BBE2201 Renewable Energy and the Environment

Renewable energy is one of the most important and pressing issues of our time. Society has diverse choices of renewable energy technologies, each with unique challenges and opportunities.  Advances in the science and engineering have produced technologies that have a profound impact on society. There is a growing sense of national and global urgency regarding carbon and climate change with particular emphasis on our energy system. 

This class explores our current energy system and the trends toward a lower carbon energy system. We discuss the technologies, the environmental and social implications, the economics and the applicable government policies and programs.  With each lesson we encourage students to think critically about the complex interactions with any and all aspects of our energy system. Students from all disciplines--including the biological sciences, social science, business, engineering, architecture, design and more--will find this class informative and pertinent to their majors.

First taught in 2009, this course is offered through the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering. BBE2201 (now BBE1201) has averaged 1000 students annually since 2011 but more important is what they are saying and how the course has shaped their lives. 
 

 I loved this class! I really enjoyed all of the topics that were covered. I really liked the format that the class was in. Having all of these topics made me realize how complex renewable energy is." 

Before starting this class, I had zero interest in learning about renewable energy, I needed to cover a liberal education requirement and this one fit perfectly into my busy schedule, so I decided to take it and I am so glad I did. The information in this class really brought to my attention that almost everything I do, can be related back to energy. It was really cool to see all the new technology being tested and developed to advance renewable energy."