IRE26121 Green Energy Technology and Energy Storage (Autumn 2026)

Elective course in the Bachelor's degree in engineering - electrical: electronics and green energy, as well as for TRESS and the Y-veien associated with this study programme.

The course will not run if there are fewer than 7 registered students.

The following topics will be covered:

• Energy terminology, thermodynamics, and thermal physics; thermal processes and power plants, including hydroelectric and district heating plants.
• The global and Norwegian energy situation; alternative energy forms globally and nationally.
• Equations of state for gas phases, gas, and steam processes; phase transitions and their utilization in thermal systems.
• Work and heat.
• The First Law of Thermodynamics, cyclic processes, change of state, internal energy, enthalpy, and specific heat.
• Open systems (control volumes), closed systems, and steady-state processes.
• The Second Law of Thermodynamics, reversible and irreversible processes, and entropy.
• Efficiency of cyclic processes for power production and refrigeration.
• Fluid flow in piping systems, pumps, and compressors.
• Renewable energy sources: water (hydro), solar (PV and thermal), wind, wave, tidal, and osmotic power (saltkraft).
• Refrigeration systems and heat pumps.
• Heat transfer: conduction, convection, radiation, and heat exchangers.
• Energy distribution systems.
• Thermal energy storage.
• Electrochemical storage of electrical energy.
• Hydrogen as an energy carrier.
• Academic writing of technical reports.

Knowledge

The student has knowledge of:

• properties of pure substances, phase equilibrium, and equations of state
• the laws of thermodynamics for closed and open systems
• fundamental concepts within energy technology and renewable energy
• the energy equation for open systems with steady flow
• entropy, changes of state, cyclic processes, and reversible/irreversible processes
• efficiencies for cyclic processes in power production and refrigeration systems
• refrigeration machines and heat pumps
• heat transfer and heat exchangers
• management and utilization of different energy forms in various contexts
• energy storage systems
• causes and propagation of efficiency [losses] in different energy storage systems

Skills

The student can:

• apply knowledge to optimize energy production, streamline energy consumption, and improve the utilization of renewable energy sources
• explain the concepts and operation of available and relevant energy storage systems

General Competence

The student can:

• apply knowledge to optimize energy production, streamline energy consumption, and improve the utilization of renewable energy sources
• write short technical reports in an academic manner

• Approved 5 out of 10 assignments
• Participation in one site visit

Coursework requirements are graded as approved / not approved. All coursework requirements must be approved before the student can sit for the exam.

Examination consisting of two partial exams:

Partial exam 1: Written examination, individual. Duration: 3 hours. (Weighted 50%). Permitted aids: Calculator with empty memory, incapable of symbolic calculation or wireless communication. Approved formula sheets.

Partial exam 2: Individual portfolio assessment. The portfolio contains project reports. (Weighted 50%).

The grading scale A-F is used for both components. Both partial exams must be passed to receive a grade in the course.

A single overall grade for the course is awarded based on the A-F grading scale.

Partial exam 2: The portfolio may be revised once.

Resit examination is held early in the following semester.