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Physics · Energy systems

Energy Island

Run an island's power grid: catch the wind, aim the panels, store water and batteries, flatten the duck curve and keep the lights on all 24 hours.

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First lesson01 · Energy, power and the kilowatt-hourSee all 24 lessons →

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The course

6 worlds · 24 lessons

World 1 · Where Does Electricity Come From?

FREEEnergy, generators, power plants and the wires between them
  1. 01Energy, power and the kilowatt-hourCounting what the island uses · 9 min
  2. 02The spinning magnetHow a generator works · 10 min
  3. 03Fuel, heat and wheelsA tour of the power plants · 11 min
  4. 04From plant to socketTransmission and transformers · 10 min

World 2 · Catch the Wind

PROThe power in moving air, and how a turbine takes some of it
  1. 01How much power is in the wind?P = ½ρAv³ · 10 minPRO
  2. 02The Betz limitWhy no turbine beats 59.3% · 11 minPRO
  3. 03Blades, pitch and tip speedControlling the machine · 11 minPRO
  4. 04Where to place turbinesCapacity factor and wakes · 11 minPRO

World 3 · Point the Panel

PROFrom photons to electricity, and how to aim for the most of it
  1. 01How a solar cell worksPhotons, band gaps and the p-n junction · 11 minPRO
  2. 02Tilt and azimuthAim at the sun · 11 minPRO
  3. 03Heat and shadeWhy hot panels make less · 10 minPRO
  4. 04Sun hours and capacity factorEnergy you can count on · 10 minPRO

World 4 · Water Power and Storage

PROFalling water, water batteries and chemical batteries
  1. 01Falling waterHydropower · 10 minPRO
  2. 02Pumped storageThe water battery · 11 minPRO
  3. 03BatteriesEnergy and power are different · 11 minPRO
  4. 04Choosing storageHours, days, seasons · 11 minPRO

World 5 · Keep the Lights On

PROMatching supply to demand, every second of every day
  1. 01A day of demandShapes of electricity use · 10 minPRO
  2. 02Supply = demandFrequency balancing · 12 minPRO
  3. 03The duck curveSolar at noon, a cliff at dusk · 11 minPRO
  4. 04Plan a reliable islandWeather you cannot control · 12 minPRO

World 6 · Cost and Carbon

PROWhat a kilowatt-hour costs, what it emits, and what it needs
  1. 01What does a kilowatt-hour cost?LCOE · 11 minPRO
  2. 02Carbon per kilowatt-hourLife-cycle emissions · 11 minPRO
  3. 03Land, materials and trade-offsNothing is free · 11 minPRO
  4. 04Island reportDesign, test and defend · 14 minPRO
Energy Island — interactive 3D lab · Novareka