Energy supply, economics and transition
ENG-410 / 2 credits
Teacher(s): Ballif Christophe, Binder Signer Claudia Rebeca, Thalmann Philippe
Language: English
Summary
This course examines the supply of energy from various angles: available resources, how they can be combined or substituted, their private and social costs, whether they can meet the demand, and how the transition to a renewable energy system can be fostered.
Content
Energy resources and reduction of CO2 emissions (Christophe Ballif)
- Current and future CO2 and CO2 equivalent emissions, impact on climate
- Available resources and their properties (finite resources like fossil, nuclear fuel, vs hydro, non-hydro, renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal biomass)
- Energy statistics, direct cost of various energy sources, direct levelised cost electricity (LCOE)
- General aspects of energy transition, scenarios and expectations, at world, European and Swiss level
- Support to the energy transition: efficiency, heat pumps, electric mobility, power-to-gas, short term and long term storage solutions, smart grids, carbon storage
Energy economics (Philippe Thalmann, Sascha Nick)
- The Grand Challenge: Reconciling demographic and economic growth with the limits of our planet
- Decoupling: What it means, what it takes; green growth
- Energy, human needs and well-being
- Limits to market governance of energy in societal transitions
Energy transition (Claudia R. Binder and team)
- Governance perspectives and social-technical dimensions
- Energy system transitions (from a fossil fuel to a CO2 neutral system) as socio-technical change processes
- Insights into drivers and barriers for the socio-technical transition of the energy system
- Key actors in the Swiss energy sector
- Energy modelling and its challenges
Case study: a CO2-neutral energy system in Switzerland
Keywords
Energy resources
Energy supply
Energy prices
Energy costs
Energy transition
Renewable energy
Decarbonisation
Decoupling
Green growth
Sustainability
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the student must be able to:
- Critique theories and proposals related to energy supply
- Propose various scenarios for energy systems and their evolution
- Reason on technical, social, political and economic issues
- Explain the relationships between physical energy resources and energy supply
- Differentiate between scientific and propaganda arguments
- Restate concepts and mechanisms seen in class
Transversal skills
- Plan and carry out activities in a way which makes optimal use of available time and other resources.
- Set objectives and design an action plan to reach those objectives.
- Communicate effectively with professionals from other disciplines.
- Access and evaluate appropriate sources of information.
Teaching methods
In-depth teaching and educational support.
Assessment methods
Written exam
Supervision
| Office hours | No |
| Assistants | Yes |
| Forum | Yes |
In the programs
- Semester: Spring
- Exam form: Written (summer session)
- Subject examined: Energy supply, economics and transition
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Exam form: Written (summer session)
- Subject examined: Energy supply, economics and transition
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Exam form: Written (summer session)
- Subject examined: Energy supply, economics and transition
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Exam form: Written (summer session)
- Subject examined: Energy supply, economics and transition
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Exam form: Written (summer session)
- Subject examined: Energy supply, economics and transition
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Exam form: Written (summer session)
- Subject examined: Energy supply, economics and transition
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Exam form: Written (summer session)
- Subject examined: Energy supply, economics and transition
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Exam form: Written (summer session)
- Subject examined: Energy supply, economics and transition
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Exam form: Written (summer session)
- Subject examined: Energy supply, economics and transition
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Exam form: Written (summer session)
- Subject examined: Energy supply, economics and transition
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks