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U6072-U6072– Energy Systems Fundamentals代写
时间：2024-09-04
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 1
U6072 – Energy Systems Fundamentals
COURSE SYLLABUS
Name Email Office Hours
Professor Travis Bradford tb2476@columbia.edu Friday 12-2 pm, TBD
- sign-up on CourseWorks –
TAs Gabriela Manriquez Roa
Izza Qayyum
Devraj Singhania
gm3125@columbia.edu
iq2115@columbia.edu
ds4242@columbia.edu
TBD
A. COURSE OVERVIEW
Existing energy sources and the infrastructures that deliver them to users around the world are undergoing
a period of rapid change. Limits to growth, rapidly fluctuating raw material prices, and the emergence of
new technology options all contribute to heightened risk and opportunity in the energy sector. The purpose
of this course is to establish a core energy skill set for energy students and prepare them for more advanced
energy courses by providing a basic language and toolset for understanding energy issues.
Using theoretical and practical understanding of the process by which energy technologies are developed,
financed, and deployed, this course seeks to highlight the root drivers for change in the energy industry, the
technologies that are emerging, and the factors that will determine success in their commercialization.
Understanding these market dynamics also informs good policy design and implementation to meet a broad
range of social welfare goals.
Upon completing the course, students should not only understand the nature of conventional and emerging
energy generation and delivery, but also the tools for determining potential winners and losers and the
innovative pathways to drive their further deployment.
B. COURSE PROCEDURES
This course is designed to be inter-disciplinary, integrating skills from finance, marketing, technology,
regulation and policy, and entrepreneurship. However, no prior knowledge is required to excel in this
course. It is intended to establish a foundation of knowledge and framework for further study.
Methodologically, there are some basic skills for measuring, costing, and valuing energy and electricity
that must be understood, which are particular to the energy industry. Therefore, non-trivial mathematical
and spreadsheet work will be required to show the necessary competence in these skills. Students should
be reasonably comfortable with spreadsheet modeling for computation and financial projection before
beginning the course, or choose a good partner for completing problem sets.
The hardest part of any work in emerging technologies (particularly in the fast-changing energy sector) is
to integrate vast amounts of information into useful and actionable information. It is vital to cut through
the haze of data and uncertainty to identify key drivers for success and then present the qualitative and
quantitative information necessary to determine the likelihood of and best pathway to success for a given
solution. Such analysis will be messy and complex and will likely necessitate substantial supplemental
research, but in the end will derive great practical benefit in the skills of analysis and presentation that will
be useful in nearly every future career.
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 2
C. COURSE MATERIAL
REQUIRED
1) The Energy System, Travis Bradford, MIT Press, 2018
(order online soon from Amazon, hardcopy or Kindle version, I recommend Kindle)
2) Thinking in Systems, Donella Meadows, Chelsea Green, 2008
(order online, fastest may be Amazon Kindle, or PC e-book app.)
3) Supplemental readings and videos from the syllabus below and occasional articles posted for
students
RECOMMENDED
1) Solar Revolution: The Transformation of the Global Energy Industry, Travis Bradford, MIT
Press, 2006
D. GRADING
Grading will be based on class participation, eight problem sets, and a final exam. Students cannot take
this course pass/fail.
1. Class participation (30%)
Class participation will count for 30% of the final grade. A number of factors will contribute to your class
participation grade:
a. Contributions in class and recitation: Thoughtful comments and focused questions that
contribute to the learning environment are encouraged (quality, not quantity, is the key
factor here). Additional participation is also possible for students who opt to give a short
presentation during recitation (prior coordination with TAs is required) to share energy
industry work experience and/or analysis of a select topic.
b. Attendance: students are expected to attend all classes and recitations.
c. Contributions outside class: Providing links to articles, publications, videos, and data that
support the classroom discussion (these can either be used this semester or may be used to
support future classes), actively creating a collaborative and collegial work environment
inside and outside the class, suggesting edits or additional articles and papers to support
the continued development for the class.
2. Seven (7) Problem Sets (35%)
Seven problem sets will be done in groups of up to 3-4 people and will account for 35% of the final grade.
These problem sets will reinforce concepts of measurement and metrics of energy, including generation
and capacities, energy conversions, and calculation methodologies of cost and value of energy, electricity,
and carbon. The calculations will be supplemented with qualitative assessments of the results.
Problem sets will be submitted online via CourseWorks. The deadline for each problem set is at 2:00 PM
before the Friday recitation for the week they are due. Late problem sets will have grades deducted.
3. Final Exam (35%)
The final will count for 35% of the final grade. It will both qualitatively and quantitatively test the
fundamental concepts of class, the readings, lectures, and learnings from the problem sets. A list of the
learning objectives is provided below, but should not be considered exhaustive for the purposes of the
exam. Final Exams will only be given during the normal exam period.
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 3
E. GRADING POLICY
Late Problem Set assignments will be docked one letter grade for each day they are turned in late, and
will not be accepted after that week’s recitation. Any requests for grade review will require extraordinary
circumstances and will subject all other work to simultaneous review, which could result in either upward
or downward revision. Problem Sets are to be done in groups of up to 3-4 people (and not shared beyond
that).
Academic Integrity Statement:
I do not tolerate cheating and/or plagiarism in any form. Those students who violate the Code of
Academic & Professional Conduct will be subject to the Dean’s Disciplinary Procedures.
http://new.sipa.columbia.edu/code-of-academic-and-professional-conduct
Please familiarize yourself with the proper methods of citation and attribution. The School provides
some useful resources online; we strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with these various
styles before conducting your research. Shared work beyond problem set groups (including any
use of web resources and Generative AI tools) will be considered plagiarism, and treated
accordingly. Be aware that, mathematically, one single zero on a problem set in such a competitive
class would work out to a substantial final grade impact).
F. COMPUTER AND DEVICE POLICY
As a strict rule, computers, phones, and other internet enabled devices cannot be used in class. It distracts
you, it distracts your classmates, and it distracts me. Lie-flat note taking devices are allowed, but
absolutely cannot be use to surf, browse, read, or play with material other than class notes or slides. Any
violation of this policy will incur significant loss of participation grade in the course.
G. BLOGS AND NEWS SITES TO FOLLOW
I cannot emphasize this strongly enough! You should begin the habit of reading relevant sector news
every day. (EVERY DAY!) To keep up-to-date on current affairs in the E&E world, we recommend
regularly reviewing the following websites and blogs, but would also love to learn of other resources you
use that might be useful for others.
