This lecture provides an overview and motivations for the class, as well as an introduction to the U.S. energy system. A brief history of the state of U.S. energy is given through a series of graphs and data.

This lecture focuses on the politics of regulation through a series of case discussion surrounding the EPA and setting emissions standards in response to air pollution, coal emissions, and acid rain.

This lecture features a guest speaker, Bob DiMatteo, the CEO and chairman of MTPV. He speaks about micron-gap thermalphotovoltaics and entrepreneurship in the energy field. Later, a short lecture is given on the green growth model.