Natural Science 0273 - Solar Energy/Technology

Chemistry and physics of solar energy and energy storage technology Harvesting energy from the sun has become an important element in implementing a sustainable energy future. The basic components of a solar electricity system, photovoltaic cells and batteries, are undergoing dramatic innovative development, and the 60-100% annual growth rate of solar electricity generation indicates that photovoltaic technology has become an affordable and practical sustainable energy source. This course will examine the chemistry and physics of photovoltaics and batteries, as well as recent research developments promising higher efficiency, lower cost, and new possibilities for implementation. We will consider these devices from a basic scientific point of view, perform simple experiments to elucidate their properties, read the current literature on the design, fabrication, and deployment of these devices, and explore how they work in energy systems. Students will propose and carry out a final project demonstrating their work in energy systems. Students will propose and carry out a final project demonstrating their understanding of these ideas.

Independent Work Quantitative Skills Writing and Research