Environmentally Friendly Technologies

• Knowledge of basic concepts and principles from the field of renewable energy exploitation in different technologies
• Understanding of operation principles of some relevant devices/technologies such as: technologies for carbon capture, sequestration and storage, wind turbines, solar systems, photovoltaic cells of different types, hydroelectric power plants, tidal power plants, devices for exploitation of wave and sewater flow energy, devices for ocean thermal energy conversion, technologies for harnessing salinity power, technologies for geothermal energy exploitation (hydrothermal and geopressured exploitation, deep heat mining systems), hydrogen production with photoelectrolysis and its conversion to electricity in fuel cells of different types, Li-ion batteries, electrochromic and photoelectrochromic devices, photocatalytic systems for water and air cleaning, photocatalytic self-cleaning, fission and fusion nuclear reactors
• Gaining certain experimental skills used in the laboratory, related to devices for renewable energy exploitation
• Ability to identify exemplary cases and to judge critically the existing technologies in the field of renewable energy exploitation

Prerequisite knowledge of general chemistry and physics.

The following topics from the fast growing field of environmentally friendly technologies that mainly exploit renewable energy sources are covered: the introduction to energy problematics and the importance of sustainable energy, technologies for carbon capture (sequestration and storage), wind energy, solar energy (for heating and cooling, photovoltaics), bioenergy, hydroenergy (hydroelectric power plants, sea and ocean energy), geothermal energy, fuel cells and hydrogen economy, advanced batteries and electrochromic and photoelectrochromic devices, photocatalysis, nuclear energy.

Knowledge and understanding:
Students understand and can explain basic concepts in the field of sustainable energy exploitation and other related technologies: (i) wind energy conversion (they are familiar with wind turbine characteristics, its power as a function of wind velocity, they know trends of installed power in the recent years, various types of wind turbines and their advantages/disadvantages, possibilities of surface processing against icing, insects, erosion), (ii) solar energy conversion in different systems (they are acquainted with solar spectrum, solar constant, measuring devices of solar irradiation, types of heat solar systems, cooling with solar energy, principle of photovoltaic conversion, appropriate semiconductors, solar cell characteristics, functioning of the standard silicon solar cells and various later technologies such as DSSC and organic solar cells), (iii) bioenergy conversion (they know forms of biomass, their thermal properties, technology of biomass burning in four phases, production of bioethanol and biodiesel, impacts to environment), (iv) hydroenergy conversion (they get knowledge about the development of hydroelectric power plants, can describe and schematically present the functioning of some types of hydropower stations, distinguish between the two turbine concepts, can explain tidal phenomenon and the exploitation of this energy, know technical performances of devices for harnessing wave energy, water flow, differences in heat and salinity), (v) geothermal energy conversion (they are familiar with potentials and ways of exploitation, geothermal power plants based on dry steam cycle, flash steam cycle and binary cycle, know other applications of geothermal energy), (vi) hydrogen production, storage and conversion (they are acquainted with sustainable paths to hydrogen via photoelectrolysis in different device concepts, know three basic possibilities of hydrogen storage, can explain conversion to electricity in fuel cells PEMFC and SOFC, know disadvantages and advantages of hydrogen as an energy carrier), (vii) nuclear energy conversion (they are familiar with the history of development, radioactivity and its units, the principle of nuclear fission and controlled chain reaction in the power plant, the structure of the reactor core, safety measures, nuclear reactor types, dealing with used fuel and waste issues, principle of nuclear fusion and fusion reactors), (viii) photocatalytic conversion (they understand the processes of pollutants degradation by using semiconductor catalyst and ultraviolet irradiation, understand the functioning of self-cleaning surfaces on the basis of photoinduced superhydrophilicity and photocatalysis), (ix) they know the technologies for carbon capture, sequestration and storage since the use of fossil fuels in energy supply is (and will be) still inevitable. Through the seminar work students learn to present one of the issues from the topics outlined above and discuss it with other students. During the tutorial students get familiar with fundamental physical calculations in relation to solar systems (e.g. low-energy architecture, yields of solar cells), construct and measure device performances (for example with the use of solar cells electrolysis of water is achieved, hydrogen produced is converted to electricity in a fuel cell), have an insight in a case of good practice in Slovenia (excursion).

