MSc Assignment 1 – 2025
Renewable Energy Systems Integration (RESI)
General Guidance:
Due date and time: 21
st March 2025 at 23:59 pm.
Each student is required to submit an individual and formal report. The problem
outlined does not have a unique approach or solution, and as such, it is expected that
the methods and solutions will vary from student to student.
Students are permitted to make the best possible assumptions if additional information
is needed. However, these assumptions must be justified within the context of energy
storage and distributed generation, and should be supported by relevant reasons or
references. The assignment should be completed using hand calculations, and the
use of simulation software for any design calculation is not permitted.
Submission of the assignment will be through Canvas. Students are advised to
familiarise themselves with Canvas prior to the submission deadline. The file size for
submissions should be smaller than 20 MB to ensure successful upload to Canvas.
The maximum number of pages for your report, excluding the cover page, should not
exceed 15 pages, which includes references and appendices. The minimum font size
for the body of the report should be 11, and the font size for the captions of figures
must be 10. The report must be submitted as a PDF file and should be typed on A4
paper, spaced at 1.5 with margins set as follows: Top – 2.54 cm, Bottom – 2.54 cm, Left
– 2.54 cm, Right – 2.54 cm. The reference style should follow the IEEE format.
Please note that late submissions will be penalised by deducting 5% of the marks per
day late. Assignments will not be accepted if they are more than 20 days late after the
submission deadline.
Academic Integrity
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. It is the act of a Student claiming as their own,
intentionally or by omission, work which was not done by that Student. Plagiarism also
includes a Student deliberately claiming to have done work submitted by the Student
for assessment which was never undertaken by that Student, including self-plagiarism
and the other breaches. Sanctions of a plagiarism include the Student failing the
Programme of study.
Problem Statement
As a design engineer at a company specialising in the development and operation of
renewable energy projects, you are involved in a two-phase contract with Tyseley
Energy Park, Birmingham (B25 8FJ). In the first phase, your company successfully
constructed a traditional biomass power station. This facility efficiently converts waste
wood into electricity, producing maximum 11.4 MW of power (after accounting for a
30% energy efficiency rate). Of this output, 9 MW per hour are earmarked for export
to the National Grid, while the remaining power serves locally for the residents (50%),
a food processing plant (30%) and a hospital (20%).
Your company now aims to embark on the second phase of the energy provision
agreement. The objective is to raise local energy supply to 65 MWh per day over the
span of a year. This phase necessitates the installation of an additional renewable
energy system that complements the existing biomass facility. Leveraging your
company’s expertise in solar technology, the decision is to construct a solar farm
adjacent to the biomass power plant, utilising the existing grid connection for this new
installation. Additionally, the distribution network operator (DNO) requires an
assessment of fault-level impacts, voltage regulation, and reactive power flows
introduced by the solar system. A mitigation strategy is necessary to address any
anticipated stress on local grid infrastructure.
Your final solutions need to take account all the following tasks:
Solar Array Sizing: Considering the energy output from the biomass power plant
in the first phase, along with the average monthly solar irradiance* and a
predetermined efficiency based on the chosen solar photovoltaic module,
calculate the required size of the solar array. Provide clear assumptions and
justifications for your choice.
Energy Storage Solution: Propose a storage solution that would enable the
system to maintain a reserve for integrating your proposed solar farm. Justify
your choice of storage technology.
Biomass Power Plant Upgrade: If your company is considering an upgrade to
the biomass power plant in Phase 2 to enhance carbon reduction and energy
efficiency, suggest a viable solution. Provide a justification, including numerical
evidence, to illustrate the role of this upgrade in reducing the area’s carbon
footprint.
Energy Flow Analysis: Determine the energy flow of the entire proposed system,
including generation, consumption, storage, and losses, under different system
operational scenarios, e.g., generation is greater than consumption. Clearly
state your assumptions and the rationale behind your calculations.
Grid Impact Analysis: Examine voltage regulation, power-factor requirements,
and harmonic distortion concerns. Recommend solutions to keep the system
within regulatory guidelines.
Climate Change Mitigation Measures: Anticipate potential challenges posed by
future extreme weather and climate events at the region. Outline your strategy
for mitigating risks associated with these anticipated climatic challenges.
* Solar irradiance data can be accessed at https://www.renewables.ninja/
Guidance on Report Structure
The report needs to include the following sections:
1. Cover Page
2. Table of Contents
3. Introduction
4. Methodology
5. Results and Discussion
6. Conclusions
7. References
Marking Criteria
The marking criteria for this assignment are as follows:
Introduction – Background, Problem Statement, Contributions (10%).
Methodology – Theories, Problem Formulations, Technological Selection (30%).
Results and Discussion (20%).
Conclusions (10%).
Use of References (5%).
Overall Report Quality (25%).