A Decarbonized Electric Power Sector
Provided by: Stanford Understand Energy|Published on: June 25, 2024|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 11, 12, AP
Type: Articles/Websites
Subjects: Physics, Engineering
Authors: Stanford Understand Energy
Location: Earth, North America > United States
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This resource includes graphs, quick facts, and a video lecture discussing the goals and implications associated with decarbonizing the electric grid.
- Students will look at several different distributions of energy sources throughout the electric grid, discuss the economic, political, and behavioral aspects of decarbonization, and learn about the difficulties for policy-makers in trying to balance equity with the goals of decarbonization.
- Students will also evaluate California policies on the matter of decarbonization, electrification, and energy efficiency.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The resource provides a variety of additional videos and articles to provide students with background knowledge about the electric grid, the different sources of renewable and non-renewable energy, and the intricacies of decarbonizing while also increasing electrification.
Prerequisites
- Before watching the lecture, there is a video and an article under the Essential heading that students should watch and read.
- Students should already have a basic understanding of how clean energy works environmental impact from burning fossil fuels for energy.
Differentiation & Implementation
- In a flipped classroom, students can watch the lecture as homework and discuss what they learned the next day in class.
- Students can analyze the graphs provided to determine the best solution for a stable grid.
- After discussing the proposal to change human behavior to accommodate the higher levels of solar energy in the middle of the day, students can create infographics or public service announcements advising others on how to make this change.
- Students in civics classes can discuss and debate the California policies to encourage electrification and energy efficiency.
This resource from Stanford Energy provides teachers with a lecture from a Stanford professor to teach students about decarbonizing electricity. Additional links are provided within the lecture that include additional information for students and teachers. The references utilized for this lesson plan are from credible institutions and present up to date information. This site could be valuable resource for educators seeking to enhance climate-related learning experiences, concerning the decarbonization in the classroom.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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