Autumn

Objectives

The main objectives of this course is to lintroduce the science of energy transition and sustainable energy sources, and to provide the students with an understanding of key cross-diciplinary challenges related to the transition towards a low CO2-emission society. The course directly addresses UN Sustainable Development Goal 7, and will give the students perspectives to discuss the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the context of how we mitigate the ongoing changes in climate through a transition to a more sustainable energy supply.

Content
The first part of the course focuses on explaining the drivers and motivations for a transition to a low-carbon society, which includes climate change, and the need to supply clean and sustainable energy globally. The second part of the course is focused on the scientific, technological and societal aspects of various sustainable energy sources, such as geothermal energy, offshore wind, solar power, hydropower, CO2 capture, storage and utilization, and the exploration for minerals.

To address these themes, the course will cover a wide range of diciplines relevant to energy transition and renewable energy sources, including earch science, slimate science, biology, physics, political science, law, psychology, social sciences, nanotechnology, etichs, rhetoric and economics.

The course is taught during the fall semester, and learning activities include classroom lectures, exercises, group work, colloquia, and a two-day excursion to a hydroelectric plant and the Technology Centre Mongstad for CO2 capture.

The course will also include self-study, written assignments, internal peer review, and project work, leading up to a mini-symposium where the students will present their work in various formats.

On completion of the course, the student shall have knowledge on a variety of possible actions for reduction of the atmospheric CO2 content, as well as knowledge of conditions for, and possible consequences of, different measures for advancing the transition towards a low-carbon society

Knowledge

The student can

• understand the key drivers that motivate the transition to a sustainablem low-carbon energy supply
• explain the science and technology behind different sustainable energy resources
• understandthe key scientific, technological and societal challenges related to energy transition

Skills

The student can

• assess the advantages and limitations associated with a variety of sustainable energy resources
• discuss the cocietal, legal and financial challenges related to energy transition
• discuss the most omportant consequences of the transition towards a low emission society

General competence

The student can

• demonstrate the ability for critical thinking and physically based reasoning
• show cross-disciplinary awareness through discussions on the interaction between science, society and technology in the transition to a low-carbon society
• communicate and debate the scientific, technological and societal challenges related to energy transition

Classroom lectures, group work, exercises and colloquia. The course will be built around student-active learning activities. The course will include a two-day excursion to a hydroelectric power plant and the CO2 capture facility at Mongstad.

The course will include preparation and presentation of a poster or a mivue from selected parts of the course, to be presented at the mini-symposium at the end of the course.

Organized teaching/learning activities: 4 hours per week for 12 weeks

Mini-symposium: 1 full day

Excursions: 2 full days

A poster, movie or other form of presentation (30 % of total grade)

Written and presented report (70 % of total grade)