If you're looking to deepen your understanding of renewable energy, there are some excellent free courses to help you. There's the aptly-named Exploring Renewable Energy for beginners, which gives you a good overview of renewable energy technologies. There's also Renewable Energy Fundamentals, which provides a deeper exploration of the topic, as well as Renewable Energy Entrepreneurship, which covers the business and economics of renewable energy. If you're also interested in policy, then check out Global Energy and Climate Policy. And if you want to focus on one particular source, then Wind Energy might be a great choice.
For those looking to gain a comprehensive introductory understanding to renewable energy, the CU Boulder Specialization in Renewable Energy offers a great starting point for a range of different facets of renewable energy. In particular, newcomers to the field should consider taking advantage of four excellent Coursera courses: Solar Energy Basics, Energy Justice, Electric Power Systems and Renewable Energy Projects.
The Wind for Renewable Energies course on Coursera offers an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of wind energy and its applications. For a comprehensive approach to sustainability, the Sustainable Cities Specialization also provides insight into topics such as urban planning and development. Lastly, the Sustainability, Social and Ecological Systems course offers a holistic understanding of sustainable development systems and looks at how human actions affect the environment.
Renewable energy is energy that comes from resources that renew themselves naturally. So many of the energy sources we rely on today are finite and stem from resources that will run out one day, so scientists are working to harness energy that is renewable. The most widely used renewable energy sources are solar power and wind power, and scientists consider them reliable resources for renewable energy because we always have sunlight and wind all over on earth. Other sources for developing renewable energy include geothermal heat, tides and waves, and biomass energy. Scientists throughout the world are working to develop renewable energy as an inexpensive and sustainable alternative to oil, gas, and coal. These renewable energy sources can help preserve a clean and healthy environment and save money for residential and business consumers.
Studying renewable energy can help you prepare for the future because of the positive environmental and economic impact that alternative sources of energy can have on the planet. The sources of energy that we use the most—fossil fuels—are finite, and they contribute to climate change because of the greenhouse gases that they emit. Renewable energy sources can contribute less to the pollution of the earth and can better serve the environment. Adding more sources of energy to the mix will also create competition in the marketplace, and increased competition tends to lower prices. When you study renewable sources of energy, you can contribute to a greener planet and a better economy for everyone.
When you take online courses on Coursera, you can gain a better understanding of renewable energy and the impact that it can have on the world. Whether you're learning the basics of renewable energy or exploring more advanced aspects of alternative energy, you can tailor the courses on Coursera to best fit your needs. You can take survey courses on renewable energy or learn about more specific topics like green building, utility safety, and how solar energy affects the engineering industry.