EME 810 - Solar Resource Assessment and Economics
This is a sample syllabus.
This sample syllabus is a representative example of the information and materials included in this course. Information about course assignments, materials, and dates listed here is subject to change at any time. Definitive course details and materials will be available in the official course syllabus, in Canvas, when the course begins.
Overview
EME 810 provides students with an in-depth exploration of the physical qualities of the solar resource, estimation of the fractional contributions of irradiance to total demand, and economic assessment of the solar resource. The course utilizes real data sets and resources to provide students context for the drivers, frameworks, and requirements of solar energy evaluation.
EME 810 is designed to help students achieve three of the programmatic educational objectives established for the Master of Professional Studies in Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems (MPS RESS) program. It fosters advanced critical thinking by challenging the students to understand the systems approach required to assess the impact of locale and resource and to understand the economic factors driving decisions for solar technology design and deployment. It applies the science of energy and sustainability through a deep understanding of the solar resource and how it applies to solar energy conversion systems. It promotes energy and sustainability project development by adding content knowledge to enable design decisions and technology constraints for solar technologies for maximizing solar utility for a client/stakeholder in a given locale.
Objectives
Students who excel in this course are able to:
- assess the solar resource to identify the greatest solar utility for a client in a given locale;
- articulate the scientific and economic fundamentals of the solar resource as it applies to solar energy conversion;
- describe the role of solar fraction in designing a solar project for a client;
- identify the limitations of solar energy conversion technologies with respect to the given locale and client energy demands.
Required Materials
The materials listed here represent those that may be included in this course. Students will find a definitive list in the course syllabus, in Canvas, when the course begins.
Textbook
Solar Energy Conversion Systems, 1st Edition, Jeffrey Brownson, 2013. ISBN 0123973155
(An electronic version of Solar Energy Conversion Systems is available free of charge through the Penn State Library.)
Software
- System Adviser Model (SAM), National Renewable Energy Laboratory, current version (free).
- Yellowdig Discussion Platform - cost: $12.95 for the semester
Prerequisites
None
Expectations
EME 810 is a 3-credit graduate course. As a general rule, you can expect that a 3-credit course will call for an average of approximately 9-12 hours of work each week. This time commitment will include reading, watching videos, completing writing assignments and quizzes, and participating in discussion and peer review activities. Your workload may be more or less depending on your prior experience with the concepts covered, web research, and calculations. Every student is also expected to synthesize their knowledge in the solar design proposal in the end of the semester.
Major Assignments
- Participation/discussions (15% of total course grade)
- Weekly Learning Activities (35% of total course grade)
- Quizzes (10% of total course grade)
- Project: Solar Design Proposal (40% of total course grade)
Course Schedule
| Week | Topic | Assignment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Historical Context of Solar Energy Valued in Society |
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| 2 | Tools for Time and Space Relationships |
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| 3 | Meteorology: the Many Facets of the Sky |
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| 4 | Measurement and Estimations of the Solar Resource |
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| 5 | Solar Economic Analysis |
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| 6 | Maximizing the Solar Utility for the Client in a Locale |
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| 7 | Solar Finance |
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| 8 | Methods of Prediction |
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| 9 | Analysis for Policy Development |
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| 10 | Ecosystems Impact from Solar Land Use |
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| 11 | Solar Design Project Proposal Development |
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| 12 | Solar Design Project Proposal Development (cont.) |
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