Conventional Energy
OilPrice.com http://oilprice.com/
Fuel Fix http://fuelfix.com/
Platts – Barrel Blog http://blogs.platts.com/
Utility Dive https://www.utilitydive.com/
Power Magazine https://www.powermag.com/
Emerging Energy
The Energy Collective http://theenergycollective.com/
Renewable Energy News https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/#gref
Prometheus Institute http://prometheus.org/
Next Billion http://nextbillion.net/
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 4
Other Course Policies
Participation and Attendance
You are expected to complete all assigned readings, attend all class sessions, and engage with others in online
discussions. Your participation will require that you answer questions, defend your point of view, and challenge the
point of view of others. If you need to miss a class for any reason, please discuss the absence with me in advance.
Citation & Submission
All written assignments must use standard citation format (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago), cite sources, and be
submitted to the course website (not via email).
Copyright Policy
Please note—Due to copyright restrictions, online access to this material is limited to instructors and students
currently registered for this course. Please be advised that by clicking the link to the electronic materials in this
course, you have read and accept the following:
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. Under certain conditions specified in
the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of
these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose
other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a
photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for
copyright infringement.
Diversity Statement
It is our intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well-served by this course, that
students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that the students bring to this
class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is our intent to present materials and activities that are
respectful of diversity: gender identity, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, nationality,
religion, and culture.
Class Recordings
All or portions of the class may be recorded at the discretion of the Instructor to support your learning. At any
point, the Instructor has the right to discontinue the recording if it is deemed to be obstructive to the learning
process. If the recording is posted, it is confidential and it is prohibited to share the recording outside of the
class.
Etiquette and Netiquette
Etiquette (in person and online) is a way of defining professionalism for collaborations and communication that take
place in online environments. Here are some Student Guidelines for this class:
● Avoid using offensive language or language that is not appropriate for a professional setting.
● Do not criticize or mock someone’s abilities or skills.
● Communicate in a way that is clear, accurate and easy for others to understand.
● Balance collegiality with academic honesty.
● Keep an open-mind and be willing to express your opinion.
● Reflect on your statements and how they might impact others.
● Do not hesitate to ask for feedback.
● When in doubt, always check with your instructor for clarification.
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 5
THE 10 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
10 things you should learn from this course (and will be tested on):
The list below sets out the objectives for the course and provides the basis for questions for the final exam.
You should note, however, that I will not treat these topics in the sequence and structure in which they are
presented here. Rather, I expect you to use this list as a roadmap to navigate the class. It is your own
responsibility to map the contents of the class to these ten objectives and ensure that, by the end of the class,
you are capable of answering questions related to these objectives using tools acquired in the course. In
the end, meeting these objectives is also the list I hope you will use to evaluate the course.
1. Become fluent in Energy System concepts and terminology – technologies; current and
emerging sources of energy; four dimensions of energy transformation; final energy
services, and industry terminology and definitions
2. Understand the energy as a system – stocks, flows, and feedback; sustaining vs. reinforcing
loops; supply chains; five forms of capital; system dynamics; system resilience and buffers;
sustainable development
3. Describe the physical conversion of energy through the system – laws of thermodynamics;
power to energy conversion; losses; heat rates; temporal shifting; transmission and
transportation; efficiency; storage; and emission calculations
4. Link the energy system to micro-economic principles – Supply and Demand; supply curve
construction; market and market function; price formation; producer and consumer surplus;
profit (rent) maximization; average vs. marginal costs; short-term vs. long-term
5. Develop a complete framework of costing methods for both Energy and Power – Levelized
Cost of Electricity; fungible LCOE comparisons; capital costs; Total Cost of Ownership
(TCO); production cost; when costs are not independent; cycle cost; Cost per mile (CPM);
Break-even Price (BEP); abatement cost
6. Determine sources of value in energy systems – energy services; load; revenue; behavioral
limitations; total addressable market; integrated streams of values for power and energy;
fractured petroleum economics; indexing; energy/ GDP linkages; energy poverty
7. Develop and intelligently use scenarios and forecasts of the future energy system – bottom
up vs. top down methods; system peaks; margins and buffers; experience curves and
learning; feedstock linkages; constraints, limits, and bottlenecks; asset lock-in; co-
dependence; the tension between innovation versus depletion
8. Recognize and describe the role of competition in energy markets – sustaining versus
disruptive loops; evolutionary changes vs. disruptive changes; market design; fungible
comparisons; parity and disruption; product differentiation; switching
9. Understand the role and methods of investment in the energy system – compounding,
financial analysis; project finance; project risk categories; debt vs. equity; venture capital;
R&D; futures trading and speculation; retrofit and repowering; micro-finance
10. Know and apply tools used for analyzing energy market failures and solutions – myopia;
externalities; informational asymmetries; natural monopolies; cartels; collective security;
system collapse; policy interventions; market interventions
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 6
COURSE OUTLINE BY WEEK – with assignments
COURSE READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS
• Topic 1-2 (General Principles) has a fairly large amount of industry and background reading – the
course texts, “The Energy System” and “Thinking in Systems”, are introduced along with some
more academic papers about obstacles to change, policy design and impacts, tragedy of the
commons, externalities, etc. You should flip through and understand the data sources within the
World Energy Assessment, BP Energy Assessment, IEO, IPCC Reports, etc.
• Topic 3-7 (Electricity Systems) begins as an understanding of the existing electricity market and
uses that market to demonstrate how physical transformations are made and then valued in one of
the largest formal markets in the world. Understanding the pressures facing this market allow for
examination of various solutions including efficiency and demand response. It also assesses all of
the utility- and distributed-scale generation options available today using a framework for
determining competitiveness, including fungibility and values. A number of practical, economic,
and forecasting competences will be developed throughout this section, including LCOE
methodology, price determination, disruption, and the role of storage.
• Topic 8-10 (Transportation Systems) begins by looking at the use of transportation services and
constraints imposed by access to petroleum resources. It then looks at where and how capital can
be deployed profitably to change this infrastructure, supplement fuels, or switch to other
combustion options, and the limiting forces to those innovations. Finally, examining how
transportation re-integrates with electricity architecture gives us an opportunity to examine the
nature of paired technologies.
• Topic 11-13 (Other Energy Systems) will integrate a wide range of situations and technology
options into an examination of comprehensive systems. The role of natural gas in the thermal
system, energy impacts on the economic system, carbon pricing, and new methods of delivering
vital energy to the world's poorest combine to help us spot emerging business opportunities now
and in the future.
