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David Officer, Andrew Nattestad, Yi Du, Attila Mozer, Sabine Straver, and Inseong Cho

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course is for anyone interested in sustainability and the future of human life on Earth. You can use the hashtag #FLEnergyMaterials to talk about this course on social media.

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    Reviews summary

    Sustainable energy materials: a global overview

    According to students, this course offers a highly accessible and comprehensive introduction to energy materials for a sustainable future. Learners with no prior scientific background particularly appreciate how complex topics are broken down and made approachable. Many found the lectures engaging, with passionate instructors and helpful visual aids. It is widely considered a fantastic entry point for understanding global energy challenges and innovative solutions, providing a solid foundational understanding of the subject matter. While it excels as a general overview, some learners seeking deeper technical insight or advanced material science principles found the coverage too superficial.
    Instructors and visuals make learning enjoyable.
    "The videos were engaging, and the quizzes helped reinforce the learning."
    "The instructors were passionate and made the learning enjoyable."
    "The visual aids and real-world examples were superb."
    Helps establish a strong understanding of core concepts.
    "I feel I've gained a solid foundation."
    "A fantastic entry point into the world of sustainable energy materials."
    "A good course for getting up to speed on sustainable energy concepts."
    Covers a wide range of relevant energy materials.
    "A very informative course covering a wide range of energy materials."
    "Really enjoyed the breadth of topics covered, from traditional fossil fuels to cutting-edge renewables."
    "Provides a comprehensive yet understandable overview of energy materials."
    Provides clear explanations for beginners.
    "I had no prior knowledge in this field, and I feel I've gained a solid foundation."
    "As a non-science major, I appreciated how the complex topics were broken down."
    "The concepts are explained simply and effectively. It truly broadened my perspective."
    "The instructors make complex subjects approachable."
    Some modules might feel rushed or oversimplified.
    "I struggled with the pace of this course. Some concepts were introduced very quickly without enough foundational explanation."
    "Decent course but inconsistent depth. Some modules were great, others felt rushed or oversimplified."
    "I think it tries to cover too much for a general audience, leading to some areas being skimmed over."
    Superficial for learners seeking advanced technical insight.
    "I found it a bit too superficial for my needs. I'm an engineering student, and I was hoping for more technical depth..."
    "For me, with some basic science knowledge, much of it felt like review... quite high-level."
    "The content was too basic and didn't offer any significant new insights for someone who has read a few articles."
    "Felt a bit light on practical applications."

    Career center

    Learners who complete How to Survive on Earth: Energy Materials for a Sustainable Future will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

