Results for CSI::energy-environment

The biological causes and consequences of anthropogenic and natural changes in the atmosphere, oceans, and terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Topics: glacial cycles and marine circulation, greenhouse gases and climate change, tropical deforestation and species extinctions, and human population growth and resource use. Prerequisite: Biology or Human Biology core or graduate standing.

Principles and application of the science of preserving biological diversity. Conceptually, this course is designed to explore 4 major components relevant to the conservation of biodiversity, as exemplified by the Latin American region. The conceptual frameworks and principles, however, should be generally applicable, and provide insights for all regions of the world, including those of lesser biodiversity. Satisfies Central Menu Area 4 for Bio majors. Prerequisite: BIO 101, or BIO 43 or HUMBIO 2A with consent of instructor. Graduate level students will be expected to conduct a literature research exercise leading to a written paper, addressing a topic of their choosing, derived from any of the themes discussed in class.

Managing the life cycle of buildings from the owner, designer, and contractor perspectives emphasizing sustainability goals; methods to define, communicate, coordinate, and manage multidisciplinary project objectives including scope, quality, life cycle cost and value, schedule, safety, energy, and social concerns; roles, responsibilities, and risks for project participants; virtual design and construction methods for product, organization, and process modeling; lifecycle assessment methods; individual writing assignment related to a real world project.

The last 150 years of our industrial evolution have been material and energy intensive. The linear model of production and consumption manufactures goods from raw materials, wells and uses them, and then discards the products as waste. Circular economy provides a framework for systems-level redesign. It builds on schools of thought including regenerative design, performance economy industrial ecology, blue economy, biomimicry, and cradle to cradle. This course introduces the concepts of the circular economy and applies them to case studies of consumer products, household goods, and fixed assets.n nStudents will conduct independent projects on circular economy. Students may work alone or in small teams under the guidance of the teaching team and various collaborators worldwide. Class is limited to 14 students. All disciplines are welcome. This class fulfills the Writing & Rhetoric 2 requirement. Prerequisite: PWR 1.

This course will cover basic hydraulics and the fundamental processes used to provide and control water, and will introduce the basics of engineering design. In addition to understanding the details behind the fundamental processes, students will learn to feel comfortable developing initial design criteria (30% designs) for fundamental processes. Students should also develop a feel for the typical values of water treatment parameters and the equipment involved. The course should enable students to work competently in environmental engineering firms or on non-profit projects in the developing world such as Engineers without Borders. Pre-requisite: Chem31B/X.

Quantitative evaluation of technologies and techniques for reducing energy demand of residential-scale buildings. Heating and cooling load calculations, financial analysis, passive-solar design techniques, water heating systems, photovoltaic system sizing for net-zero-energy all-electric homes. Offered for 3 or 4 units; the 4-unit option includes a lab.

This course introduces analysis, sizing and performance estimations (electrical and financial) of renewable energy systems on both sides of the electric meter with an emphasis on photovoltaics and wind-power systems. Basic electric power generation, transmission and distribution, as well as distributed generation will be introduced. Optional Laboratory section for a 4th unit of credit.

Energy is a fundamental driver of human development and opportunity. At the same time, our energy system has significant consequences for our society, political system, economy, and environment. For example, energy production and use is the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions. In taking this course, students will not only understand the fundamentals of each energy resource -- including significance and potential, conversion processes and technologies, drivers and barriers, policy and regulation, and social, economic, and environmental impacts -- students will also be able to put this in the context of the broader energy system and think critically about how and why society has chosen particular energy resources. Both depletable and renewable energy resources are covered, including oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear, biomass and biofuel, hydroelectric, wind, solar thermal and photovoltaics (PV), geothermal, and ocean energy, with cross-cutting topics including electricity, storage, climate change, sustainability, green buildings, energy efficiency, transportation, and the developing world. The course is 4 units, which includes lecture and in-class discussion, readings and videos, assignments, and two off-site field trips. Enroll for 5 units to also attend the Workshop, an interactive discussion section on cross-cutting topics that meets once per week for 80 minutes (timing TBD based on student schedules). The 3-unit option requires instructor approval - please contact Diana Ginnebaugh. Website: http://web.stanford.edu/class/cee207a/ Course was formerly called Energy Resources.nPrerequisites: Algebra. May not be taken for credit by students who have completed CEE 107S.

This course is only for students who have already taken CEE 107A/207A/Earthsys 103 -- Understanding Energy. Please contact Kirsten Stasio (kstasio@stanford.edu) for instructor consent code.

