Teaching renewable energy system design and analysis with HOMER

Abstract

Equipping engineering students with the skills and knowledge required to be successful global engineers in the 21st century is one of the primary objectives of undergraduate educators. Enabling students to practice self-directed learning, to find solutions to design problems that are sustainable to the application requirements, to have appropriate skills and knowledge, as well as the familiarity of the modern software packages, tools and equipment used in today industries are major goals of all engineering or engineering technology programs. This paper presents how the uses of HOMER (Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable) software package can be a valuable tool for renewable energy education (design, modeling and analysis of renewable energy systems). However, today there are quite a few programs for the renewable energy design, analysis and modeling. Some of them are more complexes, others user-friendlies, while others too simple. Here, this software package has been considered to have all the features and tools necessarily to make a good option, while being not too complicated and complex for undergraduate engineering or engineering technology students with limited or not previous knowledge in the areas of renewable energy systems. HOMER optimization software package can be used for design, model and analysis to determine the optimal architecture, structure, size and control strategy of the hybrid power system. It can perform comparative economic and modeling analysis on a distributed generation power system in order to get the best solution in terms of cost, performances, size and structure. Several educational modules were developed, are in process or planned to be developed. The first developed module is about how to use, interact and understand with HOMER software package. Other modules are focusing on how design, analyze and optimize hybrid power systems (implying various combinations of wind, solar, fuel cells and batteries). A module underway to be developed is one that can be considered as a guide on how to use renewable energy to secure a sustainable grid. The paper is also discussing the technical skills gained by students using the software HOMER package. Finally by using HOMER students have exposure to non- Technical engineering skills, such as economic feasibility, logistic and decision on hybrid power systems. We are hoping the materials presented herein can be used as the starting point for other instructors considering the use of HOMER package as teaching help, design and analysis tool in renewable energy courses. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2014.