Integration of Renewable Energy in Undergraduate Education. Dr. Lana El Chaar & Dr. Lisa Ann Lamont The Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi, UAE

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1 Integration of Renewable Energy in Undergraduate Education Dr. Lana El Chaar & Dr. Lisa Ann Lamont The Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi, UAE 1

2 NSF Report From the NSF Report Shaping The Future: New Expectations for Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology America's undergraduates all of them must attain a higher level of competence in science, mathematics engineering, and technology (make sure that) all students who enter advanced training at the professional level are well and broadly trained; and that the process of learning does not end with the classroom. 2

3 Introduction PI (Petroleum Institute), is an English language medium engineering college, where English is a second language for all of the students. The PI was developed to train engineers for the oil and Gas Industry in the Field of Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Petroleum Geosciences and Petroleum. At PI, it is highly recognized that it is important to ensure that the students have a continual opportunity to improve and further develop their communication skills, study skills and understanding of technical concepts. The importance of the courses and extra curricular activities is to enable our future engineers to contribute in solving the increasing complex problems facing our society, recognizing the complexities of global and social issues and responding with solutions they develop 3

4 Project Based Undergraduate Students Industrial Experience Cutting Edge STEPS Internship Research 4 Knowledge in Renewable Energy

5 STEPS Course Definition The STEPS course is a team-based engineering design with emphasis on multidiscipline oriented client-linked problems. Oral and written professional technical communications as well as teamwork and project management are developed further. 5

6 STEPS Course Objectives Demonstrate competency in applying the steps of the engineering design process to solve open-ended problems. Demonstrate ability to present design solutions in oral presentation and written reports. Practice understanding principles of project management. Demonstrate skills in effective teamwork. Demonstrate ability to gather, analyze, and interpret data. Demonstrate ability to self learn, research and use information Gain awareness of ethical, social, global and economical influence of engineering design 6

7 Project Description The effect of wind borne particles from a desert environment may be classified according to its lasting disturbance, and therefore we are to deal with effects of disturbances with temporary (reversible) and permanent (irreversible) nature. Temporary instabilities include the likes of dust and/or sand dispositions on the PV array surface, which in turn lessens the sun s impact on the cells leading to unequal current distributions. These will further continue to lower levels of power output. Also, in some desert environments, the country experiences scattered rainfalls which implies that instead of periodic downpours of water, which may clean the PV arrays off the dirt layers, these rainfalls result in a caked surface clouding the surface of the PV array. This is of course detrimental to the power produced by the PV array as it covers the panel s surface completely. Permanent disturbances revolve around damages incurred, such as heavy particles in the frequent sand storms, which chip away the sensitive glass surface leaving a jagged and inconsistent coating. As a result when incident light rays strike the surface, they will undergo internal reflection with the light scattering within the surface. This loss will lower the efficiency and may be corrected only if the panel as a whole is replaced. The problem however stems from the use of these sources of energy in a climatic condition such as that of the UAE which experiences continuous high temperatures alongside the occasional strong winds resulting in perpetual sandstorms, and as such these factors must be fully investigated when realizing the full feasibility of their use within such a physically harsh surrounding. 7

8 Methodology Lectures about Solar Energy and in particular Photovoltaic Seminars introducing PV Visit to PV manufacturing company in Al Fujairah Field trip to a PV Plant in Abu Dhabi 8

9 Project Outcome 9

10 Course Outcome Learning Renewable Energy Theory Success in building a prototype Design suitable for 6 months testing Excellent marketing skills Problems faced: Lack of technical knowledge Unavailability of materials 10

11 Internship Course Objectives Enables Students to implement the theoretical studies they have undertaken Undertake company specified projects Enhances soft skills verbal and written communication, team work and time management skill. Reiterate the importance of lifelong learning with their own experiences. Gain awareness of professional and ethical responsibility and contemporary issues with global and regional relevance Enable the students to become well rounded professional engineers 11

12 Seven weeks internship program Internship at PI Vital learning opportunity for the students Enables Student to experience the environment of the OPCO companies that they will work for after graduation. ADNOC NDC ADCO ADMA GASCO ADGAS 12

13 13 ADMA-OPCO Project

14 Internship Outcome Integration of Renewable Energy In Oil and Gas Industry Students exposure to various sources of Energy and in particular renewable energy Finalizing design prototype custom made to withstand marine environment Device will be tested for Six months Enhanced the learning process of new energy technology. 14

15 Undergraduate Research Undergraduate research projects enrich a student s education, preparing her/him for graduate school or the workforce. Through undergraduate research, students actively participate in the solution of engineering problems, learn how engineering theory is applied to solve problems, work side by side with faculty and graduate students, and improve their communication skills 15

16 Undergraduate Researchers at PI The PI undergraduate renewable energy research group comprises of seven students in their junior and senior year. These students indicated an interest in renewable energy but due to the structure of the program such course was not possible to be integrated. The faculty expanded their research to include a suitable project for the students with minimal background in this area of engineering. Enhance the learning and the capability of succeeding in this research the students were given a specifically weekly plan with outcomes and evaluation incorporated Monitoring of the academic performance of the students to ensure research was not affecting their grades. 16

17 Outcomes of Research Undergraduate researchers have gained knowledge on topics not covered in the curriculum skills in self learning, programming, communication and time managements. a positive impact on the progress of the students academic career. Conference and Journal Publications: Conference: Al-Qubaisi, E., Al-Ameri, M., Al-Obaidi, A., Rabia, M., Chaar, L., Lamont, L., Microcontroller Based Dust Cleaning System for a Standalone Photovoltaic System, Power and Energy Conversion Systems (EPECS'09), Sharjah, UAE, Nov T. AlWaddah, R. Abni Hashem, l. El chaar and L. Lamont, Study of a 900 W, Thin-film, Amorphous Silicon PV System in a Dusty Environment, submitted to renewable Energy Conference Journal: Mohandes, B., El-Chaar, L., Lamont, L., Application Study of 500W Photovoltaic (PV) System in the UAE, Applied Solar Energy, December 2009 Al-Ameri, O., Serhan, M., Lamont,L., El-Chaar,L., Variable Electronic Load for Testing PV Performance, Applied Solar Energy, Jan

18 Research Group Undergraduate research allows an experience and knowledge that no one can gain from books This research opportunity has widened my perspective to theory by practically implementing it This undergraduate initiative has motivated me in pressuring graduate studies at this institution 18

19 Accomplishments Supplying the need at all levels in industry, from large utilities to small consulting firms, for prepared professionals that can deal with energy issues at the utility side as well as at the customer side, especially in the field of renewable energy. Improved education of engineers in energy-related areas in order to ensure a pool of qualified professionals that will face today s energy challenges. Successful Integration of Renewable Energy Education without changing the Electrical Engineering Core Curriculum 19

20 QUESTIONS? Thank you for your attention and for the Invitation to share our Ideas from: NSF-Sponsored Workshop, Electrical Energy Education & Research, Texas A&M University, Doha, Qatar 20