EDI: Hybrid Renewable Energy System

Background:

Sustainability is an increasingly important consideration for engineers throughout the world. With the increases in global temperature, engineers are looking at renewable energy generation to combat climate change. California has already enacted the SB-100 Renewables Portfolio Standard Program, which is attempting to transition 100% of California’s electricity to renewable sources by 2045 (SB100).  Solar and Wind Energy are essential components in this fight against climate change. Current utility based renewable energy production demands vast investment in land and capital while inducing irreversible damage to the ecosystem. On the other hand, The Hybrid Renewable Energy System (HRES) aims to reduce land use while it addresses the growing demand in renewable energy.

Goal:

The goal of this project is to assess the feasibility of a patent presented by Mr. Johnny Sharp of Earth, Elements & Energy Inc. The patent introduces the concept of merging wind turbine and solar array technology into one comprehensive system. The patent introduces a hybrid energy generation system to use less land, a proprietary blade design to increase energy output, and a structure to mount the solar array to offer more energy per unit of land.

Team Contacts:

Team Lead: Kyle Fisher (kylemf@uci.edu)

Advisors:

Dr. Farzad Ahmadkhanlou (farzad.a@uci.edu)

Professor  Vincent McDonnel (mcdonnel@apep.uci.edu)

Sponsor:

The Hybrid Renewable Energy System is sponsored by Earth Elements, & Energy Inc.

Company Sponsor: Johnny Sharp