FE408 Sustainable Energy Transition

Contents and structure

The course is about sustainable transition of the society and the energy system from a societal perspective. The energy system includes production, transport, storage and use of energy. The course has four parts. 1) An overview over the most important social, political and economic arguments behind directing the technological development in a sustainable direction. 2) Get an overview over the different technological components in the energy system from a societal perspective and how they have changed, and have to change over time. 3) Define, measure and use the term sustainability on the energy system. 4) Use central transition- and innovation theories on the society and the energy system.

Learning Outcome

The course will provide insight into the most important environmental, social, economic, technological and political prerequisites for a sustainable transition of the energy system.

• The student must have knowledge about terms like sustainable development, innovation and energy transition.
• The student must have knowledge about how the term sustainable development can be defined, measured and used on the energy system at a global, national and local level.
• The student must have knowledge about UNs sustainability goals and the goals that are particularly important for the energy system.
• The student must have knowledge about the social, technological and political conditions for a sustainable transition of the energy system.
• The student should know the socio-economic arguments behind when and why governments should steer technological innovation and the policy instruments the government could use.
• The student must have knowledge about the most important socio-economic arguments behind when the government should use economic policy instruments like tax and subsidies to steer the technological development, and how they should be designed. 

• The student must be able to explain the term sustainable development.
• The student must be able to consider the demand for transition of the energy sector in relation to historical examples on transition of this and other sectors.
• The student must be able to provide knowledge to central actors about important policy instruments to revise the energy system.

• The student must have competence about how the energy system can be changed in order to reach global and national climate- and sustainability goals, and compare these with historical examples, focusing on technological change. 
• The student should be able to use important transition and innovation theories in order to understand the most important technological, social, economic and political preconditions for a sustainable transition of the energy system.

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

FE401, FE405, FE406, FE410 and FE411

Teaching methods

Lectures, guest lectures, assignments and exercises.

Compulsory learning activities

Three (3) written assignments consisting of in total 5000 words without references. Three of three assignments must be approved (passed) before one may take the exam.

Participate on excursions.

Assessment

Portfolio evaluation with an adjusting oral exam.

Grading scale A-F, where F represents a fail.

Portfolio contains:

• three assignments, with a total sum of at least 5000 words (excluding reference list). 

Examination support material

All

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