pre041 Sustainability of Renewable Energy (Complete module description)

pre041 Sustainability of Renewable Energy (Complete module description)

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Module title Sustainability of Renewable Energy
Module code pre041
Credit points 6.0 KP
Responsible institute Institut für Physik
Responsible persons
Module responsibility:
Herena Torio, Carsten Agert
Authorised to examine:
Carsten Agert, Herena Torio
Prerequisites
Language of instruction English
Learning outcomes/competencies

After successful completion of the module students should be able to:

  • analyse, and critically compare and evaluate selected sustainabilityconcepts and strategies addressing renewable energy systems
  • critically appraise and analyse the principles and implications of selectedscientific methods and theories for a sustainable energy supply
  • critically evaluate the suitability and meaningfulness of different sustainability indicators, theories, methods and practices regarding their role and impact for developed countries, on the one hand, and developing countries, on the other
  • perform an integral assessment, involving several relevant aspects related to the sustainability of a particular real-life renewable energy project as well as identify the main barriers, potentials and driving factors for improving it
  • perform a literature review on selected sustainability approaches to a professional standard and extract the main related conclusions, and arguing critically on them
  • present data and information both verbally and in the written form, including quotation to a         professional standard

 

 
Module contents

Sustainability of RE (Lecture & Seminar, 6CP, 180 h workload)

The module provides the theoretical background for understanding main concepts and interdisciplinary scientific methods from the context as well as their role in the sustainability debate. The critical application of these methods to a particular case is also a central part of the module. Main contents are:

  • Strategies and dimensions in sustainability research and discussion: efficiency, consistency and sufficiency, as well as related concepts (e.g. rebound and decoupling)
  • Growth/De-growth and decoupling of growth and emission, planetary boundaries and transformation processes
  • Social indicators and their relation to energy use: HDI and related indicators
  • Life-cycle analysis
  • Socio-technical scenarios, approaches and models for computing them
  • Multi-dimensional technology assessment methods: methods for multi-criteria decision making and discourse analysis
Recommended reading
  • Bruntland report: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future. UN Reports. Link: www.undocuments.net/our-common-future.pdf
  • Pelenc et al. 2015. Weak sustainability vs strong sustainability. Brief for GSDR, 2015. Link: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/6569122-PelencWeak%20Sustainability%20versus%20Strong%20Sustainability.pdf
  • Soergel et al. 2021. A sustainable development pathway for climate action within the UN 2030 Agenda. Nature Climate Change | VOL 11 656 | August 2021 | 656–664 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-021-01098-3
  • Jackson T., 2009. Prosperity without growth - Economics for a finite planet. Earthscan- London-Sterling VA, 2009.
  • LCSDSN, 2015. Indicators and a Monitoring Framework for the Sustainable Development Goals Launching a data revolution for the SDGs. Leadership Council of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
  • Kumar et al. 2017. A review of multi criteria decision making (MCDM) towards sustainable renewable energy development. Renewable and sustainable energy reviews, 69 (2017), pp. 596 609.
  • W. Steffen et al., Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. Science 347, 1259855 (2015). DOI:10.1126/science.1259855  
  • Powering sustainable development within planetary boundaries – PubMed (nih.gov), Algunaibet IM, Pozo C, Galán-Martín Á, Huijbregts MAJ, Mac Dowell N, Guillén-Gosálbez G. Powering sustainable development within planetary boundaries. Energy Environ Sci. 2019 Jun 1;12(6):1890-1900. doi:10.1039/c8ee03423k . Epub 2019 Jan 24. PMID: 31303892; PMCID: PMC6592157.
  • Isabel Haase & Herena Torio, 2021. "The Impact of the Climate Action Programme 2030 and Federal State Measures on the Uptake of Renewable Heating Systems in Lower Saxony’s Building Stock," Energies, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 14(9), pages 1-25, April 2021. 
Required assesment
Method of assesment

1 Examination: Presentation of a Paper (presentation - 20 minutes and written report 10 pages) 
Exam dates

At the end of the lecture period (presentation) and and submission of the report at the end of the semester
Duration (semesters) 1 Semester
Module frequency
Workload
Total workload Contact hours
180 h

180 h
Course type
Type SWS Module frequency Contact hours
Lecture 2 WiSe 28 h
Seminar 2 SoSe und WiSe 28 h
Further information

Aufnahmekapazität:
unbegrenzt
Applicability of the module
  • Master Sustainability Economics and Management > Ergänzungsmodule
  • Master Sustainability Economics and Management > Ergänzungsmodule
  • Master Sustainable Renewable Energy Technologies > Mastermodule
  • Master Sustainable Renewable Energy Technologies > Pflichtmodule