Fossil Fuels - Coal, Petroleum, and Natural Gas - are our principle sources of energy in this country and around the world. With record high oil prices, spiraling debt due to wartime activities in oil-rich regions of the world, and world-wide interest in the short and long term environmental consequences of our insatiable appetite for the fossil fuels as a backdrop, the course described explores the basic fossil and alternative fuels for energy. The Honors version of this course features small groups working over many weeks to develop, present, and debate a national energy policy. The course covers basic energy conversions, an introduction to geochemistry, combustion and heat-cycle thermodynamics, and a look at the basic structure of hydrocarbon based fuels. The first half of the course focuses on the fossil fuels (where we are now) and then we progress into an overview of alternative fuels (where might we go) including nuclear, wind power, and bio-diesel. Students are guided amongst many possibilities and are quickly made aware of the truly difficult challenges we face in substantively changing our current energy mix. Faculty from the sciences, humanities, and business are asked to serve as faux senators and the interaction with the students is intense and informative.
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