What do you picture when you hear the term “renewable energy?” Do you imagine fields of solar panels, giant windmills, or huge hydroelectric dams? Those are all examples of large-scale, grid-tied systems. In this course, we’ll go much smaller and focus on off-grid, stand-alone systems.
We will explore the key components of photovoltaic, wind, and hydroelectric systems. We will examine photovoltaic, or PV, system components, and the scientific laws essential to understanding how renewable energy systems work. We will discuss wind energy and low-head hydroelectric systems, focusing on small-scale implementations. During our exploration of these systems, we will focus on safety and regulating bodies that guide proper system design. Throughout the course, you will be able to apply what you’re learning by conducting an energy audit to analyze power consumption, identifying essential system components of small-scale systems, building a budget for a small-scale system design, and creating a design for implementing a small-scale system.
Status: Electrical Systems
Electrical Systems
Status: Hydraulics
Hydraulics
Beginner·Course·15 hours
Featured reviews
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 9, 2020
Great course! Information is well presented and organized. You'll end this course feeling confident on designing your own solar system, as well as gaining knowledge in other renewable energy schemes.
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 13, 2020
Great course!!! Well presented and organized. You'll end this course feeling confident on designing your own solar system, as well as gaining knowledge in other renewable energy schemes
4.0
·Reviewed Sep 14, 2021
Provided a clear explanation of the components and design requirements of an off grid system. Do hope research and development in urban/residential sites will be expanded upon.
5.0
·Reviewed Nov 16, 2022
it was a helpful course which has helped me a lot to learn more about physics of semiconductor, especially the solar panels in renewable energy field.
4.0
·Reviewed Oct 27, 2024
There were variations in the suggested material and what was being thought by the Instructor. An interactive comment section would also be helpful
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 21, 2020
This course provided a well organized information regarding Renewable Energy Schemes and how can we design a system to provide energy at smaller level.
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 4, 2023
Hello, thank you for your efforts in the course. It was very useful and beautiful. I hope you will always be healthy and happy. Mohammad Pakzad from Iran.
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 6, 2021
Very informative and as I expected, will recommend to all who wants to know and have clear understanding of renewable energy sources.
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 21, 2021
such a beneficial course with best guide. This course helped me to understand the core ideas and knowledge about renewable energy
4.0
·Reviewed May 12, 2021
This course is definitely worth completing . It covers all the fundamentals of solar, wind and hydro electricity generation process. It is very much helpful for students. Good luck..
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 8, 2025
it's great course and I hope I get my job in renewable energy and I have a renewable energy company to sustainable energy to utilise geothermal and production solar panel
5.0
·Reviewed May 22, 2020
Exploring Renewable Energy Schemes, That is very helpful, I'm very glad to join in this experience with a team of Coursera, many thanks for all of you.
All reviews
Showing: 20 of 174
All Learners
All Stars
Most Helpful
C
Carlos
1.0
·Reviewed Mar 26, 2020
The course is too basic, there are no equations, no specific descriptions of the types of PV systems, software to calculate energy yields, nothing. More than that, there are no prepared technical slides or relevant images, is just the professor talking and talking.... and talking.
Great course! Information is well presented and organized. You'll end this course feeling confident on designing your own solar system, as well as gaining knowledge in other renewable energy schemes.
S
sai
5.0
·Reviewed May 11, 2020
great course and I like the prof way of teaching so much, such a cool person. I highly recommend any one to come and "Explore" this course on Photo voltaic, Wind and Hydro Energy.
T
Tofopefun
5.0
·Reviewed Apr 18, 2020
This course was really interesting. It cemented my basic foundation on renewable energy; solar, wind and hydro.
Y
Youssef
3.0
·Reviewed Mar 25, 2021
The Course is a good introduction to PV and Solar Energy, although it is only an introduction and is too basic and simple in my opinion - really beginner level, quick and easy, but I did enjoy it
To be honest, I also struggled with the English/spanish accent of the teacher, which did not make it easy. beginners will like that the teacher speaks in simple terms, with metaphors and examples, so that everyone can understand.
There are other courses on Coursera that will give you a better or deeper understanding of Solar Energy etc, such as the one from DTU (Denmark) for instance.
