The course will present a comprehensive overview of the global demand for energy, and the resource availability and technology used in its current and future supply. Through a personal energy audit, students will be made aware of the extensive role that energy plays in modern life, both directly, through electricity and transportation fuel, and indirectly in the manufacturing of goods they use. The course will cover how that energy is supplied, the anticipated global growth in energy demand, the resource availability and the role of science and technology in meeting that demand in a world concerned about climate change. The roles of conservation, improved efficiency and renewable energy in meeting future demand in a sustainable, environmentally benign way will be covered. Prerequisite: Basic understanding of chemistry and physics
Engineers will play an essential role in redesigning systems across scales to meet energy and sustainability goals in mitigating the global climate crisis. This is a foundational course applying chemical engineering principles, in particular mass and energy balances and thermodynamics, to connect microscopic and macroscopic aspects of “energy” from fundamental considerations of heat capacity and electrochemistry to limiting conversion efficiencies of thermal engines and solar cells and planetary energy balances. We will explore technical aspects of device engineering, policy requirements for technology implementation, and societal implications of such implementations. Finally, we will analyze local systems and design and justify possible changes to improve their sustainability.