ENE459 Seminar: Energy Challenges and Energy Production in the 21st Century

• Topics

  Topics will be lectured in the following sequence:

  • Overview of the physical concepts of Energy and Power
  • Detailed overview of energy needs and energy production in general
    • Future forms of energy production
    • Present and future energy carriers
    • External costs related to different energy technologies, particularly the impact on health and environment
  • Nuclear power (fission)
    • Established technology (first and second generation plants)
    • Present and future plants (third and fourth generation plants)
    • Future possibilities will also cover nuclear reactor systems based on Thorium.
    • Present the problems of nuclear radiation, waste management and nuclear proliferation issues
  • Nuclear power based on fusion and the ITER project

  A special theme is related to the fact that most of the future energy will be carried by electricity. This will lead to important new infrastructure requirements like for instance transfer of road transport to rail transport, and will probably also lead to changes in urban planning and structures. 

  The different parts of the course will be the basis for possible student case studies (internet based if necessary) and presented in a written report.

• Learning outcome

  Knowledge

  The objective of the course is to provide student with a proper view of the concepts of Energy and Power and has an advanced knowledge about the energy needs from the individual level via the national, regional and up to the global level. The student will have detailed knowledge about the present global Energy consumption, how the consumption varies between regions and how it is expected to evolve. The student will know about present and future Nuclear Energy technologies, including cost, possible problems and how Nuclear Energy may contribute to the future energy mix.

  Skills

  The candidates is able to

  • Deal critically with various sources of information on global energy resources and should be able evaluate the limitations of global fossil and renewable resources in the future energy mix.
  • Communicate and bridge the gap between economical and technologically problems related to energy production and feasible/realistic time scales to identify cost efficient solutions.

  Competence

  The candidate can

  • Evaluate external costs related to energy production, including the impact on environment and health. 
  • Identify and evaluate limitations of global fossil and renewable resources in the future energy mix.
  • Deal critically with various sources of information on global energy resources.

• Teaching

   Lectures: Powerpoint presentations and oral.

• Assessment

   Written project report.

• Grading Scale

  Pass/fail.

• Literature

   http://www.withouthotair.com/