Development of Renewable Energy Course for Electrical Engineering Program

With the increased penetration of renewable energy in Jordan, higher education institutes are required to equip students with the knowledge and skills to thrive in the market. In response to that, this paper presents a newly developed course in renewable energy systems (RES). The designed course contains a practical part in addition to theoretical knowledge. The laboratory embedded in this course includes state-of-the-art equipment in the field of photovoltaic modules, an off-grid system with storage and a wind turbine. The course offers a unique teaching method that bridges theoretical and practical knowledge gaps. As this course is part of an ABET-accredited program, the course learning outcomes are designed carefully to align with ABET outcomes. Upon completing this course, students show a better ability to design and implement a renewable system. An example of a small-scale off-grid photovoltaic (PV) system is demonstrated in this work. At the end of the course, all students are asked to fill out a feedback questionnaire to assess the teaching method’s effectiveness and evaluate if all learning outcomes are met. The results of this pilot project are auspicious and students’ overall perception was very positive.