HS 220F — Renewable Energy for Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Access to inexpensive energy is fundamental to human well-being and economic development. There are two glaring failures in this otherwise happy moment in history. First there is a failure of fair access, with 1 in 5 people still living with no electricity at all - these are the energy poor. The second failure relates to our use of poor energy, primarily fossil fuels, major hydro, and conventional nuclear power. For SID graduates to fully appreciate the nature of these two kinds of energy challenges, and to potentially work in organizations focused on overcoming these challenges, it is necessary to master some of the fundamentals of both climate and energy science. The aim of this course is to provide sufficient climate and energy literacy to allow you to accurately analyze, compare, and critique different solutions, specifically by improving your understanding of energy technologies and of energy-related policies and programs, including the evolving international framework of low-carbon pro-poor technology transfer. Usually offered every year.
Eric Olson