(Undergraduates, see 124.) Project-based. Sustainable design, development, use and evolution of buildings; connections of building systems to broader resource systems. Areas include architecture, structure, materials, energy, water, air, landscape, and food. Projects use a cradle-to-cradle approach focusing on technical and biological nutrient cycles and information and knowledge generation and organization. May be repeated for credit.

Sustainable Urban Systems (SUS) Project is a project-based learning experience being piloted for an upcoming new SUS M.S. Program within CEE. Students are placed in small interdisciplinary teams (engineers and non-engineers, undergraduate and graduate level) to work on complex design, engineering, and policy problems presented by external partners in a real urban setting. Multiple projects are offered throughout the academic year and may span multiple quarters. Students are expected to interact with professionals and community stakeholders, conduct independent team work outside of class sessions, and submit deliverables over a series of milestones. To view project descriptions and apply, visit http://sus.stanford.edu/courses/.

Life cycle modeling of products, industrial processes, and infrastructure/building systems; material and energy balances for large interdependent systems; environmental accounting; and life cycle costing. These methods, based on ISO 14000 standards, are used to examine emerging technologies, such as biobased products, building materials, building integrated photovoltaics, and alternative design strategies, such as remanufacturing, dematerialization, LEED, and Design for Environment: DfE. Student teams complete a life cycle assessment of a product or system chosen from industry.

This class explores innovative methods for designing, developing, and financing high performance, low energy buildings. Students will learn best practices to reduce building energy buildings. Students will learn best practices to reduce building energy use and integrate solar PV generation in pursuit of commercial Net Zero Energy buildings. Lectures include presentations and panels featuring leading practitioners and researchers in the field. Optional site visits to local Net Zero Energy and LEED buildings provide context to support lectures. CEE 176A and CEE 156/256 or similar courses are recommended prerequisites but not required. All students are expected to participate in a group-based, term project focused on the design and development of a Net Zero Energy building. Students taking the course for two units will not be required to complete in-class assignments for individual homework assignments.

This seminar explores ideas for redesigning banks and the banking sector to achieve three goals: (1) keep the bank and its depositors safe, (2) keep the borrowers, communities, and societies affected by the bank's lending decisions safe, and (3) use bank transactions to improve the sustainability of natural ecosystems. Weekly speakers include bankers, bank regulators, and financial technology (fintech) innovators focused on sustainable banking.

Introduce the design and implementation of sensor networks for monitoring the built and natural environment. Emphasis on the integration of modern sensor and communication technologies, signal processing and statistical models for network data analysis and interpretation to create practical deployments to enable sustainable systems, in areas such as energy, weather, transportation and buildings. Students will be involved in a practical project that may involve deploying a small sensor system, data models and analysis and signal processing. Limited enrollment.

HVAC, lighting, and envelope systems for commercial and institutional buildings, with a focus on energy efficient design. Knowledge and skills required in the development of low-energy buildings that provide high quality environment for occupants.

Daily and severe weather and global climate. Topics: structure and composition of the atmosphere, fog and cloud formation, rainfall, local winds, wind energy, global circulation, jet streams, high and low pressure systems, inversions, el Niño, la Niña, atmosphere/ocean interactions, fronts, cyclones, thunderstorms, lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, pollutant transport, global climate and atmospheric optics.

Survey of Survey of air pollution and global warming and their renewable energy solutions. Topics: evolution of the Earth's atmosphere, history of discovery of chemicals in the air, bases and particles in urban smog, visibility, indoor air pollution, acid rain, stratospheric and Antarctic ozone loss, the historic climate record, causes and effects of global warming, impacts of energy systems on pollution and climate, renewable energy solutions to air pollution and global warming. UG Reqs: GER: DBNatSci

Interdisciplinary seminar with talks by researchers and practitioners in the fields of atmospheric science and renewable energy engineering. Addresses the causes of climate, air pollution, and weather problems and methods of addressing these problems through renewable and efficient energy systems. May be repeated for credit.

Alternative criteria for judging the sustainability of projects. Application of criteria to evaluate sustainability of water resources projects in several countries. Case studies illustrate the role of political, social, economic, and environmental factors in decision making. Influence of international aid agencies and NGOs on water projects. Evaluation of benefit-cost analysis and environmental impact assessment as techniques for enhancing the sustainability of future projects. Limited enrollment. Prerequisite: graduate standing in Environmental and Water Studies, or consent of instructor.

Economic, social, political, and technical aspects of sustainable water supply and sanitation service provision in developing countries. Service pricing, alternative institutional structures including privatization, and the role of consumer demand and community participation in the planning process. Environmental and public health considerations, and strategies for serving low-income households. Limited enrollment. Prerequisite: consent of instructor, see jennadavis.stanford.edu for application.

