| LEC # | INSTRUCTORS | TOPICS | SLIDES | READINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part I: Energy in context | ||||
| 1a | Golay | Introduction - Historical context (the post steam engine evolving growth of the developed countries, superimposed on the growing energy needs of the less-developed countries) - Energy sources for a more sustainable future | Overview and administration (PDF) Energy uses in different countries ( | Chapter 1 |
| 1b | Wright | Overview of energy use and related issues - Major energy options; issues of supply and demand - Overview of units and dimensions for global energy flows (Quads, MMBOE, MW, EJ, etc.); energy conversions (chemical to thermal, chemical to electric, etc.); and economic considerations | (PDF - 1.3MB) | Chapter 9 |
| 2 | Ronald Prinn, MIT Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences | "Climate Change: Science, Economics, and Policy." Global climate change issues and responses - Greenhouse gas emissions and potential effects - Modeling of atmospheric, oceanic, and terrestrial effects - Effects on ecology and biodiversity (local-regional-global) - Responses to CO2 build-up - Mitigation? | ( PDF - 1.8MB) | Sections 4.1-4.3 |
| 3a | Field | Toolbox 1: Energy transfer and conversion methods - Energy sources and uses - Survey of conversion processes - Conversion efficiency and rate considerations - Conversion case study | (PDF) | Chapter 3 |
| 3b | Golay | Drake, Elisabeth. "Energy and Sustainability Issues." 10.391J, January 2007. Sustainability, energy, and clean technologies in context - Frameworks for evaluation - Sustainability attributes - Time and space scales - Population and consumption growth - Tradeoffs and choices - Uncertainty | (PDF) | Sections 6.1, 6.4-6.6 |
| 4a | Wright | Recitation 1: Discussion of sustainability issues - Energy footprints - Opportunities and barriers; timing issues - Drivers of change | (PDF) | |
| 4b | Golay | Toolbox 2: Resource evaluation and depletion analyses - Present energy sources (fossil, nuclear, hydro) - Major energy alternatives (solar, geologic, ocean) - Resource base – uncertainties, grade/quality issues, resource vs. reserve estimates, economic evaluation frameworks - Other resource constraints that affect sustainability (esp. land, water, labor) | (PDF) | Chapter 2 |
| 5a | Field | Toolbox 3: Energy conversion, transmission, and storage - Matching supply and demand to minimize losses - Energy storage and transmission issues - Energy chains and connected efficiencies - Storage modes - Ragone plot - Transmission of fossil fuels and electricity | (PDF) | Chapter 16 |
| 5b | Katherine Dykes, MIT Engineering Systems Division | "Wind Power Fundamentals." (contributions from Alex Kalmikov and Kathy Araujo) | (PDF - 3.8MB) | Chapter 15 |
| 6a | Wright | Toolbox 4: Systems analysis methodologies - Scoping analysis; simulation models; economic models; life cycle analysis; systems dynamic models; decision models - Selecting system boundaries | (PDF) | Section 6.2, 6.3 |
| 6b | Golay | Toolbox 5: Energy supply, demand, and storage planning - Matching energy density of supply and demand - Temporal and geographical distributions - Energy transmission and distribution (pipelines, tankers, rail, power lines) - Role of energy storage; intermittency; influences of pricing during demand peaks and valleys | (PDF) | |
| 7a | Stephen Fairfax, MTechnology, Inc. | "Changes in the Electric Power Sector." The electric power system and requirements for success | (PDF - 1.6MB) | Chapter 17 |
| 7b | Tim Heidel, MIT Energy Initiative | "New Challenges and Opportunities for the Electric Grid." Historical factor and prospects for change in the electric power grid | (PDF - 2.2MB) | |
| 8a | Wright | Toolbox 6: Electrical systems dynamics | (PDF) | |
| 8b | Wright | Toolbox 7: Economic feasibility assessment methods - Engineering, capital, and investment costs - Matching energy density of supply and demand - Temporal and geographical distributions - Energy transmission and distribution (pipelines, tankers, rail, power lines) - Role of energy storage; intermittency; influences of pricing during demand peaks and valleys | (PDF) | Chapter 5 |
| 9a | Field | Toolbox 8: Thermodynamics and efficiency calculations - First and second laws - Availability - Power cycles and heat pumps - Topping and bottoming cycles | (PDF) | Chapter 3 |
