuclear
• Solar
• Wind
• Hydro
• Biomass

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

What is Energy?
• Physicists, who are scientists who study
force, motion and energy, say that energy What is energy?
is the ability to do work, and work is Energy is the ability to do work, make
moving something against a force, like things and change things
gravity. You can “see” energy by looking for
motion, heat, and light
• In physics, energy is the ability to do Energy is everywhere
work, or the ability to move or elicit
change in matter.
• In effect, the amount of energy Why do we need energy?
something has refers to its capacity to Energy is what keeps the world going!
cause things to happen. We use energy to turn on lights, drive cars, make
• Measure of the ability of a body or things
system to do work or produce a change,
expressed usually in joules or kilowatt
hours (kWh).
Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI
Forms of Energy

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Mechanical Energy
• In the process of doing work, the
object that is doing the work
exchanges energy with the object
upon which the work is done.
• When the work is done upon the
object, that object gains energy.
• The energy acquired by the objects
upon which work is done is known
as mechanical energy.

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Electrical Energy
• A form of energy that is produced when
electrons move from one place to
another place.
• Electrical energy is the energy newly
derived from electric potential energy.
• When loosely used to describe energy
absorbed or delivered by an electrical
circuit (for example, one provided by an
electric power utility) “electrical
energy" talks about energy which has
been converted from electrical
potential energy.

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Chemical Energy
• Chemical energy is the potential
of a chemical substance to
undergo a transformation through
a chemical reaction to transform
other chemical substances.
• Energy that is available for release
from chemical reaction.

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Electromagnetic Energy
• Light is a form of
electromagnetic energy.
• Electromagnetic energy is
also carried gamma rays,
xrays, ultraviolet rays, visible
light, infrared rays, micro
Radio Waves. TV waves, etc.

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Thermal Energy
• In thermodynamics, thermal energy
refers to the internal energy present in
a system by virtue of its temperature.
• Thermal energy is the energy that
comes from heat. This heat is
generated by the movement of tiny
particles within an object.
• The faster these particles move, the
more heat is generated.
• Stoves and matches are examples of
objects that conduct thermal energy.
Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI
What are fossil fuels?
• Natural gas, coal, and oil
• Take hundreds of thousands of
years to form
• How to get fossil fuels:
1. Find where they are using sound
waves
2. Drill to reach oil and natural gas
3. Put a pipe in to pump the gas to
the surface

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Advantages of fossil fuels
• Relatively cheap
and plentiful
• Our technology is
made to use fossil
fuels
• Currently, no other
energy source can
replace fossil fuels

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Disadvantages of fossil fuels
• Do not replenish as quickly as we
use them
• Getting fossil fuels will become more
dangerous and more expensive
• Pollution – nitrogen oxides lead to
smog and acid rain
• Smog: fog or haze combined with
smoke and other pollutants
• Acid rain: acidification of not just rain,
but snow, fog, hail, or even dust

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Renewable - There is an alternative

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

 Why Renewables?
• Do not deplete natural resources
• Global warming has hit the public (and political?)
conscience
• Effective method to reduce CO2 emissions
• Guarantee Energy security for countries deploying it
• Legislation being passed making renewables more
attractive

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Key Renewable Energy Sources

Nuclear Energy

Solar Energy
• Photovoltaic
• Solar-thermal

Wind Energy
• Onshore
• Offshore

Hydro Energy

Biomass Energy
• Agricultural crops (1st Gen)
• Cellulosic feedstock (2nd Gen)
• New feedstock such as Algae (3 rd Gen)

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

 Nuclear Energy
• Nuclear Power is electricity that is made
by harnessing the internal power of
some types of atoms.
• Nuclear reactions occur in the structure
of the nuclei of atoms.
• Energy created is called nuclear energy
or atomic energy.
• Can be produced naturally or in man-
made operations.
• Natural: the sun
• Man-Made: Nuclear reactors, power
plant

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Solar Power

• Solar energy is generally captured in

two forms: via photovoltaic cells for
electricity generation or via thermal
panels for heating purposes
• Remains an expensive method of
generating electricity compared to
conventional sources and other
renewable sources such as wind or
hydro power
• Recent advances in technology and
support from certain governments have
continued to drive solar penetration

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Solar Power - Photovoltaic
Current is generated through
Photovoltaic effect -flow of free
electrons in Silicon Panel due to
solar irradiance

Direct current (DC) is generated

which can be stored in a battery or
converted to Alternating Current
(AC)

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Solar Power – Solar Thermal

Sun’s infrared rays are concentrated

through reflecting mirrors on a heating
fluid (normally liquid salt) medium, which
in turn generates steam to propel
turbines

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Wind Power
• Converts kinetic energy for wind to electrical energy
• Broadly serving as the renewable of choice in Europe and the
United States
• Increased size and higher productivity have enabled wind
generation to become an increasingly competitive alternative
to more traditional methods of power generation
• Uncertainty is the main problem with wind production owing
to the inherent unpredictability of weather conditions
• Utilization for wind generation is generally rather low, with
most in the 25-35% utilization rate

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Wind Power

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Hydroelectric

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

 Characteristics
• Most mature of renewable
energies
• Largest global contributor
amongst all renewable energies
• Largely utilizes established
technology from other sectors
• Can be “switched on-off” at
almost immediately
• Arguably the Cheapest where
available

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Advantages of renewable energy
• We will never run out of it
• Facilities generally require
less and cheaper
maintenance
• Produces little or no waste
and pollutants

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI

Conclusion
• Major difficulties in attaining target of 10% of electricity
generated by renewables by 2010
• Main contributors to this target will be :-
1. Offshore and Onshore windfarms/clusters

2. Biomass/wood, straw, etc

3. Photovoltaic

• But policies like Climate Change Levy and the Renewables

Obligation will help establish renewables.

Dr. Adnan Ibrahim - SERI