Presentations on current research in environmental engineering and science by Civil & Environmental Engineering faculty.

Focus is on Power Engineering from a systems point of view. Topics covered may include modeling of generation, transmission and distribution systems, load flow analysis, transient and steady-state stability analysis. Special emphasis given to modern market operations and dispatch, modeling intermittent controllable power sources, storage technologies, mechanisms for demand response, sensing the grid and the role of market mechanisms for deep integration. Course content may vary year to year.

A series of seminar and lectures focused on power engineering. Renowned researchers from universities and national labs will deliver bi-weekly seminars on the state of the art of power system engineering. Seminar topics may include: power system analysis and simulation, control and stability, new market mechanisms, computation challenges and solutions, detection and estimation, and the role of communications in the grid. The instructors will cover relevant background materials in the in-between weeks. The seminars are planned to continue throughout the next academic year, so the course may be repeated for credit.

One of the fastest growing economic sectors is the water field, and private water companies are playing an increasingly important role in improving water management around the world. In some cases, however, the involvement of private companies in the water sector has also proven controversial (e.g., when private companies have taken over public water supply systems in developing countries such as Bolivia). This course will look at established or emerging businesses in the water sector and the legal, economic, and social issues that they generate. These businesses include investor-owned water utilities, water technology companies (e.g., companies investing in new desalination or water recycling technologies), water-right funds (who directly buy and sell water rights), social impact funds, innovative agricultural operations, water concessionaires, and infrastructure construction companies and investors. Each week will focus on a different business and company. Company executives will attend the class session and discuss their business with the class. In most classes, we will examine (1) the viability and efficacy of the company's business plan, (2) the legal and/or social issues arising from the business' work, and (3) how the business might contribute to improved water management and policy. Each student will be expected to write (1) two short reflection papers during the course of the quarter on businesses that present to the class, and (2) a 15-page paper at the conclusion on the class on either a water company of the student's choice or a policy initiative that can improve the role that business plays in improving water management (either in a particular sector or more generally). Elements used in grading: Attendance, Class Participation, Written Assignments, Final Paper. Cross-listed with Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE 273B).

One of the fastest growing economic sectors is the water field, and private water companies are playing an increasingly important role in improving water management around the world. In some cases, however, the involvement of private companies in the water sector has also proven controversial (e.g., when private companies have taken over public water supply systems in developing countries such as Bolivia). This course will look at established or emerging businesses in the water sector and the legal, economic, and social issues that they generate. These businesses include investor-owned water utilities, water technology companies (e.g., companies investing in new desalination or water recycling technologies), water-right funds (who directly buy and sell water rights), social impact funds, innovative agricultural operations, water concessionaires, and infrastructure construction companies and investors. Each week will focus on a different business and company. Company executives will attend the class session and discuss their business with the class. In most classes, we will examine (1) the viability and efficacy of the company's business plan, (2) the legal and/or social issues arising from the business' work, and (3) how the business might contribute to improved water management and policy. Each student will be expected to write (1) two short reflection papers during the course of the quarter on businesses that present to the class, and (2) a 15-page paper at the conclusion on the class on either a water company of the student's choice or a policy initiative that can improve the role that business plays in improving water management (either in a particular sector or more generally). Elements used in grading: Attendance, Class Participation, Written Assignments, Final Paper. Cross-listed with Civil & Environmental Engineering.

Technology-based problems faced by developing communities worldwide. Student groups partner with organizations abroad to work on concept, feasibility, design, implementation, and evaluation phases of various projects. Past projects include a water and health initiative, a green school design, seismic safety, and medical device. Admission based on written application and interview. See http://esw.stanford.edu for application. (Staff)

This course is the first half of a two quarter, project-based design course that addresses the cultural, political, organizational, technical, and business issues at the heart of implementing sustainable engineering projects in the developing world. Students will be placed into one of three project teams and tackle a real-world design challenge in partnership with social entrepreneurs and NGOs. In CEE 177X/277X, students will gain the background skills and context necessary to effectively design engineering projects in developing nations. (Cardinal Course certified by the Haas Center). Instructor consent required.

The sources and health effects of gaseous and particulate air pollutants. The influence of meteorology on pollution: temperature profiles, stability classes, inversion layers, turbulence. Atmospheric diffusion equations, downwind dispersion of emissions from point and line sources. Removal of air pollutants via settling, diffusion, coagulation, precipitation, Mechanisms for ozone formation, in the troposphere versus in the stratosphere. Effects of airborne particle size and composition on light scattering/absorption, and on visual range. Prerequisites: MATH 51 or equivalent. Recommended: 101B, CHEM 31A, or equivalents.

