Purpose: Energy consumption and renewable energy sources are included in the goals for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) agenda, and target buildings are the biggest electricity consumers. In turn, Netzero energy buildings (NZEB) contribute to achieve SDG7 goals. This paper aims to identify which Brazilian higher education…

The design of solar power plants and the operating principles are learned by engineering students during the last academic year. Typically, this subject is taught using the traditional methodology based on lectures where students are not considered as an active player of the class. The aim of this experience was to implement innovative…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse recent actions of energy efficiency implemented by University of Passo Fundo, a higher education institution located in the south of Brazil, and their contributions to Goal 7. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis is based on collected energy data and information of energy efficiency actions…

Photovoltaic-cell-based projects have been used to train eight incoming undergraduate women who were part of a residential summer programme at a women's college. A module on renewable energy and photovoltaic cells was developed in the physics department. The module's objectives were to introduce women in science, technology, engineering and…

Synthesis of quantum dots is a valuable experiment for demonstration and discussion of quantum phenomena in undergraduate chemistry curricula. Recently, a new class of all-inorganic perovskite quantum dots (QDs) with a formula of CsPbX[subscript 3] (X = Cl, Br, I) was presented and attracted tremendous attention. Here we adapt the synthesis of…

Contribution: A novel multidisciplinary undergraduate course on alternative energy (AE) engineering that addresses gaps in current AE education, provides hands on skills, and matches topical coverage with societal needs. Background: Resource depletion and emissions associated with burning fossil fuels have led to growing worldwide interest in…

To reach a sustainable world the use of renewable energy sources is imperative. Photovoltaics (PV) is but one of the technologies that use the power of the sun and its deployment is growing very fast. Several master programs have been developed over the world, including Utrecht University, that teach these technologies. Within the framework of a…

The purpose of this convergent parallel mixed-methods instrumental case study was to examine the feasibility of Solar Photovoltaics (PV) as an economic and environmental sustainability tool for higher education while, at the same time, gauging essential university stakeholder knowledge, opinions and beliefs regarding sustainable development,…

Purpose: To provide an example of how colleges can partner with local EcoVillages to further sustainability curriculum on campus and the educational mission of the EcoVillages, and to strengthen ties with the community. Design/methodology/approach: Describes four structured courses developed for the Environmental Studies Program, including…

Sustainable energy is growing in importance as the public becomes more aware of climate change and the need to satisfy our society's energy demands while minimizing environmental impacts. To further this awareness and to better prepare a workforce for "green careers," we developed a sustainable energy laboratory course that is suitable…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to design a renovation plan for a university campus building (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering) with the aim to achieve nearly zero energy performance, ensuring a low specific demand (lower than 44 kWh/m[superscript 2]) and a high level of on-site renewable generation (equivalent to more than…

An organic solar cell fabrication kit has been developed for demonstration in both undergraduate teaching classes and high school laboratories to promote the growing field of renewable energy and to facilitate empirical comprehension of solar technology. The laboratory focuses on fabricating organic photovoltaics (solar cells) and testing the…

Engineering education is undergoing a restructuring driven by the needs of an increasingly multidisciplinary engineering profession. At the same time, power systems are transitioning toward future smart grids that will require power engineers with skills outside of the core power engineering domain. Since including new topics in the existing…

This paper presents a new photovoltaic (PV) power systems laboratory module that was developed to experimentally reinforce students' understanding of design principles, operation, and control of photovoltaic power conversion systems. The laboratory module is project-based and is designed to support a renewable energy course. By using MATLAB…

Remote lab experiences are proliferating in higher education, although there are still few studies that manage to build a theoretical framework for educational assessment and design of this technology. In order to explore to what extent the use of facilitators of proximity to the laboratory and the autonomy of the experiment makes remote…