2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Society is continuously inundated with information about energy, from increasing demand driven by data centers to the urgent need for decarbonization. Navigating this complex landscape requires critical thinking to discern which facts are relevant, place them in context, and make informed decisions. This skill is especially important for younger generations, who will be challenged to balance sustainable growth with climate constraints.
This paper presents a classroom-based approach to teach the complexity of the energy system through a structured decision-making exercise. Students engage in comparative assessments of deployable energy sources, evaluating tradeoffs in costs, land use, carbon footprint, scalability and other factors. The exercise emphasizes the societal impacts of energy choices by analyzing five distinct regions, including island nations with limited natural resources, large industrial economies, developing countries, and regions with developed energy systems, each selected to illustrate different energy needs and cultural perspectives.
The method was implemented with students and educators in both the United States and Nigeria, engaging diverse audiences across different cultural and educational contexts. Participants worked in teams, discussed real world scenarios, and reflected on how local values shape energy decisions. Feedback revealed a deeper appreciation of the complexity of energy systems and the importance of civic engagement. These findings highlight the value of integrating engineering and civics into energy education to prepare the next generation for the techno-societal challenges ahead.