Course syllabus

Solar Energy: from Photons to Future Societal Impact (7.5 points), TRA105

Syllabus: Course PM and tentative schedule

 

Welcome to the newly developed “Tracks-course” in Solar Energy. Our aim is to provide an overview of the rapidly developing field of solar energy and how this is starting to make a global impact on our energy system. The course covers the physical and chemical foundations, a spectrum of conversion technologies, integration into artefacts and the electricity system, as well as the role of solar energy in the ongoing energy transition. Within the “Tracks” idea we want to address engineering students with different backgrounds from chemistry/physics students via hard core engineers to those with a primarily societal and energy systems integration perspective. As a core activity of the course, you will work with a team project in which you should explore a current, emerging, or future solar energy technology from as many possible perspectives as possible. We hope to assemble groups of students with different backgrounds to accomplish this. In addition to teamwork, we will give lectures to provide both hard facts and inspire discussions. We hope you will enjoy the course and hope to get valuable contributions from all of you. 

 

Examiner:

Bo Albinsson (BA) balb@chalmers.se

 

Course Teachers and Supervisor Team

Maria Abrahamsson (MA) abmaria@chalmers.se, Björn Sandén (BS) bjorn.sanden@chalmers.se

 

Invited Teachers

Mikael Odenberger (MO) mikael.odenberger@chalmers.se

Paula Femenias (PF) paula.femenias@chalmers.se

Lars Hedström (LH) lars.hedstrom@solkompaniet.se, https://solkompaniet.se/

 

Lectures

12 lectures will be given according to the schedule in Appendix 1. The lectures aim at both providing basic facts about solar energy technology and its use in the society as well as being inspirational platforms for the teamwork.

 

Teamwork

Groups of 3-4 students should be assembled during the first week of the course. The group should either select a topic from the list (Appendix 2) or suggest a topic of their own to the supervisors (teachers). The teamwork should include literature studies but could also contain practical activities such as assembly of a solar cell or other demonstrators. Upon request the course teachers will guide the teams but this should mostly be student driven projects. Final written reports should be handed in one week before the oral presentation of the projects.

 

Examination

To pass the course an approved written report and oral presentation of the teamwork is required. In addition, we will have individual oral exams based on the teamwork presentation. The grade will be determined form the weighted performance of these two exams.

 

Important dates

Mandatory lecture introducing the Teamwork 9 November

Selection of topic for Teamwork 17 November

Mandatory Teamwork presentations 3 March

Oral examination 8-9 March

 

Literature

A range of Wikipedia pages and popular science article will be used as written material along with original articles from the scientific literature. Literature references are given in the lecture schedule (Appendix 1).

 

 

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should)

  • be able to understand the working principles of a solar cell
  • be able to analyze a solar energy system from a global perspective
  • be able to assess the potential of a solar energy technology
  • be able to discuss the environmental impact of a solar energy technology
  • be able to understand the need for energy storage and how this might be accomplished
  • be able to…

 

General “Tracks” learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should)

  • be able to critically and creatively identify and/or formulate advanced architectural or engineering problems
  • be able to master problems with open solutions spaces which includes to be able to handle uncertainties and limited information.
  • be able to lead and participate in the development of new products, processes and systems using a holistic approach by following a design process and/or a systematic development process.
  • be able to work in multidisciplinary teams and collaborate in teams with different compositions
  • show insights about cultural differences and to be able to work sensitively with them.
  • show insights about and deal with the impact of architecture and/or engineering solutions in a global, economic, environment and societal context.
  • be able to identify ethical aspects and discuss and judge their consequences in relation to the specific problem
  • be able to orally and in writing explain and discuss information, problems, methods, design/development processes and solutions
  • fulfill project specific learning outcomes

 

 

 

 

Appendix 1 Lecture schedule (TimeEdit)

 

Date

Time

Room

Lecturer

Activity/Literature

Thursday 4/11

13.15-15.00

SB-L316

BA, BS

Overview: Forms of solar energy harvesting and storage. Current and future technologies – opportunities and challenges. (1)

