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Electric Utilities Fundamentals and Future

Approx. 11 hours to complete

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Course Summary

This course explores the fundamentals of electric utilities and covers topics such as power generation, transmission, distribution, and smart grids.

Key Learning Points

Gain an in-depth understanding of the electric utility industry
Learn about the latest technologies and trends in the field
Explore the challenges and opportunities facing the industry

Learning Outcomes

Understand the underlying principles of electric utilities
Gain knowledge of the latest technologies and trends in the industry
Be well-equipped to pursue a career in the field

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic knowledge of physics and mathematics
Familiarity with electric circuits

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online self-paced
Video lectures
Assignments
Quizzes

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Description

THIS COURSE GIVES YOU THE INSIDE TRACK TO A COMPLICATED INDUSTRY. The approach of this course is truly unique in how it approaches and engages learners. It looks at the electric utility industry, which has remained critical to our quality of life, health and comfort from the eyes of numerous industry experts through on-location interviews, compelling visuals, and animation. You will benefit from having the inside track because you see some behind-the-scenes information not covered in news stories, social media or even if we are in the business ourselves.

EACH WEEK YOU NOT ONLY LEARN WHAT IS CHANGING, BUT WHY. As this industry continues to unfold at an unprecedented pace, you will be armed with knowledge and insights to form informed opinions supporting decisions you will increasingly make for your energy-dependent homes and businesses. This course kicks off with animated crash course on industry history, highlighting aspects of the structure, governance, and technology that remain today, despite the passage of time. Then, throughout the modules, you will build some basics about how electricity gets to you, who watches over decisions, including setting rates. This information establishes a knowledge foundation so that when we explore some of the most critical topics, like renewable energy, smart grid, battery storage, and you can think about it from a much more analytical and critical viewpoint. YOU WILL DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK FOR MAKING SENSE OF THIS INDUSTRY THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU BEYOND THIS COURSE. This industry can get pretty complicated, and this course will help you make more sense of it. Electric Utilities Fundamentals and Future is the course for you whether you’re just curious about the industry or an industry veteran looking to grow – or, thinking about joining the industry. (Hint: now is a good time. You'll learn why in this course.) No prior education or experience required. You just need a healthy curiosity and an open mind to learn about an industry that I think a lot of us, including myself sometimes, take for granted.

Outline

Taking Shape and Grid Fundamentals
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Electric Utility Industry Animated Crash Course
1.3 What Happens When You Flip a Switch?
1.4 Generation for Generations
1.5 Fossil Fuels
1.6 Nuclear
1.7 Renewables - Hydroelectric and Wind
1.8 Renewables - Solar, Biomass and Geothermal
1.9 The Generation Portfolio
1.10 Transmission and Distribution
1.11 Outro
Taking Shape and Fundamentals

Price and Value
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Usage, Rates and Your Bill
2.3 Utility Types and Prices: Overview, Public Power and Electric Cooperatives
2.4 Utility Types and Prices: Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs)
2.5 Regulatory Compact and Rates Process
Price and Value

Not Your Grandparents' Utility
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Becoming More Customer Focused
3.3 Energy Efficiency
3.4 Distributed Generation
Not your grandparents' utility

Pace of Change, Technology and Regulation
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Technology and Customer Expectations
4.3 Aging Grid and the Rise of Federal Transmission Regulation
4.4 Federal Regulation and the Environment
4.5 State of Electric Utility Policy
4.6 State Regulation and the Environment
4.7 Outro
Pace of Change, Technology and Innovation

Toward a Bright Future
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Smart Grid
5.3 Microgrids
5.4 Storage
5.5 Electric Vehicles
5.6 Net Metering and Distributed Generation
5.7 Clean Power Plan
5.8 Future Models
5.9 Outro
Final Exam - Apply What You Learned!

Summary of User Reviews

Discover the world of electric utilities with this comprehensive course on Coursera. Students have given this course high marks for its engaging and informative content, as well as its ability to provide valuable insights into the workings of electric utilities.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

Many users have praised the course for its in-depth coverage of the subject matter.

Pros from User Reviews

Engaging and informative content
Expert instructors with real-world experience
Comprehensive coverage of electric utilities
Valuable insights into the workings of electric utilities

Cons from User Reviews

Some users have found the course to be too basic
The course can be challenging for those without a technical background
Some users have reported technical issues with the online platform

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