Duration
9h Th, 27h Pr
Number of credits
| Master in environmental bioengineering (120 ECTS) | 6 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Energy transition in agriculture - Agrivoltaic project
The energy transition is impacting the agricultural sector, which is required to decarbonize and at the same time increase its contribution to the production of renewable energy. In this context, bioengineers have a decisive role to play in designing production systems that are capable of drawing the best possible synergies between agriculture and renewable energy. There are many examples: biomethanization, new agrofuels, wind turbines to protect against spring frost, replacement of greenhouses by plant factories integrated into the smart grid, photovoltaic greenhouses, etc.
Agrivoltaics is a recent model of coupled photovoltaic energy and crop production that is particularly promising in terms of large-scale energy production potential and rational use of land resources. However, this concept requires taking into account the complexity of the interactions between two a priori antagonistic objectives due to the sharing of the light resource. This complexity must be understood by coupling descriptive models of plant physiology (i.e. crop models) and material and energy balances within the different compartments of the environment (environmental modeling).
The course aims at mastering these complex systems in order to train the student to design and operate energy projects beneficial to agriculture, for example by protecting crops against meteorological hazards (drought, heat wave, hail,..) in the context of climate change or by spreading out production periods. The teaching introduces the student to the digital twin paradigm used in operationnal techniologies that is based on the product modelling (here the crop) and it's environment. In operational phase, the models are sunchronized with the observed state s of the system by the twining process that is a quasi continuous data assimilation into the model. This allows models improvement needed to boost the knowledge extraction.
The course is composed of :
- Theoretical sessions on the energy transition in agriculture in a context of climate change as well as the theoretical foundations and technical characteristics of agrivoltaic system components. Training on the agrivoltaic modeling framework (object-oriented Python) developed by the Digital Energy and Agriculturte Lab
- agrivoltaic project design workshops with the supervisory team
The students, coached by the pedagogical team, analyze in a theoretical and critical way all the aspects of the design of an agrivoltaic project which requires the application of energy and biological modeling techniques by working in team as a research department in environment and renewable energies: analysis of the context, study of the specifications, implementation of a methodology, technological choices, computer-assisted design, study report,...
The different stages of a project will be studied in a thorough and critical manner. They will call upon the subjects of the bio-engineers' training (energy, environment, biology, engineering,...).
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
Model an energy production system in an agricultural context involving a large number of coupled physical and biological processes in order to design multi-objective production solutions under environmental constraints;
To mobilize knowledge, apply knowledge and integrate different engineering disciplines by working in a team of engineers;
Demonstrate the ability to optimize the functioning of a complex biosystem in a specific environmental context, to produce an in-depth study of a complex system while respecting deadlines, and to demonstrate critical thinking in the analysis of results.
The course aims to train the student in the design engineering of complex systems in his field of expertise
The course train students to the design of technological solutions that aims to define equipments, systems and infrastructure for plant production that respect the environment
The student must succeed to conduct a project whose specifications are complex and interlinked without any predefined methodology on the basis of partial information
The student aims to achieve engineering objectives in the strategic context of the project and applies multidisciplinary knowledges and skills (systems dynamics, mechanics, control engineering, plant models, irrigation, plant physiology, environmental metrology, image analysis, enregy systems...) in a digital environment.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Physics
Mathematics
Biology
Chemistry
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Research and project-based learning
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face to face and distance learning
Project
Recommended or required readings
https://librairie.ademe.fr/energies-renouvelables-reseaux-et-stockage/4992-caracteriser-les-projets-photovoltaiques-sur-terrains-agricoles-et-l-agrivoltaisme.html
Any session :
- In-person
oral exam
- Remote
oral exam
- If evaluation in "hybrid"
preferred remote
Additional information:
Written report and oral examination
Work placement(s)
Organizational remarks
The project requires a face-to face or distance participation and is not subject to an assessment in second session
Contacts
f.lebeau@uliege.be