Throughout its history, the Institute has been a leader in energy research.

In 1874, a steam engine was donated to be part of the newly created mechanical engineering laboratory. In 1939, Professor John Wilbur was chief engineer of the world's first effort to derive energy from the wind by means of a large machine operating on an electric utility network. One year later, Professor Hoyt Hottel built the first solar house on MIT's campus. These visionaries were early leaders in the energy research that continues today at MIT. Recently, Professor Daniel Nocera invented a compound that produces hydrogen gas with the help of a catalyst and a zap of light, a step toward creating energy from sunlight, as plants do.

An integral part of MIT's history of problem solving is the convergence of science, technology, and policy. Today, the Institute brings its strengths in science, technology, urban design, and economics together in an interdisciplinary approach to a crisis that threatens our security, our environment, and our economic future.

The following courses represent a selection of Energy-related courses at MIT.

From understanding how a combustion engine works to considering the energy impact of urban planning, these courses provide resources for understanding the current energy crisis and ways to develop solutions to this world-wide problem.

Energy Topics