Design Of A Photovoltaic Power System

What should technology and engineering students know about renewable energy? Traditional energy technologies, such as coal-fired power plants and petroleum-based internal combustion engines, will continue to dominate modern society for the short term. However, an increased dependence on foreign energy sources, energy shortages, and environmental concerns are beginning to bring alternative energy issues to the forefront. The paper describes the design of a small photovoltaic power system that demonstrates renewable energy topics in a variety of MET and EET undergraduate courses. Energy Use in the United States Figure 1 illustrates several well-known trends regarding overall energy consumption and production in the United States. Prior to 1950, energy production and consumption were roughly equal. The U.S. met its domestic energy requirements without foreign sources. By the early 1960’s, consumption began surpassing production. In recent decades, increased use of automobiles, higher levels of industrial production, and greater amounts of comfort air conditioning allowed total consumption to easily surpass total production. In 2000, the U.S. produced only about 75% of the total energy it used. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 10