Introduction to Clean Energy

This is a fun way to learn about energy, physics, chemistry, and electrical engineering principles to solve one of the world’s most important issues: conversion to renewable clean energy. This class is for middle and high school students interested in learning about the exciting world of renewable energy, and the technologies that make up the standard alternative energy, as well as new break-through technologies and those on the horizon. This will include a brief history and look towards the future of a state-of-art general composition of the main renewable energy technology contenders, and how these technologies function. Also, topics will include an overview of cutting edge technologies in the more mature industries like Solar and Wind, but also the latest emerging alternative energy industries like algae biofuels, and latest hydrogen fuel cell technology. During this class, we will have several of these technologies to show and demonstrate, and ultimately give context and reality to these renewable technologies. This will include in-class demonstrations of small scale hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and hydrogen production using electrolysis, as well as a wind turbine, a solar cell, and even some algal biofuel. There will be some hands on operation for the students, so that they can tangibly see the renewable energy solutions in action!

Course Number: ECE-90003   Credit: 0 units