Sustainable Energy (MCEN 4228/5228)
University of Colorado at Boulder, Fall 2012
Society’s dependence on fossil fuel energy reserves, which began during the later half of the 19th century, is no longer sustainable. It is therefore necessary to plan for transition to a broader energy mix that includes a variety of renewable sources, including wind, biomass, and solar as well as a systems approach to problem solving. The goal of this course is to provide engineers with a background necessary to participate in this transition.
Our textbook (cited in the outline below and throughout this Wiki) is Energy Systems Engineering by Francis M. Vanek and Loius D Albright.
Sustainable Energy: An Introduction (lectures and files)
Overview of terms (Chapter 1)
Start here for an overview of what we mean by sustainable energy and why we consider this discussion both important and fascinating!
Climate Change (Chapter 4)
This phrase is thrown around A LOT. Do you know what it means? Has anyone ever shown you how to do climate modeling and crunch the numbers yourself?
Population, Economics and Thermodynamics: quantitative tools to help engineers understand the energy problem (lectures and files)
Variables Influencing System Sustainability (Chapter 2)
Statistics and trends: decide for yourself if our current system is sustainable.
Economics: Money Matters (Chapter 3)
In order to be a part of the energy discussion, one must be as fluent in the language of supply and demand as thermodynamics and heat transfer!
Sustainable Systems Design (Chapter 5)
Transitioning to sustainable alternatives will require cooperation, smart design, and plenty of engineering.
Thermodynamics: Stationary Combustion Systems (Chapter 6)
Avoid falling victim to pipe dreams by reminding yourself of the thermodynamics limits.
Current Heat and Electricity Systems
Fossil Fuels (Chapter 5)
In order to make changes we must first understand where we currently stand and why. We also must respect the history of our energy markets and technologies.
Nuclear Energy Systems (Chapter 8)
Carbon: Ideas for reducing our carbon footprint
Carbon Capture and Sequestration (Chapter 7)
Can fossil fuels be sustainable? There are several short-term and long-term ideas for reducing the accumulation of CO2 in our atmosphere.
Carbon Markets
Guest speaker Elizabeth Lokey gives us an introduction to carbon markets.
EPA and the regulation of Greenhouse gasses
Guest speaker Jana Milford speaks on the topic of climate regulation by the US government.
Case Studies: A closer look at a few long-established industries
Agriculture and the Food System
The food system in the US has become a model for feeding large populations but is also a great showcase of our current dilema.
Transportation Technologies (Chapter 13)
Transportation is a huge portion of energy use in developed nations. Here are some technological ideas for sustainably supplying energy to mechanized transportation equipment.
Transportation Systems (Chapter 14) (lectures and files)
Taking transportation technology a step further here we look at the overall energy consumption and efficiency of transportation from a systems perspective.
Renewable Heat and Energy Systems (lectures and files)
NREL report on Renewable Energy - link
Building Systems
eQUEST
An introduction to the QUick Energy Simulation Tool
LEED
An overview of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification system
Case Study
A case study on building systems design
Systems Integration of the Power Grid: A look into the future of electricity (lectures and files)
Our Current Electrical System
Introduction to the current electricity system.
Planning the Power Systems with Variable Renewables
Here some of the challenges of integrating wind and solar into the power grid are discussed.
Storage
The storage of electricity is key to the integration of many renewable energy sources whose supply doesn't always correspond with the demand.
Renewable Electricity Futures
Here is a summary of the work being done by Greg Brinkman on a working model to simulate the operation of the power grid in order to maximize the contribution from renewable sources while minimizing cost.
Smart Grid
Guest Lecture on the plan for the implementation of the Smart Grid.
More Fun Stuff
Shell Represents
Gordon Johnson, an environmental engineer at Royal Dutch Shell shares his insight
Ecological Footprint
How many planet earths does it take to sustain your lifestyle?
Publications and Articles
NREL Internship Programs - Apply Soon!
Images above (in order): esprojects.net , bionomicfuel.com , renewableworldfoundation.org , english.vietnamnet.vn
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