Teaching modules
ELP031: Sustainability and Energy Systems
Department: CREST
The emission of greenhouse gases from our consumption of fossil fuels for power, transport and industry is widely believed to be one of the key reasons for the current threat of global warming.
A key challenge is to attempt to balance economic development with reducing these emissions from energy use by 60% by 2050. Low carbon renewable energy technologies such as wind power are being developed to produce power in an environmentally friendly way.
The module Sustainability and Energy Systems seeks to address some of the challenges facing society by exploring the environmental and socio-economic problems associated with energy use and considers measures designed to mitigate such effects.
Students are introduced to the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development. They consider how past energy use has led to economic development and look at future energy scenarios.
The implications of the environmental and social effects of energy use are analysed along with the use and development of alternative energy technologies. Economic costing and policies to promote carbon reduction are evaluated.
Students partake in a group project exercise to develop and construct their understanding of these issues to enable them to make informed decisions about their role as future renewable energy engineers.
