Integrated Studies on Renewable Energy Sources. The Soft Energy Application Laboratory, Mechanical Engineering Department, TEI of Piraeus

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses integrated studies on renewable energy sources. The potential of Renewable Energy Sources is very significant in Greece. An important number of applications in wind energy, solar energy, hydropower, biomass, and geothermy are either under development or under scheduling. Emphasis is laid to include not only technical but also economical and socio-environmental factors during the implementation of similar plans. The Soft Energy Application Laboratory of TEl Piraeus supports an integrated program concerning the studies on Renewable Energy Sources, including theoretical knowledge and laboratory work. Additional courses are also offered concerning Environment Protection, Environmental Technology, Management of Natural Sources, and Feasibility Analysis, social cost included. A wide-ranging circle of courses on Soft Energy Applications and Environmental Protection Technologies is, also, the basis for the new sector of the Mechanical Engineering Dept., whose operation is going to start in the next academic semester. Finally, the goal is to prepare young engineers and technical managers with an aim to contribute to the National and European effort in order to accelerate the penetration of RES in the energy market with huge financial, environmental, and social benefits.