LOG904-183 Energy Transitions (Autumn 2023)

About the course

The course gives a comprehensive overview of the energy sources, the global energy landscape, and the ongoing shift towards renewable and sustainable sources of energy. Students will learn about the historical, political, economic, technological, and logistical factors that drive the energy transition, and will be equipped with the skills and theoretical tools necessary to analyze logistical challenges in an energy transitions environment and to evaluate the various paths toward a low-carbon energy future.

During the course, students will explore energy transition scenarios and strategies, and analyze energy profiles and energy transition potential, together with logistics of energy generation and energy supply of different countries and regions.

Some energy mix planning cases on example of electricity market in Brazil will be explored, with the impacts on hydro sources versus fossil sources and versus the new non-controllable and low-cost production renewables such as wind and solar.

During the course, a comprehensive overview of the forecasting models that can be used to plan renewable sources on examples from Brazil will be presented. Also, students will understand how climate changes affect generation of each energy source and how they can be considered in the forecasting models.

The course is connected to the following study programs

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

Recommended requirements

Energy systems, logistics planning in energy industry, simple forecasting, basic knowledge about electricity markets.

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

Knowledge:

After completing the course, the students will know global energy landscape, energy systems and energy transitions scenarios; factors, tools, and trends in a low-carbon energy transition environment. They also know about the planning process and challenges in the electricity market, with high participation of non-controllable renewables; how the forecasting models work, and their impact on the planning decisions in energy transition.

 

Skills:

After completing the course, the students will be able to

• Evaluate the role of energy in the global economy and understand the factors driving energy transitions.

• Apply to real-world cases knowledge of energy systems and energy transitions, and critically review them.

• Apply knowledge of the electricity market to identify types of logistics planning problems arising in an energy transition sector.

• Interpret the models that can be used to forecast energy generation from renewable sources.

• Plan energy generation from renewable sources for real cases using forecasting models and incorporate climate change effects into the forecasting models.

 

General competence:

After completing the course, the students will be able to

• Demonstrate a critical and interdisciplinary approach to studying energy transitions and their impact on society and the environment.

• Communicate effectively and persuasively about energy transitions, including the political, economic, and technical dimensions of energy systems, and their logistical challenges.

• Understand the electricity sector's logistics specificities and how electrical planning is done.

• Understand the effect of climate change on renewable energy generation.

Forms of teaching and learning

Lecturing followed by the consulting hours every day from Monday to Friday, working on the home exam from Tuesday to Friday, examination on Friday.

Examination

• Form of assessment: Home exam without presentation

• Proportion: 100 %

• Duration: 4.5 days (published on Tuesday 15:00, submission deadline Saturday 23:59)

• Grouping: Individual only, discussion in groups is welcome

• Grading scale: Letter (A - F)

• Support material: Recommended course literature (books, peer-reviewed articles and internet sources)