Interdisciplinary exploration of current energy challenges and opportunities, with talks by faculty, visitors, and students. May be repeated for credit.

Presentation and discussion of early stage or more mature research on a variety of topics related to financing, governance and sustainability of civil infrastructure projects by researchers associated with the Global Projects Center and visiting speakers. To obtain one unit of credit, students must attend and participate in all seminars, with up to two excused absences. Seminar meets weekly during Autumn, Winter and Spring Quarters.

The economics of food production, consumption, and trade. The micro- and macro- determinants of food supply and demand, including the interrelationship among food, income, population, and public-sector decision making. Emphasis on the role of agriculture in poverty alleviation, economic development, and environmental outcomes. (graduate students enroll in 206)

How can we ensure that measures taken to mitigate global climate change don't create larger social and environmental problems? What metrics should be used to compare potential climate solutions beyond cost and technical feasibility, and how should these metrics be weighed against each other? How can modeling efforts and stakeholder engagement be best integrated into climate decision making? What information are we still missing to make fully informed decisions between technologies and policies? Exploration of these questions, alongside other issues related to potential negative externalities of emerging climate solutions. Evaluation of energy, land use, and geoengineering approaches in an integrated context, culminating in a climate stabilization group project.

Economic sources of environmental problems and alternative policies for dealing with them (technology standards, emissions taxes, and marketable pollution permits). Evaluation of policies addressing regional air pollution, global climate change, water allocation in the western U.S., and the use of renewable resources. Connections between population growth, economic output, environmental quality, and human welfare. Prerequisite: ECON 50. May be taken concurrently with consent of the instructor.

Theoretical and empirical analysis of sources of and solutions to environmental problems, with application to local pollution challenges and global environmental issues such as climate change. Topics include: analysis of market failure, choice of environmental policy instruments, integrating environmental and distortionary taxes, environmental policy making under uncertainty, valuing environmental amenities, and measuring /promoting sustainable development.

Issues in measuring and evaluating the economic performance of government tax, expenditure, debt, and regulatory policies; their effects on levels and distribution of income, wealth, and environmental quality; alternative policies and methods of evaluation. Workshop format combines student research, faculty presentations, and guest speakers. Prerequisite: ECON 241 or consent of instructor.

Students learn Behavior Design and practice applying the methods to change human behavior in measurable ways. In this particular course, all projects will focus on one theme: Designing the first step.

Foundational understanding of the history, theoretical underpinnings, and practice of environmental education as a tool for addressing today's pressing environmental issues. The purpose, design, and implementation of environmental education in formal and nonformal settings with youth and adult audiences. Field trip and community-based project offer opportunities for experiencing and engaging with environmental education initiatives.

The purpose of this seminar series course is to help students and professionals develop the tools to apply the engineering and entrepreneurial mindset to problems that stem from climate change, in order to consider and evaluate possible stabilizing, remedial and adaptive approaches. This course is not a crash course on climate change or policy. Instead we will focus on learning about and discussing the climate problems that seem most tractable to these approaches. Each week Dr. Field and/or a guest speaker will lead a short warm-up discussion/activity and then deliver a talk in his/her area of expertise. We¿ll wrap up with small-group and full-class discussions of related challenges/opportunities and possible engineering-oriented solutions.nClass members are asked to do background reading before each class, to submit a question before each lecture, and to do in-class brainstorming. May be repeated for credit.

Operating principles and applications of emerging technological solutions to the energy demands of the world. The scale of global energy usage and requirements for possible solutions. Basic physics and chemistry of solar cells, fuel cells, and batteries. Performance issues, including economics, from the ideal device to the installed system. The promise of materials research for providing next generation solutions. Undergraduates register in 156 for 4 units; graduates register in 256 for 3 units.

For seniors and graduate students. Covers scientific and engineering fundamentals of renewable energy processes involving heat. Thermodynamics, heat engines, solar thermal, geothermal, biomass. Recommended: MATH 19-21, or Math 41,42; PHYSICS 41, 43, 45

Energy use in modern society and the consequences of current and future energy use patterns. Case studies illustrate resource estimation, engineering analysis of energy systems, and options for managing carbon emissions. Focus is on energy definitions, use patterns, resource estimation, pollution. Recommended: MATH 21 or 42.

A weekend field trip featuring renewable and nonrenewable energy installations in Northern California. Tour geothermal, bioenergy, and natural gas field sites with expert guides from the Department of Energy Resources Engineering. Requirements: One campus meeting and weekend field trip. Enrollment limited to 25. Freshman have first choice.

