
| First Trimester | Renewable Energy Science (30 ECTS) |
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| RES601 | Energy – Past, Present, and Future | ||
| RES602 | Energy Technologies – Conversion, Storage & Energy Systems |
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| RES604 |
Life-Cycle Assessment & Energy Efficiency Analysis | ||
| RES603 | Carbon Capture & Sequestration Technologies | ||
| RES605 | Geothermal Energy | ||
| RES606 | Fuel Cell Systems & Technologies | ||
| RES607 | Hydropower | ||
| RES608 | Biofuels & Bioenergy | ||
| RES609 | Solar Energy |
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| RES610 | Wind & Wave (Tidal) Power | ||
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Study Tour
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| Second Trimester | Specialization (30 ECTS) |
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| Geothermal Energy |
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| Fuel Cell Systems & Hydrogen | |||
| Biofuels & Bioenergy |
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| Hydropower | |||
| Energy Systems & Policies | |||
| Third Trimester |
Master's Thesis (30 ECTS) | ||
| Individual Modules |
Modules are of 1-3 weeks duration and carry 2-6 ECTS credits; 3 hours of lectures in the morning plus a lab/project session for another 3 hours in the afternoon, five days of the week. Students complete individual or group project assignments for each module, take an exam following the completion of each module, and a final exam at the end of the trimester. |
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| Faculty | List of faculty members |
| RES601: Energy – Past, Present & Future | ||
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Course Description: Course content includes historical and current energy use, fossil fuel resource base estimation, and energy demand forecasting – future imbalance between supply and
demand. New energy paradigm. Local energy resource availability in different countries. The need to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions; different scenarios and policies; implications of
global warming and climate change. Political and economic implications of increasing scarcity of conventional oil – energy security of supply. The importance of renewable energy. Principles for
sustainable energy development – is this possible? If so, how can we accomplish this? |
Course Duration: 2 weeks ECTS Credits: 4 Time Schedule: 8 - 19 February Professor: Dr. Dean Abrahamson |
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| RES602: Energy Technologies – Conversion, Storage & Energy Systems | ||
| Course Description: The first week of this course is a brief review of some of the main principles of thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, and fluid dynamics. The following two
weeks focus on a comparative analysis of the main physical and chemical characteristics and environmental impacts of fossil fuel resources, new generation of nuclear power plants, nuclear fusion, and
clean coal technologies - future importance? Energy conversions and energy systems – combined heat and power (CHP), tri-generation systems (power, heating, cooling), and hybrid systems; energy
conversion efficiencies. Energy networks – grid connected systems and distributed generation; smart electricity transmission networks and scenarios of energy infrastructure evolution.
Energy storage technologies; and innovative energy storage solutions. |
Course Duration: 3 weeks ECTS Credits: 6 Time Schedule: 22 February - 12 March Professors: Dr. Piotr Furmanski Dr. Dusan Holoubek Dr. Paul Erickson |
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| RES603: Carbon Capture & Sequestration (CCS) Technologies | ||
| Course Description: Advanced pollution prevention technologies in energy generation. Advanced pre-combustion separation techniques; separation techniques in solid, liquid and gaseous fuel
generation. CO2-capture, transportation and sequestration techniques (CCS); CO2-storage technologies in various geological environments; CO2 use in EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery); economic assessment
and regulatory activities for CO2-capture and storage. Case studies, including CO2 storage into glassy basaltic formations in Iceland and the Norwegian Sleipnir CO2-injection project in the North
Sea. |
Course Duration: 1 week ECTS Credits: 2 Time Schedule: 15 - 19 March Professor: Dr. Sigurdur Gislason |
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| RES604: Life-Cycle Assessment & Energy Efficiency Analysis | ||
| Course Description: Principles and methods of industrial ecology and life-cycle assessment (LCA) and applications for energy systems; introduction to the advanced SimaPro LCA software. Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and cost-efficiency analysis of various energy scenarios and renewable energy choices; cost-effective energy efficiency measures; and future energy conservation scenarios. | Course Duration: 2 weeks ECTS Credits: 4 Time Schedule: 22 - 26 March and 6 – 10 April Professors: Dr. Paulo Ferrao Dr. Sergio Pacca |
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| RES606: Fuel Cell Systems & Technologies | ||
| Course Description: Course content includes a review of the main characteristics of FC systems and technologies. Hydrogen production and storage systems. Utilization of hydrogen and
FC technology in transportation, shipping, industrial and residential settings. The Icelandic ECTOS project and Iceland’s transition to a hydrogen-based economy. Hydrogen storage problems.
