ENG 571, Theory of Energy and Sustainability Engineering, Spring 2017

Instructors: Professors John Abelson, Paul Debevec, Cliff Singer; Guest speaker: Dr. Tim Lindsey
TAs: Mr. Aditya (Adi) Ganti, Mr. Moutaz Elias; Class meetings: MWF, 3:00 3:50, 112 Transportation Building
Date
Jan 18
Jan 20

Topic
Course objectives and topics
Transition to sustainabilityhow long?

Speaker
John Abelson
Cliff Singer

Jan 23
Jan 25
Jan 27

Energy policies of other countries

Evolution of the energy resource mix
Power a country by renewables?

Paul Debevec
Cliff Singer
John Abelson

Jan 30
Feb 1
Feb 3

Fuel cells
Insolation and concentrated solar power
Photovoltaic fundamentals

John Abelson
John Abelson
John Abelson

Assigned: Term paper outline

Feb 6
Feb 8
Feb 10

Intermittency of solar and wind power

Renewable power off grid
Renewable power grid integration

Paul Debevec
John Abelson
John Abelson

Assigned: HW 1, Wind & Solar

Feb 13
Feb 15
Feb 17

Nuclear power I
Nuclear power II
Discussion

Cliff Singer
Cliff Singer
All

Feb 20
Feb 22
Feb 24

Sustainability as business innovation

Tim Lindsey
Sustainable development 5 step assessment John Abelson
Sustainable development group projects
John Abelson

Feb 27
Mar 1
Mar 3

Thermodynamic and other limits

Thermodynamic and other limits, continued
ZEROS simulation code

Paul Debevec
Paul or John
John Abelson

Simulation Code

HW: Assigned or DUE

Assigned: Baseline test (on Compass)

TEST DUE
DECC 2050

HOMER

HW 1 DUE

CES-Sustainability

TERM PAPER OUTLINE DUE

ZEROS

Mar 6
Mar 8
Mar 10

Equinox: A zero-net energy home in Urbana

Home heating and cooling
Heat pumps and air conditioners

John Abelson
John Abelson
John Abelson

Assigned: HW 2, Zero net energy home

Mar 13
Mar 15
Mar 17

Biomass, biofuels, and better plants

Low- windows and Trombe walls
ZEROS team project reports

Paul Debevec
John Abelson
John Abelson

Outline returned with comments

HW 2 DUE (= todays project reports)

SPRING BREAK
Mar 27
Mar 29
Mar 31

Energy economics
Financial return on the zero-net home
Discussion

John Abelson
John Abelson
All

Apr 3
Apr 5
Apr 7

Water-energy, energy-water requirements

Desalination and water pumping
Economic rebound effect

Paul Debevec
John Abelson
John Abelson

Apr 10
Apr 12
Apr 14

Materials selection for sustainability

Life cycle analysis for energy systems
Critical materials

John Abelson
John Abelson
John Abelson

Apr 17
Apr 19
Apr 21

Neg. emission: CCS, air capture, reforest.

Climate policy simulation
Policy response to the global effects of CO2

Paul Debevec
Cliff Singer
Cliff Singer

Apr 24
Apr 26
Apr 28

Climate game
Analysis of game results
Synopsis and discussion

Cliff Singer
Cliff Singer
All

HW 4 DUE
REVIEW OF PAPER DUE

May 1
May 3
May 5

Student presentations I
Student presentations II
TERM OVER

All
All

POSTER DUE (group I tba)

POSTER DUE (group II tba)

May 8

(NREL SAM)

Assigned: HW 3, Economics

HW 3 DUE

CES-Selection
TERM PAPER DUE

CAGE

Assigned: HW 4, Climate Future

Assigned: Review a classmate's paper

REWRITTEN PAPER DUE