Resources

A few selected resources are listed here to support your exploration.
Do you have ideas for related resources? Send your suggestion by email to Jonee Kulman Brigham kulma002@umn.edu

Video Series Discussion Questions

The Video Series, "Power Systems Journey: Questions and Stories for the Energy Transition" highlights a number of questions to consider about the energy transition that were asked to each of the interviewed participants and energy experts.

What are the lessons we can learn from energy history to inform the future?
What kind of energy stories would engage the public to learn and care about energy transition issues?
What values and goals should inform the energy transition?
How might the energy transition re-imagine our electric generation, distribution, use, ownership, (and everything else) about our energy systems to achieve our goals?
What do you want people to know about the energy transition?

If you are referencing the videos in a discussion group or a class, the answers to these questions could be compared across the interviewee videos.

Or after viewing some or all of the videos participants could answer and discuss these questions with each other.

Vision + Action

These questions were not part of the video series but were discussed in a panel afterwards at Institute on the Environment Annual Meeting. Engaging long term vision can help move beyond the way things are now, to imagine a desired future, even if we don't yet know how to get there.

Panelists were asked:

“What is your 2050 Ideal Vision for the energy transition from your perspective?”

“What is your call to action for the audience to do THIS WEEK as it relates to something important to you about the energy transition?”

Related Books and Resources

This is the primary text used for the course:

The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy
2017, Gretchen Bakke

Other Resources recommended by team members

U.S. Department of Energy Quadrennial Energy Review
Minnesota Department of Commerce Energy Reports
GridLab and Energy Systems Integration Group
International Energy Agency transition outlooks
Speed & Scale: An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now
2021, John Doerr, Ryan Panchadsaram

Website: Princeton's Zero Lab
https://zero.lab.princeton.edu
Research to accelerate rapid, affordable, and effective transitions to net-zero carbon energy systems

Website: Project Drawdown
https://drawdown.org
Research-based, strategic approach to addressing climate change. Includes energy and many other sectors.

Resources Documenting the Class Approach

2024-2025, “Power Systems Journey: Questions and Stories for the Energy Transition”

Link to Video Project Page

Video Documentary on the Power Systems Journey Class and exploration of class questions in interviews with participants and energy experts. This video project was funded by a Mini-Grant from Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota. Full Spring Studio, LLC hosts the website and provided funding to edit the extended interviews.

2021, The Power Systems Journey course article called "Energy Transition Education in a Power Systems Journey," was included as a chapter in Energy Transition and Economic Sufficiency, published by the Post Carbon Institute in 2021

Brigham, J. K., & Imbertson, P. (2021). Energy transition education in a power systems journey: Making the invisible, visible. Energy transition and economic sufficiency: Food, transportation and education in a post-carbon society (pp. 227–250). Post Carbon Institute.

2020, The Power Systems Journey course was featured in an article called "Energy Transition Education in a Power Systems Journey," in the American Journal of Economics and Sociology.

Brigham, J. K., & Imbertson, P. (2020). Energy-Transition Education in a Power Systems Journey: Making the Invisible Visible and Actionable. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 79(3), 981–1022. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajes.12347

(University Library Account Holder's article Access)