    Reading list

    We've selected 50 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in How to Survive on Earth: Energy Materials for a Sustainable Future.
    A follow-up to 'The Quest,' this book focuses on the rapidly changing energy landscape, including the rise of shale, the energy transition, and the geopolitical implications of climate change. It is highly relevant to contemporary energy policy discussions and provides valuable insights for both students and professionals. It helps deepen understanding of current global energy dynamics and their policy challenges.
    Provides a comprehensive historical and geopolitical overview of energy. It is essential for gaining a broad understanding of how energy has shaped the modern world and the policies surrounding it. It serves as excellent background reading for anyone new to the field and is often referenced in academic and professional discussions. While not solely focused on contemporary policy, its historical context is crucial for understanding current issues.
    This highly-regarded book provides a quantitative and data-driven approach to understanding energy consumption and the potential of renewable energy sources. It is known for simplifying complex issues and offering clear comparisons of different energy options. While not a traditional textbook, it is an essential read for anyone wanting to grasp the scale of the energy challenge and the feasibility of renewable solutions. It is particularly valuable for solidifying understanding through data analysis.
    Chunshan Song takes a forward-looking approach in this book, highlighting green technologies with the potential to shape a sustainable future. It goes over the latest and upcoming renewable energy options and offers insight into the opportunities and challenges of a sustainable future.
    Practical guide specifically focused on utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS). It covers the topic from the cell level to grid integration, making it highly relevant for professionals and students interested in large-scale battery deployments.
    Presents a collection of the most substantive solutions to global warming, based on extensive research and analysis. It offers a hopeful and practical perspective on addressing climate change through existing technologies and practices. This book is highly valuable for understanding concrete actions and strategies for achieving sustainability and useful reference tool for students and professionals working on climate solutions.
    Explores the intricate links between energy systems and international relations, covering security, economic, environmental, and justice aspects. It valuable resource for understanding the global dimensions of energy policy and is suitable for undergraduate and graduate students. It helps deepen understanding of how energy shapes geopolitical outcomes.
    This provocative book argues that the climate crisis is not just an environmental issue but a call to transform our economic and political systems. It provides a critical analysis of the relationship between capitalism and climate change. is essential for understanding contemporary debates about the systemic drivers of environmental problems and is highly relevant for advanced students and professionals.
    Considered a classic in the field, this book offers a comprehensive guide to various secondary storage systems and their integration into electric power systems, particularly with renewable energy sources. The 3rd edition is updated with recent data and includes chapters on renewables and integrating different storage technologies. It is aimed at students and engineers in electrical and power engineering.
    Part of the Elements in Grid Energy Storage series, this book focuses specifically on the applications of energy storage in transmission and distribution grids. It covers siting, sizing, and control systems, making it highly relevant for those interested in grid integration.
    Examines the relationship between energy efficiency and climate change, exploring the role of energy efficiency in mitigating climate change and adapting to its impacts. It provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research findings and policy developments in the field and discusses the challenges and opportunities for using energy efficiency to address climate change.
    Joshua Green offers a political perspective on green technology and sustainability. By examining successful green energy and sustainability policies in various countries, this book offers insights into how green technology can be adopted and implemented.
    Focuses on energy efficiency in industrial processes, including energy audits, process optimization, and waste heat recovery. It provides practical guidance for industrial engineers and managers on how to reduce energy consumption and improve profitability.
    Explores how businesses can implement sustainability practices and green technologies to achieve greater profitability and environmental responsibility.
    Offers a detailed overview of renewable energy technologies, including their working principles, advantages, and disadvantages. It provides a strong foundation for understanding the role of renewable energy in green technology.
    Provides a comprehensive overview of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the progress that has been made towards achieving them. It is written by two leading experts on sustainable development, and it includes contributions from a wide range of stakeholders.
    This guide provides a comprehensive overview of energy efficiency principles and practices, covering topics such as building design, energy audits, and renewable energy systems. It is particularly useful for professionals in the engineering and architecture fields who are looking to improve the energy efficiency of their projects.
    Explores the impact of humans on the environment. McKibben argues that we are living in a new geological epoch that he calls the Anthropocene, in which human activities are the dominant force shaping the planet. This book is helpful for understanding the global impact of humans on the environment.
    Argues that we need to rapidly transition to a low-carbon economy to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
    Highlighting the crucial role of energy storage in integrating renewable energy, this book examines various technologies, their operational principles, advantages, and limitations. It's a valuable resource for students, researchers, and professionals seeking a comprehensive understanding of energy storage principles and applications.
    Evaluates the future of batteries as energy storage, discussing important components like electrodes, electrolytes, and active materials. It provides a global view of the field and is recommended for both new and experienced researchers.
    Outlines practical policy steps that can be taken in key sectors like electricity, transportation, and industry to address climate change. It is highly relevant to contemporary energy policy as it focuses on actionable solutions and policy levers. It provides a clear and accessible framework for understanding how policy can drive decarbonization.
