Power and Energy

This course looks at one specific area: Power and Energy. Power outages are a common problem that affect everyone, so this seems like a good place to start.

Power outages are on the rise

A recent headline tells the story

Power Outages On The Rise Across The U.S.
Source: http://insideenergy.org/2014/08/18/power-outages-on-the-rise-across-the-u-s/

Severe weather is a common cause of power outages

• June, July, and August are the most common months for power interruptions, but they can happen at any time of the year.
• Major weather events like hurricanes and winter storms can affect millions of people.

Of course, power outages can be caused by other things besides weather

• construction equipment can cut a power line
• a car accident can knock down a power pole
• and even a squirrel can cause major damage

Squirrel causes power outage for 45,000 in East Bay
Source: http://www.berkeleyside.com/2015/06/08/berkeley-experiences-power-outages-across-town/

You get the idea.

So what do you do when the lights go out?