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8) This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit. Evidence must show that knowledge has been acquired of safe working practices and carrying out basic repairs to renewable energy apparatus by replacement of components. All knowledge and skills detailed in this unit should be contextualised to current industry practices and technologies. |
KS01-EK123A | Introduction to renewable energy technologies |
| Evidence shall show an understanding of renewable energy principles and technologies to the extent indicated by the following aspects: |
| T1 Major non-technical issues encompassing: impact of economic, social, environmental and political issues on the use of renewable energy technologies. how each of the non-technical issues impact on the application of a selected renewable energy technology. |
| T2 Energy services and demand encompassing: definition of the terms: energy, power, energy efficiency, end use energy, primary energy, embodied energy. calculation relating to energy, power and time with the appropriate number and time with the appropriate number of significant figures. units and symbols for energy, power, time and temperature using standard SI units and prefixes. conversion of energy and power quantities from one unit to another using conversion tables the two laws that apply to any energy conversion process. efficiency of a simple energy conversion process. energy services required by a domestic dwelling. power and energy consumption of individual appliances and systems using appropriate meters or other methods. calculation of the end use and primary energy required for these energy services. selection of the most appropriate energy source for each of these services. justification in terms of environmental, economic, social and political constraints. selection of appropriate energy efficient appliances and technologies. |
| T3 The solar resource encompassing: definition of the terms: irradiation, latitude, solar constant, direct and diffuse radiation, azimuth and altitude angles, irradiance, solar window, tilt angle, solstice, equinox. units and symbol for irradiation and irradiance and the conversion of one unit to another using conversion tables. measurement of solar irradiance with a solarimeter. solar radiation data tables and contour maps. position of the sun for a given date, time and latitude using a sun path diagram. times when an obstacle will shade a given collector. how radiation varies throughout the year on the surface of a collector which is either fixed, single-axis tracking or double-axis tracking. appropriate tilt angles for fixed and seasonally-adjustable collectors at a given latitude and given application calculation of the effect of single-axis tracking and double-axis tracking on collected radiation using radiation data tables. |
| T4 Solar thermal systems encompassing: definition of the terms: conduction, convection, radiation, collector heat loss co-efficient, conductivity, specific hear, solar fraction. components for a solar thermal system including collector, storage, reticulation and control. solar collector types suitable for low, medium and high temperature applications. different types of domestic solar hot water (SWH) systems. how the components of thermosiphon and pumped storage systems operate. heat loss mechanisms in collectors. stratification in storage tanks. backup energy systems. control and protection strategies. solar fraction of a domestic SHW system with the use of table or nomograms. |
| T5 Energy efficient building design encompassing: definition of the terms: thermal comfort, passive system, active system, aspect of the site, orientation of the building, thermal mass. the climate factors which affect building design. relationship between thermal comfort and climate. relationship between the seasonal variation of the sun’s path and the heat gain of the building elements (roof, walls, windows, floor). effect of the thermal conductivity of building materials on heat flows to and from the building use of thermal mass in reducing temperature variations within the building. use of ventilation. thermal performance of a dwelling using both indoor and outdoor hourly temperature measurements over the period of at least one day. effect of insulation, glazing, orientation, shading devices, thermal mass and ventilation on the thermal performance of a building. an active solar system which could be used in a dwelling to complement passive design features in extreme climates. aspects of an existing dwelling that contribute to or detract from thermal performance. |
| T6 Photovoltaic arrays encompassing: definition of the terms: photovoltaic (PV) cell, module, series, parallel, array, maximum power point (MPP), nominal operating cell temperature (NOCT), short circuit current (ISC), open Circuit voltage (VOC), I-V curve, current at maximum power point (IMP), voltage at maximum power point (VMP). calculations relating to voltage, current and power with the appropriate number of significant figures and using standard SI units and prefixes. types of commercially available PV modules, their efficiency and typical applications. I-V curve for a typical PV module and label the approximate position of MPP and values of ISC, VOC, IMP and VMP. effect of irradiance and temperature on ISC, VOC, IMP and VMP. function of blocking and bypass diodes. current and voltage of a single module to produce the I-V characteristic curve. major specification criteria for a PV module. size and configuration of a PV array for a given load and system voltage using tables or nomograms. |
| T7 Wind energy resources encompassing: definition of the terms: kinetic energy, specific wind power, vertical wind speed profile, surface roughness, temperature inversion layer, cut in (vC), rated (vR) and furling (vF) wind speeds, rated power (PR), power co-efficient (cP), output co-efficient (cO), tip speed ratio. units and symbols for wind speed, specific wind power and air density. large scale wind patterns over the Australian continent, their causes and the effect of local terrain on wind speed, direction and turbulence. specific wind power for given wind speeds. wind speed at different heights above ground level. the mean wind speed based on wind speed frequency distribution data in the form of a histogram. suitable minimum tower height for a Wind. energy conversion System (WECS) sited downwind from an obstacle. isovent maps. types of wind-measuring instruments and the minimum requirements for assessing wind energy at a given site. measurement of wind speed and direction characteristics of horizontal axis and vertical axis, upwind and downwind, lift and drag propelled wind turbines. power vs. wind speed curve for a typical WECS showing vC, vR, vF, and PR. major specification criteria for a WECS. sizing a WECS for a given load, efficiency and annual mean wind speed using tables or a nomogram. |
| T8 Micro-hydro system basis encompassing: definition of the terms: flow rate, gross or static head, potential energy, net or dynamic head, hydraulic efficiency, MHS efficiency, equivalent pipe length, reaction turbine, impulse turbine units and symbols for: flow rate, head, gravitational constant methods each assessing flow rate and head. measurement of stream flow rate and head. assessment from contour maps. different MHS in terms of their physical and operating characteristics. major specification criteria for an MHS for electricity generation. suitable type and size of MHS for a given load, efficiency, available flow rate and net head using tables or a nomogram. |
| T9 Energy storage encompassing: methods of energy storage. energy density of the energy storage methods above by mass and volume. define the following terms in relation to batteries: nominal voltage, cell, primary and secondary cells, battery, charge and discharge rate, amp hour capacity, watt hour capacity, state of charge (SOC), depth of discharge (DOD), specific gravity (SG), watt hour and amp hour efficiency, cycle life. major features of common types of batteries suitable for stand-alone power systems. state of charge of a lead-acid battery through measurement of specific gravity or battery voltage using safe working practices. |
| T10 Stand alone power system basis encompassing: d.c. sub-system efficiency. block diagram of a typical SPS function of each SPS system component typical efficiencies of each component. major characteristics of different types of commercially available regulators, inverters and battery chargers. |
| T11 Biomass encompassing: definition of the terms: biogas, producer gas, biofuels, feedstock, gross and net calorific values. biofuels and their specific energy contents method of production of one of these five biofuels including: source of raw material/feedstock, conversion process, yield applications for each of the biofuels. assessment of the biomass resource required to meet a particular energy service e.g. cooking, hot water, space heat, transport, process heat, electricity. social, political and economic impact of large scale use of selected biomass resources. |