Tackling Climate Change through Student Innovation: Decarbonizing the Electric Grid

EcoRise

This two-part resource from GreenVision Energy broadly introduces students to vocabulary like renewable energy, load and demand response, carbon capture and sequestration, and environmental justice. Students will learn about the challenges of integrating renewable energy into the current energy grid system and navigating energy equity concepts caused by climate change through podcasts, worksheets, and discussion questions.

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Notes from our reviewers

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The app for the second part of this lesson doesn't take geography into account and offers a simplified overview of the grid. While still a useful tool for discussion, consider guiding students in a more detailed exploration of those topics. Extend the lesson by having students study the energy grid for their area. Ask students to find news articles or other information about the current state and challenges of their grid, such as blackouts, offset opportunities, and programs that encourage staggered demand.
This lesson set focuses on decarbonization. The podcasts and simulation offer a good overview of the energy system, but concepts are complicated and may need to be unpacked to be fully understood by students. The podcasts do a good job of providing a general overview of decarbonization and the current U.S. energy grid while dispelling the myth that the U.S. electric grid is inherently fossil free. Students are tasked with creating an energy budget for either a single-family house or the U.S. electric grid which takes into account demand, affordability, sustainability, and feasibility with an online simulation. Students will engage in problem-solving skills to adjust energy production and storage for different seasons. Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
This lesson set offers two parts- one focused on the background of energy and renewables and another focused on designing an electric grid. The first lesson offers three podcasts for students to take notes on and one energy-audit activity. The second asks students to use an app to design a grid of their own. Both lesson sets will require more background information than is provided and focus on an online classroom set-up rather than an in-person situation. If teaching in-person, consider what additional activities would make this lesson set engaging for classroom teaching. Before working through these lessons, students should already be familiar with concepts of climate change, including how burning fossil-fuels contributes to climate change. Students should also be aware of the different efficiencies between fuel types (liquid, coal, nuclear, hydroelectric, etc.). It may be useful to assign the podcast for homework, or if done in class, have students take notes to keep their attention for the 7.5 minute duration.