Online Courses

Geothermal Energy Basics: A Renewable Energy Certificate Course

INSTRUCTOR:

Mike Sullivan, BHP-Billiton, Houston, TX

INSTRUCTOR LOOKUP

DATES:

Ongoing, self-paced course

TUITION:

Member: $695.00 • Nonmember $795.00 SIGN UP NOW
Please note: There is a discount of $100 off this course if you sign up for all 5 courses in the AAPG Renewable Energy Certificate Course Program.
Course is offered at the beginning of every month. You may sign up for it at any time, and your course will begin the first day of the upcoming month.

LIMIT:

100 people

CONTENT:

4.8 What is a CEU?

Objectives

By the end of the course, participants should be able to:

• Define key aspects of the growing geothermal industry, including different locations and scales of production.
• Describe the current use of geothermal energy.
• Identify and list past and current incentives for using and producing geothermal energy.
• Recognize companies developing and investing in geothermal energy, as well as estimate the business benefits of such investments.
• Identify the scientific fundamentals of the exploration, development, and distribution of geothermal power.
• Describe the scientific, technological, and business components of geothermal energy, e.g., land-based versus ocean sources, drilling techniques, and current storage/distribution of geothermal energy.
• Cite current applications of geothermal power in the energy industry.
• Discuss and analyze case studies involving the integration of geothermal power and non-renewable sources of energy.
• Devise methods for the integration of geothermal power in order to anticipate future changes in the energy market.

Content

Geothermal Energy Basics is an online course that enables participants to review, analyze, and evaluate opportunities in the rapidly expanding market for geothermal energy. In addition to gaining a working knowledge of the scientific, technological, and business aspects of geothermal energy, participants will also learn techniques for the integration of geothermal energy and existing non-renewable resources on a variety of levels, from small-scale use in commercial structures to large-scale distribution. The course blends theory and practice, and culminates with a project requiring the learner to develop a step-by-step plan for a geothermal energy installation.

With direct contact with your professor, who will answer questions and review your work via e-mail, you will have a chance to learn about geothermal energy in a personalized setting. You may also have an opportunity to interact with other professionals in the field who will be available for your questions. A discussion board will be available for interaction with peers.

This course is part of a 5-course series: Certificate in Renewable Energy. The goal of the series of courses, and the Renewable Energy program is to equip earth scientists with knowledge to enable them to take the lead in integrated energy projects and programs. An earth scientist’s unique training and understanding of the big picture — the global picture — provides unmatched abilities to design, oversee, and promote integrated energy solutions which require bringing together fossil energy, geothermal, solar, Geothermal, biomass, and others.

• Unit 1 (Week 1): Scientific and Technology
• Unit 2 (Week 2): Exploration and Development
• Unit 3 (Week 3): Investment Models and Benefits
• Unit 4 (Week 4): Integration Techniques

Course Structure

This course is offered at the beginning of every month. You may sign up for it at any time, and your course will begin the first day of the upcoming month. This course is designed to be equivalent to a 3 credit-hour graduate-level seminar. It is a 4-week online course which consists of 4 one-week units that involve readings, multimedia, guiding questions, and assignments for you to do and to email to your instructor. You will receive feedback from your instructor, and upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a certificate. As part of our five-course Certificate in Renewable Energy program, if you complete this course as well as the others, you will receive 5 course certificates and a program certificate.

Required Work: For each unit, one research project and a short paper that builds on results of the research project, for a total of four brief research projects and four papers.

Core Text Suggestions:

• Chandrasekharam, D. and Jochen Bundschuh. Low-Enthalpy Geothermal Resources for the Power Generation. London: Taylor and Francis, 2008.
• Dickson, Mary H. and Mario Fanelli. Geothermal Energy: Utilization and Technology. London: Earthscan Publications Limited, 2005.
• DiPippo, Ronald. Geothermal Power Plants: Principles, Applications, Case Studies and Environmental Impact. St. Louis, Missouri: Butterworth-Heinmann Publications, 2008.