Synopsis

This interdisciplinary course looks at the physical issues concerning energy generation, storage and use. The style will be varied - making use of simple physical estimates for a wide range of energy problems, but also looking in more detail at materials-based approaches to renewable energy. Only IA-level physics is a prerequisite; those who have experience of solid-state physics will find some parts of the course more straightforward, but the material will be taught and examined in such a way that prior knowledge in this area is not required.

Energy requirements and energy availability:

Back-of-envelope models of energy consumption and production. Current and projected usage, fossil fuel reserves. Alternatives to fossil fuels: nuclear, wind, wave, tide, geothermal, solar.

Moving, storing and transforming energy:

Heat engines, heat pumps. Energy storage systems.

Using and conserving energy:

Transport of people and freight. Heating and insulation.

Solar energy:

Sunlight, the greenhouse effect, biofuels. Theoretical limits to conversion of solar energy.

The hydrogen economy:

Generation and storage of hydrogen. Fuel cells. Batteries.

Electronic structure of molecules and solids:

Tight binding band structure. Interaction with light. Excitons. Electrons and holes. Doping.

Inorganic semiconductor solar cells:

The p-n junction. Photovoltaic operation. Cell design, materials and performance. Beyond the Schockley-Queisser limit; nanostructured materials.

Molecular semiconductors:

Materials and optical properties. Excitons. Photovoltaic devices: multilayers, bulk heterojunctions and dye-sensitised cells.

Biological systems:

Structure and optoelectronic operation: photosynthesis, purple bacteria, vision.

Approximate lecture sequence