--- title: Solar & Wind Energy Engineering description: Solar and wind are the fastest-growing power sources. You will learn photovoltaic and turbine fundamentals, system sizing and design, grid integration, and the economics of utility and rooftop projects. category: engineering subcategory: electrical-and-computer-engineering difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced url: /subject/solar-and-wind-energy-engineering --- # Solar & Wind Energy Engineering Solar and wind are the fastest-growing power sources. You will learn photovoltaic and turbine fundamentals, system sizing and design, grid integration, and the economics of utility and rooftop projects. ## Available Resources 3 Books • 3 Courses • 2 Websites ## Courses ### 1. Direct Solar/Thermal to Electrical Energy Conversion Technologies (MIT 2.997) **Author:** Gang Chen Nine recorded graduate lectures with slides on solid-state conversion of heat and sunlight to electricity: thermoelectric materials and devices, thermionic converters, photovoltaics, solar thermal collectors, solar thermophotovoltaics and spectral control. Prepares learners to analyze the principles and efficiency limits of these technologies. **Difficulty:** Advanced | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/2-997-direct-solar-thermal-to-electrical-energy-conversion-technologies-fall-2009/ **Tags:** thermoelectrics, thermionic-conversion, photovoltaics, solar-thermal, thermophotovoltaics ### 2. Fundamentals of Photovoltaics (MIT 2.627) **Author:** Tonio Buonassisi Photoelectric conversion in solar cells: charge excitation, conduction, separation and collection; efficiency limits and loss mechanisms; characterization, manufacturing, reliability and life-cycle analysis; and solar markets and policy. Includes 26 lecture videos, tutorial videos, slides, and problem sets with solutions. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/2-627-fundamentals-of-photovoltaics-fall-2013/ **Tags:** photovoltaics, solar-cells, semiconductor-physics, renewable-energy, device-characterization ### 3. Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems (DelftX PV3x) **Author:** Olindo Isabella, R.A. Vasudevan Eight modules on designing grid-connected and off-grid PV systems: location and irradiance, PV modules, MPPT, cables, batteries, inverters and conversion components, system sizing and yield calculation, grid integration and finances. Lectures and readings let learners design and size PV systems from residential to utility scale. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://ocw.tudelft.nl/courses/solar-energy-photovoltaic-pv-systems/ **Tags:** pv-system-design, off-grid-solar, mppt, battery-sizing, solar-inverters ## Websites ### 1. PV Performance Modeling Collaborative: Modeling Guide Sandia National Laboratories reference on PV system performance modeling, organized along the modeling chain: sun position and plane-of-array irradiance, module temperature and IV models, array mismatch and wiring losses, inverter conversion and clipping, and uncertainty. Where bankable utility-scale PV energy-yield modeling is documented. **Difficulty:** Advanced | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://pvpmc.sandia.gov/modeling-guide/ **Tags:** pv-performance-modeling, solar-irradiance, plane-of-array, inverter-modeling, energy-yield-assessment ### 2. System Advisor Model (SAM) Free techno-economic modeling software from the U.S. national laboratory formerly called NREL. It simulates hourly output of PV, wind and battery projects and computes LCOE, NPV and PPA prices, letting users size systems and evaluate residential, commercial and utility-scale project finances. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://sam.nlr.gov/ **Tags:** techno-economic-modeling, lcoe, pv-system-simulation, wind-project-modeling, renewable-project-finance ## Books ### 1. Wind Energy Handbook (3rd Edition) **Author:** Tony L. Burton, Nick Jenkins, Ervin Bossanyi, David Sharpe, Michael Graham Advanced step after Manwell: the loads, control, and wake engineering practising turbine designers use. Design reference for wind turbine engineers: wind field characterization, blade element momentum and dynamic stall aerodynamics, design loads to international standards, blade and component design, control systems, wake models, offshore and floating support structures, and grid connection. **Difficulty:** Advanced | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119451094?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** wind-turbine-design, rotor-aerodynamics, blade-element-momentum, turbine-loads, offshore-wind ### 2. Wind Energy Explained: On Land and Offshore (3rd Edition) **Author:** James F. Manwell, Emmanuel Branlard, Jon G. McGowan, Bonnie Ram University wind energy textbook covering wind resource statistics, rotor aerodynamics and the Betz limit, loads, generators and power electronics, turbine and wind plant design, fixed and floating offshore wind, grid integration, siting, permitting, and project economics. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/111936745X?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** wind-energy, wind-resource-assessment, betz-limit, wind-turbine-design, offshore-wind ### 3. Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems (3rd Edition) **Author:** Gilbert M. Masters, Kevin F. Hsu Quantitative engineering textbook on renewable power covering grid fundamentals, solar resource, PV sizing for grid-tied and off-grid systems, wind turbine power and statistics, storage, microgrids, smart grids and cost-of-energy economics. Worked examples and problems let readers size and evaluate real systems. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119847109?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** renewable-power-systems, pv-system-sizing, wind-power, grid-integration, energy-storage, microgrids --- *This content is part of Dantes.io - Your Treasure Map to Knowledge* *Curated by humans at Dantes.io. Personal study use welcome; republishing this curation requires permission (team@dantes.io).* View this page online: https://dantes.io/subject/solar-and-wind-energy-engineering