The “Renewable Energy” Laboratory (room 9206) of the Department of Energy Management and Technical Diagnostics at IFNTUOG is one of the most well-equipped educational units in its field among higher education institutions in Ivano-Frankivsk region. The laboratory is equipped exclusively with modern European-manufactured equipment and provides practical training for students of the “Renewable Energy Engineering” and “Energy Management” educational programs.
LexSolar Educational Kits
The basis of the laboratory’s demonstration equipment is comprised of modular training kits from the company LexSolar(Germany). Thanks to the modular design, elements from different sets can be combined into various configurations of energy systems with renewable sources.
leXsolar-PV Professional (1118)— a kit for learning the basics of solar photovoltaic energy: studying the characteristics of photovoltaic panels, the impact of the angle of light incidence, and shading on energy production.
leXsolar-Wind Professional (1406)— kit for learning the basics of wind energy: studying the dependence of power on wind speed, comparing different types of wind turbines.
leXsolar-SmartGrid Professional (1607)— a kit for studying the principles of smart grid operation: optimal energy transfer from renewable sources, load balancing, and reduction of fossil fuel consumption.
Heat Pump
For demonstrating the principles of the most energy-efficient transformation of thermal energy from the environment, the laboratory is equipped with model of a heat pump production by Fruhmann GmbH NTL (Austria). At the installation, students study the work cycle of a heat pump, measure the coefficient of performance (COP), and investigate the efficiency of different operating modes.
Rooftop grid solar power plant
On building roof there are PV panels with a total capacity of 1.5 kW, facing south at an angle of 35° to the horizon. Mounting system —Walraven BIS Solar Fixing System (Netherlands). Energy conversion to the grid is provided by a single-phase grid inverter. SMA SUNNY BOY-1,5 (Germany), equipped with a Wi-Fi module for remote monitoring. A smart meter is installed on the stand to demonstrate bidirectional metering.
A network of microinverters has been installed in the advisory and training center to study various types of photovoltaic panels. SMA Sunny Boy 240with a data collection system monitoring each panel individually.
Weather Station
To obtain regional meteorological data and determine the level of solar insolation, use professional compact weather station WS301-UMB production of G. Lufft (Germany) with a precision pyranometer. The station measures solar radiation power, temperature, relative air humidity, and atmospheric pressure in real-time—data necessary for accurate energy production calculation and solar station design.
Educational Process
In the laboratory, practical classes are conducted for courses such as “Solar and Wind Energy,” “Control and Monitoring of Electricity Quality,” and other courses of the department’s educational programs. Students perform laboratory work researching photovoltaic panels, wind energy systems, thermoelectric generators, and heat pumps, gaining skills with real industrial equipment. The laboratory is equipped with multimedia technology, Wi-Fi connected, and features individual heating and decentralized ventilation.