T
Thom
3.0
·Reviewed Jul 23, 2022
The teacher is somewhat difficult to follow, searching for words. I playd the vides at 1.25 speed which, made it easier to follow him. formula 'sand theories were not very well explained. Training was not at an acedemic level.
K
Kim
2.0
·Reviewed Jan 5, 2022
Soporific course, an interesting topic made boring with hours of talk and few materials. Would be great to offer, ppt, slides or hands-on tools.
S
Sikandar
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 6, 2020
its best course for beginner and specially for those who love renewable energy and its importance.
its a great opportunity for both students and field engineers who love to work on solar panels :) .
and specially thanks to great course instructor who made every thing clear.thank you coursera and thank you University of Pennsylvania
team
M
Mohammad
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 5, 2023
Hello, thank you for your efforts in the course. It was very useful and beautiful. I hope you will always be healthy and happy. Mohammad Pakzad from Iran.
N
Nancy
3.0
·Reviewed Oct 12, 2020
This was a nice high-level survey of some renewable energy options but I felt it lacked the depth required to put together a good system off-grid, which was the stated goal of the course. In particular very little attention was paid to the batteries, which will be the most expensive part of an off-grid solar system. I also felt details on how to size the required components was weak. I did learn some useful things from the course but overall I was disappointed.
V
Vivek
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 17, 2020
Such a wonderful course for a beginner to renewable energy systems. We all know about renewable systems to a degree, but through this course, one gets a solid understanding of the basic fundamentals and introduces new perspectives and criteria essential to running a successful system. Professor Santiago does a really good job of connecting the course material always to developing a real system. The additional readings are a great source as well.
F
Fabio
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 23, 2022
Thanks Dr. Jorge Santiago for this excellent course, where I had the chance to explore renewable energy concepts. I liked the methodology and pedagogy whic h helped me to assimilate clearly the basics of PV solar , eolic and low head hydroelectric systems. This course has motivated me to go farther in the study of PV Solar System, which is a technology that may be be easier to undertake in household projects.
B
Bhekithemba
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 14, 2022
This is a great course indeed, presented by someone who is patient and very passionate about the subject. I enjoyed it all the way and would recommend it to anyone else. Now I am going to get that certificate and study further! Thank you Doc, and thank you so much to the University of Pennsylvannia.
K
Karen
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 8, 2022
Instructor was very knowledgable and easy to follow. The content coverable was more than expected and I learned a lot in this course that I will be able to apply to my real life living. Lots of excellent resources that I have booked marked to continue exploring solar energy.
Y
Yalda
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 8, 2020
The course was very well structured and the lectures were extremely complete and informative. A beginner to understanding renewable energy schemes will undoubtedly learn the basics. I appreciate the contributions of prof. Jorge Santiago-Aviles.
S
Sunil
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 14, 2020
Great course!!! Well presented and organized. You'll end this course feeling confident on designing your own solar system, as well as gaining knowledge in other renewable energy schemes
W
Wasih
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 22, 2020
This course provided a well organized information regarding Renewable Energy Schemes and how can we design a system to provide energy at smaller level.
Y
younsi
5.0
·Reviewed May 22, 2020
Exploring Renewable Energy Schemes, That is very helpful, I'm very glad to join in this experience with a team of Coursera, many thanks for all of you.
F
Fatima
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 22, 2020
very good course i toke more information and enhance my knowledge. More thanks and love to the best cool prof who presented the course.
A
Aisling
5.0
·Reviewed Sep 8, 2021
Overall, I am quite happy with this course. It may be a bit too short and general for me being a mechanical engineering student, but I found it quite interesting. I was happy to find a course in renewable energy as I have interest in sustainability and environmentally friendly projects, I feel it is important for courses like this to be available to the public as it is something that should be greatly encouraged. This course was very solar energy focused which works for my country, but it would be nice for the course to go into more detail on other renewable energy schemes as well. Dr. Jorge was good. Although it can be a bit difficult to understand him at times, and there may be a bit too many pauses when explaining something than I’d like, I found him quite entertaining and after a few videos I got used to his style. He seems like a very nice man.