• Links are Hot – You should be able to click through.
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 7
Course Outline (Topic, Title, Assignments, Topics and Recitations)
Title Topics Recitation Assignment
General Principles (2 weeks)
Sep
9
1
Introduction to Energy Terms
and Conversions
Why Energy Matters, Energy vs. Power, Stocks
and Flows, Laws of Thermodynamics, Scenarios,
Conversions, Constraints, Normative vs. Positive
Sep 13
Recitation
Orientation
Bio Sheet
Sep
16
2 Energy as an Economic System
and Dealing with Market
Failures
Energy Systems Dynamics, Six Forms of Capital,
Cost vs. Value vs. Price, Fungibility, Market
Failures, Behavioral Economics, Interventions
Sep 20
Recitation
PS #1 –
Conversions
and Scenarios
Electricity Systems (5 weeks)
Sep
23
3 Understanding Organized
Electricity Markets
- The Grid
Generation, Transmission, Distribution, Cost of
Service Recovery, Deregulation, Load types,
Dispatchability, Interconnection
Sep 27
Recitation
Sep
30
4 Generation Supply, Demand,
and Price Determination
- Fossil Fuel generation
Bus Bar Costs, LCOE, Price of Electricity,
Multiple Value Streams of Electricity
Oct 4
Recitation
PS #2 – Cap.
Factors, Bid
Stack, LCOE
Oct
7
5 Project Finance and
Development
- Renewable generation
Project Finance, Cost of Capital (WACC), IRR,
Risk, Fungibility of Generation Alternatives
Oct 11
Recitation
PS #3 – Project
Finance
Oct
14
6 Demand Side Solutions
- Energy Efficiency, Demand
Response, and Storage
Devices, Load, Energy Efficiency, Economic
Demand Response Measures, Ancillary Services,
Storage Alternatives, Smart Grid
Oct 18
Recitation
Oct
21
7 Experience Curves,
Disruptions, and Solar Energy
- Distributed Generation
Experience Curves, Learning, Technology,
Disruptive Technologies, Net Metering,
Distributed Generation, Utility Transformation
Oct 25
Recitation
PS #4 –
Distributed
Resources
Transportation Systems (4 weeks)
Oct
28
8/
9
Oil and Transportation
Markets
- Transportation Systems
- Petroleum
Transportation Services, Passenger vs. Cargo,
CAFE Standards, Unintended Consequences,
Resource and Reserves, Quality, Peak Oil,
Fracking, Delivery Systems, Energy Security
Nov 1
COMPLETE OIL/
TRANSPORT
LECTURE
Nov
4
ACADEMIC HOLIDAY – Election
Day
Nov 8
No recitation
Nov
11
10 Alternate Fuel Sources
- Biofuels
- Natural Gas Vehicles
Feedstocks, Food vs. Fuel, Biofuels, RFS, Flex-
Fuel Vehicles, Asset Lock-in and Co-
Dependence, Cellulosic, Algae, Drop-in Fuels
Nov 15
Recitation
PS #5 -
Forecasting Oil
Prices
Nov
18
11 Electricity in Transportation
- Electric Vehicles
EV, PHEV, FCE, Charging Networks, Grid
Reliability, Stand-by Power, V2G, Spinning
Reserves, Total vs. Addressable Market
Nov 22
Recitation
PS #6 –
Biofuels and
EVs;
Other Energy Systems (2 weeks)
Nov
25
12 Thermal Systems and Natural
Gas
- Natural Gas
Thermal Energy, Natural Gas, Pipelines, Fracking
& Shale Gas, Liquefaction
Nov 29
No Recitation
- Thanksgiving
Dec
3
13 Energy and the Global
Economy
Energy and the Environment
Energy and Macroeconomics, Energy Security,
Energy and Development, Energy Access
Climate Change, Carbon Accounting and
Costing, Sustainable Development
Dec 6
TA Final
Review Session
PS #7 – Nat.
Gas/ Carbon
Final Exam
Dec ?? FINAL EXAM (9am-12noon)
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 8
Lecture Readings, Assignments, and Questions
General Principles (2 Weeks)
1. INTRODUCTION TO ENERGY TERMS AND CONVERSIONS
Topics Covered:
Why Energy Matters, Energy vs. Power, Stocks and Flows, Laws of Thermodynamics, Scenarios,
Conversions, Constraints, Normative vs. Positive
Readings:
• The Energy System Preface & Chapter 1
• Holdren, J., “The Energy Innovation Imperative,” Spring 2006.
• McKinsey and Company, “The Energy Transition: Where Are We Really?,” August 2024
• OPTIONAL - The McGraw Center, Princeton. “Active Reading Strategies,” 2016.
2. ENERGY AS AN ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND DEALING WITH MARKET FAILURES
Topics Covered:
Energy Systems Dynamics, Six Forms of Capital, Cost vs. Value vs. Price, Fungibility, Market
Failures, Behavioral Economics, Interventions
Reading:
• Thinking in Systems [Through the end of Section 1]
• The Energy System Chapter 2 & 3
• “BP Energy Outlook,” BP, 2024 Edition
• REN21, “Renewables 2024 Global Status Report” [Pages 10-20, skim the rest]
• “energy [r]evolution: A Sustainable Global Energy Outlook ” Greenpeace International
and EREC, 2015 [Read Introduction, Executive Summary, Chapters 3 and 4, and SKIM Pages 58-92]
[Scan] Data Sources:
• “BP Statistical Review of World Energy” BP and Energy Institute, 2024
• “IEA World Energy Data and Statistics”, International Energy Agency, 2024
• “Monthly Energy Review” DOE Energy Information Agency (EIA), August 2024
[Optional] Reference:
• “Deploying Renewables: Best and Future Policy Practice”, IEA, 2011.
