Computer applications in renewable energy

Dear group, I am a computer engineering student. I am interested in taking up a career in renewable energies.
My query is, I kindof have not much information about the applications of computers in this field- this is because I want to merge my 2 interest areas(Computers and Renewable energy) for my career- but i dont want to work on the 'chemical aspect' of these technologies.
Could you people please give an idea about the various applications computers and/or electronics can have in renewable energy?
Thanks! Truly,
Aquil Amir Jalia

electric avenue wrote:

Dear group, I am a computer engineering student. I am interested in taking up a career in renewable energies.
My query is, I kindof have not much information about the applications of computers in this field- this is because I want to merge my 2 interest areas(Computers and Renewable energy) for my career- but i dont want to work on the 'chemical aspect' of these technologies.
Could you people please give an idea about the various applications computers and/or electronics can have in renewable energy?
Thanks! Truly,
Aquil Amir Jalia

The obvious answer would be data collection and analysis. Sun tracking would be another possibility. Find a large producer of systems and start asking questions, look for internships (although I imagine getting one is a cut-throat fight) offer to put together a research paper as an "interview".
My understanding is that computers are used by basically every solar or wind system in the country. But no unified program or technology is used. I suspect that excel is the most commonly used for data tracking.
Good luck
Ghostwriter

Since the *chemical aspect* of renewable energies is a core component - you have eliminated renewable energies as a career potential.
electric avenue wrote:

Dear group, I am a computer engineering student. I am interested in taking up a career in renewable energies.
My query is, I kindof have not much information about the applications of computers in this field- this is because I want to merge my 2 interest areas(Computers and Renewable energy) for my career- but i dont want to work on the 'chemical aspect' of these technologies.
Could you people please give an idea about the various applications computers and/or electronics can have in renewable energy?
Thanks! Truly,
Aquil Amir Jalia

electric avenue wrote:
I am a computer engineering student. I am interested in taking up a career in renewable energies.
My query is, I kindof have not much information about the applications of computers in this field- this is because I want to merge my 2 interest areas(Computers and Renewable energy) for my career- but i dont want to work on the 'chemical aspect' of these technologies.
Could you people please give an idea about the various applications computers and/or electronics can have in renewable energy?

wrote:

Since the *chemical aspect* of renewable energies is a core component - you have eliminated renewable energies as a career potential.

I don't think so. For instance, right now I see a great need for a whole-house fan controller that will turn off an AC and turn on a fan when it's cooler outdoors in summertime and turn off a furnace and turn on the fan when it's warmer outdoors in summertime, and the outdoor humidity is low enough to avoid any chance of condensation inside the house. This might be done with some solid-state RH sensors and an embedded microcontroller that's able to do logs and exponents.
Nick

"electric avenue" wrote:

Could you people please give an idea about the various applications computers and/or electronics can have in renewable energy?

I'm NOT an engineer or expert by any means.
But id like to see software that helps optimize and minimize the hardware and resources needed to make a home more off grid or self sufficient.
Example: Say you have a small vacation-like cabin in the woods that you want to make off grid....I.e. use solar cell panels as much as possible, reduce electrical load as much as possible, etc.
Create software that monitors the load and helps minimize the need for as much hardware and batteries as possible.
In other words.... "energy management" software
Course it must be cheap so low income people can use it, etc

"ghostwriter" wrote in message

electric avenue wrote: Dear group, I am a computer engineering student. I am interested in taking up a career in renewable energies.
My query is, I kindof have not much information about the applications of computers in this field- this is because I want to merge my 2 interest areas(Computers and Renewable energy) for my career- but i dont want to work on the 'chemical aspect' of these technologies.
Could you people please give an idea about the various applications computers and/or electronics can have in renewable energy?
Thanks! Truly,
Aquil Amir Jalia
The obvious answer would be data collection and analysis. Sun tracking would be another possibility. Find a large producer of systems and start asking questions, look for internships (although I imagine getting one is a cut-throat fight) offer to put together a research paper as an "interview".
My understanding is that computers are used by basically every solar or wind system in the country. But no unified program or technology is used. I suspect that excel is the most commonly used for data tracking.
Good luck
Ghostwriter I use a couple of computers for engineering design and CNC machine work on

steam systems. Biomass is pretty common around here....

