Class schedule:
Monday 8:30-12 & 1-3 in Lib 2126 (first Meeting Jan 6 at 8:30 in Lib 2126)
Wednesday 8:30-10 in Lib 2136 and 10-12 in Lib 2130
Thursday 8:30-12 in Lib 2136. Note: some Tuesday field trips/conferences
Books: World Energy Assessment: Energy and the Challenge of Sustainability (WEA), José Goldemberg, Ed.; The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power, Daniel Yergin; Renewable Energy: sources for Fuels and Electricity (RE), Thomas B. Johansson, et al Eds.; The Solar Economy; Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Global Future, by Herman Scheer; The Solar Fraud; Why Solar Energy Won’t Run the World, by Howard C. Hayden; Bioenergy Primer: Modernised Biomass Energy for Sustainable Development, by United Nations Development Programme; Gaviotas: A Village to Reinvent the World, by Alan Weisman; State of the World 2002 by Lester Brown; The Skeptical Environmentalist by Bjorn.
It is critical that the book, The Prize, by Daniel Yergin be read prior to the start of the quarter!
Week 1:
Jan 6 8:30-12 Introductions, expectations, Covenant and Introductory Lecture. Introduce Research topics. 1-3 Lecture: The Nuclear Power Option. Read World Energy Assessment (WEA) pp. 150-152 and pp. 306-318.
Jan 7 9:00-4 Field Trip to Centralia Power Plant and Open Pit Coal mine
Jan 8 8:30-11 Nuclear fission and Nuclear Fusion Lecture and Workshop; 11-12 Library Research workshop
Jan 9 8:30-12 Seminar and discussion on World
Energy Assessment (WEA), pages 2-26 – An “Executive Summary” of the entire
book. Divide seminar group for weeks 7
and 9 reading assignments. Half of
class buy and read The Solar Economy (for week 7) and The Skeptical
Environmentalist (for week 9).
Other half of the class buy and read The Solar Fraud (for week 7)
and State of the
World (for week 9).
Week 2:
Jan 13 8:30-12 Renewable Energy Introduction – Chapter 1, Renewable Energy; Sources for Fuels and Electricity (RE). Begin Library Research workshops.
1-3 Seminar on The Prize, pages 1-408, The First 100 years of the Age of Oil: 1850-1950.
Jan 14 Individual Conferences, 15 minute slots, all day. Students select research
projects for the quarter and begin web searches.
Jan 15 8:30-12 Lecture/workshop on Renewable Energy: Sources for Fuels and Electricity (RE) Chapter 2, Hydropower and its Constraints and WEA 152-156 and 251-255.
Jan 16 8:30-11 Seminar on The Prize. Pages 409-end, The “Post-War” Years;
11-12 Library Research workshop part 2.
Week 3:
Jan 22 8:30-12 Lecture/Workshop on Renewable Energy, RE Chapter 3 & 4 Wind Energy and WEA 163-165 and 230-235.
Jan 23 8:30-11 Concluding Seminar on The Prize. Seminar question: Does oil continue to shape world politics? Research Assignment – what has happened in the t10+ years since The Prize was completed? Is there a connection between Afghanistan and oil? Iraq and oil? Bush’s sudden attention to Africa and oil?
11-12 Advanced Library Research workshop.
Week 4:
Jan 27 Lecture/Workshop on Renewable Energy RE Chapter 5 & 6 Solar Technology, and WEA 162-165 and 235-251.
1-3 Seminar on World Energy Assessment, WEA Chapters 1-2, pages 29-60.
Jan 29 Lecture/Workshop on World Energy Assessment, WEA Chapter 3, pages 61-110.
Jan 30 Seminar on World Energy Assessment, WEA Chapter 3, pages 62-110.
Week 5:
Feb 3 Lecture/Workshop on Renewable Energy, RE Chapters 7, 9, 10 Solar Cells Theory and Practice.
1-3 Seminar on WEA, Chapter 10, pages 368-389.
Feb 5 Lecture/Workshop on Renewable Energy, RE Chapters 8, 11 & 22 Solar in the Field
Feb 6 Lecture/Workshop on Biomass for Energy, RE Chapter 14, 15 and Bioenergy Primer and WEA pp. 156-162 and 222-230.
Week 6:
Feb 10 Lecture/Workshop on Biomass Gasification, RE 16-19.
1-3 seminar on WEA Chapters 9, 11, and 12, pages 334-366 and 394-452.
Feb 12 Annotated list of websites and First Draft of final paper due. Faculty available for conferences/consultations. No scheduled class.
Feb 13 Lecture/Workshop on Fuel Alcohol, RE Chapter 20,21.
Week 7:
Feb 20 Seminar/Debate on The Solar Fraud. At the beginning of seminar you will be assigned to either argue in support of The Solar Fraud, argue why solar power in all of its forms provides real promise, or to judge the argument. You will then have 30 minutes to prepare with your group, 2 hours for debate and the balance of time for wrap-up.
Week 8:
Feb 24-27 Field Trip to Portland, then up the Columbia River Gorge to the Tri-Cities – Solar, Wind, nuclear and biomass power generation plus public transportation planning.
Week 9:
Mar 3 8:30-12 Final Paper Due at 8:30 AM. Begin Student Presentations.
1-3 Seminar: Half of students will read State of the World 2002 (or 2003 if available) by Lester Brown and half read The Skeptical Environmentalist by Bjorn Lomborg. Each student will focus on chapter of his/her book for a class debate on the state of the world.
Mar 5 8:30-12 Student Presentations.
Mar 6 8:30-12 Student Presentations.
Week 10:
Mar 10 8:30-12 Student Presentations.
1-3 Seminar on Gaviotas.
Mar 12 8:30-12 Closing Discussion – Likely Scenarios for the Future.
Mar 13 8:30-12 Evaluation Writing Workshop
Week 11
Evaluation Conferences