• “A Manual for the Economic Evaluation of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Technologies”, Short et. al., NREL, March 1995
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 9
Electricity Systems (5 Weeks)
3. UNDERSTANDING ORGANIZED ELECTRICITY MARKETS
Topics Covered:
Generation, Transmission, Distribution, Cost of Service Recovery, Deregulation, Load types,
Dispatchability, Interconnection
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapter 4
• Binz, R. “Practicing Risk-Aware Electricity Regulation: 2014 Update,” CERES 2012
4. GENERATION SUPPLY, DEMAND, AND PRICE
Topics Covered:
Bus Bar Costs, LCOE, Price of Electricity, Multiple Value Streams of Electricity, Risk
Readings:
• Thinking in Systems [Section 2]
• The Energy System Chapter 5 & 6, (Particular focus on Appendix 5)
5. PROJECT FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT
Topics Covered:
Project Finance, Cost of Capital (WACC), IRR, Fungibility of Generation Alternatives
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapters 7 & 8
• Lazard LCOE Plus – Version 2024
6. DEMAND SIDE SOLUTIONS
Topics Covered:
Devices, Load, Energy Efficiency, Economic Demand Response Measures, Ancillary Services,
storage alternatives, Smart Grid
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapters 9 & 10
7. EXPERIENCE CURVES, DISRUPTIONS, AND SOLAR ENERGY
Topics Covered:
Experience Curves, Learning, Technology, Disruptive Technologies, Net metering, Distributed
Generation, Utility Transformation
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapters 11 & 12
• [OPTIONAL] - Solar Revolution, Chapters 1, 6, 7, and 10
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 10
Transportation Systems (4 Weeks)
8. OIL AND TRANSPORTATION MARKETS (DEMAND)
9. OIL AND TRANSPORTATION MARKETS (SUPPLY)
Topics Covered:
Transportation Services, Passenger vs. Cargo, CAFE Standards, Unintended consequences,
Resource and Reserves, Quality, Peak Oil, Fracking, Delivery Systems, Energy Security
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapters 13 & 14
10. ALTERNATE FUEL SOURCES
Topics Covered:
Feedstocks, Food vs. Fuel, Biofuels, RFS, Flex-Fuel Vehicles, Asset Lock-in and Co-
Dependence, Cellulosic, Algae, Drop-in Fuels
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapter 15
11. ELECTRICITY IN TRANSPORTATION
Topics Covered:
EV, PHEV, FCE, Charging Networks, Grid Reliability, Stand-by Power, V2G, Spinning
Reserves, Total vs. Addressable Market
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapter 16, Review Chapter 10 (Storage)
Other Energy Systems (2 Weeks)
12. THERMAL SYSTEMS AND NATURAL GAS
Topics Covered:
Thermal Energy, Natural Gas, Pipelines, Fracking & Shale Gas, Liquefaction
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapters 17 & 18
13. ENERGY AND THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
Topics Covered:
Energy and Macroeconomics, Energy Security, Energy and Development, Energy Access
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapter 19
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Topics Covered:
Climate Change, UNFCCC, ETS Trading System, Carbon Accounting, Sustainable Development
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapters 20 and postscript
• [OPTIONAL] - Thinking in Systems [Section 3]
• IPCC 6th Assessment Synthesis Report for Policy Makers
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 11
Energy System Fundamentals – Technical Video Links
Title Video Link
The Future of Energy
The Future of Energy?
https://youtu.be/Gz_L6KuqvFI
Understanding Organized
Electricity Markets and Efficiency
- The Grid
- Energy Efficiency
Electricity Generation 101 (5 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Vb6hlLQSg&feature=related
Overview of the Electricity Grid (4 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38EEmWHI0C8
Smart Grid (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 9 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrcqA_cqRD8&feature=related
A day in the life of the grid, July 21, 2011 (MISO, 33 min.) – Well worth the investment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdrMpElZWSM
[Optional] - Anatomy of a Transmission System (AEP, 4 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTIQ_xcp0sU&feature=related
[Optional] - Anatomy of a Distribution System (AEP, 10 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcBgxVfD70Q&feature=relmfu
Utility-Scale Generation Options
- Coal Thermal Power Plant
- Gas Fired Combined Cycle
- Co-Gen Plant
- Utility-scale Renewables
Coal Power Plant (MidAmerican Energy, 6 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0e772Vo73k
Combined Cycle Natural Gas (Duke Energy, 7 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNspo_s-1jY
Co-generation Plant at NYU (3 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m9SgsTTgiA&feature=related
Biomass Co-Generation Plant at Nagda site (4 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tARuhig03To
Hydro Power (2 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj4dZM4SIls
Nuclear Power – How it works (5 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UwexvaCMWA
Wind Turbines (UVSAR, 10 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNXTm7aHvWc&feature=related
Offshore Wind Construction (Belwind, 14 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9IntSh2K7c
Utility Scale Solar PV (ABB, 2 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edYNj_TrTXY&hd=1
Concentrating Solar Thermal (2 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdivW7inP0k
Geothermal (3 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjpp2MQffnw
Tidal and Wave Power (5 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSBACzRE3Gw&feature=related
Energy Storage Options
- Electricity Storage
Columbia Social Enterprise Forum – Energy Storage and Battery Technology (56 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=661-GIswZco&hd=1
Pumped Hydro Storage – in German with translation (2 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ7ltJlMY9E
Grid Storage – A123 Batteries (DoE, 9 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C8Ji05UJaw
Oil and Transportation Markets
- Petroleum
- Supply Chain Analysis
Oil and Gas Drilling (4 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhZ50NCbVKo
Refinery (14 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Py8-Xy9MKo
Transportation Fuels – GHG implications (5 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq2uWWBqe4M
Megastructures - Oil Sands (40 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F17MXBZzc0
Shale Oil (Energy Now, 28 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_T-AwYOhp4&feature=related
Biofuels Ethanol from Sugar Cane- Production Process (15 min.)
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 12
- Biofuels http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP1S2HGf5-E
Ethanol from Corn – Production Process (5 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE7DJVCa5h0
How it is made – Biodiesel (4 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLa83KIaEyw
Biofuels, Beyond Ethanol (10 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkJJ-x7U5NI
Electricity in Transportation
Markets
- Electric Vehicles
- Fuel Cell Vehicles
The State of Electric Vehicles in America (29 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZGQgZPaQ6o&feature=relmfu
Energy 101 Fuel Cells (43 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41Nb6juV6MI
Natural Gas Markets
Natural Gas Production and Marketing (Chesapeake Energy, 10 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gw_Bn-JqDg
Natural Gas Pipelines Operation (9 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTTJeTaYDyc
Hydraulic Fracturing (Marathon Oil, 3 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY34PQUiwOQ
Natural Gas: The Energy to move Forward (Conoco Philips, 5 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzLZnidztpI
History – I am Natural Gas – 1959 (3 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKX0GeF9w-k
History – Natural Gas Pipeline Development – 1959 (1 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wodvxh6WEs4
U6072 – Energy Systems Fundamentals
COURSE SYLLABUS
Name Email Office Hours
Professor Travis Bradford tb2476@columbia.edu Friday 12-2 pm, TBD
- sign-up on CourseWorks –
TAs Gabriela Manriquez Roa
Izza Qayyum
Devraj Singhania
gm3125@columbia.edu
iq2115@columbia.edu
ds4242@columbia.edu
TBD
A. COURSE OVERVIEW
Existing energy sources and the infrastructures that deliver them to users around the world are undergoing
a period of rapid change. Limits to growth, rapidly fluctuating raw material prices, and the emergence of
new technology options all contribute to heightened risk and opportunity in the energy sector. The purpose
of this course is to establish a core energy skill set for energy students and prepare them for more advanced
energy courses by providing a basic language and toolset for understanding energy issues.