Do you want a much better understanding of renewable power technologies? Did you know that wind and solar are the fastest growing forms of electricity generation? Are you interested in hearing about the most recent, and future, designs for green power? Do you want to understand what limits power extraction from renewable resources and how current designs could be improved? This course dives deep into these and related issues for wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, tidal and wave power technologies. We welcome all student, from non-majors to MBAs and grad students. If you are potentially interested in an energy or environmental related major, this course is particularly useful. Recommended: Math 21 or 42.

This course explores the transition to a sustainable energy system at large scales (national and global), and over long time periods (decades). Explores the drivers of global energy demand and the fundamentals of technologies that can meet this demand sustainably. Focuses on constraints affecting large-scale deployment of technologies, as well as inertial factors affecting this transition. Problems will involve modeling global energy demand, deployment rates for sustainable technologies, technological learning and economics of technical change. Recommended: ENERGY 101, 102.

The Deepwater Horizon blowout and spill in April 2010 occurred on one of the most advanced deepwater drilling rigs in the world operated by one of the most experienced companies. In this course we will look at and discuss the technologies and management practices involved in deepwater drilling and discuss how an accident like this happens and what could have been done differently to avoid it. We will focus on the Horizon and also look briefly at other high profile industrial and technological accidents.

Whether Earth Science modeling is performed on a local, regional or global scale, for scientific or engineering purposes, uncertainty is inherently present due to lack of data and lack of understanding of the underlying phenomena. This course highlights the various issues, techniques and practical tools available for modeling uncertainty of complex Earth systems as well as the impact uncertainty has on practical decisions for geo-engineering problems. The course focuses on practical breadth rather than theoretical depth. Topics covered are: the process of building models, sources of uncertainty, probabilistic techniques, spatial data analysis and geostatistics, grid and scale, spatio-temporal uncertainty, visualizing uncertainty in large dimensions, Monte Carlo simulation, sensitivity analysis, reducing uncertainty with data, value of information. Applications to both local (reservoir, aquifer) and global (climate) are covered through literature study. Extensive software use with SGEMS.nnPrerequisites: algebra (CME 104 or equivalent), introductory statistics course (CME 106 or equivalent).

Oil and gas represents more than 50% of global primary energy. In delivering energy at scale, the industry has developed global infrastructure with supporting technology that gives it enormous advantages in energy markets; this course explores how the oil and gas industry operates. From the perspective of these established systems and technologies, we will look at the complexity of energy systems, and will consider how installed infrastructure enables technology development and deployment, impacts energy supply, and how existing infrastructure and capital invested in fossil energy impacts renewable energy development. Prerequisites: Energy 101 and 102 or permission of instructor.

Understanding the current and future price of oil requires the synthesis of geologic, engineering, financial, geopolitical, and macroeconomic information. In this seminar, we will build a global supply curve for petroleum by studying the marginal and full-cycle production costs for each of the major resource categories. We will study how reserve classification varies globally, and how global petroleum resources and reserves have changed and are likely to change over time. We will further investigate how the time lag between resource discovery, project sanctioning, and full production will affect future supply. Finally, we will study the elasticity of oil demand and how that demand is likely to change over time as the developing world gets richer and as competition from other energy sources increases.

Oil and gas represents more than 50% of global primary energy. In delivering energy at scale, the industry has developed global infrastructure with supporting technology that gives it enormous advantages in energy markets; this course explores how the oil and gas industry operates. From the perspective of these established systems and technologies, we will look at the complexity of energy systems, and will consider how installed infrastructure enables technology development and deployment, impacts energy supply, and how existing infrastructure and capital invested in fossil energy impacts renewable energy development. Prerequisites: Energy 101 and 102 or permission of instructor.

For E-IPER Ph.D and Joint M.S. students only. Weekly presentations of E-IPER students' research and other program-related projects. Occasional guest speakers. Individual or team presentation, active participation, and regular attendance required for credit. May be taken for credit a maximum of two times.

For E-IPER Joint M.S. students only. This course functions as a gateway for E-IPER Joint M.S. students to learn about the variety of environmental science conducted by the program's affiliated faculty. Topics include oceans, green chemistry, water policy, energy, and others. Students engage in problem solving related to the application of science to business, law, and the conservation of natural resources.

Required for and limited to E-IPER Joint M.S. students. Propose, conduct and publicly present final individual or team projects demonstrating the integration of professional (M.B.A., J.D., or M.D.) and M.S. in Environment and Resources degrees. Presentation and submission of final product required. 3 total units required; can all be taken during one quarter or divided over two sequential quarters.

