Renewable Energy Systems: A Comprehensive Analysis

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Renewable Energy System

Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................4
LO1..............................................................................................................................................................4
Task1 (a) Schematic diagram that illustrates how the following energy sources are obtained and
transformed.................................................................................................................................................4
Solar energy.............................................................................................................................................4
Wind Energy............................................................................................................................................5
Hydropower.............................................................................................................................................6
Tidal Energy.............................................................................................................................................7
Task1 (b) Rates of adoption of two of the above energy resources............................................................8
LO2..............................................................................................................................................................9
Task 2 (a) Two renewable energy systems from Task 1 and describe how these systems could be
connected with local systems......................................................................................................................9
Task2 (b) A remote area and discussion for how renewable energy systems will bring benefit to the
people living in the area............................................................................................................................11
Task2 (c) A location in the United Kingdom and list the efficiencies of a variety of combinations of
renewable energy technologies................................................................................................................12
LO3............................................................................................................................................................12
Task3 (a) Solar Power system design for three bedroom property in London including the cost of
installation and construction of the required system................................................................................12
Task 3(b) Installation and construction cost of all renewable energy Sources..........................................14
Task3 (c) Cost-benefit critical analysis.......................................................................................................14
LO4............................................................................................................................................................14
Task4. (a) Impact of socio-economic, legislative and environmental factors for selection, set-up, and
operation of energy sources......................................................................................................................14
Task4. (b) Evaluation of environmental analysis and tools like PESTLE to determine a possible source of
conflict of interest.....................................................................................................................................15
Task4. (c) Supported and justified the recommendation..........................................................................15
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................17
References.................................................................................................................................................18

Figure 1 Schematic Diagram of Electricity Generation from Solar Energy...................................................5
Figure 2 Schematic Diagram of electricity production from wind energy....................................................6
Figure 3 Schematic diagram of hydropower electricity generation.............................................................7
Figure 4 Schematic Diagram of electricity generation from tidal sources...................................................8
Figure 5 Solar energy connections with local system................................................................................10
Figure 6 Hydro-electric connections with local system.............................................................................11

Introduction
Regular use of fossil fuels by modern society for fulfills their need increasing year by year. So to
fulfill their need several types of innovations has been done because there is a limited resource
of fossil fuels available on earth and modern society eventually use them rapidly. There is a lot
of research has been done to develop a renewable source of energy which can fulfill the need
of modern society and found that hydroelectric, wind, tidal and solar energy power can be
useful to provide the sustainable power source. As an engineering trainee, it is required to
discuss the given source of sustainable energy which can fulfill the need of people and analyze
their benefit. It is also required discussing adoption rate and capability of each of the sources to
adopt best power source to mitigate identified problems.
LO1
Task1 (a) Schematic diagram that illustrates how the following energy sources are obtained
and transformed
Solar energy
As per scientific research, the earth gets much amount of energy from the sun, around 173
trillion terawatts. That is a thousand times more than the entire world makes use. This ensures
the fact, the sun is the most powerful source of power on the entire world that can become a
superior power source of energy. Solar energy is one that is obtained from the sun in a
combination of heat and light. It is the best renewable source of energy and available every
part of the world equally. This energy has been used from ancient time by people by help of
magnifying glass. The schematic diagram shows the generation of electricity from solar energy
using solar PV devices which converts the sun’s power into electricity. PV devices generate
electricity by passing sunlight through an electronic process called semiconductors. The
electron of this semiconductor becomes charged due to travel of electron. The electron of
semiconductors has been charged and generates a field of electricity which is stored in inverter

and then passes into electrical appliances through the help of cables. The solar cell generates
DC type electricity and converts into an AC type of electricity using a device called inverter. (The
Berkeley Blog, 2019)
Figure 1 Schematic Diagram of Electricity Generation from Solar Energy
Wind Energy
As it is known that, wind energy is another free and secondary form sun renewable source. Due
to unpredicted heat in a different region of the world, the wind has been generated and uses by
the people by harnessing this power resource using windmills. The first use of wind power has
been done in sailing boats in earlier times.
Windmills used the wind power from moving wind to generate mechanical energy in form of
torque and directly send to the pumping water, but it can also be used for generating electricity
by modifying it to handle heat and lighting by the help of an electrical generator. This electrical
generator connecting with the shaft of the turbine and shaft is connected with windmills. The
kinetic energy of wind then converted in the form of mechanical and electrical power through
the help of windmills. The latest machine which makes use of kinetic power of the wind to
generate electricity called wind turbine. (Alternative Energy Tutorials, 2019)

Figure 2 Schematic Diagram of electricity production from wind energy
Hydropower
Hydropower is one of the best and clean energy providing mechanisms which offer cleanest
method electricity generation. By 2012, hydropower energy generation mechanism contributes
around 16% of total renewable electricity generation in the world. It is one of the widely used
forms of power generation having much flexibility and having low generation cost. There are
few components requires to form a hydroelectric power plant.
Dam and Reservoir- It constructs on a larger river in a hilly area to store sufficient water. The
dam acts as a large reservoir and the height of water level in dam determine how much
potential energy is being stored.
Control Gate- This allows water flow to the turbine and the amount of water which is released
to penstock is being controlled through this gate. When a gate is open completely, maximum
water could be released.
Penstock- A penstock is a steel pipe designed to carry water from reservoir to turbine. The
potential power of water is converted into kinetic power due to gravity.