Using theoretical and practical understanding of the process by which energy technologies are developed,
financed, and deployed, this course seeks to highlight the root drivers for change in the energy industry, the
technologies that are emerging, and the factors that will determine success in their commercialization.
Understanding these market dynamics also informs good policy design and implementation to meet a broad
range of social welfare goals.
Upon completing the course, students should not only understand the nature of conventional and emerging
energy generation and delivery, but also the tools for determining potential winners and losers and the
innovative pathways to drive their further deployment.
B. COURSE PROCEDURES
This course is designed to be inter-disciplinary, integrating skills from finance, marketing, technology,
regulation and policy, and entrepreneurship. However, no prior knowledge is required to excel in this
course. It is intended to establish a foundation of knowledge and framework for further study.
Methodologically, there are some basic skills for measuring, costing, and valuing energy and electricity
that must be understood, which are particular to the energy industry. Therefore, non-trivial mathematical
and spreadsheet work will be required to show the necessary competence in these skills. Students should
be reasonably comfortable with spreadsheet modeling for computation and financial projection before
beginning the course, or choose a good partner for completing problem sets.
The hardest part of any work in emerging technologies (particularly in the fast-changing energy sector) is
to integrate vast amounts of information into useful and actionable information. It is vital to cut through
the haze of data and uncertainty to identify key drivers for success and then present the qualitative and
quantitative information necessary to determine the likelihood of and best pathway to success for a given
solution. Such analysis will be messy and complex and will likely necessitate substantial supplemental
research, but in the end will derive great practical benefit in the skills of analysis and presentation that will
be useful in nearly every future career.
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 2
C. COURSE MATERIAL
REQUIRED
1) The Energy System, Travis Bradford, MIT Press, 2018
(order online soon from Amazon, hardcopy or Kindle version, I recommend Kindle)
2) Thinking in Systems, Donella Meadows, Chelsea Green, 2008
(order online, fastest may be Amazon Kindle, or PC e-book app.)
3) Supplemental readings and videos from the syllabus below and occasional articles posted for
students
RECOMMENDED
1) Solar Revolution: The Transformation of the Global Energy Industry, Travis Bradford, MIT
Press, 2006
D. GRADING
Grading will be based on class participation, eight problem sets, and a final exam. Students cannot take
this course pass/fail.
1. Class participation (30%)
Class participation will count for 30% of the final grade. A number of factors will contribute to your class
participation grade:
a. Contributions in class and recitation: Thoughtful comments and focused questions that
contribute to the learning environment are encouraged (quality, not quantity, is the key
factor here). Additional participation is also possible for students who opt to give a short
presentation during recitation (prior coordination with TAs is required) to share energy
industry work experience and/or analysis of a select topic.
b. Attendance: students are expected to attend all classes and recitations.
c. Contributions outside class: Providing links to articles, publications, videos, and data that
support the classroom discussion (these can either be used this semester or may be used to
support future classes), actively creating a collaborative and collegial work environment
inside and outside the class, suggesting edits or additional articles and papers to support
the continued development for the class.
2. Seven (7) Problem Sets (35%)
Seven problem sets will be done in groups of up to 3-4 people and will account for 35% of the final grade.
These problem sets will reinforce concepts of measurement and metrics of energy, including generation
and capacities, energy conversions, and calculation methodologies of cost and value of energy, electricity,
and carbon. The calculations will be supplemented with qualitative assessments of the results.
Problem sets will be submitted online via CourseWorks. The deadline for each problem set is at 2:00 PM
before the Friday recitation for the week they are due. Late problem sets will have grades deducted.
3. Final Exam (35%)
The final will count for 35% of the final grade. It will both qualitatively and quantitatively test the
fundamental concepts of class, the readings, lectures, and learnings from the problem sets. A list of the
learning objectives is provided below, but should not be considered exhaustive for the purposes of the
exam. Final Exams will only be given during the normal exam period.
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 3
E. GRADING POLICY
Late Problem Set assignments will be docked one letter grade for each day they are turned in late, and
will not be accepted after that week’s recitation. Any requests for grade review will require extraordinary
circumstances and will subject all other work to simultaneous review, which could result in either upward
or downward revision. Problem Sets are to be done in groups of up to 3-4 people (and not shared beyond
that).
Academic Integrity Statement:
I do not tolerate cheating and/or plagiarism in any form. Those students who violate the Code of
Academic & Professional Conduct will be subject to the Dean’s Disciplinary Procedures.
http://new.sipa.columbia.edu/code-of-academic-and-professional-conduct
Please familiarize yourself with the proper methods of citation and attribution. The School provides
some useful resources online; we strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with these various
styles before conducting your research. Shared work beyond problem set groups (including any
use of web resources and Generative AI tools) will be considered plagiarism, and treated
accordingly. Be aware that, mathematically, one single zero on a problem set in such a competitive
class would work out to a substantial final grade impact).
F. COMPUTER AND DEVICE POLICY
As a strict rule, computers, phones, and other internet enabled devices cannot be used in class. It distracts
you, it distracts your classmates, and it distracts me. Lie-flat note taking devices are allowed, but
absolutely cannot be use to surf, browse, read, or play with material other than class notes or slides. Any
violation of this policy will incur significant loss of participation grade in the course.
G. BLOGS AND NEWS SITES TO FOLLOW
I cannot emphasize this strongly enough! You should begin the habit of reading relevant sector news
every day. (EVERY DAY!) To keep up-to-date on current affairs in the E&E world, we recommend
regularly reviewing the following websites and blogs, but would also love to learn of other resources you
use that might be useful for others.