This project-based d.school class combines Design Thinking with Systems Thinking, with the goal of designing interventions to large scale, complex and systemic challenges. This class draws from System theory, Behavioral Sciences, elements of Diffusion Theory, and a methodology for scaled transformation. Tools and theories introduced in class will be used to structure large-scale transformations that simultaneously create value on environmental, societal, and economic fronts. This is a project-based class involving team-based, real world challenges that are all complex and scaled. Primarily meant for Graduate Students (especially qualified/motivated Seniors will be considered). Admission to the class is through an application process through the d.school. Please find instructions and applications at the d.school class applications website.

This is a graduate level course that examines the dynamics of land use in relation to the multiple dimensions of globalization. The objective is to understand and analyze how the expansion of global trade, the emergence of new global actors, and public and private regulations affect land use changes. Beyond getting a better understanding of the dynamics of land use change, the course will enable students to better understand how to effectively influence land use change, from different vantage points: government, NGO, information broker, corporate actor. The main emphasis is on tropical regions. Lectures introduce various topics related to theories, practical cases, and evaluation tools to better understand and analyze contemporary land use dynamics. Data analyses will be conducted in the lab section, based on case studies.

Field-based training in ecologically sound agricultural practices at the Stanford Community Farm. Weekly lessons, field work, and group projects. Field trips to educational farms in the area. Topics include: soils, composting, irrigation techniques, IPM, basic plant anatomy and physiology, weeds, greenhouse management, and marketing.

A project-based course emphasizing 'ways of doing 's sustainable agricultural systems based at the new Stanford Educational Farm. Students will work individually and in small groups on the design of a new educational garden and related programs for the Stanford Educational Farm. The class will meet on 6 Fridays over the course of winter quarter. Class meetings will include an introduction to designing learning gardens and affiliated programs, 3 field trips to exemplary educational gardens in the bay area that will include tours and discussions with garden educators, and work sessions for student projects. By application only.

A graduate-level, seminar-style class on climate change structured around the IPCC's AR5. Significant reading load and weekly talks by a rotating roster of contributing and lead authors from the IPCC. The focus will be on the physical science basis, adaptation and impacts (working groups 1 and 2), with some material drawn from mitigation (working group 3).

This case study-oriented course will focus on the critical skills needed to evaluate, develop, finance (on a non-recourse basis), and complete standalone energy and infrastructure projects. The primary course materials will be documents from several representative projects - e.g. solar, wind, storage, carbon capture - covering key areas including market and feasibility studies, environmental permitting and regulatory decisions, financial disclosure from bank and bond transactions, and construction, input, and offtake contracts. Documents and economic models tend to be highly customized. By taking a forensic approach, looking at several different projects, we can learn how project developers, financiers, and lawyers work to get deals over the finish line that meet the demands of the market, the requirements of the law, and (sometimes) broader societal goals, in particular climate change, economic competitiveness, and energy security.

Transforming the global energy system to reduce climate change impacts, ensure security of supply, and foster economic development of the world's poorest regions depends on the ability of commercial players to deliver the needed energy at scale. Technological innovation is a necessary but not sufficient condition for this to occur. The complex institutional frameworks that regulate energy markets in the United States and around the world will play a major role in determining the financial viability of firms in the energy sector. In this course we survey the institutional contexts for energy enterprises of all types and consider what kinds of business models work in each setting. We study in detail how markets function for carbon (assessing the advantages and disadvantages of different policy tools and considering in particular California's implementation of A.B. 32); electricity (with extensive discussion of wholesale electricity markets, energy trading, and issues of market power); renewable energy technologies (focusing on ways to manage intermittency and on how renewable energy businesses respond to government incentives); nuclear power (as a case study of how the regulatory process affects investment decisions); oil and natural gas (treating both conventional and unconventional resources and emphasizing the key role of risk management in an industry characterized by uncertainty and high capital requirements); transportation fuels (discussing biofuels incentives, fuel efficiency standards, and other policy tools to lower carbon intensity); and energy for low-income populations, for which affordability and distribution pose special challenges. A primary teaching tool in the course is a game-based simulation of California's electricity markets under cap and trade. Student teams play the role of power companies and compete to maximize return by bidding generation into electricity markets and trading carbon allowances. The objective of the course is to provide a robust intellectual framework for analyzing how a business can most constructively participate in any sector like energy that is heavily affected by government policy. Instructors: Frank A. Wolak, Director, Program on Energy and Sustainable Development; Mark Thurber, Associate Director, Program on Energy and Sustainable Development.

