Unit Learning Outcomes

LO1 Explore potential renewable energy resources, including current storage and generation technologies.

LO2 Determine the optimum combination and efficiencies of renewable energy technologies for a particular location.

LO3 Conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine the most viable option between renewable and conventional energy sources

LO4 Explain socio-economic, legislative, and environmental factors involved in the consideration and selection of other approaches to renewable energy resources and technologies.

Scenario:

Modern society is energy hungry. Our use of technology demands a huge supply of energy and we have devised many ways to supply this energy. There is a limited supply of fossil fuels, and we will eventually run out of them. A lot of research is being undertaken to develop sustainable sources of energy namely renewable energy sources such as Hydroelectric, solar, wind and tidal power. The major energy providers are planning to diversify the production of renewable energy resources. The use of renewable energy has been on the increase in the last two decades and a lot of investments have been put in this sector by governments all over the world. One of the top mission in UK with regards to climate change is to achieve a zero-carbon emissions by 2050. Based on this mission, The Isle of Wight Council has commissioned a study to look at the best sites and methods for generating renewable energy systems. You work in a company that builds infrastructure to develop solutions for renewable energy products. You are appointed as a trainee graduate engineer to work in projects related to EV, Solar and battery storage.

Your team manager has set the following tasks for you to complete to assess your suitability for the job. For Task 1.0, you need to submit a report on alternate energy sources available and recommend any two of them to the location, Isle of Wight with all the reasons and impacts of adoption of these two sources. For Task 2.0, you need to submit a report that includes cost benefit analysis and Pestle analysis for the given energy source(s).

Task 1.0

1. Discuss how the following renewable energy resources (i-iv) are obtained and transformed in to electrical energy including the working principles. Construct your answer with descriptions and diagrams. Describe how these renewable energy systems could be connected with local(/Grid) energy systems. Solar energy
2. Wind Energy

iii. Hydropower

1. Tidal Energy

(b) Select the two most widely used energy resources on the Isle of Wight. Provide justification on both conventional and renewable energy sources for Isle of Wight and explore the rates of the adoption of the chosen renewable energy resources by providing graphical representations to illustrate the adoption rates.

(c) Summarise the efficiencies of various combinations of renewable energy technologies suitable for Isle of Wight .Discuss how renewable energy systems will benefit people living on Isle of Wight.

Task 2.0

• Perform a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis that includes initial cost, operational costs, environmental impact, reliability and long – term sustainability for a three – bedroom property on the Isle of Wight for various renewable energy and conventional sources. Show the detailed calculation of installation and construction costs for at least one renewable energy sources and contrast it with other available renewable energy sources.

(b). Investigate how PESTLE analysis can identify potential conflicts of interest related to environmental considerations, its limitations with specific examples. Examine how different factors of PESTLE impact the selection, set up and operation of renewable energy sources ?

(c) Supply supported and justified recommendations for effective environmental analysis and your thoughts on alternative approaches to selection of renewable energy sources