EdX

Sustainable Energy (edX)

Offered by MIT, MITx,
Sustainable Energy (edX)

Learn to critically analyze modern energy technologies from engineering and socio-political perspectives, and gain the skills necessary to help the world meet rising energy demand while reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change.

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Climate change is an urgent global challenge demanding engineering solutions and large-scale, systems-oriented coordination. In Sustainable Energy, you’ll join thousands of global learners in examining conventional and renewable energy generation technologies, studying how they are deployed throughout the world, and evaluating their roles in the future energy landscape. Technologies include solar power, wind power, storage, nuclear power, hydropower, and bioenergy.
In addition to technological components, you’ll become familiar with the economic, political, and social dimensions of energy project planning. Professionals from diverse backgrounds must work together to determine pathways to decarbonization amidst scientific uncertainty and unique geopolitical challenges. You will be presented with advanced tools and strategies to explore pathways to decarbonization in specific contexts, and to build consensus among stakeholders.
This course is part of the Future Energy Systems XSeries.

What you'll learn

  • How to critically evaluate key features, opportunities, and challenges associated with modern energy technologies, and understand how these factors shape their contributions to global decarbonization
  • Use systems-level tools and skills to analyze the technological, economic, and socio-political dimensions of real-word energy projects
  • Build consensus among involved stakeholders to achieve sustainability goals
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