Basic

• GJERKEŠ, Henrik. Okolju prijazne tehnologije. Lecture notes updated every year. https://mitv.ung.si/
• GJERKEŠ, Henrik. Koncept krožnega gospodarstva, gradbeništvo in primer občine Kočevje. V: VOLFAND, Jože (ur.), et al. Prehod v trajnostno gradnjo in življenjski cikel stavbe : priročnik za krožno gospodarstvo. Celje: Fit media, 2020. Str. 56-61, ilustr. ISBN 978-961-6283-60-1. E-version
• ŠIJANEC-ZAVRL, Marjana, JEJČIČ, Neva, TOMŠIČ, Miha, GJERKEŠ, Henrik. Razogljičenje stavb - usposabljanje, prepoznavanje kakovosti in merila za trajnostno gradnjo in prenovo. V: UMBERGER, Marko (ur.). Peter Novak. V Ljubljani: Slovensko društvo za sončno energijo, 2023. Str. 55-60, ilustr. ISBN 978-961-96287-0-6.
• GJERKEŠ, Henrik. Pregled, analiza in predlog alternativne oskrbe z energijo : LDC Letališka Mercator: končna verzija. Ljubljana: Gradbeni inštitut ZRMK, 2021. 32 str., ilustr.
• ŠIJANEC-ZAVRL, Marjana, TOMŠIČ, Miha, GJERKEŠ, Henrik, POTOČAR, Erik. Implementation of the EPBD in Slovenia : status in 2020. [Brussels: European Union, 2021]. 1 spletni vir (1 datoteka PDF (27 str.)), ilustr. E-version
• GJERKEŠ, Henrik. Toplotne črpalke v kontekstu trajnostnega ogrevanja v Sloveniji. V: UMBERGER, Marko (ur.). Toplotne črpalke : revija. Ljubljana: UM svetovanje, 2019. Str. 39-44, ilustr. Catalogue
• PRAZNIK, Miha, TOMŠIČ, Miha, ŠKERLEP, Tomaž, JEJČIČ, Neva, KRAPEŽ, Primož, GOSTIČ, Samo, SKOK, Jurij, BROŽIČ, Dušanka, KOS, Jože, KOMEL, Primož, GJERKEŠ, Henrik, et al., PRAZNIK, Miha (urednik). Usposabljanje novih energetskih svetovalcev za delo v mreži ENSVET : version tečaja. Ljubljana: Gradbeni inštitut ZRMK, 2015. 2 zv. (loč. pag.), ilustr. [COBISS.SI-ID 512114715]
• Interesting Engineering E-version
• Nature E-version
• Renewable Energy- A Primer for the Twenty-First Century, Bruce Usher, 2019 2019 Catalogue E-version
• Physics and Technology of Sustainable Energy, E. L. Wolf, 2018 Catalogue
• Renewable Energy, ed. G. Boyle, Oxford University Press, 2004. Catalogue E-version

Written test from the tutorial exercises part (30 %), oral presentation of the seminar work (10 %), written examination (60 %)

Prof. dr. Henrik Gjerkeš. Habilitation field: Mechanical engineering.

Henrik Gjerkeš from Ljutomer graduated at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Maribor and received his master's degree and in 1999 PhD at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Ljubljana. Since 2006, he has been employed at the University of Nova Gorica, where he is a lecturer in 6 courses at the School of Engineering and Management, the School of Environmental Sciences and the Graduate School, and a member of the Senate, the Scientific council and the Committee for academic affairs. In 2012, he was additionally employed at the Building and Civil Engineering Institute ZRMK, where he leads activities in the field of sustainable energy use and participates in numerous domestic and international projects - from strategic to completely concrete solutions to problems in industry and local communities. Between 2009 and 2011, he was a minister of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, responsible for local self-government, regional policy and the absorption of European funds. The basic field of work is mechanical engineering (heat transfer and process engineering), which he upgraded in his non-linear career path with knowledge of modern sustainable technologies, circularity, renewable energy sources, waste management, industrial ecology and regional politics. He is the mentor of 20 completed master's and 8 diploma theses. His bibliography comprises 243 items, of which 24 are scientific articles with 128 net citations and an h-index of 8 (WoS/Scopus, COBISS, September 2024).
Selected bibliography

BERCE, Jure, HADŽIĆ, Armin, MOŽE, Matic, ARHAR, Klara, GJERKEŠ, Henrik, ZUPANČIČ, Matevž, GOLOBIČ, Iztok. Effect of surface wettability on nanoparticle deposition during pool boiling on laser-textured copper surfaces. Nanomaterials. [Online ed.]. Feb. 2024, vol. 14, iss. 3, [article no.] 311, str. 1-17, ilustr. ISSN 2079-4991. [COBISS.SI-ID 184768771]

GJERKEŠ, Henrik. Opredelitev in implementacija krožnega gospodarstva. Geotermija v Pomurju : 21. znanstvena konferenca Pomurska akademija Pomurju. : 24. in 25. november 2023. [COBISS.SI-ID 173814531]

