Introduction to Sustainable Energy
Energy systems, both renewable and conventional, form the core of this MIT OpenCourseWare class, which covers resource extraction, conversion technologies, and end-use practices needed to meet regional and global energy demand through the 21st century. Instructors and guest lecturers examine solar, wind, nuclear, and fossil fuel technologies alongside consumption patterns across different countries, building toward a quantitative framework for evaluating energy proposals against engineering, political, economic, and environmental constraints. Materials include lecture notes, assignments, and readings drawn from MIT's Nuclear Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Urban Studies departments. A graduate-level version of the course adds extra assignments for students seeking more depth. As with other MIT OCW offerings, the material is free to access with no certificate attached. The course suits anyone wanting a systems-level grounding in how energy actually moves from ground to grid to consumer.