Past Events
October 30, 2009
Speaker: Andrew J. Hoffman, Holcim (US) Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan. Abstract: Within business, climate change should not be seen as an environmental issue; instead it should be viewed as a market shift, one that takes the form of both systemic risks that cut across the entire economy and regulatory, legal, strategic, and reputational risks that impact the sector, industry, and company-specific levels. In fact, one can remain completely agnostic about the science of climate change and still recognize its importance as a business issue.
October 29, 2009
Tony Hayward, CEO of BP plc., will address the tough policy and investment choices involved in navigating towards a lower-carbon world. How will the energy mix evolve in transportation and power generation? What technologies are available? And what actions do governments need to take to create the right framework for a sustainable future? Hayward will seek to stimulate an informed policy debate in an area where half- truths and misinformation too often hold the field.
October 21, 2009
Rachel Cleetus and John Rogers of the Union of Concerned Scientists will speak about the UCS's recent report on a clean energy economy. Seminar hosted by the MIT Energy Club.
October 19, 2009
Speaker: Christian Holter, S.O.L.I.D. Abstract: Solar thermal technology is already widely spread with a total nominal power of 147 GW installed by end of 2007. Most of today's capacity is used for preparing hot water, but the potential for integration in industrial process heat, space and district heating and solar cooling is a manifold and today just slightly touched by a few pilot projects. The presentation will start summarizing today's distribution and usage of solar thermal technology compared to other renewables worldwide.
October 19, 2009
Speaker: Eric Gebhardt, GE Energy. Abstract: This presentation will discuss the history and future of GE gas-fired power plants. The evolution of the GE gas turbine product line and combined cycle power plant designs will be reviewed. The influence on technology development due to shifting market needs, disruptive technology introduction, and global legislation will also be discussed. Finally, the current transformation of the entire energy system to a "Smart Grid" will be presented, with particular focus on the role of gas-fired power plants in this emerging space.
October 16, 2009
The MIT Energy Night is the MIT Energy Club's flagship event for the fall and it seeks to showcase the most exciting energy research, education, and entrepreneurship at MIT. An active area of Joint Program research will be discussed by Prof. Kenneth Strzepek in a presentation on the impacts of climate change on the energy/water nexus (abstract). The event will be held at the MIT Museum and will include drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and live music.