This will be updated frequently.

Week One

  • Class 1 (Monday, March 28): Introduction to the course. Introductory discussion of energy, conservation of energy, and power.
  • Class 2 (Thursday, March 31): Read Chapter 1 of SEWTHA (MacKay) and the Preface of SEFAS (Feldman and Demeo). Bring questions and comments on the MacKay reading. In class we will discuss the reading and go further into energy and power.
  • Homework One due on Friday, April 1.

Week Two

  • Class 3 (Monday, April 4): Initial discussion of windpower and areas.
  • Class 4 (Thursday, April 7): Anna's presentation on wind and the grid.

Week Three

  • Class 5 (Monday, April 11): Windpower conclusion. Basics of electricity generation.
  • Homework Two due on Tuesday, April 12.
  • Class 6 (Thursday, April 14): Solar photovoltaics.
  • Homework Three due on Friday, April 15.

Week Four

  • Class 7 (Monday, April 18): Finish solar. Start cars and planes. Link to the solar paper we discussed in class.
  • Class 8 (Thursday, April 21): More cars and other transport. Start time value of money?
  • Homework Four due on Friday, April 22.

Week Five

  • Class 9 (Monday, April 25): Time Value of Monday.
  • Class 10 (Thursday, April 28): Valuing Investments (payback time, ROI, IRR)
  • Homework Five due on Friday, April 29.

Week Six

  • Class 11 (Monday, May 2) Finish investment valuation. Start thermal energy.
  • Class 12 (Thursday, May 5) Solar Thermal. Nuclear basics
  • Homework Six due on Friday, May 6.

Week Seven

  • Class 13 (Monday, May 9) Nuclear power guest lecture.
  • Finance Exercise due on Tuesday, May 10.
  • Class 14 (Thursday, May 12) Home heating: Dealing with Leakiness.
  • Homework Seven due on Friday, May 13.

Week Eight

  • Class 15 (Monday, May 16) Home heating: Generating Heat. Combined heat and Power. Heat Pumps.
  • Class 16 (Friday, May 19) Agriculture
  • Homework Eight due on Friday, May 20.

Week Nine

  • Class 17 (Monday, May 23) Making stuff.
  • Class 18 (Friday, May 26) Negative carbon emissions
  • Homework Nine due on Friday, May 27.

Week Ten

  • Class 19 (Monday, May 30) Carbon capture and storage and negative carbon emissions.
  • Class 20 (Friday, June 2) Big picture/summary/conclusions
  • Homework Ten due on Friday, June 3.

Current Draft of Textbook

Guidelines for homework solutions.