Project Based Learning Methodology to Improve Electrical Efficiency in Road Lighting

This paper presents the study carried out in the Electric Power Systems Project (EPSP) of the Electrical Engineering course, by a student's team, using PBL, under a protocol between the Law Court and the Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Coimbra (ISEC/IPC). The purpose of the Electric Power Systems Project is to involve students in a project team, aiming to develop and test a system with a specific function, using concepts and technologies in the field of Electric Power Systems. Upon completing the course, students should demonstrate autonomy in identifying and analysing problems and propose, implement and test the specific solutions. In this work, the Project Based Learning (PBL) methodology was used. The Problem to be solved was presented to the students, by the Professors. The aim of the students was to provide a global framework for the problem of road lighting in Portugal, identifying the technologies used, existing legislation, national plans for improving energy efficiency in the sector, identify the most efficient technologies, learn how to work with software for simulation, propose a solution to the specific problem and justify the solution from a technical and economic point of view.