Certified Renewable Energy Specialist

This Renewable Energy Specialist course, offered by our accredited school partners, addresses the main characteristics of the emerging generation of technologies which will be employed to provide energy for the power grid over the next 20 years. This course covers solar energy in its various forms, such as photovoltaic, thermal and thermodynamic energy conversion, taking into account the various issues associated with the connection of these solar plants to the grid. We will also cover Wind technologies that are today in full development and the section of this course dedicated to wind technology describes the state of the art, taking into consideration the consequences of adding large quantities of this intermittent energy source into power grids, one of which may be wide disturbances. Energy from the sea is also covered in the Renewable Energy Specialist course, with a section on very small hydraulic plants which will become of increasing interest as fossil fuels become more and more expensive. The course continues with an analysis of geothermal energy along three lines: heat pumps, heat, and electric energy generation. Finally, the Renewable Energy Specialist needs to know about energy from biomass, which is also becoming of great interest due to the high cost of fossil fuels. In this section we cover a wide-ranging description of biofuels and biogas and we give special focus to sources of energy from word, as a substitute for gas or oil energy heating. This Renewable Energy Specialist course is a must for anyone interested in moving into the field of green energy. After completing this course, you should be able to: • Define the core elements of photovoltaic systems and solar energy • Identify features of wind system energy • Comprehend energy systems based on water and geothermal production • Define main features of biofuels and bio-gas • Comprehend the process of energy production from burning wood Outline: Renewable Energy Specialist Module 1 - Photovoltaic & Solar Energy • Photovoltaic Electricity Production • Photovoltaic Conversion • Cells with a Crystalline Silicon Base • Cells in Thin Films • Photovoltaic Market • Photovoltaic Systems Connected to the Grid • Problems of Photovoltaic Power Generation • Physical Architectures • Constraints Related to Supplying Energy • Algorithmic Architectures • Solar Heating • Flat Solar Panels • Solar Heating Systems • Solar Thermodynamic Power Stations • Concentrating Solar Power Technologies Renewable Energy Specialist Module 2 - Wind System Technology • Wind Power Today • Description of a Wind Generator • Operation of a Wind Turbine • Controls of Energy Conversion • Fixed & Variable Speed Systems • Connection to the Grid • Voltage at the Point of Connection • Stability & Protection Design • Auxiliary Systems • Possible Connection Problems • Comparison of Technologies Renewable Energy Specialist Module 3 - Marine Energy, Hydropower & Geothermal • Electricity Productivity from Marine Resources • Energy Sources from the Sea • Ocean Wave Generator Systems • Tidal Energy Converters (TEC) • Ocean Thermal Energy Converter (OTEC) • Small Hydropower • Hydraulic Energy • Exploitation of Hydraulic Force • Research & Development in Small Hydropower • Geothermal Energy Production • Geothermal Heat Pump Systems • Direct Production of Heat • Electricity Production Renewable Energy Specialist Module 4 - Biofuels, Biogas & Wood • Biofuels in the Energy Environment • Current Biofuel Systems • Future Biofuel Systems • The Use of Lignocellulose • The Bioethanol System • Biogas: The Renewable Natural Gas • Naturally Occurring Biogas • History of Anaerobic Digestion • Biogas Units • Uses of Biogas • Energy Production from Wood • Overview of Wood Fuels • Converting Wood into Energy • Generators of Thermal Energy from Wood Enroll through one of our accredited university or college partners today!

Renewable Energy Specialist Module 1 - Photovoltaic & Solar Energy • Photovoltaic Electricity Production • Photovoltaic Conversion • Cells with a Crystalline Silicon Base • Cells in Thin Films • Photovoltaic Market • Photovoltaic Systems Connected to the Grid • Problems of Photovoltaic Power Generation • Physical Architectures • Constraints Related to Supplying Energy • Algorithmic Architectures • Solar Heating • Flat Solar Panels • Solar Heating Systems • Solar Thermodynamic Power Stations • Concentrating Solar Power Technologies Renewable Energy Specialist Module 2 - Wind System Technology • Wind Power Today • Description of a Wind Generator • Operation of a Wind Turbine • Controls of Energy Conversion • Fixed & Variable Speed Systems • Connection to the Grid • Voltage at the Point of Connection • Stability & Protection Design • Auxiliary Systems • Possible Connection Problems • Comparison of Technologies Renewable Energy Specialist Module 3 - Marine Energy, Hydropower & Geothermal • Electricity Productivity from Marine Resources • Energy Sources from the Sea • Ocean Wave Generator Systems • Tidal Energy Converters (TEC) • Ocean Thermal Energy Converter (OTEC) • Small Hydropower • Hydraulic Energy • Exploitation of Hydraulic Force • Research & Development in Small Hydropower • Geothermal Energy Production • Geothermal Heat Pump Systems • Direct Production of Heat • Electricity Production Renewable Energy Specialist Module 4 - Biofuels, Biogas & Wood • Biofuels in the Energy Environment • Current Biofuel Systems • Future Biofuel Systems • The Use of Lignocellulose • The Bioethanol System • Biogas: The Renewable Natural Gas • Naturally Occurring Biogas • History of Anaerobic Digestion • Biogas Units • Uses of Biogas • Energy Production from Wood • Overview of Wood Fuels • Converting Wood into Energy • Generators of Thermal Energy from Wood

All required reference materials are provided with this program. Technical requirements: Internet Connection • Broadband or High-Speed (DSL, Cable, Wireless) Hardware Requirements • Processor - 2GHz Processor or Higher • Memory - 1 GB RAM Minimum Recommended Software Requirements • Operating Systems - Windows 7, 8 or 10; Mac OS x 10 or higher • Microsoft Office 2007, 2010 or 2013 or a Word Processing application to save and open Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx) • Internet Browsers - Google Chrome is highly recommended • Cookies MUST be enabled • Pop-ups MUST be allowed (Pop-up Blocker disabled) • Adobe PDF Reader

Upon successful completion of our Renewable Energy Specialist course, students will be prepared to sit for the NCCB national certification exam to become a Certified Renewable Energy Specialist (CRES). Each state may have additional licensing requirements, be sure to research your states requirements for employment by visiting your states occupation board.

This class is an independent-study course. Students will have all the resources needed to successfully complete the course within the online material. A student helpdesk is available for technical support during the course enrollment.