    This comprehensive book delves into the technical aspects of renewable energy resources, conversion, and storage. It also covers energy planning and the social, economic, and environmental impacts of energy use. It must-read for those seeking in-depth knowledge and is suitable for students and professionals.
    This बुक presents a stark and urgent picture of the potential impacts of climate change if significant action is not taken. It synthesizes scientific research and explores the potential social, economic, and environmental consequences of a warming planet. is important for understanding the severity of the climate crisis and serves as a call to action, particularly relevant for contemporary discussions on climate impacts and adaptation.
    Focuses on the integration of renewable energy into electric power systems. It covers key technologies, economic and environmental impacts, and grid stability. It is highly relevant for those interested in the technical challenges and solutions of incorporating renewables into the existing energy infrastructure.
    Delves into the political dynamics and interest group influence on clean energy and climate policy at the subnational level in the US. It provides a detailed look at the policy-making process and the challenges of implementing energy transitions. It is particularly useful for understanding the practicalities and political hurdles in enacting energy policy.
    Presents recent contributions on topics ranging from Li-ion batteries to future energy storage systems like solid electrolytes and redox flow batteries. It's a good resource for staying updated on the latest research and developments in energy storage materials and devices.
    Challenges traditional economic models and proposes a new framework for economic thinking that integrates social and planetary boundaries. It is highly relevant for contemporary discussions on sustainable economic systems and offers a fresh perspective on achieving well-being within ecological limits. This book is valuable for deepening understanding of alternative economic approaches to sustainability and is often used as supplementary reading in relevant courses.
    This guide covers the transformation of power grids due to renewable energy and emerging technologies, including grid-scale and domestic battery storage. It balances theoretical concepts with practical applications and is suitable for practicing engineers and students.
    Introduces various energy storage technologies and, importantly, explains how they are applied in storage systems. It covers system design and engineering aspects, making it valuable for understanding the practical implementation of storage solutions.
    Examines the link between oil wealth and political and economic development in resource-rich countries. It is highly relevant for understanding the geopolitical and economic complexities associated with fossil fuel reliance and the challenges of energy transitions in these nations. It offers valuable context for policies related to resource governance.
    Addresses the crucial role of power electronics and energy management in battery storage systems. It's relevant for understanding the technical aspects of integrating batteries into electrical grids and managing their performance.
    Covers the fundamentals of renewable energy and is suitable for undergraduates and non-specialists. It provides a wide-ranging overview of technologies and includes discussions on policy and environmental impacts. The latest edition incorporates recent developments and addresses climate change, making it a relevant introductory text.
    Provides a historical account of the climate crisis. Rich's book well-written and informative look at the history of climate change.
    This handbook explores the financial dimension of renewable energy projects, including infrastructure investment, public policies, and legal aspects. It is essential for understanding the economic feasibility and financial mechanisms of renewable energy deployment, particularly for professionals and those interested in the business side.
    Provides a toolkit for understanding the economic viability of energy storage. It's essential for anyone interested in the market aspects and financial analysis of energy storage projects, offering methodologies and datasets to assess costs and value.
    Delves into the physics and engineering of solar photovoltaic systems. It specialized text for those seeking a deep understanding of solar energy technology. It is particularly useful for students and professionals focusing on solar power.
    Like the previous book, this science book provides a comprehensive overview of environmental science, covering both the science and the policy dimensions of environmental issues. The authors have a wealth of experience in environmental science and have written this book in a clear and concise style. could be useful for those interested in the policy dimensions of environmental issues.
    Critically examines the relationship between fossil fuels, particularly oil, and the rise of democratic politics. It offers a unique perspective on the political implications of energy systems and is highly relevant for understanding the historical roots of contemporary energy policy challenges. It significant academic work often used in higher education to provide a critical lens on energy and politics.
    Understanding systems thinking is crucial for comprehending the complex and interconnected nature of sustainability challenges. provides a clear and accessible introduction to the principles of systems thinking and how they can be applied to environmental and social issues. It is highly recommended as foundational reading to develop a holistic perspective on sustainability. It serves as a valuable tool for analyzing the root causes of unsustainable practices and designing effective interventions.
    Focuses specifically on solar energy, exploring the technological advancements and policy frameworks needed to accelerate its deployment. It is an excellent resource for understanding the specifics of solar policy and its role in the energy transition. It provides in-depth knowledge on a key renewable energy source.
    Presents the fundamentals for techno-economic and environmental analysis of grid-scale energy storage technologies, with a focus on mechanical and chemical methods. It includes case studies and discusses future prospects, making it a valuable reference for researchers and scientists.
    Written by key figures in the Paris Agreement negotiations, this book outlines two potential future scenarios based on our response to the climate crisis. It offers a hopeful yet realistic perspective on the actions needed to create a sustainable future. is relevant for understanding the global efforts to address climate change and provides insights into potential pathways forward.
    Focusing on a critical aspect of battery energy storage, this book addresses safety management. It's essential for anyone involved in the design, operation, or deployment of battery systems, highlighting the practical challenges and solutions.
    This guide offers an accessible overview of essential aspects of renewable energy, including major sources and challenges. It is suitable for a diverse audience, from field personnel to students, providing a solid understanding without technical jargon. It is particularly useful for those seeking a broad, less technical introduction.

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