Thermodynamics is a fascinating field that is deeply connected to our everyday lives. It has always been one of my favorite subjects in engineering, and I hope to spark students' curiosity in this class. Thermodynamics is the basis of energy and is essential for the study of both traditional fossil fuel technology and advanced renewable energy technologies like batteries and fuel cells. This course delves into the laws of thermodynamics, the principles of work and heat transfer, and the applications to real-world problems and energy cycles.
We explore various clean energy technologies and their role in the global transition toward sustainable and low-carbon energy systems. As a class, we will examine the technical aspects of various renewable energy technologies—including solar, wind, hydropower, bioenergy, and fuel cells—and energy storage solutions and their integration into modern power grids. In addition to examining the fundamental technical principles of clean energy technologies, we will also discuss and assess the environmental and societal impacts of these technologies and the policies that shape the clean energy landscape.
Electrochemistry is a branch of chemistry that focuses on the production of electricity from chemical changes. As engineers, we are interested in using the fundamental principles of science to design systems that will hopefully improve people’s lives. The first half of this course is focused on the principles of electrochemistry such as thermodynamics, reaction kinetics and transport. The second half will focus on the applications of electrochemistry to renewable and alternative energy systems like batteries, fuel cells, and electrolyzer.
In this course, we focus on fuel cells and hydrogen technologies and their role in sustainable and low-carbon energy systems. As a class, we will examine the technical aspects of fuel cells, including thermodynamics, kinetics, and transport. In addition, we will also assess the environmental and societal impacts of these technologies and investigate real-world applications of these technologies.
Hydrogen is essential for sustainability; it will play an important role in decarbonizing sectors that we cannot directly electrify. This course covers hydrogen, production methods, applications, policies, and its role in the global transition toward sustainable and low-carbon energy systems. We will discuss electrolysis, fuel cells, end-use sectors, integration with renewable energy sources, and economic and policy considerations for large-scale deployment.