Conventional Energy
OilPrice.com http://oilprice.com/
Fuel Fix http://fuelfix.com/
Platts – Barrel Blog http://blogs.platts.com/
Utility Dive https://www.utilitydive.com/
Power Magazine https://www.powermag.com/
Emerging Energy
The Energy Collective http://theenergycollective.com/
Renewable Energy News https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/#gref
Prometheus Institute http://prometheus.org/
Next Billion http://nextbillion.net/
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 4
Other Course Policies
Participation and Attendance
You are expected to complete all assigned readings, attend all class sessions, and engage with others in online
discussions. Your participation will require that you answer questions, defend your point of view, and challenge the
point of view of others. If you need to miss a class for any reason, please discuss the absence with me in advance.
Citation & Submission
All written assignments must use standard citation format (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago), cite sources, and be
submitted to the course website (not via email).
Copyright Policy
Please note—Due to copyright restrictions, online access to this material is limited to instructors and students
currently registered for this course. Please be advised that by clicking the link to the electronic materials in this
course, you have read and accept the following:
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. Under certain conditions specified in
the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of
these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose
other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a
photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for
copyright infringement.
Diversity Statement
It is our intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well-served by this course, that
students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that the students bring to this
class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is our intent to present materials and activities that are
respectful of diversity: gender identity, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, nationality,
religion, and culture.
Class Recordings
All or portions of the class may be recorded at the discretion of the Instructor to support your learning. At any
point, the Instructor has the right to discontinue the recording if it is deemed to be obstructive to the learning
process. If the recording is posted, it is confidential and it is prohibited to share the recording outside of the
class.
Etiquette and Netiquette
Etiquette (in person and online) is a way of defining professionalism for collaborations and communication that take
place in online environments. Here are some Student Guidelines for this class:
● Avoid using offensive language or language that is not appropriate for a professional setting.
● Do not criticize or mock someone’s abilities or skills.
● Communicate in a way that is clear, accurate and easy for others to understand.
● Balance collegiality with academic honesty.
● Keep an open-mind and be willing to express your opinion.
● Reflect on your statements and how they might impact others.
● Do not hesitate to ask for feedback.
● When in doubt, always check with your instructor for clarification.
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 5
THE 10 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
10 things you should learn from this course (and will be tested on):
The list below sets out the objectives for the course and provides the basis for questions for the final exam.
You should note, however, that I will not treat these topics in the sequence and structure in which they are
presented here. Rather, I expect you to use this list as a roadmap to navigate the class. It is your own
responsibility to map the contents of the class to these ten objectives and ensure that, by the end of the class,
you are capable of answering questions related to these objectives using tools acquired in the course. In
the end, meeting these objectives is also the list I hope you will use to evaluate the course.
1. Become fluent in Energy System concepts and terminology – technologies; current and
emerging sources of energy; four dimensions of energy transformation; final energy
services, and industry terminology and definitions
2. Understand the energy as a system – stocks, flows, and feedback; sustaining vs. reinforcing
loops; supply chains; five forms of capital; system dynamics; system resilience and buffers;
sustainable development
3. Describe the physical conversion of energy through the system – laws of thermodynamics;
power to energy conversion; losses; heat rates; temporal shifting; transmission and
transportation; efficiency; storage; and emission calculations
4. Link the energy system to micro-economic principles – Supply and Demand; supply curve
construction; market and market function; price formation; producer and consumer surplus;
profit (rent) maximization; average vs. marginal costs; short-term vs. long-term
5. Develop a complete framework of costing methods for both Energy and Power – Levelized
Cost of Electricity; fungible LCOE comparisons; capital costs; Total Cost of Ownership
(TCO); production cost; when costs are not independent; cycle cost; Cost per mile (CPM);
Break-even Price (BEP); abatement cost
6. Determine sources of value in energy systems – energy services; load; revenue; behavioral
limitations; total addressable market; integrated streams of values for power and energy;
fractured petroleum economics; indexing; energy/ GDP linkages; energy poverty
7. Develop and intelligently use scenarios and forecasts of the future energy system – bottom
up vs. top down methods; system peaks; margins and buffers; experience curves and
learning; feedstock linkages; constraints, limits, and bottlenecks; asset lock-in; co-
dependence; the tension between innovation versus depletion
8. Recognize and describe the role of competition in energy markets – sustaining versus
disruptive loops; evolutionary changes vs. disruptive changes; market design; fungible
comparisons; parity and disruption; product differentiation; switching
9. Understand the role and methods of investment in the energy system – compounding,
financial analysis; project finance; project risk categories; debt vs. equity; venture capital;
R&D; futures trading and speculation; retrofit and repowering; micro-finance
10. Know and apply tools used for analyzing energy market failures and solutions – myopia;
externalities; informational asymmetries; natural monopolies; cartels; collective security;
system collapse; policy interventions; market interventions
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 6
COURSE OUTLINE BY WEEK – with assignments
COURSE READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS
• Topic 1-2 (General Principles) has a fairly large amount of industry and background reading – the
course texts, “The Energy System” and “Thinking in Systems”, are introduced along with some
more academic papers about obstacles to change, policy design and impacts, tragedy of the
commons, externalities, etc. You should flip through and understand the data sources within the
World Energy Assessment, BP Energy Assessment, IEO, IPCC Reports, etc.
• Topic 3-7 (Electricity Systems) begins as an understanding of the existing electricity market and
uses that market to demonstrate how physical transformations are made and then valued in one of
the largest formal markets in the world. Understanding the pressures facing this market allow for
examination of various solutions including efficiency and demand response. It also assesses all of
the utility- and distributed-scale generation options available today using a framework for
determining competitiveness, including fungibility and values. A number of practical, economic,
and forecasting competences will be developed throughout this section, including LCOE
methodology, price determination, disruption, and the role of storage.
• Topic 8-10 (Transportation Systems) begins by looking at the use of transportation services and
constraints imposed by access to petroleum resources. It then looks at where and how capital can
be deployed profitably to change this infrastructure, supplement fuels, or switch to other
combustion options, and the limiting forces to those innovations. Finally, examining how
transportation re-integrates with electricity architecture gives us an opportunity to examine the
nature of paired technologies.
• Topic 11-13 (Other Energy Systems) will integrate a wide range of situations and technology
options into an examination of comprehensive systems. The role of natural gas in the thermal
system, energy impacts on the economic system, carbon pricing, and new methods of delivering
vital energy to the world's poorest combine to help us spot emerging business opportunities now
and in the future.
