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ME 420
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems

Faculty Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
Semester Spring 2025-2026
Course ME 420 - Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems
Time/Place
Time
Week Day
Place
Date
13:40-14:30
Tue
FENS-L047
Feb 16-May 22, 2026
08:40-10:30
Thu
FENS-L030
Feb 16-May 22, 2026
Level of course Undergraduate
Course Credits SU Credit:3, ECTS:6, Basic:1, Engineering:5
Prerequisites ENS 207 or ( ME 307 and ME 309) or ( ME 307 and ENS 202) or ( ME 309 and ENS 202)
Corequisites ME 420R
Course Type Lecture

Instructor(s) Information

Serhat Yeşilyurt

Course Information

Catalog Course Description
Topics covered are fundamentals of the renewable and sustainable energy systems technology, thermo-economic analysis and the current research trends in improving the energy production from terrestrial water and air flows, solar irradiation, nuclear fission and controlled plasma for fusion, energy conversion alternatives such as hydrogen fuel cells, small and large scale energy storage such as electric batteries, thermal and compressed-gas, and the current research on the electric transmission grids and an introductory economic analysis of the domestic electric use in the future.
Course Learning Outcomes:
1. Gain insight into the application of basic science and engineering fundamentals to analyze renewable and sustainable energy systems
2. Improve intuition and demonstrate understanding of wind energy
3. Improve intuition and demonstrate understanding of solar energy
4. Improve intuition and demonstrate understanding of thermal and nuclear energy
5. Improve understanding of demonstrate thermodynamic laws, energy transport mechanisms and heat engines
6. Identify reasonable assumptions and conduct simple analysis for energy systems
Course Objective
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Related to This Course:
Clean Water and Sanitation
Affordable and Clean Energy
Decent Work and Economic Growth
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Responsible Consumption and Production
Climate Action

Course Materials

Resources:
TEXTBOOKS:
Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes, 3e, Aldo Vieira da Rosa, Academic Press, 2013 (should be available in Homer, and on reserve in the library).
Sustainable Energy — without the Hot Air, David JC MacKay, 2010 (available via free download from http://www.withouthotair.com/).

REFERENCES:
Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems, Gilbert M. Masters, Wiley, 2003.
Principles of Sustainable Energy Systems, 2e, Frank Kreith, CRC Press, 2014.
Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics, 8e, Moran, Shapiro, Boetner & Bailey, Wiley.
Fundamentals of Heat & Mass Transfer, 7e, Frank P. Incropera and David P. Dewitt, Wiley, 2011.
Technology Requirements:

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