Course-PM

DAT461 Renewable electricity production and electric transportation LP2 HT24 (3,5 hp)

The course is given by the department of Electrical Engineering (E2)

Contact information

Examiner: Xiangdong Xu (xiangdong.xu@chalmers.se) , 031-772 1641

Lecturer: Experts in each course parts and Xiangdong Xu.

Tutorial: Bowen Jiang (bowen.jiang@chalmers.se), 031-772 3013

    Maciej Brzycki, (brzycki@chalmers.se), 031-772 2631

The Course

Welcome to the course on the renewable electricity production and electric transportation. In this course, we will delve into the fundamental concepts of electricity production from wind power, solar power, and hydropower, focusing on the current developments in Sweden. Additionally, we will explore the operation of electric vehicles and other emerging loads within the power grid. Understanding the integration and interaction of these renewable power generations and emerging loads within the power grid will be a key objective of this course.

As the global demand for electrical energy continues to rise, it is crucial to adopt environmentally friendly practices in power production to ensure sustainable development. This course will emphasize the importance of environmentally conscious electricity generation, aligning with the growing need for sustainable transportation.

Join us in this course to gain a solid foundation in the Swedish power system, learn about various renewable energy sources, and explore how the integration of these sources and the management of power loads contribute to more sustainable future. 

Schedule

We have multiple lecturers working in this course to provide you with the best possible expertise in different subject areas. The lectures are pre-recorded and can be viewed on Canvas at your convenience. We offer one evening session per week for an overview, discussions and question on each topics, which will be held on Monday evening from 19:00 to 20:00. One occasion on 30^th Oct. 2024 from 15:00 to 16:00. The lecture summary and Q&A will be hold in English.

For the assignments (Tutorials), are hold on every Thursday evenings from 19:00 to 20:00. Bowen and Maciej will lead the Tutorials in English. The exercises assignments will be on Zoom. You can sign in by writing your name in the chat window. The Zoom link for lectures and Q&A sessions can be found under the Zoom section on the course page in Canvas. Alternatively, you can email your questions to bowen.jiang@chalmers.se  or brzycki@chalmers.se, and we will address the questions and summarized in the next tutorial.

After completing each exercise, results need to be summarized as plots with some briefly comments and discussions. You are required to present the results orally twice during the course: once after the wind power assignment and once after completing all the exercises. Each presentation should not exceed 30 minutes. Sign-up sheets will be available on Canvas under the People (Personer) section, where you can register for a group that suit you best.

To pass the course, you need to write a course report summarizing the content of the different lectures in short, highlighting what you consider to be the most important aspect, and including the results and discussions from the exercises. This report should be submitted by the end of the course.

Additionally, we have included several compendiums in the course home page. There are number of resources available, it is not necessary to read them all. Simply select the ones that interest you and are relevant to the exercises.

Planned consultant lectures and subjects:

Week/date&Time	Subjects	Lecturer	Assignment
44/ 28 Oct. 19-20	Introduction, and Electric power system in Sweden	XX	Electrical system
44/ 30 Oct. 15-16	Electricity market operation	Ahn Tuan Le
44/ 31 Oct. 19-20	Tutorial 1	BJ,MB
45/ 4 Nov. 19-20	Wind power basics	Ola Carlson	Wind power
45/ 7 Nov. 19-20	Tutorial 2	BJ,MB
46/ 11 Nov. 19-20	Wind power  planning and its environmental aspect	Sara Fogelström
46/ 14 Nov. 19-20	Tutorial 3	BJ,MB
47/ 18 Nov. 19-20	Electric vehicle	XX	Electric hybrid vehicle
47/ 21 Nov. 19-20	Tutorial 4	BJ,MB
48/ 25 Nov. 19-20	Battery technology	Evelina Wikner
47/ 28 Nov. 19-20	Tutorial 5	BJ,MB
49/ 2 Dec. 19-20	Solar Power	XX	Solar Power
49/ 5 Dec. 19-20	Tutorial 6	BJ,MB
50/ 9 Dec. 19-20	Hydro Power	XX	Hydropower
50/ 12 Dec. 19-20	Tutorial help 7	BJ,MB

 

 

Course literature

The material is available in course home page for download. 

