CEAGE offers two online courses dealing
with renewable/alternate energy systems and the environmental
impacts of producing and utilizing electricity.
The courses are available to Virginia Tech
students as well as to those seeking continuing education, i.e.,
working professionals. For further information please contact
Prof. Saifur Rahman at (703) 528-5500. A brief description of
the courses is given below:
Electric energy
from alternative energy sources including solar, wind, hydro,
biomass, geothermal and ocean. Characteristics of direct conversion,
electromechanical conversion, and storage devices used in alternative
energy systems. Power system issues associated with integration
of small scale energy sources into the electricity grid. Prerequisites:
STAT 4714 or equivalent. (3H,3C), Spring Semesters. Topics covered
are:
ECE 4364,
Alternate Energy Systems, is completely web-based, and it can
be taken for 3 graduate or undergraduate level credits. Anyone
with a vt.edu PID can enroll themselves. Students are not required
to come to campus to attend classes. For students who are in Blacksburg
and in No VA area, they are asked to come to class for the mid-term
and the final exams only. Students who are in other locations
can submit their exams via email attachment, exams are sent to
the student via email. The lecture materials, text book, homework
and homework solutions, sample test materials are posted on the
class website, and managed through Course Info. Three lectures
(containing audio and text materials) are released every week.
Students can download them or play from the class web site. Users
need to have media player or equivalent software available on
their computers to play the audio. Students ask questions via
email.
ECE
5364 - Electric Energy and Environmental Systems
Role of electricity
from fossil and nuclear fuels, and renewable resources. Impact
of high voltage transmission lines. Assessment of cogeneration
cycles and demand side management. Emission control in the US
electric utility industry. Hydrogen Economy: its impact on emissions.
Evaluation of uncertainties in quantifying emissions impacts.
Prerequisites: none. (3H,3C). Fall Semester. Topics covered include
(See course syllabus):
Role of
electricity in energy balance
Environmental
impacts of electricity from fossil fuels
Environmental
impacts of electricity from nuclear fuels
Environmental
impacts of renewable energy sources
Climate
change issues
Emission
control in the US electric utility industry
Energy
efficiency, DSM and conservation
Strategies
for combined heat and power production
Hydrogen
Economy: its impact on emissions
Uncertainty
evaluation model
ECE 5364,
Electrical Energy and Environment Systems, is completely web-based,
and it can be taken for 3 graduate level credits. Any VT student
with graduate standing can take this course, there are no pre-requisites.
Anyone with a vt.edu PID can enroll themselves. The course is
fully online including exams, students will not have to come to
class at all. All lectures (audio, text, web browsing) will be
done online. Lectures will be posted on a weekly basis and students
will have a week to study the material and answer homework questions.
All homework assignments will be turned in via the class website
within one week of assignment. Please look at www.learn.vt.edu
site to get an idea about the Blackboard platform that is used
to conduct the class. There will be chat-rooms and threaded discussions
among students. The lecture materials, text book, homework and
homework solutions, sample test materials are posted on the class
website, and managed through Course Info.
ECE 6304 - Advanced Topics in Power: Electrical Energy Infrastructures and Microgrids
Semester:
Fall 2008
Course Timetable:
Monday 4:00pm
- 6:45pm
Course Offered:
Live at NVC,
VTEL to Blacksburg
Prerequisite:
ECE 4364
Registration:
Blacksburg
registrar or NOVA registrar
Please visit www.registrar.vt.edu to register for the class
CRN: 96736 (Blacksburg) 96737 (NVC)
Introduction to electrical energy infrastructures and their interdependencies, focusing on electrical energy, including generation, transmission and distribution of electricity along with its control systems. Concept of Network theory and model-based vulnerability analysis (MBVA). Vulnerability assessment case studies of electric power grids, and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. Role of emerging distributed generation technologies and cyber infrastructures to reduce risks and vulnerabilities. Distribution system analysis and microgrid operation. Distributed energy resource models, including solar photovoltaics, wind turbines and fuel cells, for electricity sector assurance. Reliability impacts of microgrids. (3H, 3C)
