Skip to main content


Showing posts from September, 2017

Lecture 2

How Else Did Humans Acquire Energy Before Fossil Fuels?
Mainly animals, wind, water
Resources, like wood, vary considerably from region to region – little wood in deserts
Comparing pre-industrial energy systems at various times, big differences based on
available resources, climate, level of technology, level of organization

What Factors Determine Differences in National Energy Systems Today?
Available resources
Level of income/development
Economic activity mix (manufacturing)
Government policies (subsidies)
Culture, habits, etc
History (house sizes, city structures)

Where do prices come from?
World prices for some inputs
Local resources, costs
Costs of capital, labor
Environmental, other policies

National energy systems are incredibly diverse, with many drivers of diversity – not just resource Growth in energy use, CO2 likely to come mainly from developing nations, esp. China
Geography of the country - ease of importing
How/when countr…

Lecture 1

How should we define “energy” in this course – and why?
There is a wide variety of uses and sources

Why are you interested in energy?
Use of resources
Energy security

Does America face an “energy problem”? If so, what is it?
Running out
International dependence
Cost and market efficiency
Even if we don't run out it might get really expensive

Why haven’t all the smart people working in private business solved the problem?
Focused on the supply side because demand is so high
Lack of consensus about what should be done
Because the market doesn't solve externalities - pollution - it is a secondary or unintended consequence

Why do we all need to agree?
Climate change

What do you think Obama meant by “clean energy standard” “clean energy sources”
Environmental concerns
Renewables - solar, biomass, some uses of natural gas

Would this raise or lower the price of electricity?
Raise because there would be no federal push if it naturally fell

What drives the flow?
The demand…