COURSE NUMBER: MBA294.6

COURSE TITLE: Alternative Energy Speaker Series

UNITS OF CREDIT: 1

INSTRUCTOR: Drew Issacs

STUDENT COORDINATOR: Elizabeth Ingram and Luke Dunnington

E-MAIL ADDRESSES:

elizabeth_ingram@haas.berkeley.edu, luke_dunnington@haas.berkeley.edu

MEETING DAY(S)/TIME: Tuesdays 6:00-8:00PM during Fall-B

Note: first class meeting will be Tuesday, October 23rd (ninth week of classes)

PREREQUISITE(S): none

CLASS FORMAT: one hour lecture on the 'state of the industry' for the week's specific technology, followed by an hour presentation by a practitioner or VC engaged in that industry

REQUIRED READINGS: a few short readings

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE: Attendance and 2-page paper

ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES: To establish a basic understanding of the costs and dynamics of traditional energy industries, followed by a look at how various innovations in alternative energy technologies are developing in response to global warming, energy dependance, and the geopolitical impact of hydrocarbon extraction.

COURSE OVERVIEW: This course will begin with an overview of the current oil, gas and electricity industries, both framing the rise in alternative energy innovation and providing a comparison of costs and infrastructure. The subsequent six classes will each cover one field of alternative energy: solar, ethanol, wind, smartgrids/distributed generation, wave, and storage. The first hour of each class will be an overview of the technology and the 'state of the industry,' given by a professor, student, or practitioner with expertise in that energy source. During the second hour, a practitioner or venture capitalist focused on that technology will present on their business' decisions, obstacles, and vision.