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Electric Utilities Fundamentals and Future
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 11 hours
  • Course by University of Colorado System
  • Offered by

About

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.

Modules

Taking Shape and Grid Fundamentals

    • 11 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Taking Shape and Fundamentals

1 Discussions

  • Where does YOUR electricity come from? Real-world case studies using our own electric utilities

11 Videos

  • 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

1 Readings

  • Get help and meet other learners in this course. Join your discussion forums!

Price and Value

    • 5 Videos
    • 2 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Price and Value

2 Discussions

  • The electric utility in your backyard
  • What would you do?

5 Videos

  • 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

Not Your Grandparents' Utility

    • 4 Videos
    • 2 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Not your grandparents' utility

2 Discussions

  • Energy efficiency programs and their appeal
  • Utilities and Distributed Generation

4 Videos

  • 3.1 Introduction
  • 3.2 Becoming More Customer Focused
  • 3.3 Energy Efficiency
  • 3.4 Distributed Generation

Pace of Change, Technology and Regulation

    • 7 Videos
    • 3 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Pace of Change, Technology and Innovation

3 Discussions

  • Is less reliable service acceptable?
  • Renewable portfolio standards
  • Weigh in on the Clean Power Plan

7 Videos

  • 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

Toward a Bright Future

    • 9 Videos
    • 2 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Final Exam - Apply What You Learned!

2 Discussions

  • Microgrid
  • Utility of the Future

9 Videos

  • 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

Auto Summary

"Electric Utilities Fundamentals and Future" is a Coursera course in the Science & Engineering domain, led by industry experts. It provides an in-depth look at the electric utility industry through interviews, visuals, and animations. Spanning 660 minutes, the course covers industry history, governance, technology, and critical topics like renewable energy and smart grids. Ideal for beginners and industry veterans alike, it requires no prior experience, just curiosity and an open mind. Available with a Starter subscription, this foundational course helps you understand and navigate the evolving energy landscape.

Melissa Wood
Instructor

Melissa Wood