Course structure

This course provides you with technical descriptions of renewable electricity production from wind power, solar power, wave power, and hydropower. By studying these power generation techniques, you will develop a basic understanding of their principles and applications. Additionally, we will explore the unique characteristics of emerging loads, with a specific focus on battery electric vehicles. Understanding the structure of the Swedish power system and addressing grid integration challenges for renewable power sources and emerging loads will also be key components of this course.

Lectures (summary and Q&A): contains the summary of the predefined topics (30 minutes) followed with discussion and Q&A section (30 minutes).

Assignment work (mandatory):

As main part of the course, you are required to complete 5 mandatory assignment works, namely: Electric Power Systems, Wind Power, Solar power, Hydro power, and Electric Hybrid Vehicles. These projects will focus on understanding the basic function and power flows of each subject and will primarily involve simulations and reporting (plots) using Microsoft Excel.

Electric power system project: in this project, you will sketch a future electric power system based on the current structure of electricity production. You will analyze production data from 2023, which can be downloaded from Svenska kraftnät's website. Using Excel, you will work with this data to visualize the future energy mix and analyze its potential consequences. This project will require approximately 5-10 hours work.

Wind power project: Based on a typical wind power plant and an imagined location to simulate the distribution of wind throughout the year. You will create a wind-effect curve and calculate the electricity production for a year. Additionally, you will explore the different operating phases of the wind turbine, with a particular focus on optimal operation. This project will require more extensive work, approximately 10-20 hours.

Solar Power Planning project: This project involves selecting a residential roof using commercial maps to estimate its size and determine the number of solar panels that can be installed. You will analyze the location and roof orientation to estimate the potential peak power capacity. Based on this capacity, you will select the appropriate converter power and the most economical battery storage size. Finally, you will calculate the cost-return period for installing the solar panels, considering the assumed electricity consumption and cost. This project requiring approximately 5-10 hours of work.

Electric hybrid vehicle project: You will analyse the forces affecting a vehicle during operation, including air resistance, acceleration, road gradient, and rolling resistance. You will calculate the energy consumption for different driving cycles and address various aspects of charging, such as charging power, time, grid capacity, and the need for charging control. This project will require more extensive work, approximately 10-20 hours.

Hydropower project: This project will focus on understanding the dependence of electricity production on drop height and flow. You will also explore how hydropower plant is operated based on the power consumption and the power production from solar and wind power. This project will require approximately 5-10 hours of work.

These project tasks will involve analysis and calculations using the Microsoft Excel program. Throughout the project duration, you will receive guidance through weekly meetings or via email support.

Reporting of project data will be conducted orally through conversations and online presentations via Zoom. Each task has a deadline, and requests for later reporting may be permitted after consulting with the tutor.

Changes since the last course session

• Remove the assignment for wave power, introduce the solar power assignment
• Reduce the content of wind power project.
• Course language change to English.

Learning objectives

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding:

1. Explain the driving forces and motivations behind the increasing emphasis on renewable electricity production and the electrification of the transport sector.
2. Describe the technical characteristics, performance, and environmental consequences associated with wind, solar, wave, and hydroelectric power generation.
3. Describe the technical characteristics and performance of components within electric and electric hybrid vehicle powertrains.

Ability and Skill:

1. Identify, analyze, and formulate relationships related to electric power production and the operation of electric vehicles.
2. Plan and perform basic calculations of electric power production and energy consumption for electric vehicles.
3. Select and justify different solutions for renewable electricity production.
4. Select and justify sustainable transportation options for both individuals and goods.
5. Engage in national and international discussions on various aspects of renewable electricity production and sustainable transportation through reading, writing, presenting, and discussing reports and articles.

Assessment Formulation and Professional Attitude:

1. Formulate assessments that include reflections on scientific, social, and ethical aspects, demonstrating an awareness of the ethical dimensions of research and development.
2. Gain insight and understanding of the possibilities and limitations of technology, its role in society, and the ethical responsibilities associated with its use, considering social, economic, environmental, and health impacts.
3. Demonstrate the ability to continue independent study and contribute to the advancement of society. 

Examination

To complete the course, you need to:

1. Participate in two separate online one-to-one discussions to present and review five assignments.
2. Submit a 6-page A4 size report by January 12, 2025. It should contain key results (plots/figures) from above five assignments (one page per assignment) with a two-sentence summary for each, and one page on your reflections regarding the future of renewable power and electric transport. The report should be clear and reflect your course understanding.