18-883-L4 Integrated Energy Systems
Location: Africa
Units: 6
Semester Offered: Spring
Course description
Our energy systems — from electricity to thermal to transportation fuels – are at the core of our economies, powering commerce and industry. They are critical to achieving development goals like food security and access to quality healthcare. Energy systems are multidimensional and complex, so understanding today’s various energy sources and their interactions is key to designing sustainable, low-carbon futures. This interdisciplinary course sets the foundation for future energy professionals by exploring a range of renewable and traditional energy sources, how they are integrated into and shape our society, and what this means for technology design and decision-making.
Learning objectives
This course unpacks today’s major energy production methods across East and West Africa, highlighting their interactions and potential. Students will:
- Identify data, methods, and tools for evaluating project impact
- Investigate the energy mix in different countries and the reasons behind this
- Take a field visit to a power generation plant (e.g., solar or hydro) and collect data on its outputs
- Recognize the critical social and cultural dimensions of Africa’s energy transition
Outcomes
After completing this course, each student should be able to:
- Compare pros and cons of energy sources in terms of efficiency, emissions, volatility, and reliability
- Contact energy generation facility managers/planners and collect data on their facility production
- Evaluate natural resources related to energy production in a given area
- Use data on a given area’s natural resources and the community/regional energy demand to select and size energy technologies to meet the area’s demand over time (accounting for growth trends)
Content details
Renewable and traditional energy sources being utilized in East and West Africa (e.g., solar PV, solar thermal, wind, wave, tidal, bioenergy, and hydropower) as well as their interactions in today’s energy systems
Prerequisites
None