Overview

The aim of the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Specialization is to cultivate professionals within the clean energy and decarbonization sector. Our global society is currently undergoing a significant shift towards a carbon-neutral economy, with a strong emphasis on clean energy. Students pursuing the RSE program will acquire a comprehensive grasp of the technological, regulatory, and commercial dimensions of this energy transition. This encompasses factors like fairness, adaptability, and public well-being, which are pivotal for a prosperous tomorrow.

Students on top of wind turbine on the middle of the sea. Guiding Principles: 

  1. Renewable Energy Development, Process, and Economics: Nurturing expertise in renewable energy development by comprehending the intricacies of the process, understanding the economic dynamics, and exploring sustainable energy solutions.

  2. Data Analysis and Visualization Skills: Fostering the capacity to extract insights from data through adept analysis and effective visualization, enabling informed decision-making in the energy sector.

  3. Project Finance: Cultivating proficiency in project finance, encompassing the understanding of funding sources, risk management, and the financial intricacies of energy initiatives.

  4. Decarbonization Planning and Implementation: Championing the design and execution of strategies to reduce carbon emissions, aligning with environmental goals and fostering a sustainable energy future.

  5. Energy Policy and Markets: Developing a profound grasp of energy policy and market dynamics, empowering individuals to navigate regulatory frameworks and contribute to sustainable energy transformation

Course Requirements

Required:

Examines energy policy and the problem of sustainability through a variety of disciplinary and topical perspectives: historical, political, behavioral, techno-economic and legal. A critical approach is applied to arguments about energy policy processes, systems, and desired outcomes, with special emphasis on the role of renewable and sustainable energy in the changing global energy system.

Examines the basics of energy technologies and energy delivery systems. Covers both conventional energy sources (oil and gas, coal, nuclear and hydroelectric) and renewable/sustainable energy technologies (wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and end-use efficiency). Investigates individual technologies as well as integration of multiple technologies on energy systems such as the electricity grid and liquid and gas fuels infrastructures.

RSE Required and Elective Options (students must choose two):

The goal of nearly every green building project, corporate entity, or municipality is to reach net zero carbon or net zero energy. For most of these entities, this concept is an abstraction, and is not well understood. This class reviews the fundamentals of green building, from LEED to Energy Star, as well as other rating systems. It discusses the various definitions of Net Zero Energy and Carbon and the various certification programs that support it. It then helps develop an understanding of behind-the-meter renewables and battery storage and the financial case for their development. Lastly, it explores the range of policy levers and best practices for cities to reach their zero carbon goals – focusing on low-carbon electricity supply, electrifying buildings, and electrifying and diversifying transportation options, while also addressing community equity, health, and resilience.

The ability for a given sustainable energy technology to gain widespread adoption depends on the markets and policies that control their access and value. Within the US, we have both regulated and unregulated territories for electricity and natural gas. We have wholesale markets, resale competitions, and vertically integrated regulated territories. We have utilities and state PUCs that embrace and incentivize electrification of various end uses, and we have those that are actively opposed to it. This class will review the various regulatory structures and markets that exist (including the various ISOs and RTOs), the overarching federal policy structure and entities that govern them, and the opportunities for utilities, renewable energy developers, and end-users to engage with those markets and work within and navigate the completed energy landscape.

One of the main interest areas among RSE students is the Renewable Energy Development industry. This industry sector features companies developing wind, solar, energy storage, and transmission projects that are central to the energy transition, both behind the customer's meter and at the utility-scale. The class will include an overview of the development process from identifying a market opportunity, developing and permitting a specific site, and calculating and presenting deals to off-takers and utilities. It will also provide an overview of project finance — where the money comes from, how different sources are layered together, how tax credits factor in, and how the risks of various parties are managed. Students will leave the class with a foundational understanding of the process and tools to work in the RE development space.

This course will cover the applications of distributed energy resources with special emphasis on microgrids. The students will learn about three distinct types of microgrids; remote area power, islanded power, and grid-connected microgrids. It will also cover their value propositions of resilience, energy access, cost savings, and decarbonization and the technical and regulatory challenges that microgrids face. By the end of the course, students should be proficient in the use of the HOMER Pro software for optimizing the design of a microgrid. Evaluations will be based on class presentations and a final project.

Students must take a total of four RSE courses (12 credits): two required classes and two other RSE courses.

Other RSE Elective options:

This course is intended to explore the way in which different countries around the world are approaching their transition to a carbon free economy, highlighting the technologies, policies, economics, and the emerging field of Just Transition that underlie each countries’ approach. The classroom portion of the course will take place throughout the spring semester, meeting weekly for 1.25 hrs. It will set the stage for the travel portion of the trip to two or more countries in northern Europe, with the intent of witnessing some of the key zero carbon technology and infrastructure solutions. The in-country portion of the trip is anticipated to take place over a 12 day period (including travel), with a base in Copenhagen, Denmark and anticipated visits to Malmo, Sweden, and the surrounding area.

Important note: these specialization requirements were updated in August 2022 and are applicable for current MENV students beginning the program in August 2022. All other MENV students should refer to their cohort’s curriculum for degree requirements.

 

Relevant Specialization Capstone Projects