Energy efficiency, costs and environmental impact assessments. Future prospects of FC. |
Course Duration: 1 week ECTS Credits: 2 Time Schedule: 12 - 16 April Professors: Dr. S. David Dvorak |
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| RES608: Biofuels & Bioenergy | ||
| Course Description: Course content includes an assessment of different biomass resources, yields and exploitation. Characteristic of anaerobic digestion. Types of liquid and gaseous biofuels and production technologies. Advanced energy conversion technologies and biosystems. Biofuels production in Iceland and elsewhere. Energy efficiency, costs and environmental impact assessments. Future prospects of biofuels and bioenergy. | Course Duration: 1 week ECTS Credits: 2 Time Schedule: 19 - 23 April Professors: Dr. Johann Orlygsson Mr. Asgeir Ivarsson Ms. Agusta S. Loftsdottir |
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| RES607: Hydropower | ||
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Course Description: Course content includes; power market description and properties, power project layouts, power factors and turbine types. Dams, reservoirs and routing. Flow data presentation, flood analyses, precipitation and flow relationship. Operations research using water values, Quality of supply considerations. Power markets an expansion planning in Iceland. |
Course Duration: 1 week ECTS Credits: 2 Time Schedule: 26 - 30 April Professor: Mr. Elias Elíasson |
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| RES605: Geothermal Energy | ||
| Course Description: Course content includes a review of the main characteristics of geothermal systems - low-temperature and high-temperature geothermal fields. Brief overview of the methodology
of geothermal exploration and exploitation. Geothermal resource utilization in Iceland and elsewhere. Geothermal district heating systems, geothermal heat pumps, and power plants; combined heat and
power systems (CHP). Energy efficiency, costs and environmental impact assessments. Future prospects of geothermal energy. |
Course Duration: 1 week ECTS Credits: 2 Time Schedule: 4 - 8 May Professors: Dr. Axel Bjonsson Dr. Hrefna Kristmannsdottir Dr. Pall Valdimarsson |
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| RES609: Solar Energy | ||
| Course Description: Course content includes a review of solar radiation, solar resource distribution, and seasonal variation. Solar thermal power plants (CSP). Solar electricity and
characteristics of photovoltaic cells (PVs) - physics and design of PV cells; multilayer solar cells; photovoltaic systems and collectors. Solar water heating systems. Solar architectural designs.
Case studies from Europe and the U.S. Energy efficiency, costs and environmental impact assessments. Future prospects of solar energy. |
Course Duration: 1 week ECTS Credits: 2 Time Schedule: 10 - 15 May (Holiday 13 May) Professor: Dr. Michael J. Brandemuehl |
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| RES610: Wind & Wave (Tidal) Power | ||
| Course Description: Course content includes a brief review of the nature of atmospheric winds and ocean waves; basic wind and wave statistics - wind and wave mapping; resource assessments and
energy potential; tidal behavior and tidal power. Principles of wind turbine technologies; onshore and offshore wind farms; wave and tidal power technologies and power plants; and ocean thermal
energy conversion systems. Renewable or “green” islands. Case studies from Europe and the U.S. Energy efficiency, costs and environmental impact assessments. Future prospects of wind and
wave energy. |
Course Duration: 1 week ECTS Credits: 2 Time Schedule: 17 - 21 May Professor: Dr. Hans C. Soerensen |
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| RES611: Study Tour | ||
| Course Description: Study tour in Iceland to a number of interesting sites harnessing renewable energy. The tour includes visits to high- and low-temperature geothermal fields, geothermal and
hydropower plants, geothermal district-heating operations, research laboratories, various facilities utilizing hydroelectric, geothermal, biomass and hydrogen energy, as well visits to
Iceland’s leading energy companies and institutions. For an overview of the Study Tour in 2008, site visits and photo gallery, please click here. |
Course Duration: 8 days Dr. Pall Jensson |
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