MIT: Independent Activities Period: IAP

IAP 2014



e4Dev: Introduction to Energy and Human Development

Ignacio Perez-Arriaga, Visiting Professor, CEEPR, MIT

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/06
Attendance: Participants asked to attend all sessions; email to discuss exceptions
Prereq: Some familiarity with energy useful but NOT required

More than 1.5 billion people lack access to basic energy services. This is not inherently problematic, as access to energy is not in and of itself a goal of development – rather, we care about improvements to quality of life more broadly. Energy access has, however, been identified as a potentially important component in enabling many essential quality of life improvements, including for example public health, communication, and local business growth.

In a four-day series of lectures, case studies, interactive activities, and the development of an energy access project evaluation strategy, students participating in this course will be exposed to the challenges and opportunities in energy access for the developing world. Lectures will provide working knowledge of the current state of energy access; what it means to provide energy access; a survey of relevant energy technologies; the connection between energy access and poverty alleviation; and financing mechanisms and business models for energy projects in the developing world. 

Sponsor(s): Engineering Systems Division, MIT Energy Initiative
Contact: Zachary Accuardi, N52-373, 503-975-7778, ACCUARDI@MIT.EDU


Session 1: Intro to Energy Access

Jan/07 Tue 09:00AM-12:00PM E17-128, A laptop may be useful

Session 2: Energy and Human Development

Jan/08 Wed 09:00AM-12:00PM E17-128

Session 3: Financing and Business Models

Jan/09 Thu 09:00AM-12:00PM E17-128, Laptops will be useful

Session 4: Student Presentations

Jan/10 Fri 09:00AM-12:30PM E17-128