RENEWABLE ENERGY

SYSTEMS
 What Is Energy?
• Energy is the ability of a system to perform work.
• Energy is the ability to do work.

• Energy exists in several forms such as heat, kinetic or mechanical energy, light,
potential energy, electrical, or other forms.
 Classification of Energy Sources?
Basically, the Energy sources can be classified into two types:

✓ Renewable Energy Sources

✓ Non-renewable Energy Sources

Renewable energy is energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a
higher rate than they are consumed.

Non-renewable energy is energy derived from finite resources that are not replaced
quickly enough to keep up with the speed of consumption.
Renewable Non-Renewable
Pros and Cons of Energy Sources
 What is Energy Conversion?
• Energy conversion is the process of transformation of one type of energy into another.
Whenever energy is utilized for some work, it gets transferred to a different location or
object. Thus, the total energy always remains constant for a system.
 Types of Energy Conversions
• Light energy can be converted to heat energy.

• Electrical energy can be converted to mechanical energy, heat energy, light energy, sound energy,
etc.

• Chemical energy can be converted to electrical energy, mechanical energy, and radiant energy.

• Mechanical energy can be converted to sound energy, thermal energy, electrical energy, potential
energy, etc.

• Nuclear energy can be converted to light energy and thermal energy.

• Solar energy can be converted to chemical energy and electrical energy.

• The gravitational potential energy can be converted to kinetic energy, for example, a stone falling
from the air.
Types of Energy Conversions
 Types of Energy Conversions
• Light energy can be converted to heat energy.

• Electrical energy can be converted to mechanical energy, heat energy, light energy, sound energy,
etc.

• Chemical energy can be converted to electrical energy, mechanical energy, and radiant energy.

• Mechanical energy can be converted to sound energy, thermal energy, electrical energy, potential
energy, etc.

• Nuclear energy can be converted to light energy and thermal energy.

• Solar energy can be converted to chemical energy and electrical energy.

• The gravitational potential energy can be converted to kinetic energy, for example, a stone falling
from the air.
 Environment and Social implications of fossil fuels
• Water pollution.

• Hazardous air pollutants

• Ambient air quality.

• Marine pollution

• Solid waste disposal

• Land use and siting impact.

• Acid rain

• Stratospheric ozone depletion

• Global climate change(greenhouse effect)

Importance of Renewable Energy Resources and
Technologies for Sustainable Development:
• They have much less environmental impact compared to conventional sources of energy.

• Renewable energy sources can not be depleted unlike fossil fuel and uranium resources.

• They favour power system decentralization and locally applicable solutions more or less
independent of the national network, thus, enhancing the flexibility of the system and the
economic power supply to small isolated settlements.
Essential Factors for Sustainable Developments:
• Public awareness

• Information

• Environmental education and training

• Innovative energy strategies

• Promoting renewable energy resources

• Financing

• Monitoring and evaluation tools

 Solar Energy
• Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of
technologies such as solar power to generate electricity, solar thermal energy (including solar
water heating), and solar architecture.
Conversion Technologies:
• Photovoltaic (PV devices) or “solar cells” – change sunlight directly into electricity.

• Solar Power Plants - indirectly generates electricity when the heat from solar thermal
collectors is used to heat a fluid which produces steam that is used to power a generator.
Extra Terrestrial and Terrestrial solar radiation
Total solar radiation = Direct + Diffuse components of solar radiation
 Solar Radiation Geometry
• Latitude (φ) – angle between the earth’s equatorial plane and a line from the centre of the
earth to the site/ location.

• Declination (δ) – angular displacement of the Sun from the plane of earth’s equator.

• Hour angle (ω) – angle through which the earth must turn to bring meridian of the observer
directly in line with Sun’s rays.