Green EnergyEnergy is used in our daily life for everything from lights to HVAC, to transportation. In developed countries, we expect these services to be unlimited and uninterrupted. Maintaining this consistent energy supply, however, requires significant investments and costs, to both our natural and economic resources. There is concern that the energy sources used to provide our quality of life will not be available or appropriate for future growth. Thus, new techniques and research are working to enable alternative energies to meet our growing power demands.
While alternative energy sources are imperative to our continued development, incorporating these systems into our existing power matrix is challenging. Our traditional power generation and distribution systems will have to be modified significantly to accommodate the cyclic nature of the source, distributed generation and other nuances associated with alternative energies.
The purpose of this course is to assess our current energy usage and identify viable means of meeting future demand. While a variety of alternative energies are available, they all have benefits and limitations. Thus, as we look to power our future, alternative energy sources must be conscientiously adopted.
Thomas D. Rockaway, Ph.D., P.E., is a Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, and Director for the Center for Infrastructure Research at the University of Louisville. His research work has focused on identifying methods to extend the life and improve the performance of urban infrastructure. Much of his worked has included water and wastewater initiatives and incorporating green concepts into existing systems. Prior to his work at the University, he has served as a geotechnical engineer for a large power corporation, a regional consultant and the United States Army Corps of Engineers. He has provided foundation and subsurface recommendations for structures ranging from single story dwellings to multi-story buildings. He has doctorate from the Georgia Institute of Technology, a Masters and Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from DePauw University.
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