Link to Textbook

The topics below are provisional; things will change and shift as the term progresses.

Online homework: edfinity.com.

Week Zero

• Class 1 Thursday, September 12
  • Course introductions. Introduction to energy. Kinetic energy. [Worksheet 1] [Worksheet 2]
• Week Zero Homework Due Friday, September 13

Week One

• Class 2 Monday, September 16
  • Overview of climate situation, present and historical emissions. (Sustainable Energy without the Hot Air, Climate Watch Data, LLNL Energy Flowcharts) Energy and Power. [Worksheet]
• Class 3 Thursday, September 19
  • More energy and power. Turbines and generators. Carbon intensity of electricity production. [Worksheet]
• Week One Homework Due Friday, September 20

Week Two

• Class 4 Monday, September 23
  • Windpower. Areas and proportionality. [Worksheet]
• Class 5 Thursday, September 26
  • Solar PV [Worksheet]
• Week Two Homework Due Friday, September 27.

Week Three

• Class 6 Monday, September 30
  • Solar PV. Thermal energy. [Worksheet]
• Class 7 Thursday, October 3
  • Thermal energy. Heat loss and R values. [Worksheet]
• Week Three Homework Due Friday, October 4

Week Four

• Class 8 Monday, October 7
  • Home insulation. Furnaces and heat pumps. [Worksheet]
• Class 9 Thursday, October 10
  • Time value of money. [Worksheet]
• Week Four Homework Due Friday, October 11

Week Five

• Class 10 Monday, October 14
  • Valuing investments. Payback time, ROI, IRR. [Worksheet] [Worksheet]
• Class 11 Thursday, October 17
  • Transportation. Cars.
• Week Five Homework Due Friday, October 18

Week Six

• Class 12 Monday, October 21
  • Cars, Trains, Planes
• Class 13 Thursday, October 24
  • Hydropower
• Week Six Homework Due Friday, October 25
• Finance Exercise Due Friday, October 25

Week Seven

• Class 14 Monday, October 28
  • Nuclear Power
• Thursday, October 21
  • No Class: Faculty Retreat
• Week Seven Homework Due Friday, November 1
• Country Exercise Due Friday, November 1

Week Eight

• Class 15 Monday, November 4
  • Nuclear power. Production and consumption. Lifecycle Assessments. [Worksheet]
• Class 16 Thursday, November 7
  • Food and agriculture.
• Week Eight Homework Due Friday, November 8

Week Nine

• Class 17 Monday, November 11
  • Biomass. [Worksheet]
• Class 18 Thursday, November 14
  • The electrical grid. Smart grids.
• Week Nine Homework Due Friday, November 15

Week Ten

• Class 19 Monday, November 18
  • Grid-level storage. [Worksheet]
• Class 20 Thursday, November 21
  • CCS and BECCS. Summary and Conclusion
• Week Ten Homework Due Friday, November 22
• Final Energy Plan Assignment Due Friday, November 22

Cover Sheet for Homework