Courses 
Harvard has a few courses that educate students about renewable energy and energy policy.
Faculty of Arts and Sciences (Harvard College):
Environmental Science and Public Policy 90a. Energy, Technology, and the Environment
Michael B. McElroy
Half course (fall term). Tu., 1–4.
The seminar will provide an account of the technologies that shape our world with a perspective on how they evolved, the benefits that ensued and the environmental challenges that arose as a consequence. Topics include prospects for renewable energy and options to minimize damage from conventional sources of energy. Specific attention is directed to challenges faced by large developing economies emphasizing the need for a cooperative approach to ensure an equable, environmentally sustainable, global future.
Note: Expected to be given in 2008–09.
Environmental Science and Public Policy 90h. Energy Problems and Promises
Henry Ehrenreich
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
The likely exhaustion of cheap oil in the near future, ambiguous political attitudes toward pollution and other problems mandate the development of alternative energy resources and technologies. The seminar will consider fossil fuel, wind, solar, nuclear energy, electrical and hydrogen mediated transmission, and novel technologies such as fuel cells and hybrid cars, all historically related to economic and social needs.
Note: Expected to be given in 2008–09. Student participation includes a term paper, an oral class presentation, and involvement in seminar discussions.
Prerequisite: High school physics or chemistry or permission of the instructor.
Engineering Sciences 6. Environmental Science and Technology
Peter P. Rogers
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
An introduction to the role of technology in environmental sciences with an emphasis on solving problems concerning human use and control of the environment. Cases from aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments are discussed. In each setting the basic scientific principles underlying engineering control are emphasized. Occasional field trips are part of the course. The course presumes basic knowledge in chemistry, physics, and mathematics at the high school level.
Note: This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Science B.
Note: The class website has pdfs of the syllabus, lectures, and assignments.
Engineering Sciences 165. Introduction to Environmental Engineering
Peter P. Rogers
Half course (spring term). M., W., 3:30–5. EXAM GROUP: 8, 9
Introduces engineering technologies for the control of the environment and relates them to underlying scientific principles. Efficient design of environmental management facilities and systems. Cases from aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments discussed.
Note: Expected to be given in 2008–09. For undergraduates or graduates without background in environmental engineering.
Prerequisite: Exposure to the material in Applied Mathematics 21a or 21b (or equivalent), Engineering Sciences 101 and Chemistry 7 is recommended.
Extension School:
Information Systems Management E-152 Operational GIS
Wendy Guan, PhD, Director of GIS Research Services, Center for Geographic Analysis, Harvard University. Guoping Huang, DDes, Geographic Information Systems Specialist, Center for Geographic Analysis, Harvard University.
Course tuition: noncredit and graduate credit $1,700. Limited enrollment.
Spring term: Thursdays, 5:30-7:30 pm, 53 Church Street, Room 201. Optional sections Th 7:35-8:35 pm.
This advanced course focuses on case studies of real world GIS problems using primarily the ArcGIS software. Three cases are introduced, covering urban and natural environments and requiring geodatabase design, data editing, spatial analysis, modeling, and visualization. Students form two-to-three person groups and take on one of the three cases as their primary project. Class time is divided equally between the three cases on a rotating basis, combining multimedia lectures, hands-on demonstrations, guest presentations from the real case organizations, project status updates from students, and diagnostic discussions. The project cycle includes background introduction and problem statement; conceptual plan of the project; literature and data review, detailed plan of the project; analysis methods review; preliminary results review, visualization design; and final project presentation and evaluation. All students are required to participate in the complete project cycle of all three cases during the class time, but section time and homework assignments are focused on their own project only. Prerequisites: ISMT E-150, or the equivalent; familiarity with ArcGIS. (4 credits)
Note: The spring 2008 class will do a project mapping roofs at Harvard. This case will work with 3-D building and terrain models of the Harvard campuses. The objective is to systematically evaluate the suitability for installing solar panels on Harvard building roofs. The project will derive building roof direction, slope, size, shading, and other factors from multi-source, multi-format 3-D models, and calculate solar energy conversion efficiency based on them. The final product could help influence the University’s renewable energy growth.
Harvard Business School:
Half-Course: Energy
Course Number 1105
Professor Forest Reinhardt
Early Fall, 15 session half course, 1.5 credits
Without the heat, light, and mobility provided by suppliers of energy, firms, governments, and individuals could not function. Energy prices are often highly volatile, and energy firms are subject to pervasive government intervention. In the course, we try to understand the (interrelated) reasons for the price volatility and the government intervention, and the strategic implications of each. The course applies ideas on industry structure, competitive positioning, competitive dynamics, and corporate strategy from the basic Strategy course. It applies ideas from BGIE on the rationales for government intervention in markets and on the political factors that influence government policymakers. Students will leave the course with a broad exposure to the kinds of strategic and risk management problems that confront firms in the energy industries, with a set of analytic approaches to make sense of those problems, and with an enhanced ability to devise and implement strategies that take economic and political considerations into account.
