University of Colorado Boulder

Renewable Energy Futures

This course is part of Renewable Energy Specialization

Taught in English

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Paul Komor

Instructor: Paul Komor

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Course

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals

4.8

(159 reviews)

Beginner level

Recommended experience

16 hours (approximately)
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • How renewable energy's future is linked to other technologies, such as electricity storage and electric vehicles.

  • How renewables' recent success is bringing new issues to light, such as electrification and electricity market design.

  • Where renewable energy is headed, and how to get ahead of the trends.

Details to know

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Assessments

5 quizzes

Course

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals

4.8

(159 reviews)

Beginner level

Recommended experience

16 hours (approximately)
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

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This course is part of the Renewable Energy Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
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There are 5 modules in this course

Renewable energy's future is bright, yet uncertain. Will it continue to grow rapidly? Is current growth sufficient to achieve climate stabilization? How do other technologies, like electric vehicles and heat pumps, fit in? In these lessons, we take a close look at several leading energy scenarios - models that describe possible futures for renewable energy. These scenarios show where we are headed, and where we need to be headed in order to stop climate change.

What's included

8 videos5 readings1 quiz1 discussion prompt

Wind turbines and solar photovoltaics (PV) are on a path of rapid growth. In these lessons, we review promising new technical approaches for wind and solar PV, such as offshore floating wind platforms and building-integrated PV. We’ll also assess other renewable energy technologies that are on different paths: concentrating solar power (CSP), ocean energy, and biofuels.

What's included

10 videos7 readings1 quiz

For renewables to provide the bulk of global energy needs, ‘enabling’ technologies - those that support and enhance renewables - are needed as well. In these lessons, we describe the critical roles these enabling technologies play, and review their current status and future prospects. Enabling technologies covered include storage (notably batteries), electric vehicles, and hydrogen.

What's included

13 videos8 readings1 quiz

Renewables are driving rapid change in energy systems worldwide, and these systems will look very different in the future. These lessons examine key trends, issues, and concepts for future renewables-based energy systems. These included electrification, distributed energy, electricity market structures, and others.

What's included

19 videos16 readings1 quiz

Renewable energy, aided by enabling technologies such as electric vehicles and storage, will eventually dominate energy systems worldwide. In these lessons, we pull all the course material together and show how the pieces fit together.

What's included

8 videos1 quiz

Instructor

Instructor ratings
4.8 (52 ratings)
Paul Komor
University of Colorado Boulder
2 Courses17,050 learners

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Recommended if you're interested in Environmental Science and Sustainability

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