Aim:

The course aims at giving the students an overview over various energy resources with emphasis on renewable resources. The course shall also provide an overview over national and international energy use and production, including projections forward in time. Key terms as life cycle analysis, sustainability and cost of energy should be mastered.

Content:

The course gives an overview over renewable energy resources such as solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, tidal and wave energy, bioenergy and geothermal energy. Further, nuclear power and fossil energy resources are briefly discussed together with CO2 capture and storage. The key principles for utilization of the various energy resources will be discussed. Present energy production and usage, nationally as well as internationally is discussed together with projections forward in time. The concept of life cycle analysis, sustainability and cost of energy are introduced and discussed.

On completion of the course the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• is able to explain the various energy resources and their relative importance in the national and global energy supply
• is able to explain how energy is applied and the corresponding requirements to the energy supply
• is able to evaluate possible future use of various energy resources

Skills

The student

• can make estimates on available energy from various resources
• can do estimates on cost of energy

General competence

• The student
• can discuss basic challenges related to the global energy consumption
• can discuss concepts as sustainability and life cycle analysis in relation to energy conversion and use

4 lectures, 1 hour exercise per week. The exercises will include practice in calculations and discussions of topics addressed in the lectures.

Excursions to energy companies and installations will be arranged.

2/3 of the assignments must be handed in and approved to be admitted to final exam.

Valid for four semesters: The semester the compulsory assignments were approved and the three following semesters.

Examination both spring semester and autumn semester. In semesters without teaching the examination will be arranged at the beginning of the semester.

The course will be evaluated in accordance with the quality assurance system of the University of Bergen.

Normally, referents groups will be used each year.

This course is administered by the Geophysical Institute.

Contact studieveileder@gfi.uib.nostudieveileder@gfi.uib.no