Generator- It is located at top of the grid house and coupled to the shaft of the turbine. When
the blade of the turbine rotates it enforce generator to run and then electricity is being
produced.
(Society, 2019)
Figure 3 Schematic diagram of hydropower electricity generation
Tidal Energy
Tidal source of power is another form of hydroelectric power that provides a huge amount of
energy by making use of ocean tides. It is an alternative source of energy, due to gravitational
forces of the moon and sun vast amount of water in the ocean and sea produce tides. The
process of electricity generation using tides is much similar to the hydro-electric electricity
generation. The motion of tides in water that rise due to gravity, store a large amount of kinetic
energy and this kinetic energy is enough to drive a turbine. A turbine is located to generate
electricity by making use of tidal barrage. This barrage acts as a dam wall for the entrance of
water. The water which comes through barrage will go out through the turbine. This

mechanism of electricity generation is much new and it is in its initial stage of development.
(Alternative Energy Tutorials, 2019)
Figure 4 Schematic Diagram of electricity generation from tidal sources
Task1 (b) Rates of adoption of two of the above energy resources
There is two types of renewable source of energy which extensively used by the government
and commercial electricity service provider to fulfill the requirement of people. These two
sources are solar system and a hydro-electric power plant. As per research and survey, it is
found that the solar energy power generation mechanism can generate a thousand times more
than any other process. The governmental authority also confirms that the additional 173 GW
of power supply through solar system will be added to enhance the total power supply by the
end of 2019. There is another research which confirms that energy generation through hydro-
electricity power plant for electricity generation contributes around 16% of total renewable
electricity generation in the world. Means development in these two fields for electricity
generation can reduce the use of fossil fuels and also reduce harmful gases from the
environment. (US EPA, 2019)

LO2
Task 2 (a) Two renewable energy systems from Task 1 and describe how these systems could
be connected with local systems
As per the research done in task 1 solar energy mechanism and hydroelectric power generation
are the two processes which could be connected with local system to provide enough energy to
facilitate the mankind and can contribute enough in the total power supply.
Solar Energy system connection with the local system
A self-contained solar system can connect with a solar PV system which could be portable or
fixed main. When the sunlight beat the solar panel of the solar system free electron of silicon
semiconductor actively move and create a charge. This charge is DC so an inverter that is placed
on wall converts this DC charge into AC and then through the help of cable supplies to the
electric appliance of home or offices. There is also a backup battery has been placed which is
rechargeable and store enough energy for the moment when the solar system is no charge.
(Alternative Energy Tutorials, 2019)

Figure 5 Solar energy connections with the local system
Hydro-electric system connection with the local system
There are three types of hydro-electric system is available that can be connected with the local
system to generate power.
 Small scale- This is a mechanism which generates electric energy around 100KW and
1MV by feeding directly into the utility grid system. This is a stand along with the
mechanism of power generation.
 Mini-Scale- This is the second type of hydro-electric mechanism which can generate
more than 6KW to 100KW of electricity, feeds directly into the utility grid or charge the
battery. It is a standalone AC type grid system.

 Micro-Scale- This type of system uses some local system to provide enough energy for
home by the help of the DC generator. This DC generator produces electricity around
6KW that is enough to charge a battery.
(Union of Concerned Scientists, 2019)
Figure 6 Hydro-electric connections with the local system
Task2 (b) A remote area and discussion for how renewable energy systems will bring benefit
to the people living in the area
Burghum is a remote area located far from London capital and transportation in such area is
rare. The livelihood of this area is based on farming and some use of fossil fuels. But due to
regular use of fossil fuels quality of farming is not so good now. It’s a long time there is no
development has been done for saving the environment around this remote area. So the
implementation of renewable source of energy like solar system installation for farming and for
home uses will be a great step for the development. This source of energy didn’t make use of
water for power generation mean the water quality will remain the same and there is no air
pollution occurs due to electricity generation. Moreover, it is beneficial for people health.
Means installation of one such system could help to overcome all existing problems.
(Union of Concerned Scientists, 2019)

Task2 (c) A location in the United Kingdom and list the efficiencies of a variety of
combinations of renewable energy technologies
A location Birmingham, a city of the United Kingdom has been selected and use of a renewable
source of energy for the people resides there. The people directly depend on fossil fuels which
costing well in the purchase. There is no other source of energy is available means installation
of the mini solar plat for lightening a small house is cost effective. The use of solar energy didn’t
produce pollution like CO or CO2 helps to protect the environment. However, Australia gets 58
million solar powers per year eventually higher than the total use of energy. Currently, Australia
based remote area and the whole nation only use 0.1 percent in comparison to the total use of
other sources of energy. But it has been initiated in a remote area where transportation and
other development didn’t happen till yet. (Energy-uk.org.uk, 2019)
LO3
Task3 (a) Solar Power system design for three bedroom property in London including the cost
of installation and construction of the required system
The design of a renewable source of energy for the three bedroom property which is located in
London will consume an average power of 2.80 kWh/ meter square in 24 hours. (Homebuilding &
Renovating, 2019)
The main component that is used in the design of solar power renewable source of energy is as
follows:
 Photovoltaic system
 Solar power handling system
 Inverter
 Rechargeable battery which stores energy.
The development of solar cell design will be accomplished in the following points
 Totaling of consumed powers