Renewable energy systems and smart grids: platform to develop final year projects on automation and supervision

Abstract

Studying Renewable Energy Systems (RES) in engineering degrees is acquiring an increasing importance given the current energetic scenario as well as the expected deployment of intelligent networks for power generation and distribution, the so-called smart grids. In the industrial engineering context, automation and supervision play a vital role, especially for intensifications in Electronics and Automation. Developing a Final Year Project (FYP) constitutes a final stage and a great opportunity for students to achieve skills and knowledge about complementary disciplines. This paper highlights the convenience of applying automation and supervision to renewable energy systems in FYPs of engineering degrees. To this aim, various FYPs successfully completed at the Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Automation Department of the University of Extremadura are presented.