Engi 9896: Renewable Energy Systems

Winter 2025



Instructor: Tariq Iqbal, ECE, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Email (through the course website): tariq@online.mun.ca

Introduction: Renewable energy comes from natural resources such as sun, wind, water, biomass and earth. A conversion system is required to convert renewable energy into electrical energy. This course covers several types of renewable energy conversion systems. It is a lecture-based course with four design assignments and a research oriented project. Available renewable energy estimation, system sizing, design, dynamic modelling and control of renewable energy systems will be covered in the course. The course includes the following topics: introduction to Wind Energy Conversion Systems (WECS), assessment of wind energy potential, wind turbine aerodynamics, types of WECS, wind turbines modelling and control strategies, isolated and grid connected WECS systems, hybrid energy systems, energy storage, solar energy systems, photovoltaic cells, module and array concepts, PV system engineering, stand-alone systems, grid connected systems, concentrator systems, system sizing and maximum power tracking, solar water pumping, micro-hydro electro-mechanical systems and control, introduction to tidal power, wave energy converters, ocean thermal systems, and hybrid power system sizing using Energy3D, BEOpt, SAM, REopt and HOMER Pro.

Delivery: Two lectures per week. Tuesday and Thursday 2:30pm to 3:45pm in EN1001

Assignments due dates: A1 (January 27); A2 (February 17); Midterm Test (March 3); A3 (March 10); A4 (March 31); Project report (April 4)

Evaluation Scheme:

System sizing and design assignments (4) 20%

Midterm test 20%

Final exam 30%

Design Project (3%+4%+3%+5%+P=5%+R=10%) 30%



Website: A D2L based course website is available at https://online.mun.ca/



A list of suggested group projects:

1. Design and simulate a PV system to meet all energy needs of an electric bicycle

2. Design and simulate a rooftop PV system to meet all electricity needs of MUN car parking area 22

3. Design and simulate a PV system to power L’anse Au Loup community

4. Design and simulate a PV system for an electric boat

5. Design and simulate a floating solar reverse osmosis drinking water system

6. Design and simulate a grid connected PV system for MUN Engineering Building

7. Design and simulate a smart solar lawn mower for use in St. John’s

8. Design and analysis of a hybrid power system for a Charlottetown

9. Design and analysis of PV system for a cellphones charging shop in a remote location in Africa

10. Design and simulate a wind turbine power system for a telecommunication tower in NL

11. Design and simulate a hybrid power system for Makkovik Labrador

12. Design and simulate an electric ferry for Bell Island NL

13. Design and simulate a hybrid power system for Mud Lake Labrador

14. Design and simulate a hybrid power system for Mary;s Harbour Labrador

15. Design and simulate a hybrid power system for Norman Bay Labrador

16. Design and simulate a hybrid power system for Hopedale Labrador



Project Deadlines:

1. Complete literature search, resources data collection. Submit a literature review and collected data document on January 20. (3%)

2. Complete sizing, specifications, system steady state modelling and analysis before February 24. (4%)

3. Complete system dynamic modelling, simulation and analysis in Matlab before March 14. (3%)

4. Complete control and protection system design and analysis before March 24. (5%)

5. Complete project presentation and report writing by the end of the term. (15%)



Course Outline:

Lecture 1: Course introduction and overview of world energy resources and consumption trends

Lecture 2: Renewable energy system types, current status and future

Lecture 3: Energy in the wind, types of wind turbine and their output characteristics

Lecture 4: Assessment of annual energy output of a wind turbine using bins method

Lecture 5: Wind turbine aerodynamics

Lecture 6: Mathematical modelling of wind energy conversion system

Lecture 7: Control of wind energy conversion systems

Lecture 8: Variable speed wind turbines and their grid interface

Lecture 9: Grid interconnection standards, protection and economics of WECS

Lecture 10: Wind diesel hybrid power systems

Lecture 11: Large solar energy systems

Lecture 12: Photovoltaic cell, modules, panels and their characteristic

Lecture 13: Photovoltaic system engineering and design

Lecture 14: Introduction to power electronics and control of PV systems

Lecture 15: Maximum power point tracking for PV systems

Lecture 16: Current energy storage technologies

Lecture 17: Introduction to solar water pumping systems

Lecture 18: Micro-hydro power

Lecture 19: Micro-hydro sizing and electro-mechanical systems

Lecture 20: Micro-hydro power electrical connection and control

Lecture 21: Ocean energy systems

Lecture 22: Wave energy conversion systems

Lecture 23: Student project presentations



Reference Books:

  1. Renewable Energy: power for sustainable future, edited by Stephen Peake, 4th edition, Oxford university press 2018. (ISBN: 978-0198759751)

  2. WIND POWER TECHNOLOGY, Third Edition Joshua Earnest and Sthuthi Rachel 2019 (ISBN-978-93-88028-49-3)

  3. Photovoltaic Systems Engineering for Students and Professionals Solved Examples and Applications by Mugdesem Tanrioven, 2024 (ISBN: 978-1-032-54185-3)