GJERKEŠ, Henrik, JAKIN, Tomaž. Trajnostni učinki povišanja stopnje lokalne energetske samooskrbe pri sistemu daljinskega ogrevanja stavb. Svet strojništva. sep. 2023, letn. 12, št. 1/2, str. 43-49, ilustr. ISSN 1855-6493. [COBISS.SI-ID 166391555]

GJERKEŠ, Henrik, ŠIJANEC-ZAVRL, Marjana, Akademija strojništva 2023, 22. 11. 2023, Ljubljana. Analysis of circular economy implementation in local community. Svet strojništva. 2023, letn. 12, št. 03/06, str. 148-149, ilustr. ISSN 2350-3505. [COBISS.SI-ID 173807107]

ŠIJANEC-ZAVRL, Marjana, JEJČIČ, Neva, TOMŠIČ, Miha, GJERKEŠ, Henrik. Razogljičenje stavb - usposabljanje, prepoznavanje kakovosti in merila za trajnostno gradnjo in prenovo. V: UMBERGER, Marko (ur.). Peter Novak. V Ljubljani: Slovensko društvo za sončno energijo, 2023. Str. 55-60, ilustr. ISBN 978-961-96287-0-6. COBISS.SI-ID 169930755]

MOŽE, Matic, ZUPANČIČ, Matevž, STEINBÜCHER, Miha, GOLOBIČ, Iztok, GJERKEŠ, Henrik. Nanosecond laser-textured copper surfaces hydrophobized with self-assembled monolayers for enhanced pool boiling heat transfer. Nanomaterials. [Online ed.]. Oct. 2022, vol. 12, iss. 22, str. 1-20, ilustr. ISSN 2079-4991. [COBISS.SI-ID 129879555]

MOŽE, Matic, ZUPANČIČ, Matevž, SEDMAK, Ivan, FERJANČIČ, Klemen, GJERKEŠ, Henrik, GOLOBIČ, Iztok. Revisiting the corresponding-states-based correlation for pool boiling critical heat flux. Energies. May 2022, vol. 15, iss. 10, str. 1-19, ilustr. ISSN 1996-1073. [COBISS.SI-ID 107631363]

TOMŠIČ, Miha, GJERKEŠ, Henrik, ŠIJANEC-ZAVRL, Marjana, BAČLIJA BRAJNIK, Irena, PREBILIČ, Vladimir. Potentials and limitations of local fiscal policies as instruments for sustainable development in Slovenia. Energy efficient building design and legislation. Paris: RILEM Publications, [2019]. Str. 237-244, ilustr. ISSN 1461-1147. [COBISS.SI-ID 5361915]

PETKOVŠEK, Jure, HENG, Yi, ZUPANČIČ, Matevž, GJERKEŠ, Henrik, CIMERMAN, Franc, GOLOBIČ, Iztok. IR thermographic investigation of nucleate pool boiling at high heat flux. International journal of refrigeration. [Print ed.]. Jan. 2016, vol. 61, str. 127-139, ilustr. ISSN 0140-7007. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2015.10.018. [COBISS.SI-ID 14351643]

ŠIJANEC-ZAVRL, Marjana, STEGNAR, Gašper, RAKUŠČEK, Andraž, GJERKEŠ, Henrik. A bottom-up building stock model for tracking regional energy targets : a case study of Kočevje. Sustainability. 2016, vol. 8, no. 10, str. 1-16, ilustr. ISSN 2071-1050. [COBISS.SI-ID 4550139]

GJERKEŠ, Henrik, MALENŠEK, Jože, SITAR, Anže, GOLOBIČ, Iztok. Product identification in industrial batch fermentation using a variable forgetting factor. Control eng. pract.. [Print ed.], Oct. 2011, vol. 19, iss. 10, str. 1208-1215, doi:10.1016/j.conengprac.2011.06.011. [COBISS.SI-ID 11995931]

GOLOBIČ, Iztok, PETKOVŠEK, Jure, GJERKEŠ, Henrik, KENNING, D.B.R. Horizontal chain coalescence of bubbles in saturated pool boiling on a thin foil. Int. j. heat mass transfer. [Print ed.], Dec. 2011, vol. 54, iss. 25/26, str. 5517-5526, doi: 0.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2011.07.039. [COBISS.SI-ID 11996187]

GOLOBIČ, Iztok, GJERKEŠ, Henrik. Interactions between laser-activated nucleation sites in pool boiling. International journal of heat and mass transfer. [Print ed.]. 2001, vol. 44, no. 1, str. 143-153. ISSN 0017-9310. [COBISS.SI-ID 4009243]

GJERKEŠ, Henrik, GOLOBIČ, Iztok. Pool boiling CHF on a laser heated thin plate. International journal of heat and mass transfer. [Print ed.]. 2000, vol. 43, no. 11, str. 1999-2008. ISSN 0017-9310. [COBISS.SI-ID 3587355]