This text is part of the special Energies section
Some areas in northern Quebec are not connected to the Hydro-Quebec network, while others, located for example in Nunavik or the Magdalen Islands, are “autonomous”. These are usually powered by diesel generators, which emit greenhouse gases. But a master’s student in engineering from the University of Quebec in Rimouski (UQAR) is working on an autonomous and intelligent 4.0 energy production module.
Thanks to his grandfather, a mechanical engineering teacher, Olivier Couillard has known he wanted to become an engineer since he was 5 years old. Its autonomous module project was guided by the work of its research director, Professor Noureddine Barka. “He is developing a carbon neutral drilling rig for the mining and geothermal sector operating with renewable energies. I focused my research on a mobile generator that could be paired with this carbon-neutral system, and we realized that its applications could extend far beyond the drill project,” explains the first-year student to mastery.
A generator that follows the sun
The module on which Olivier Couillard is currently performing virtual simulations is a photovoltaic generator, easily transportable by truck, boat or train. “It does not require a lot of manpower to start. If it is transported by truck to the energy harvesting site, for example, it lifts and deploys automatically”, specifies the student.
Another advantage of this equipment is that it adapts to external conditions. “The generator can follow the sun throughout the day, so as to ensure efficient energy production. If there are strong winds, it automatically stows away in its container and in the event of an excessive accumulation of snow, other mechanisms come into play to prevent breakage,” explains Olivier Couillard.
Highly automated, the module can be controlled and monitored remotely, on a telephone or a computer, for example. It runs entirely on electricity, which makes it unique, according to the student. “Unlike other existing generators, it avoids spilling oil or releasing harmful emissions, whether liquid or atmospheric, into the environment,” he points out.
Reinforcement energy
Olivier Couillard is preparing to file a patent application to protect his invention which could supply environments not connected to the Hydro-Québec distribution network (such as remote mines or the twenty or so autonomous environments operating mainly on diesel), serve as a emergency supply in the event of a power failure or be used in a humanitarian context to pump water in environments where access is difficult.
“We do not claim to supply, for example, an entire village with heating, but if we can already supply the lighting, that will allow us to use less fossil energy”, explains Olivier Couillard, who would also like to connect its generator to Hydro-Québec facilities to offload energy into the network in times of high demand.
For the time being, the Rimouski student must complete the design phase of his virtual generator before considering manufacturing it if he obtains funding. “By the end of my master’s degree, we will be able to analyze the performance of the module and make improvements so that it is optimal,” says the man who plans to continue development as part of a doctorate.
By participating in the final of the student competition of the Quebec Association for the production of renewable energy, he has already seen an interest from the industry for his smart solar solution. “Several companies working in the energy field have asked me to contact them when the modules are manufactured,” he says. In the current context of energy transition and decarbonization, we must put the means in place in Quebec, even on a small scale, to achieve our objectives. »
This content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, relating to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.