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nicksanspam@ece.villanova.edu wrote:

electric avenue wrote:
I am a computer engineering student. I am interested in taking up a career in renewable energies.
My query is, I kindof have not much information about the applications of computers in this field- this is because I want to merge my 2 interest areas(Computers and Renewable energy) for my career- but i dont want to work on the 'chemical aspect' of these technologies.
Could you people please give an idea about the various applications computers and/or electronics can have in renewable energy?
walter_lee@my-deja.com> wrote:
Since the *chemical aspect* of renewable energies is a core component - you have eliminated renewable energies as a career potential.
I don't think so. For instance, right now I see a great need for a whole-house fan controller that will turn off an AC and turn on a fan when it's cooler outdoors in summertime and turn off a furnace and turn on the fan when it's warmer outdoors in summertime, and the outdoor humidity is low enough to avoid any chance of condensation inside the house. This might be done with some solid-state RH sensors and an embedded microcontroller that's able to do logs and exponents.
Nick

renewable energies is about making energy.
conserving energy or making something more energy efficient doesn't count.

wrote in message

electric avenue wrote:
I am a computer engineering student. I am interested in taking up a career in renewable energies.
My query is, I kindof have not much information about the applications of computers in this field- this is because I want to merge my 2 interest areas(Computers and Renewable energy) for my career- but i dont want to work on the 'chemical aspect' of these technologies.
Could you people please give an idea about the various applications computers and/or electronics can have in renewable energy?
walter_lee@my-deja.com> wrote:
Since the *chemical aspect* of renewable energies is a core component - you have eliminated renewable energies as a career potential.
I don't think so. For instance, right now I see a great need for a whole-house fan controller that will turn off an AC and turn on a fan when it's cooler outdoors in summertime and turn off a furnace and turn on the fan when it's warmer outdoors in summertime, and the outdoor humidity is low enough to avoid any chance of condensation inside the house. This might be done with some solid-state RH sensors and an embedded microcontroller that's able to do logs and exponents.
Nick

Commercial controllers have been available that do that for decades, although most not in one unit, and no domestic version as far as I know.

Aquil:
How about doing a project for me ? I am thinking for some time to have some kinda setup in my home where I can monitor wind speed, RPM on wind generator , AC power output from wind generator, DC power , batteries charging volt, how much more amps or watts needed to charge the batteries with current range of wind/solar power output, Batteries total power for use in watts or Kwatts, how much battery will last at current rate of consuption, blah blah ........?
Are you getting the feel what I am asking here ? I can put different measuring equipments and get some of the reading but it will not provide me complete picture as I want.
For me an ideal solution would be a small computer or may be a regular computer, taking all the readings from wind gene , solar panels, batteries etc and displaying it on LCD screen in proper GUI graphics.
So if you wanna do some thing then here is the project. This is related to your computer career plus your opening in renewable energy field. If you come up with some thing as I mention above then you are in business, you can sale ya product .
"electric avenue" wrote in message

Dear group, I am a computer engineering student. I am interested in taking up a career in renewable energies.
My query is, I kindof have not much information about the applications of computers in this field- this is because I want to merge my 2 interest areas(Computers and Renewable energy) for my career- but i dont want to work on the 'chemical aspect' of these technologies.
Could you people please give an idea about the various applications computers and/or electronics can have in renewable energy?
Thanks! Truly,
Aquil Amir Jalia

Thanks a lot guys for ur replies.
I guess I've atleast got an idea about where I need to start and what. Thanks again,
Aquil

"electric avenue" wrote:

Thanks a lot guys for ur replies.
I guess I've atleast got an idea about where I need to start and what. Thanks again,
Aquil

No problem
Good luck and shake up the world!!
Lord knows it needs it