This course is designed to introduce students to the issues of energy in the 21st century – including food and fuels – which are inseparably linked – and will discuss energy production and utilization from the biology, engineering, economics, climate science, and social science perspectives.
About this Course
Learner Career Outcomes
18%
28%
Skills you will gain
Learner Career Outcomes
18%
28%
Offered by

University of California San Diego
UC San Diego is an academic powerhouse and economic engine, recognized as one of the top 10 public universities by U.S. News and World Report. Innovation is central to who we are and what we do. Here, students learn that knowledge isn't just acquired in the classroom—life is their laboratory.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
General Course Materials
Course overview materials, including syllabus, lecturer information, grading criteria, and external notices and resources.
Introduction to Energy
Introduces the basics of energy, covers finite energy sources like petroleum, looks at how energy and food are related, and examines the scale of current and future energy consumption and what renewable energy options can meet that demand.
Physical Energy Sources
Looks at some of the alternative energy options from the physical sciences domain, including wind energy, photovoltaic and photothermal energy, and nuclear energy. It also covers energy storage and electric vehicles, and energy efficiency and smart grid technologies.
Introduction to Biological Energy Sources
Provides an overview of the different biological energy sources including plants and algae. It explains what biofuels are, how they are produced, and the pros and cons of different biological sources.
Plant Biofuel
Discusses various plant-based fuels including corn ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, and jatropha biodiesel. It will cover the different technologies used, the pros and cons of each source, and current production around the world.
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM OUR ENERGY FUTURE
Very informative course even for someone with a prior knowledge in a particular segment in renewable energy. Covers diverse energy resources along with economic, and environmental considerations.
Great learning experience! Easy way to get an idea of the work that is being done to better our lives in the future in terms of energy. Very interesting lectures and would highly recommend it.
I wanted to learn something new and this was a fantastic course to develop a baseline knowledge. The content was interesting and the community of experts added to the quality of this course
Good overview of some of the efforts made towards alternative energies as well as the trends and status of the current energy industry. Well composed with some considerable insight.
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