Overview Become an Alternative Energy Specialist and learn ways to help conserve, reduce, reuse, recycle, and thus minimize our impact on the planet. Through this entry-level green course you will learn that even small changes make a difference and that going green is good for our health, the planet, and even our budgets.
If you are concerned about our energy future you will want to learn about the many aspects of the energy value chain:
- Oil and natural gas
- Coal
- Fossil fuels and the greenhouse effect
- Energy from water
- Biomass
- Solar energy
- Geothermal energy
- Wind energy
- Nuclear energy
- Electricity
- Energy storage
- Transportation
- Housing
- Smart energy consumption
- Hydrogen
Armed with the knowledge from this course you can form educated and informed opinions on the future of energy and its impact on the economy, health, and the environment.
As an Alternative Energy Specialist you will discover how to establish your business as a green business. You can become a Green Consultant and help others by exploring environmentally-friendly business opportunities to choosing eco-friendly means of production. Learn business basics with a green twist including financing, office setup, day-to-day operations and so much more!
After completing this course, you should be able to:
- Comprehend the core elements of green
- Identify strategies for offsetting your energy consumption
- Identify ways to buy local and buy organic
- Comprehend the basics of energy and thermodynamics
- Identify the various sources of energy and their specific features
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Languages
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English
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Course Access Time
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We offer open enrollment in which students can sign up for this certificate course at any time. Proceed as fast or slow as they want, but must complete the program in a maximum of 12 months. Extensions are available for a small fee if additional time is needed.
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Instructor
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This class supported by an Educational Mentor. Our educational mentors have worked or are working in the subject they mentor. Educational Mentors reviews student work, student progress, and interacts with students as needed. They respond to any questions or concerns you might have, as well as encouraging and motivating you to succeed.
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Prerequisites/Audience
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System Requirements:
Internet Access
Broadband or high-speed internet access is required. Broadband includes DSL, cable, and wireless connections.
Dial-Up internet connections will result in a diminished online experience. Moodle pages may load slowly and viewing large audio and video files may not be possible.
Hardware
Windows hardware configurations and processors are acceptable
Mac computers MUST have Microsoft Window Operating Systems over Bootcamp (Bootcamp is a free download from Apple's website)
1 GB RAM minimum recommended
Operating Systems
Windows XP, Vista or 7 and Mac OS X 10 or higher with Windows
Web Browsers
Google Chrome is highly recommended
Internet Explorer is not recommended as it may not display certain menus and links
Cookies MUST be enabled
Pop-ups MUST be allowed (Pop-up Blocker disabled)
Kindle Reader App is needed for many of our courses (No special equipment needed. This can be downloaded onto your computer.)
Adobe PDF Reader
Media Plug-ins (These may be required depending on your course media.)
Adobe Flash Player (Required for many of our career courses and ALL of our IT courses.)
Adobe Acrobat Reader, Apple Quicktime, Windows Media Player, &/or Real Player
PowerPoint Viewer (Use this if you don't have PowerPoint)
**Outlines are subject to change, as courses and materials are updated.**
Requirements
Picture Yourself Going Green by Erinn Morgan
Our Energy Future by Christian Ngo & Joseph B. Natowitz
Start Your Own Green Business by Entrepreneur Press & Rich Mintzer
Hide Syllabus
Lesson 1 Alternative Energy Specialist Module 1 Picture Yourself Going Green • What is Green? • Ten Simple Steps • Green Your Home • The Air We Breathe • Waste Not: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle • Greening Your Home Office • Green Your Energy • The History of Energy • Buying Clean Power Locally • Offsetting Your Energy Use • Green Your Appetite • The Pesticide Proliferation • Going Local, Going Organic • Green Your Yard • Fertilizers, Herbicides, and Pesticides • Conserving Water
Alternative Energy Specialist Module 2 Green Your Life • Green Your Wardrobe • Genetically Engineered Cotton • Clothing Production & Chemicals • Green is Beautiful • Green House cleaning • Personal Care Products • Green Your Transportation • Why Carbon Emissions Matter • Fine-Tuning for Better Gas Mileage • Green Your Travel • Choosing Ecotourism • Supporting Green Businesses • Eco Kids and Green Pets • Healthy Nursery or Bedroom • Choosing Natural Pet Food Options • Five Ways to Go UberGreen
Alternative Energy Specialist Module 3 Understanding Energy • We Need Energy • Primary and Secondary energy • Energy and First Law of Thermodynamics • Entropy and Second Law of Thermodynamics • Energy Sources We Use • Oil and Natural Gas • Properties of Hydrocarbons • Oil Fields • Coal: Fossil Fuel of the Future • Classification of Coals • Coal Combustion for Power Generation • Coal-to-Liquid Technologies • Fossil Fuels and Greenhouse Effect • Weather and Climate • Anthropogenic Emissions • Kyoto Protocol Alternative Energy Specialist Module 4 Energy Options • Hydropower • Dams and Diversions • Small-Scale Hydropower • Energy from the Ocean • Marine Current Energy • Osmotic Energy • Producing Biomass • Direct Combustion Technologies • Biomass and the Environmental Impact • Biofuels • Solar Energy • Thermal Solar Energy • Concentrated Solar Power Plants • Photovoltaic Systems • Geothermal Energy • Wind Energy
Alternative Energy Specialist Module 5 Electricity & Transportation • Nuclear Energy • Uses of Nuclear Energy • Thermonuclear Energy • Electricity: Smart Use of Energy • Energy Sources for Electricity Production • From Mechanical Energy to Consumer • Energy Storage • Weak Points of Energy Supply Chain • Large-Quantity Storage Technologies • Thermal Energy Storage • Underground Energy Storage • History of Transportation • Energy and Transportation • CO2 Emissions • Hybrid & Electric Vehicles
Alternative Energy Specialist Module 6 Smart Energy Consumption • Toward More Efficient Housing • Different Regions, Different Solutions • Bioclimatic Architecture • Energy Use in a Household • Improving the Way We Consume Energy • Cogeneration • Hydrogen • Production to Distribution • Hydrogen: Energetic Applications • Fundamentals of Fuel Cells • Direct Combined Heat and Power • Hydrogen Safety Alternative Energy Specialist Module 7 Your Own Green Business • What Does “Green” Mean? • Green Business Decisions • Customers and Market Research • Building a Green Business • Green Business Equipment and Furniture • Figuring Out Your Costs • Getting Green Financing • Making Your Way in a Greener World • Your Green Team & Community • Spreading the Green Word • Green Marketing, Promotion & Advertising • Social Responsibility • Maintaining Positive Green Habits • Green Business Resources Hide Syllabus
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