New online course on Coursera

Can oil, coal and natural gas be replaced with clean and renewable sources of energy? What are the problems generated by the use of fossil fuels? What are the known processes for harvesting, converting and utilizing sources of energy?

Introduction to Renewable Energy

Can oil, coal and natural gas be replaced with clean and renewable sources of energy? What are the problems generated by the use of fossil fuels? What are the known processes for harvesting, converting and utilizing sources of energy?

Answers to these questions, as well a great deal of other information about renewable energy, can be found in the new online course Introduction to Renewable Energy, accessible on the Coursera Website as of March 2015. The course in offered in Hebrew by Prof. Avi Kribus and PhD student Maya Livshits from TAU's School of Mechanical Engineering . It is free and open to the general public. TAU students may obtain credits for this course via the "Kelim Shluvim" elective course program, and Mechanical Engineering students take it as an introduction to the advanced engineering course on Renewable Energy.

The online course opens with discussions on humanity's energy needs, the resources at our disposal, and the problems generated by the massive use of fossil fuels - which have proved quite damaging to both our health and our environment. Basic energy terminologies are taught for the benefit of students with no background in engineering. Subsequent lessons present principles of conversion and technologies for utilizing solar energy, wind energy, water energy and bioenergy as possible alternatives for fossil fuels. For each renewable source of energy, existing technologies, already implemented today, are presented, as well as a taste of innovative research, currently developing solutions for the future. The course includes brief demonstrations and experiments on harvesting and converting energy. Interactive questions and examples of problems with detailed solutions are also incorporated.

Course participants acquire an understanding of diverse sources of energy and technologies for utilizing them, alongside friendly tools for computing conversion rates, calculating the amounts of energy produced through the various methods, and assessing their ultimate economic feasibility. Learners are also provided with a broad view of energy and its impact on society, the environment, policies and economics, as well as knowledge about the hurdles faced on the road to extensive implementation of renewable energy. These insights will enable them to form informed opinions and take part in the public debate on energy sources and the use of energy in industry, transportation and daily life, as well as the challenge of ensuring a sustainable future for us all.

Click here for the course on Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/course/renewableenergy