| 9b | Robert Stavins, Harvard Kennedy School of Government | "International Climate Change Policy: From Copenhagen to Cancún, and Beyond." Carbon limitation policy options - Cap and trade - Carbon tax - Command and control | (PDF) | |
| Part II: Specific Energy Technologies | ||||
| 10 | Golay | Nuclear energy I: Basics and current status | (PDF - 1.8MB) | Chapter 8 |
| 11a | Field | Fossil energy I - Fuel conversion, power cycles, combined cycles - Advanced technologies | (PDF) | Chapter 15 |
| 11b | Green | "The Dominant Piece of the Energy System: Fossil Fuels." Fossil energy II - Types and characteristics - Technologies - Associated economics and impacts - Fossil fuel switching (synfuels, LNG, carbon sequestration) | (PDF - 1.1MB) | |
| 12a | Craig Olmsted, Cape Wind | Cape Wind energy and offshore wind projects | none | Chapter 7 |
| 12b | Ernest Moniz, MIT Physics / Engineering Systems Division | Current energy policy | (PDF - 3.0MB) | |
| 13a | Ralph Gakenheimer, MIT Urban Studies and Planning | "Transport Issues and the Environment in Latin America." Transportation in developing countries | (PDF - 2.3MB) | |
| 13b | Green | Fossil energy III - Alternative transportation fuels - Emission performance improvements - Connections to new engine technology - Cleaner fuel | (PDF - 1.2MB) | |
| 14a | Ralph Izzo, PSEG | Electricity generation options | none | Chapter 12 |
| 14b | Golay | Nuclear energy II: Waste disposal and Yucca Mountain | (PDF - 5.5MB) | |
| 15a | Golay | Nuclear energy III: Expansion of civilian nuclear power and proliferation | (PDF - 1.9MB) | |
| 15b | Wright | Fusion as a future energy source? | (PDF - 3.1MB) | |
| 16a | Michael Fehler, MIT Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences | Carbon management options | none | |
| 16b | Michael Fehler, MIT Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences | Geothermal energy - Resources, types, magnitudes - Technical, environmental, societal, and economic issues - Drilling technologies - Subsurface reservoir systems - Heat and power conversion techniques | none | Chapter 11 |
| 17 | Vladimir Bulovic, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science | "Capturing Solar Energy." Solar photovoltaics and thermal energy | none | Chapter 10 |
| 18 | Hussein Abdelhalim, Mark Artz, et al. | Recitation 2: Carbon limitation options / critique (student-led discussion) | (PDF) | |
| 19a | Green | Biomass I: Resources and uses - Resource types and requirements - Technical and environmental issues - Utilization options - Economic projections | (PDF) | |
| 19b | Green | Biomass II: Producing liquid fuels | (PDF - 1.3MB) | |
| Part III: Energy end use, option assessment, and tradeoff analysis | ||||
| 20a | Don MacKenzie, MIT Engineering Systems Division | "Automotive Technologies and Fuel Economy Policy." (contributions from Irene Berry) Transportation - Technology issues - Timescales for change | (PDF - 2.2MB) | Sections 18.4-18.6 |
| 20b | Addison Stark, MIT Mechanical Engineering | Lifecycle analysis of biomass conversion - Land use issues (ecological stress, competition with food, water use, topsoil erosion, occupational hazards) - Net energy balance and energy integration opportunities | (PDF) | |
| 21a | Katherine Dykes, MIT Engineering Systems Division | "Systems Dynamics & Sustainable Energy." Wind system dynamics, barriers to entry | (PDF) | Chapter 17 |
| 21b | Donald Sadoway, MIT Materials Science & Engineering | "Electrochemical Approaches to Electrical Energy Storage." Electrochemical energy conversions - Fuel Cells - Batteries | (PDF - 4.6MB) | |
| 22a | Leon Glicksman, MIT Architecture / Mechanical Engineering | "The Energy Crisis: A Neglected Solution." Sustainable buildings in developing countries | (PDF - 4.6MB) | Chapter 20 |
| 22b | Golay | Toolbox 9: Probabilistic risk analysis | (PDF - 3.2MB) | |
| 23 | Edward Alfano, et al. | Recitation 3: Current energy policy / critique (student-led discussion) | (PDF) | |
| 24a | John Reilly, MIT Sloan School of Management | "Why So Little Progress on International Climate Negotiations?" Corporate and international efforts to abate global climate change; sustainability and global business | (PDF) | |
| 24b | Golay | Hydropower | (PDF - 2.6MB) | |
| 25a | Robert Stoner, MIT Energy Initiative | "Sustainable Energy: Options for Africa." Challenges and options for electricity systems in Sub-Saharan Africa | (PDF - 7.9MB) | Chapter 12 |
| 25b | Golay/all | Course summary, panel discussion | ||
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