Integrating renewable energy studies in under-graduate curriculum : the IET/ISAT experience

Abstract

During the past 3 years, collaboration between the Institute for Energy Technology (IET) at the University of Malta and the Program of Integrated Science and Technology (ISAT) at James Madison University, Virginia, U.S.A., has led to the formulation of a programme of studies captured within the course entitled “International Energy Studies”. This is a 3-credit offering that permits students from ISAT to travel abroad and to study and work on specific renewable energy projects and related topics such as economic feasibility and environmental issues. In many parts of the world, including the Mediterranean region, the field of renewable energy, in most of its aspects, is limited to post-graduate studies, and is rarely taught in undergraduate courses. The end result is that very few people know about the potential of utilising these energies in their everyday life, in particular solar and wind energy. This paper describes the unique experience gained from teaming up between IET and ISAT. Renewable energy technologies are taught to undergraduates, teasing and challenging them to devise sustainable forms of energy in various test cases. The paper will focus on one section of the programme, which is solar photovoltaics. A programme of studies will be presented and a number of practical suggestions will be given, to integrate photovoltaics in the curriculum of universities and other institutions of higher education.