• Links are Hot – You should be able to click through.
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 7
Course Outline (Topic, Title, Assignments, Topics and Recitations)
Title Topics Recitation Assignment
General Principles (2 weeks)
Sep
9
1
Introduction to Energy Terms
and Conversions
Why Energy Matters, Energy vs. Power, Stocks
and Flows, Laws of Thermodynamics, Scenarios,
Conversions, Constraints, Normative vs. Positive
Sep 13
Recitation
Orientation
Bio Sheet
Sep
16
2 Energy as an Economic System
and Dealing with Market
Failures
Energy Systems Dynamics, Six Forms of Capital,
Cost vs. Value vs. Price, Fungibility, Market
Failures, Behavioral Economics, Interventions
Sep 20
Recitation
PS #1 –
Conversions
and Scenarios
Electricity Systems (5 weeks)
Sep
23
3 Understanding Organized
Electricity Markets
- The Grid
Generation, Transmission, Distribution, Cost of
Service Recovery, Deregulation, Load types,
Dispatchability, Interconnection
Sep 27
Recitation
Sep
30
4 Generation Supply, Demand,
and Price Determination
- Fossil Fuel generation
Bus Bar Costs, LCOE, Price of Electricity,
Multiple Value Streams of Electricity
Oct 4
Recitation
PS #2 – Cap.
Factors, Bid
Stack, LCOE
Oct
7
5 Project Finance and
Development
- Renewable generation
Project Finance, Cost of Capital (WACC), IRR,
Risk, Fungibility of Generation Alternatives
Oct 11
Recitation
PS #3 – Project
Finance
Oct
14
6 Demand Side Solutions
- Energy Efficiency, Demand
Response, and Storage
Devices, Load, Energy Efficiency, Economic
Demand Response Measures, Ancillary Services,
Storage Alternatives, Smart Grid
Oct 18
Recitation
Oct
21
7 Experience Curves,
Disruptions, and Solar Energy
- Distributed Generation
Experience Curves, Learning, Technology,
Disruptive Technologies, Net Metering,
Distributed Generation, Utility Transformation
Oct 25
Recitation
PS #4 –
Distributed
Resources
Transportation Systems (4 weeks)
Oct
28
8/
9
Oil and Transportation
Markets
- Transportation Systems
- Petroleum
Transportation Services, Passenger vs. Cargo,
CAFE Standards, Unintended Consequences,
Resource and Reserves, Quality, Peak Oil,
Fracking, Delivery Systems, Energy Security
Nov 1
COMPLETE OIL/
TRANSPORT
LECTURE
Nov
4
ACADEMIC HOLIDAY – Election
Day
Nov 8
No recitation
Nov
11
10 Alternate Fuel Sources
- Biofuels
- Natural Gas Vehicles
Feedstocks, Food vs. Fuel, Biofuels, RFS, Flex-
Fuel Vehicles, Asset Lock-in and Co-
Dependence, Cellulosic, Algae, Drop-in Fuels
Nov 15
Recitation
PS #5 -
Forecasting Oil
Prices
Nov
18
11 Electricity in Transportation
- Electric Vehicles
EV, PHEV, FCE, Charging Networks, Grid
Reliability, Stand-by Power, V2G, Spinning
Reserves, Total vs. Addressable Market
Nov 22
Recitation
PS #6 –
Biofuels and
EVs;
Other Energy Systems (2 weeks)
Nov
25
12 Thermal Systems and Natural
Gas
- Natural Gas
Thermal Energy, Natural Gas, Pipelines, Fracking
& Shale Gas, Liquefaction
Nov 29
No Recitation
- Thanksgiving
Dec
3
13 Energy and the Global
Economy
Energy and the Environment
Energy and Macroeconomics, Energy Security,
Energy and Development, Energy Access
Climate Change, Carbon Accounting and
Costing, Sustainable Development
Dec 6
TA Final
Review Session
PS #7 – Nat.
Gas/ Carbon
Final Exam
Dec ?? FINAL EXAM (9am-12noon)
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 8
Lecture Readings, Assignments, and Questions
General Principles (2 Weeks)
1. INTRODUCTION TO ENERGY TERMS AND CONVERSIONS
Topics Covered:
Why Energy Matters, Energy vs. Power, Stocks and Flows, Laws of Thermodynamics, Scenarios,
Conversions, Constraints, Normative vs. Positive
Readings:
• The Energy System Preface & Chapter 1
• Holdren, J., “The Energy Innovation Imperative,” Spring 2006.
• McKinsey and Company, “The Energy Transition: Where Are We Really?,” August 2024
• OPTIONAL - The McGraw Center, Princeton. “Active Reading Strategies,” 2016.
2. ENERGY AS AN ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND DEALING WITH MARKET FAILURES
Topics Covered:
Energy Systems Dynamics, Six Forms of Capital, Cost vs. Value vs. Price, Fungibility, Market
Failures, Behavioral Economics, Interventions
Reading:
• Thinking in Systems [Through the end of Section 1]
• The Energy System Chapter 2 & 3
• “BP Energy Outlook,” BP, 2024 Edition
• REN21, “Renewables 2024 Global Status Report” [Pages 10-20, skim the rest]
• “energy [r]evolution: A Sustainable Global Energy Outlook ” Greenpeace International
and EREC, 2015 [Read Introduction, Executive Summary, Chapters 3 and 4, and SKIM Pages 58-92]
[Scan] Data Sources:
• “BP Statistical Review of World Energy” BP and Energy Institute, 2024
• “IEA World Energy Data and Statistics”, International Energy Agency, 2024
• “Monthly Energy Review” DOE Energy Information Agency (EIA), August 2024
[Optional] Reference:
• “Deploying Renewables: Best and Future Policy Practice”, IEA, 2011.
