Courses:

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This course assesses current and potential future energy systems, covers resources, extraction, conversion, and end-use, and emphasizes meeting regional and global energy needs in the 21st century in a sustainable manner. Different renewable and conventional energy technologies will be presented including biomass energy, fossil fuels, geothermal energy, nuclear power, wind power, solar energy, hydrogen fuel, and fusion energy and their attributes described within a framework that aids in evaluation and analysis of energy technology systems in the context of political, social, economic, and environmental goals. This course is offered during the last two weeks of the Independent Activities Period (IAP), which is a special 4-week term at MIT that runs from the first week of January until the end of the month, and continues into the Spring semester.

For this offering the course is divided into two parts:

Sustainable Energy toolkit and overview of options (9 credits). A two week IAP full time course presenting an overview of issues, analysis techniques and an introduction to energy supply and use today and options for the future (For nine days, from 9am to 4:30pm daily). Methodologies for evaluating energy options in the context of achieving sustainable development within a framework of multiple environmental, economic, political, and social goals and objectives. Overviews of energy supply and end-use options. Three problem sets and an exam.

(6 credits for two modules and a term paper; 9 credits for three or four modules and one term paper) Four, 2-week, subject modules will be offered to explore multiscale, multiattribute aspects of new energy technology development. Each module will meet twice a week for two-hour sessions as scheduled below during the first half of the Spring 2007 semester. Assignments include problem sets during the modules and an end-of-term written term paper and oral report (20-30 page technical paper on approved topic with overview, presentation of present status and issues, analysis of sustainability options for the future, and references; 20 minute formal oral presentation of results with 10 minutes of Q&A.) Term papers will be due on 10 days after Ses #17 and orals are scheduled for 29 to 30 days after Ses #17.

Open to all graduate students and upper class undergraduates by permission of the instructors. Normally, Part A would be considered as a pre-requisite for Part B, but we recognize that scheduling issues may make it difficult for everyone to attend Part A during IAP. Consequently, course materials will be available for self-instruction without credit for students taking Part B during the Spring 2007 semester.

Tester, J. W., E. M. Drake, M. W. Golay, M. J. Driscoll, and W. A. Peters. Sustainable Energy: Choosing Among Options. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2005. ISBN: 9780262201537.

DiPippo, R. Geothermal Power Plants: Principles, Applications and Case Studies. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Advanced Technology, 2005. ISBN: 9781856174749.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "The Future of Geothermal Energy: Impact of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) on the United States in the 21st Century." Idaho Falls, ID: Idaho National Laboratory, January 2007. ISBN: 9780615134383.

For any use or distribution of these materials, please cite as follows:

Jefferson Tester, Elisabeth Drake, Frank Incropera, Michael Golay, course materials for 10.391J/1.818J/2.65J/11.371J/22.811J/ESD.166J, Sustainable Energy, IAP 2007 to Spring 2007. MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Downloaded on [DD Month YYYY].