This course examines business models and opportunities related to clean energy, specifically to low-carbon energy. We examine emerging trends for this sector in the context of technological change, business opportunities and the parameters set by public policy. Specific topics to be examined include:nn- Carbon Emissions and the Clean Energy Transitionn- Funding Innovative Energy Companiesn- Modeling Cost Competitiveness of Alternative Energy Technologiesn- The Momentum of Renewable Energy: Solar PV and Windn- The Changing Business Model of Utilitiesn- Storage and Sustainable Transportation

This new course will look at ongoing and upcoming innovation in cars, driving, and mobility from three perspectives: (1) technology, (2) economics & business Models, and (3) policy. We'll survey changes in powering vehicles (e.g. electrification and biofuels), in vehicle connectivity and communications, and most especially changes in autonomy and self-driving vehicles. We’ll look at changes in the economics of cars, vehicles, and driving—new business models, shared ownership, mobility as a service, as well as who some of the major players are in this nascent field and what they'€™re doing/developing. And we'll explore the interactions of technology and economics with policy and broader societal changes-€”direct effects like safety, legal liability, and who can drive; indirect effects on traffic, insurance, infrastructure needs, fuel taxes, and the environment; as well as longer-term and even bigger changes in daily life and where and how we live, work, and drive.

This course addresses the nature, content, and structure of international environmental law. We will discuss its sources (formal and informal) and general principles, along with the emerging principles (sustainable development, precautionary principle, etc.) We will evaluate the role of international and non-governmental organizations, as well as examine the negotiation, conclusion, and implementation of international environmental agreements. Problem areas to be examined include global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, exports of hazardous substances, transboundary pollution, trade and environment, and development and environment. RECOMMENDED PREREQ: students have completed POLISCI 101 and/or INTNLREL 140A

The global energy landscape is undergoing seismic shifts with game-changing economic, political and environmental ramifications. Technological breakthroughs are expanding the realms of production, reshuffling the competition among different sources of energy and altering the relative balance of power between energy exporters and importers. The US shale oil and gas bonanza is replacing worries about foreign oil dependence with an exuberance about the domestic resurgence of energy-intensive sectors. China¿s roaring appetite for energy imports propels its national oil companies to global prominence. Middle Eastern nations that used to reap power from oil wealth are bracing for a struggle for political relevance. Many African energy exporters are adopting promising strategies to break with a history dominated by the ¿resource curse¿.nThis course provides students with the knowledge, skill set and professional network to analyze how the present and past upheavals in oil and gas markets affect energy exporters and importers, their policymaking, and their relative power. Students will gain a truly global perspective thanks to a series of exciting international guest speakers and the opportunity to have an impact by working on a burning issue for a real world client. Satisfies the IPS Policy Writing Requirement.

Comparative approach to sustainable cities, with focus on international practices and applicability to China. Tradeoffs regarding land use, infrastructure, energy and water, and the need to balance economic vitality, environmental quality, cultural heritage, and social equity. Student teams collaborate with Chinese faculty and students partners to support urban sustainability projects. Limited enrollment via application; see internationalurbanization.org for details. Prerequisites: consent of the instructor(s).

(Formerly Law 455) The supply of a reliable, low-cost and clean energy supply for the United States is a key determinant of current and future prosperity. Perhaps as a result, electric utilities are among the most heavily regulated of large firms. This statutory and regulatory framework is composed of a complex patchwork of overlapping state and federal rules that is constantly evolving to meet emerging challenges to the energy system. In this course, students will acquire a basic understanding of the law of rate-based regulation of utilities. We will then examine the history of natural gas pipeline regulation in the United States, concluding with the introduction of market competition into US natural gas markets and the advent of shale gas. Next, we will cover the basics of the electricity system, including consumer demand, grid operations, and power plant technologies and economics. We will then revisit cost of service rate regulation as it has been applied in the electricity context. Next we will examine reform of both rate-regulated and wholesale market-based structures, focusing on various attempts to introduce market competition into aspects of the industry and to strengthen incentives for utility investment in energy efficiency. Finally, students will examine various approaches to subsidization of utility scale renewable energy and the growth of distributed energy. Throughout, the course will focus on the sometimes cooperative, sometimes competing, but ever evolving federal and state roles in regulating the supply of electric power. Students will write two 1000 word response papers to questions related to readings and outside speakers in addition to taking a final exam. Elements used in grading: Class participation (20%), written assignments (40%), and final exam (40%).

