Teaching Renewable Energy New perspectives for “new” energies Ideas and examples

1. Teaching Renewable Energy New perspectives for “new” energies Ideas and examples Florence Bocquet Research faculty, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) Managing director, Center for Research and Education in Wind (CREW) University of Colorado at Boulder (CU)

2. Preface Because learning in schools is traditionally dominated and controlled by adults, students seldom make decisions about their own learning. Even though our philosophies of education purport to graduating students who are responsible citizens capable of participating thoughtfully in a democracy, our educational practices have a tendency to foster dependence, passivity and a "tell me what to do and think" attitude. Our goal is multi-fold: - To get their attention and provide ways for them to remember - To engage students in classroom activities - To have students collaborate among themselves, teachers, and others in the community - To work towards student self-directedness etc We want students to enjoy their experience…

3. Building a course or activity (1) Start with knowledge of fundamental physics Wind energy: fluid dynamics, winds, turbulence Solar energy: solar radiation, waves, optics, atomic physics Biofuels and biomass: chemical reactions, photosynthesis, carbon cycle Geothermal: heat, geology General: mechanics, electricity and magnetism Have a driving question or problem that serves to organize and drive activities, which taken as a whole amount to a meaningful project For a course: Have one or two lectures dedicated to reviewing some pre-requisites For an activity: Have a key background question underlying the rest of the project

4. Building a course or activity (2) Show the interdisciplinary aspect of renewable energy Engineering sciences Physical sciences Environmental sciences Health sciences Social sciences Policy Economics, etc Study a scientific paper, a news/journal article Team project where each student represents an expert in a discipline A play where each student represents an expert Build/design a project Invite two experts for a discussion Incorporate points of view from industry, the public, scientists, … Incorporate international ideas, movements, etc about X

5. Building a course or activity (3) Theoretical and practical aspects of renewable energy Theoretical aspects: What equations represent the system? What equations make the system work? In what ways can we simplify the system? Practical aspects: How much power can we produce for …? How can we build X efficiently? How can we adapt to live with X around us? What are the side effects of having/using X?

6. Building a course or activity (4) You want students to understand the importance of renewable energy • Emphasize on • Renewable energy versus non-renewable energy • Create projects and activities relevant to • day-to-day life • where we live (state, region, country) • real-world problems • our needs • our consumption/waste Map Designer: Philippe Rekacewicz, UNEP/GRID-Arendal World Resources Institute

7. Some ideas… • Present graphs/figures that show the place of U.S. in the world, the place of the state against other states, etc; • Provide active investigations that enable students to learn concepts, apply information, and represent their knowledge in a variety of ways; • Allow students to plan their learning goals; • Present images that catch attention; • Invite a speaker; • Work on a published paper from peer-reviewed journal: analyze, summarize, etc; • Write a research report in such forms: a peer-review letter/article, a journalist’s column, a letter to the state Governor; • Create fun/innovative/meaningful projects for groups of two; • Conduct lab experiments; • Conduct field experiments.

8. Example (1): atmospheric pressure 12” What is the mass of the atmosphere above our head? 1013 hPa = 14.7 psi 1 lb = 0.45 kg → 14.7 lbs = 6.67 kg 1 sq-ft = 12x12 sq-in 1013 hPa = 0.67 x 12 x 12 = 960 kg (1 Ton = 1000 kg) 12”

9. Example (2): carbon dioxide Misconceptions;Background; Facts/Numbers; Impacts of climate change (2 parts); Conclusion Source: CDIAC

10. Example (3): impacts around the world Change in ocean currents (ocean density & temps.) Extreme events, e.g. hurricane: stronger, more often Retreat of alpine glaciers, e.g. Kilimanjaro Change in societal behavior, e.g. economics: water, agriculture, tourism Upsala glacier, Argentina’s Los Glacaries National Park Misconceptions;Background; Facts/Numbers; Impacts of climate change (2 parts); Conclusion