LOG775 Energy analytics and sustainable technologies (Autumn 2020)

About the course

The course covers the following topics:

• World energy review: various energy resources; world energy production, consumption, and trade flows both for the present time and from the historical perspective; a brief historical overview of the energy branch worldwide and in Norway; trends in the renewable energy and fossil fuels production and consumption worldwide and in Norway.

• Energy value chains and sustainability: overview of energy production, transformation, and transportation technologies; technological specifics and environmental challenges associated with primary energy sources such as hydropower, windfarms, solar energy, biomass, coal, petroleum, natural gas, and nuclear energy; hazards and risks relevant to certain technologies; transformations from primary resources to the energy useful to end customers; concepts of sustainability, energy efficiency, and environment in application to energy value chains. 

• Managing energy chains in the Industry 4.0 context: operating smart power grids in cities; smart buildings; integrated energy networks for small communities (e.g., a university campus); smart fields / integrated operations in the oil and gas industry.

• Decision-support frameworks for efficient development and operations of integrated energy networks: logistic problems of developing the infrastructures for production and transportation of energy resources; operating networks: balancing the use of energy resources relevant to geographical and social contexts; integrating energy-efficient technologies into industrial processes; maintaining the safety of operations and security of energy supplies.

The course is connected to the following study programs

• Master of Science in Logistics
• Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Logistics
• Exchange programme - Master's level
• Master of Science in Sustainable Transport and Urban Mobility

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

Knowledge

Upon completing this course, the candidate:

• has advanced knowledge of the major resources for statistical data on the world energy

• has advanced knowledge of benefits and drawbacks of various technologies of energy production and transformation, as well as in-depth knowledge of the efficiency, environmental impact, and risks associated with these processes

• has in-depth knowledge of logistical challenges in the areas of sustainability of energy value chains, energy efficiency, and environment

• has advanced knowledge of theory, analytical methods, and decision-making approaches in the areas of integrated energy networks / value chains

• can apply this knowledge to identify and study tendencies and gaps in modern-day academic research

• can apply this knowledge various problem contexts (geographical, industrial, or social) and problem scales

• can analyze problems and find solutions to logistical challenges in the energy sector as well as any other business context with respect to the efficiency of energy use and environmental impact.

 

Skills

Upon completing this course, the candidate:

• can navigate in the major sources of statistical information to procure, systemize, and visualize data, and further, draw conclusions on the world energy review

• can compile an energy review for any given country, analyze energy resources (reserves, production, and consumption) in that country, trade movements (exports and imports), analyze the country's energy balance over time, and finally, provide the insight into the trends of energy policy in the given country

• can navigate major databases of scientific literature on the issues of sustainability and energy efficiency to figure out the trends and challenges of the modern-day energy sector, as well as placing the problems of logistics in this context

• can compose a comprehensive literature review on the issues of energy value chain performance, energy efficiency, environmental management, and others

• can identify relevant technologies and energy transformations for various problem contexts and scales: countries, cities, communities / campuses, buildings, etc.

• can analyze and manage activities related to design and mobilization of integrated energy networks / value chains throughout the lifecycle of the developed solutions by identifying, formulating and solving relevant logistic problems through accepted scientific methods

• can identify and analyze risks and uncertainty, as well as environmental impact of operating various energy networks.

 

General competence

Upon completing this course, the candidate:

• can apply the knowledge and skills to identify, analyze, and solve industrial and academic challenges with respect to the area of energy use

• can efficiently communicate the results of the conducted analysis and/or decision-making using the terminology relevant to this academic and industrial area

• can communicate the results of the conducted analysis and conclusions both to the specialists and general public

• can contribute to critical thinking regarding the discourse on modern-day solutions and approaches to sustainability, energy efficiency, and environment.

Forms of teaching and learning

Three hours of lectures per week.

Coursework requirements - conditions for taking the exam

• Mandatory coursework: Assignment(s)

• Courseworks given: 2

• Courseworks required: 2

• Presence: Required

• Comment: Two mandatory assignments have to be completed and handed in by a specified deadline, after which the submission is void, and the work will not count as passed. The tasks have to be completed and submitted in the same semester as the examination.

Examination

• Form of assessment: Home assessment

• Proportion: 100%

• Grouping: Individual

• Grading scale: Letter (A - F)

• Support material: All printed and written supporting material + calculator that may contain data

Course evaluation

Two mandatory homework assignments will be evaluated with a pass/fail grade. These assignments do not contribute to the final grade. The assignments have to be completed and handed in by specified deadlines, after which the submission is void, and the work does not count as passed. The digital exam at the end of the semester is evaluated with a character (A – F) grade, and it contributes 100% to the final grade for this course.