Course Description

[H79.2466.1] This class introduces students to concepts of sustainable sources of energy. The course begins with a broad overview of the topic, a definition of terms, and an opportunity to discuss the political and social ramifications of the field. At the same time, students will be introduced to a handful of technical concepts that supplement the skills learned in physical computing. These skills will allow the student to evaluate, monitor, harvest, and store small and/or intermittent sources of (typically electrical) energy, such as those from solar cells, turbines, and other sources. Students will execute two small hands-on projects and one larger-scale project using the concepts learned in the class.

Goals

1. To develop a broad perspective and nuanced understanding of energy sources and flows.

2. To become well-versed in the current state of the art in energy conversion and storage, as well as near- and far-term technologies that may impact the field.

3. To gain the skills necessary to create projects utilizing novel ambient energy supplies, and to measure and monitor the energy usage in those projects.

4. To develop a larger-scale group project utilizing a currently available renewable energy supply.

Assignments

Weekly Participation [50%]

Your active and engaged participation in the course is vital. Readings and additional materials will be discussed in each class, and you should be prepared and familiar with the topics at hand.

We're also going to experiment with distributed research by compiling, tagging, and annotating useful links on the web as a class. To this end I've established a group del.icio.us account. You'll be expected to provide at least one link per week with a short summary and appropriate tags (including one for your name). Log-in details will be provided in class.

Pre-midterm Projects [25%]

In the first half of class we'll execute two rapid projects as a means of getting our hands around the technical concepts in the course. In weeks 2-4 you'll create a portable personal device powered by converting kinetic energy to electricity, and in weeks 5-8 you'll create a stand-alone "remote" device powered by solar energy. These two projects may be done individually or in groups of two. Details will be provided in the syllabus.

Final Project [25%]

During the second half of the course [weeks 9-14] you will conceive, execute, and present a larger project. This project will be done in groups of two to four. Details will be provided in the syllabus.

Readings

Energy: A Beginner's Guide
Vaclav Smil
2006, Oneworld Publications
ISBN: 978-1851684526

We'll be using this excellent text as a the main reading for the course. It provides a wealth of technical detail in a cross-disciplinary context. Smil has published a number of other works on the topic. As of Monday 1/15/07 the NYU Bookstore had 1 copy(!) in stock and 11 on order for $14.95 each. Barnes & Noble has it for the same price; Amazon has it for $10.17 new.

There will be additional reading materials assigned throughout the course. Details will be provided in the syllabus.

Office Hours

Office hours are tentatively scheduled for Mondays from 12-3, but may change later in the semester. Please feel free to contact me about arranging other times to meet.

Wiki

A wiki has been provided for your use. It's available for all project documentation, class notes, etc. if you choose. If you prefer to document your work elsewhere, at a minimum, please provide links on the wiki to the external documentation.