Spring 2006
COURSE SCHEDULE
SYST 6820 – Assessing Sustainable Energy Technologies

Review of basic physics principles as related to energy generation; foundation of understanding the performance and efficiency of energy systems.  Class participants will be assumed to understand this material, but will not be explicitly tested for it on homework or exams.
 

Review of basic financial and economics principles as related to the financial and cost evaluation of energy generation systems.  Class participants will be assumed to understand this material, but will not be explicitly tested for it on homework or exams.
 

Review of fundamental principles of contemporary power generation and distribution.  Class participants will be assumed to understand this material, but will not be explicitly tested for it on homework or exams.
 

Definitions of sustainable energy; patterns of global energy supply and evaluation; fossil fuel energy vs. sustainable energy; current energy reserves; resource assessment; environmental impacts; historical notes.
 

Extent and prevalence of hydropower; geographic distribution and availability of hydropower resources; trajectory of hydropower technologies; economics of hydropower; sustainability attributes.
 

History of wind energy; global wind resources; wind energy technologies; wind tower and turbine design; trajectory of wind technology; economics of wind energy, sustainability attributes.
 

Overview of oceanic energy; energy generation using tides, waves, and temperature differentials;  trajectories of oceanic technologies; economics of oceanic energy; sustainability attributes.
 

General characteristics; passive and active solar thermal energy; power generation with thermal solar energy; solar photovoltaic systems (solar cells); trajectory of solar technology; economics of solar energy; sustainability attributes.
 

Types of geothermal energy; geographic distribution and availability of geothermal resources; technological trajectories for exploiting geothermal resources; economics of geothermal energy; sustainability attributes.
 

Promise of biomass energy resources; conversion of biomass to thermal energy; conversion of biomass to intermediate energy resources (e.g., ethanol); trajectory of biomass technologies; economics of biomass energy; sustainability attributes.
 

Complete unfinished business and discussion; review course material to-date and answer questions; in preparation for the midterm exam.
 

Overview of the "hydrogen economy" and of fuel cells; trajectory of fuel cell technology; infrastructure requirements for a hydrogen economy; economics of hydrogen; sustainability attributes.
 

History and future and nuclear power technologies; global distribution of nuclear power generation; nuclear fuel resources, processing, use, and disposal; fission vs. fusion power; trajectories of nuclear technologies; economics of nuclear power; sustainability attributes.
 

Fossil fuel technology is not standing still and the fossil fuel industry continues to innovate.  We will examine a number of current initiatives and ideas such as clean coal, carbon sequestration, cogeneration, coal gasification (syngas), and others; sustainability attributes.
 

Systems view of renewable energy; prospects for renewable energy; what lies ahead, Review course material to-date and answer questions; in preparation for the final exam
 

Oral presentation of student projects.  The format of student presentations will be determined by the number of students in the class, number of distance students, and other logistical issues.  Further information will be provided as the course progresses.