Photo adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_farm
Photo adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_farm
Modified October 27, 2010
Today we are faced with
the challenge of driving the economies of modern civilization with new energy
resources. This course looks at the current energy sources to assess their long
term sustainability. In particular, we examine fossil fuels, from the geologic
processes that create them through their utilization. We evaluate the impact
on the global environment and the finiteness of each resource. Nuclear, geothermal,
solar, wind, hydro, tidal, and other energy sources will be evaluated. We project
forward to anticipate needs and evaluate future resources for time scales of
10, 20, 50, and 100 years. We identify the technical advances that are required
to meet the future energy needs.
The emphasis of the course is to provide a vision of the current global energy
setting. We will develop tools that enable critical thinking on issues that
interface society and science. Homework assignments will use the internet for
accessing relevant information and spread sheets (such as Excel) and Google
Earth to evaluate this information.
Course Outline (.doc)
Course Introduction - August 31, 2010 (.ppt)
Homework 1 - Due Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Google Earth Activity - Energy Gone Amok - September 16, 2010
Our
Environment: Renewables Research at Stony Brook: Green Buildings and Green Energy
- 7 PM Sunday October 10,
2010
(Attending this event and turning in a one-page summary report of what was discussed
will constitute an optional extra homework. The report is due in printed form
in class on Tuesday, October 19.)
Future of World Oil Reserves - October 21, 2010
Carbon in the Atmosphere - October 14, 2010
Google Earth Community: New York Tidal Power Project Proposed in 1913
Google Earth Community: Mountain Pass Rare Earth Mine (Offshore Wind, Land-Based Wind, Transportation Strategies)
NPR: EPA Rules That Fuel Can Contain More Ethanol (Biomass) (Transportation Strategies)
NPR: White House Lifts Ban On Offshore Drilling (Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling)
NPR: In Search Of Charging Stations For Electric Cars (Transportation Strategies)
New York Times: Lake Mead's Water Level Plunges as 11-Year Drought Lingers (Hydropower)
Google Earth Community: Atlantic Wind Connection (Offshore Wind)
Google Earth Community: Hull Wind (Land-Based Wind)
NPR: Full Steam Ahead For California Geothermal Plans? (Geothermal)
Google Earth Community: Battle of Blair Mountain (Coal)
Google Earth Community: Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (Solar)
Google Earth Community: Sarnia Solar Farm (Solar)
BBC: Laser fusion test results raise energy hopes (Nuclear Fusion)
DOE Awards $377 Million in Funding for 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers (Government Involvement in Energy)
NPR: Opponents Face Last Chance To Nix Cape Wind Plan (Offshore Wind)
NPR: Iran Claims Computer Worm Is Western Plot (Nuclear)
NPR: Report: Changes Needed To Make Nuke Plants Secure (Nuclear Fission)
Google Earth Community: From Waste to Heat in Didcot (Biomass)
Google Earth Community: District Energy in Baltimore (General)
NPR: Natural Gas Fuels Economy In Pennsylvania (Fracking)
NPR: Iraq Raises Estimate Of Oil Reserves (Imported Oil)
NPR: National Renewable Energy Goals And Progress (General)
BBC: Sun energy empowers Ethiopian village (Solar)
LIPA: BP Long Island Solar Farm (Solar)
NPR: Can Dirt Really Save Us From Global Warming? (Carbon Sequestration)
NPR: Scientists Hunt for Solution to CO2 Problem (Carbon Sequestration)
NPR: U.S. Climate Change Plan Is Idea Rich, Cash Poor (Carbon Sequestration)
NPR: Engineering Earth's Climate Could Be Dangerous (General)