One of the fastest growing economic sectors is the water field, and private water companies are playing an increasingly important role in improving water management around the world. In some cases, however, the involvement of private companies in the water sector has also proven controversial (e.g., when private companies have taken over public water supply systems in developing countries such as Bolivia). This course will look at established or emerging businesses in the water sector and the legal, economic, and social issues that they generate. These businesses include investor-owned water utilities, water technology companies (e.g., companies investing in new desalination or water recycling technologies), water-right funds (who directly buy and sell water rights), social impact funds, innovative agricultural operations, water concessionaires, and infrastructure construction companies and investors. Each week will focus on a different business and company. Company executives will attend the class session and discuss their business with the class. In most classes, we will examine (1) the viability and efficacy of the company's business plan, (2) the legal and/or social issues arising from the business' work, and (3) how the business might contribute to improved water management and policy. Each student will be expected to write (1) two short reflection papers during the course of the quarter on businesses that present to the class, and (2) a 15-page paper at the conclusion on the class on either a water company of the student's choice or a policy initiative that can improve the role that business plays in improving water management (either in a particular sector or more generally). Elements used in grading: Attendance, Class Participation, Written Assignments, Final Paper. Cross-listed with Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE 273B).

(Formerly Law 774) This case study-oriented course will focus on the critical skills needed to evaluate, develop, finance (on a non-recourse basis), and complete standalone energy and infrastructure projects. The primary course materials will be documents from several representative projects - e.g., solar, wind, storage, carbon capture, transmission, combined heat & power - covering key areas including market and feasibility studies, environmental permitting and regulatory decisions, financial disclosure from bank and bond transactions, and construction, input, and offtake contracts. For virtually every clean energy project, legal documents and financial/business models tend to highly customized. By examining actual projects and transactions we can learn how developers, financiers, and lawyers work to get deals over the finish line--deals that meet the demands of the market, the requirements of the law, and (sometimes) broader societal goals, in particular climate change, economic competitiveness, and energy security. Elements used in grading: Class Participation (35 %), Lecture-based Assignment (15 %), Group Project (50 %). Absences affect grade. Also open to engineering graduate students. Cross-listed with Graduate School of Business (GSBGEN 335).

This course takes a comprehensive view of solar cells and what will need to be done to enable them to substantially change how the world obtains its electricity. After covering the fundamentals (light trapping, current flow in pn junctions, recombination) that are important for almost all photovoltaic technologies, the course will address technologies based on highly crystalline forms of silicon and gallium arsenide. The device simulator PC1D will be used to model solar cells. The course will then go through multijunctions cells with concentrators, low-cost thin-film solar cells, organic semiconductors, hybrid perovskites and nanowires. There will be discussions of module design and the economics of the solar industry. There will be a tour of a company that makes solar cells and guest lectures.

Concepts, methods, and applications. Energy/environmental policy issues such as automobile fuel economy regulation, global climate change, research and development policy, and environmental benefit assessment. Group project. Prerequisite: MS&E 241 or ECON 50, 51.

Energy as a consumable. Forms and interconvertability. World Joule budget. Equivalents in rivers, oil pipelines and nuclear weapons. Quantum mechanics of fire, batteries and fuel cells. Hydrocarbon and hydrogen synthesis. Fundamental limits to mechanical, electrical and magnetic strengths of materials. Flywheels, capacitors and high pressure tanks. Principles of AC and DC power transmission. Impossibility of pure electricity storage. Surge and peaking. Solar constant. Photovoltaic and thermal solar conversion. Physical limits on agriculture.

This six-session 2-point Bass seminar will involve students (maximum 24) in analyzing the emerging global electric automotive industry by focusing on: (1) The electric automotive industry in the U.S. and Europe, (2) the electric automotive industry in Japan and Korea, and (3) the electric automotive industry in China. We will each time examine the strategies of the key automotive companies as well as that of the government and other key players such as infrastructure providers. The purpose of the seminar is to help students sharpen their skills in identifying facilitating and impeding forces of strategic change, and in assessing and estimating the direction and rate of strategic change. While the instructors will provide relevant pre- readings related to these topics, students will be expected to complement these materials with their own research of theoretical and empirical sources. They will also be expected to help structure the discussion and move it forward toward conclusions. Students will organize into three teams each focused on one of the regions and prepare a five-to-ten page group report of their most important findings and conclusions that extend current knowledge.

Service-learning course that exposes students to sustainability concepts and urban planning as a tool for determining sustainable outcomes in the Bay Area. Focus will be on the relationship of land use and transportation planning to housing and employment patterns, mobility, public health, and social equity. Topics will include government initiatives to counteract urban sprawl and promote smart growth and livability, political realities of organizing and building coalitions around sustainability goals, and increasing opportunities for low-income and communities of color to achieve sustainability outcomes. Students will participate in team-based projects in collaboration with local community partners and take part in significant off-site fieldwork. Prerequisites: consent of the instructor.