renewable energy course
 

renewable energy course

 
About Renewable Energy

Renewable energy sources, or RES, are those energy sources which are not destroyed when their energy is harnessed. Renewable energy sources are distinct from fossil fuels which must be combusted to release energy. Human use of renewable energy requires technologies that harness natural phenomena, such as sunlight, wind, waves, water flow, biological processes such as anaerobic digestion, and geothermal heat. Traditional use of wind, water, and solar power is already widespread; but renewable energy sources are becoming more attractive in the light of new technologies and the twin threats of energy crisis and climate change.
Renewable energies are all sustainable energys. Nuclear fission is not a renewable energy.

Renewable energy resources may be harnessed directly, such as in solar ovens, geothermal heating, and water and windmills. They may require energy harvesting through appropriate technologies such as: electricity generation through wind turbines or photovoltaic cells (PV cells), production of biofuels such as biogas from anaerobic digestion, or ethanol from biomass (see alcohol as a fuel). The development of renewable energy technologies is linked to concerns about the exhaustion of fossil fuels and the environmental, social and political risks of extensive use of fossil fuels and nuclear energy.


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This subject provides an introduction to the types of renewable energy technologies that are commercially available with an emphasis on small-scale applications. It also provides an awareness of the economic, political, environmental and social issues affecting the application of renewable technologies, together with the development of skills and knowledge in the assessment of energy services and demand. Solar thermal, photovoltaics and wind energy sources will be introduced and described with a focus on their application in small-scale systems. You will also learn how to conduct an energy audit. You will have the ability to determine the power usage of homes and businesses and suggest strategies to reduce energy consumption.

Subjects
Subject Costs
Pre-requsites
Correspondence Available
$650
No
December 2008
Fee Structure
On-campus students (Melbourne) will need to send a $100 non-refundable deposit along with a completed enrolment form in order to guarantee their place in the course.

To enrol, click HERE .
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