Tuesday 9/11

13.15-15.00

SB-L316

BA, MA, BS

Introduction to teamwork - Mandatory. See list of suggestions in Appendix 2. (2)

Thursday 18/11

10.00-12.00

SB-L285

BS

Potential societal impact of solar energy technologies – the big picture. Physical potential, historical development, and economic and political implications. (3, 4, 5, 6) 

Thursday  25/11

13.15-15.00

SB-L316

BA

Solar cells (PV). The principle of operation. Types of solar cells. SQ-limit. (7, 8, 9, 10)

Thursday 2/12

13.15-15.00

SB-L285

PF

Building integration of solar cells. (12)

Thursday 9/12

13.15-15.00

SB-L285

MA

Solar energy storage. Batteries, Hydrogen production, PC Materials. (11)

Christmas break

 

Wednesday 19/1

10.00-12.00

 

BS, (NN)

Integration in materials systems: Environmental and resource impacts. (13)

Wednesday 26/1

10.00-12.00

 

BA + graduate students

Novel (unconventional) solar energy technologies: Up/Down conversion, MOST (14)

Wednesday 2/2

10.00-12.00

 

MO

Solar energy as part of the energy system. (15)

Wednesday 9/2

10.00-12.00

 

MA

Electrolysis of water vs direct water splitting. Photocatalysis, Artificial photosynthesis, including DSPECs och DSPs (16)

Wednesday 23/2

10.00-12.00

 

LH

Solar cell installation – practical experiences from two decades of exponential growth. (17)

Wednesday 2/3

10.00-12.00

 

BA, MA, BS

Sum-up: where are we now and where will we be in 30 years - Discussion

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_energy
  2. List of pages on ”solar energy” could also be an inspiration: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Index_of_solar_energy_articles
  3. Sandén (2008), Sandén et al. (2014) – Chapter 3.
  4. On the availability of renewable energy resources: Chapter 3 in https://www.chalmers.se/en/areas-of-advance/energy/Documents/Systems%20Perspectives%20on/Systems_Perspectives_on_Renewable_Power_2014_v1.2.pdf
  5. On Solar energy as a building block of a new industrial revolution: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1369-7021(08)70249-9
  6. On energy payback and climate impact of production: https://www.chalmers.se/en/areas-of-advance/energy/Documents/Systems%20Perspectives%20on/Systems_Perspectives_on_Renewable_Power_2014_v1.2.pdf
  7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photovoltaics
  8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shockley–Queisser_limit
  9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_solar_cells
  10. https://www.pveducation.org/pvcdrom/welcome-to-pvcdrom
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_storage
  12. Building integration
  13. Sandén and Arvesen (2014) – Chapter 7. Etc…
  14. Unconventional solar energy

  15. Energy system

  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_photosynthesis, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photoelectrochemistry, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolysis_of_water

  17. Solar cell installation

 

 

 

Appendix 2 Teamwork suggestions

 

The teamwork is an essential and integrated part of the course and will also form the basis for the final examination. Groups of 3-4 students, from as wide engineering background as possible, will work with selected solar energy technologies from many aspects. This should include (i) scientific and technological background, (ii) future impact, (iii) societal challenges, (iv) environmental impact of the technology. Other aspects are also possible to investigate. The teamwork should result in a written report and oral presentation/seminar with the class.

 

Tentative list of teamwork. Suggestions from students are also welcome.

 

  1. Vehicle integrated solar (road, sea, or air transport). E.g., PV in car chassis, boat sails or air ships
  2. PV integrated in infrastructure. E.g., Road or rail
  3. Transparent PV for windows
  4. Multifunctional systems. E.g., solar electricity and farming or grazing on same land
  5. Solar production of chemicals. E.g., on farm nitrogen fertilizer
  6. Floating solar power plants. E.g., Off-shore electricity or hydrogen production
  7. PV and energy storage for homeowners. E.g., storage solutions in homes
  8. Solar water purification
  9. Portable PV for off-grid applications
  10. Photovoltaics for indoor applications

 

In all projects: Assess potential, suitable technology, integration in energy system, integration in materials systems, environmental and economic aspects.