• “A Manual for the Economic Evaluation of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Technologies”, Short et. al., NREL, March 1995
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 9
Electricity Systems (5 Weeks)
3. UNDERSTANDING ORGANIZED ELECTRICITY MARKETS
Topics Covered:
Generation, Transmission, Distribution, Cost of Service Recovery, Deregulation, Load types,
Dispatchability, Interconnection
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapter 4
• Binz, R. “Practicing Risk-Aware Electricity Regulation: 2014 Update,” CERES 2012
4. GENERATION SUPPLY, DEMAND, AND PRICE
Topics Covered:
Bus Bar Costs, LCOE, Price of Electricity, Multiple Value Streams of Electricity, Risk
Readings:
• Thinking in Systems [Section 2]
• The Energy System Chapter 5 & 6, (Particular focus on Appendix 5)
5. PROJECT FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT
Topics Covered:
Project Finance, Cost of Capital (WACC), IRR, Fungibility of Generation Alternatives
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapters 7 & 8
• Lazard LCOE Plus – Version 2024
6. DEMAND SIDE SOLUTIONS
Topics Covered:
Devices, Load, Energy Efficiency, Economic Demand Response Measures, Ancillary Services,
storage alternatives, Smart Grid
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapters 9 & 10
7. EXPERIENCE CURVES, DISRUPTIONS, AND SOLAR ENERGY
Topics Covered:
Experience Curves, Learning, Technology, Disruptive Technologies, Net metering, Distributed
Generation, Utility Transformation
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapters 11 & 12
• [OPTIONAL] - Solar Revolution, Chapters 1, 6, 7, and 10
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 10
Transportation Systems (4 Weeks)
8. OIL AND TRANSPORTATION MARKETS (DEMAND)
9. OIL AND TRANSPORTATION MARKETS (SUPPLY)
Topics Covered:
Transportation Services, Passenger vs. Cargo, CAFE Standards, Unintended consequences,
Resource and Reserves, Quality, Peak Oil, Fracking, Delivery Systems, Energy Security
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapters 13 & 14
10. ALTERNATE FUEL SOURCES
Topics Covered:
Feedstocks, Food vs. Fuel, Biofuels, RFS, Flex-Fuel Vehicles, Asset Lock-in and Co-
Dependence, Cellulosic, Algae, Drop-in Fuels
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapter 15
11. ELECTRICITY IN TRANSPORTATION
Topics Covered:
EV, PHEV, FCE, Charging Networks, Grid Reliability, Stand-by Power, V2G, Spinning
Reserves, Total vs. Addressable Market
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapter 16, Review Chapter 10 (Storage)
Other Energy Systems (2 Weeks)
12. THERMAL SYSTEMS AND NATURAL GAS
Topics Covered:
Thermal Energy, Natural Gas, Pipelines, Fracking & Shale Gas, Liquefaction
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapters 17 & 18
13. ENERGY AND THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
Topics Covered:
Energy and Macroeconomics, Energy Security, Energy and Development, Energy Access
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapter 19
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Topics Covered:
Climate Change, UNFCCC, ETS Trading System, Carbon Accounting, Sustainable Development
Readings:
• The Energy System Chapters 20 and postscript
• [OPTIONAL] - Thinking in Systems [Section 3]
• IPCC 6th Assessment Synthesis Report for Policy Makers
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 11
Energy System Fundamentals – Technical Video Links
Title Video Link
The Future of Energy
The Future of Energy?
https://youtu.be/Gz_L6KuqvFI
Understanding Organized
Electricity Markets and Efficiency
- The Grid
- Energy Efficiency
Electricity Generation 101 (5 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Vb6hlLQSg&feature=related
Overview of the Electricity Grid (4 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38EEmWHI0C8
Smart Grid (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 9 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrcqA_cqRD8&feature=related
A day in the life of the grid, July 21, 2011 (MISO, 33 min.) – Well worth the investment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdrMpElZWSM
[Optional] - Anatomy of a Transmission System (AEP, 4 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTIQ_xcp0sU&feature=related
[Optional] - Anatomy of a Distribution System (AEP, 10 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcBgxVfD70Q&feature=relmfu
Utility-Scale Generation Options
- Coal Thermal Power Plant
- Gas Fired Combined Cycle
- Co-Gen Plant
- Utility-scale Renewables
Coal Power Plant (MidAmerican Energy, 6 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0e772Vo73k
Combined Cycle Natural Gas (Duke Energy, 7 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNspo_s-1jY
Co-generation Plant at NYU (3 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m9SgsTTgiA&feature=related
Biomass Co-Generation Plant at Nagda site (4 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tARuhig03To
Hydro Power (2 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj4dZM4SIls
Nuclear Power – How it works (5 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UwexvaCMWA
Wind Turbines (UVSAR, 10 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNXTm7aHvWc&feature=related
Offshore Wind Construction (Belwind, 14 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9IntSh2K7c
Utility Scale Solar PV (ABB, 2 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edYNj_TrTXY&hd=1
Concentrating Solar Thermal (2 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdivW7inP0k
Geothermal (3 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjpp2MQffnw
Tidal and Wave Power (5 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSBACzRE3Gw&feature=related
Energy Storage Options
- Electricity Storage
Columbia Social Enterprise Forum – Energy Storage and Battery Technology (56 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=661-GIswZco&hd=1
Pumped Hydro Storage – in German with translation (2 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ7ltJlMY9E
Grid Storage – A123 Batteries (DoE, 9 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C8Ji05UJaw
Oil and Transportation Markets
- Petroleum
- Supply Chain Analysis
Oil and Gas Drilling (4 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhZ50NCbVKo
Refinery (14 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Py8-Xy9MKo
Transportation Fuels – GHG implications (5 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq2uWWBqe4M
Megastructures - Oil Sands (40 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F17MXBZzc0
Shale Oil (Energy Now, 28 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_T-AwYOhp4&feature=related
Biofuels Ethanol from Sugar Cane- Production Process (15 min.)
Energy Systems Fundamentals – Fall 2024 Page | 12
- Biofuels http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP1S2HGf5-E
Ethanol from Corn – Production Process (5 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE7DJVCa5h0
How it is made – Biodiesel (4 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLa83KIaEyw
Biofuels, Beyond Ethanol (10 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkJJ-x7U5NI
Electricity in Transportation
Markets
- Electric Vehicles
- Fuel Cell Vehicles
The State of Electric Vehicles in America (29 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZGQgZPaQ6o&feature=relmfu
Energy 101 Fuel Cells (43 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41Nb6juV6MI
Natural Gas Markets
Natural Gas Production and Marketing (Chesapeake Energy, 10 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gw_Bn-JqDg
Natural Gas Pipelines Operation (9 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTTJeTaYDyc
Hydraulic Fracturing (Marathon Oil, 3 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY34PQUiwOQ
Natural Gas: The Energy to move Forward (Conoco Philips, 5 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzLZnidztpI
History – I am Natural Gas – 1959 (3 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKX0GeF9w-k
History – Natural Gas Pipeline Development – 1959 (1 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wodvxh6WEs4
