The course gives an overview on technologies using renewable sources and the concepts of distributed power technologies. At the center of the course is a comparison of various technologies to produce electricity or thermal energy for room heating and warm water production in terms of

• primary energy input
• energy pay-back time and energy harvest factor
• consumption of materials, resources and area
• ecological impact
• economy and cost

To do so the physical fundamentals, the peculiarities and the degree of usage as
well as the potential for use of the following technologies are discussed in detail:

• hydro power
• wind power
• photovoltaics
• low-temperature solar thermal power
• high-temperature thermal solar power for electricity generation and thermal processing

Further topics:

• the possibilities and implications of renewable energy imports over long distances like e.g. from North Africa to Europe
• the necessities for storage technologies and the problems associated
• cogeneration concepts and absorption cooling