Course teacher(s)
Michel HUART (Coordinator)ECTS credits
3
Language(s) of instruction
english
Course content
Today, energy and sustainability are matters of primary concern. Through (A) a multidisciplinary general overview of applied energy and (B) a series of seminars, the course (A) provides some references and keys to understand applied energy, (B) discuss the sustainable energy challenges and gives an insight of some innovative solutions. The course is for both electro-mechanical and business engineering students.
A. General overview (6 x 2 hours) - Applied energy and sustainability - Michel HUART – ULB
- Basics of science applied to energy systems: Energy, power, units, forms; Main energy vectors (fuels, electricity, heat); Heating degree day; Combustion; Energy conversions (efficiency); rough estimates and order of magnitude.
- Energy systems (commodities, technologies, reserves): Overview of the energy commodities (fuel, heat, electricity); Standard technologies to provide heat, fuels, work, transport, electricity or storage; Electricity sector; Resources and reserves (fossil, nuclear, renewable).
- Energy chains (concept and indicators): Energy chain main steps; Fuel chain, embodied energy, total energy consumption; Process efficiencies, energy intensity, EROEI, material and transport energy intensity;
- Energy demand: Intrinsic energy of activities, energy consumption statistics; Reducing demand (efficiency, energy savings, sufficiency), rebound effects; Behavioural disciplines, Introduction to sociology: ISM model;
- Prices and costs of energy: Energy markets (Belgian retail and international wholesale), energy bill and unit prices, components, values (average, marginal, current, constant); Discounting; Price evolutions (observed and projected); Costs: CAPEX, OPEX, LCOE, Externalities.
- Energy statistics: World trends (Primary energy, final energy, electricity); Conventions; Energy flow chart, UE and National energy consumption.
B. Sustainable Energy applications – A series of seminars and discussions, also with invited speakers (10 x 2 hours) – Maarten MESSAGIE – VUB
The seminars will give an insight into the current status, the perspectives and the challenges associated to various technologies. Non-exhaustive list of the discussed topics:
- Anthropogenic climate change
- Sustainable manufacturing
- CO2 emissions and Carbon Capture and Storage
- Mobility
- Near Zero Emissions Building
- Energy Storage
- Electricity network
- Renewable energy sources
- Rebound effect
- ...
The attendance to the seminars is mandatory. They student will give feedback on the seminars. The students will prepare a homework based on the fact-checking of a statement related to one of the topics covered during the seminars.
Objectives (and/or specific learning outcomes)
- To define, to illustrate and to make appropriate use of key concepts and methods of applied energy.
- To solve exercises in concrete situations of energy consumption (or generation) in order:
- To build an energy chain of a defined activity in a given context (energy systems, commodity, intrinsic energy of the service-related actvity, need) and to analyse its sustainability and economical aspects
- To describe and to analyse sustainable energy applications (renewable, efficiency, demand response, rational use of energy, energy system innovation) through case studies in industry, buildings and transport (seminars) ;
- To deliver a professional report (format, legibility).
- To give feedback on a seminar given by a guest speaker
- To fact-check a statement related to the sustainable transition using reliable sources and to express one’s opinion about it based on sound technical arguments.
Teaching methods and learning activities
Up to 18 sessions of 2 hours given by professors and external experts.
Graded homework (feedbacks, readings, exercises, reports, abstracts).
Attendance to the seminars and course activities are compulsory.
References, bibliography, and recommended reading
B. EVERETT, G. BOYLE, S. PEAKE, J. RAMAGE - Energy Systems and Sustainability –Oxford University Press, 2012 - 653 pages - ISBN: 978-0-19-959374-3 – 42 £
D. MACKAY - Sustainable Energy – without the hot air – UIT Cambridge Ltd, 2009 – 380 pages - ISBN: 978-0954452933 - Free download: http://www.withouthotair.com/
IEA: "Energy statistics Manual", 2005 and "Energy Efficiency Indicators: Fundamentals on Statistics", 2014. – Free download - https://webstore.iea.org/statistics-data
NREL – A manual for the Economic Evaluation of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies, 1995 - Free download - https://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/old/5173.pdf
Course notes
- Université virtuelle
Contribution to the teaching profile
Competence framework of electro-mechanical engineering related in energy systems, energy efficiency, sustainable energy. In particular:
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To demonstrate expertise and versatility in energy systems and energy consumption of given activities;
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To formulate and to analyse sustainable energy applications and suggest optimal solution in a given context;
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To adapt scientific and technical communication;
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To be a responsible person aware of societal, environmental and economic issues through sustainability.
Other information
Additional information
The classes can be given on VUB Campus.
The attendance to the seminars is mandatory.
Contacts
Coordinator: Michel HUART - michel.huart@ulb.be
Campus
Solbosch, Other campus
Evaluation
Method(s) of evaluation
- Personal work
- Oral examination
- Other
- Written report
Personal work
Oral examination
Other
Written report
General overview: Personal work (and homework)
Submission of answers to the questionnaires after each lecture.
- Regularity: Over a period of five to six lectures, penalty is given if less than four feedback are submitted.
- Clarity: Terminology and concern of being understood;
- Discernment: Related to the issue and linked with lecture;
- Quality: Care in following the instructions, intention in the resolution or sense of synthesis, evolution of the quality over time;
- Ability to complete the exercise individually;
- An abusive use of AI is penalised, and it can lead to a mark of 0/20.
As there are no more classes in the second term, the second session involves submitting a piece of homework using what was learnt in the first term. Instructions will be posted on the course webpage.
Seminars: Personal work and homework
Presence and submission of a feedback after the seminars.
Participation in the peer assessment of the homework.
The homework will be assessed based on the following criteria:
• Quality of claim selection and relevance to the course
• Depth of the fact-checking process (accuracy and reliability of sources used)
• Clarity and structure of the report
• Mastery of the concepts covered in the course
• Critical thinking and reasoning in the conclusion
• Proper referencing of sources
Oral exam
The student will be invited to an oral exam in case of failure, where the personal works and homework will be discussed.
The student may also request an oral exam to defend his/her work and improved his/her mark.
Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)
Assessment of knowledge and skills through (1) answering questions and giving feedbacks after each lecture and submitting homework for general overview and (2) reporting the relevant insights of the given seminars.
50% General overview
50% Seminars
Language(s) of evaluation
- english