75579 - Energy Systems and Policy

Academic Year 2018/2019

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Rimini
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Resource Economics and Sustainable Development (cod. 8839)

Learning outcomes

The first part of the course covers the following topics: Economics of Energy Demand, Innovation and Energy Business Models, Path Dependence in Energy Systems, Exhaustible and renewable energy resources, Comparative energy systems. The second part of the course deals with public policies, their determinants and processes; taxes, subsidies and permits as tools for switching from dirty and non-renewable resources to clean and renewable resources; economic development and green growth policies. Finally, a case study is examined, i.e. Zero-energy buildings and the EU policies to achieve this objective.

Course contents

Energetic and exergetic analysis: first principle yields and energy

The international energy system: history of needs and consumption of primary energy worldwide

Climate change and greenhouse: environmental impact in the use of resources for energy production.

Needs and availability of energy resources: the Hubbert model

Energy resources and geopolitical situation worldwide: the sectors of oil, coal and natural gas, international equilibrium and their changes as a function of expected

Solar energy as a renewable energy: solar radiation descriptive factors

Direct conversion of solar energy: from photovoltaic to technologies at high (concentrated solar power), medium (solar ponds) and low temperature (solar panels).

Indirect conversion of solar energy: wind power, hydropower, geothermal energy, biomass and the organic fraction of municipal solid waste through conversion systems into biofuels (biogas, bioethanol, ...)

Integrated System for Energy Management: Rational use of energy in the budgets of territorial energy and new energy sectors.

Readings/Bibliography

1) Energy of Sustainable World from the Oil Age to a Sun Powered Future. Authors: Nicola Armaroli e Vincenzo Balzani. Editor:Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany, 2011

2) Environmental Economics: concepts, methods and policies.Authors: ‪Jesuthason Thampapillai‪, Jack A. Sinden. Editor: ‪OUP Australia & New Zealand, 2013

Teaching methods

The lessons are constantly being updated and is achieved through interactive communication that will satisfy the curiosity of the student in understanding both the theoretical and practical aspects of teaching that through application examples can clearly be seen in everyday life. The purpose of the course is to provide tools for both the learning of the concepts that in order to engage critically with innovation and technology transfer for the energetic transition in a context of sustainability ethics, social and economic industrial processes.

Assessment methods

The final examination is oral and is designed to assess the student's ability to use the concepts and the cognitive tools learned during the course.

- Know the energy problem and the general mathematical models to assess the availability of resources as a function of growth models

- Know the principles of key technologies to produce energy from renewable sources

- Know the basic elements for an integrated approach to energy management

The final score of the course is defined by an oral test on three specific questions on topics related to the main objectives of the course.

Teaching tools

The course is characterized by lectures with the aid of an overhead projector and computer support for the display of text and images (projection). The entire course will include electronic materials.

Office hours

See the website of Leonardo Setti