F1IE 4020 - Decarbonisation and Renewable Energy Sources

This holistic and interdisciplinary course addresses the issue of Decarbonization of energy systems and the future role of Renewable Energy Sources from a technological, economic and policy perspective. Decarbonization needs multi-solution and multi-disciplinary approaches.
To reach carbon neutrality by 2050, renewables are only part of the solution, other solutions include energy demand reduction, huge efforts in all sectors and different types of CO2 sinks. Most importantly, a holistic approach is needed, which includes the availability of technological solutions which need to be cost efficient, innovative economic approaches (e.g. carbon pricing, mandates, etc), appropriate institutional and political frameworks (governance), and - last but not least – a proper public awareness and ownership of decarbonization policies by consumer in order to modify the behaviour of citizens towards more sustainable pathways.
Expectations on the future role of renewable sources of energy are very high, but are scenarios of decarbonisation realistic? This course will review the promises and pitfalls of individual renewable energy sources alternatives and their integration in energy systems, in view of allowing a full critical understanding of the conditions under which these may come to play a truly important role in global energy supplies. In order to reach net-zero by 2050, not only the power sector needs to be decarbonized, but all sectors including the so called hard to abate sectors.
The course also aims to provide a good understanding of the state of the art and the expected development of different technological solutions including Renewable Energy Sources and their implementation potential to contribute to decarbonization scenarios as well as of the challenges and opportunities of different Renewable Energy Sources for their integration in energy systems. But it will equally address governance issues at different levels.
The Course “Decarbonisation scenarios and Renewable Energy Sources” will thus address, among others, most of the following topics :
1) Climate Change issues and decarbonisation scenarios: what does a net-zero decarbonization by mid-century mean/imply for the different world regions? Challenges and opportunities.
2) Green deals and industrial policies.
3) Global and domestic governance of energy decarbonization.
4) The role of civil society and citizens.
5) The role of energy efficiency in decarbonization ;
6) Role of mitigation solutions in all sectors (power, industry, transport, buildings), including the hard to abate sectors (e.g. aviation, long haul maritime shipping, steel, cement, chemicals, etc) and of different carbon sinks like aforestation, CCUS including BECCS and DACCS. Role of nuclear, of hydrogen, etc.
7) Renewable energy sources: understanding how they work, their pros and cons: - Solar: Photovoltaic (PV), Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), solar heat, etc. ; - Wind turbines ; - Hydroelectricity: river-run, storage, pumping-storage plants, tidal and wave, etc. ; - Biomass and bio-fuels ;
8) Challenges and opportunities of renewable energy sources : - RES integration into electricity grids ; - Different implementation policies: pros and cons ;
9) The role of critical minerals in clean energy transitions.
Depending on the interest of the class, some topics will be addressed in more depth then others : some topics will be addressed by the professor, some topics will be addressed directly by the students in a group-work format producing papers which will be shared and discussed with the class, some will be addressed within the assigned readings.
The course aims to address with a very interactive, interdisciplinary and holistic, but at the same time critical, approach the different components needed to successfully embarque on a global deep decarbonization pathway aiming to reach carbon neutrality by mid-century and to avoid pitfalls.
At the end of the course, the students who have properly engaged in the course, will have :
- a better understanding on how to address the complexities of the decarbonization subject (without necessarily have gained all the answers – nobody has),
- gained the ability to critically engage in discussions on the subject of decarbonization,
- been prepared to start a professional career in this field (of course, additional courses offered at PSIA on energy and decarbonization will allow to further deepen this knowledge).

Manfred HAFNER

Séminaire

English

Workload is high, but if students properly engage with the class assignements, rewards in the sense of aquiring an in-depth, interdisciplinary and holistic as well as critical understanding of decarbonization policies and renewable energy technologies will largely compensate the effort put into the course.
Students are expected to regularly do the assigned readings, to work in small groups to carry out the assigned group work, to individually work on a policy brief, to present their work to -and discuss it with- the class, participate in class discussions and in peer reviews.
After every lecture, the Professor will send out an email assigning specific readings to deepen the topic of the lecture and to assign readings to prepare for the next class. The readings are complementary to the lectures.

Autumn 2022-2023

The course evaluation will consist of a mixture of different assignemnts:
- Background group paper (10 pages) on a non trivial subject: 20%
- Individual Policy Brief (1 page) on a non trivial subject for a Minister or CEO: 20%
- Intelligent class participation and intelligent participation on Moodle and final class discussions : 20%
- MOOC (for « Non International Energy Master Students ») or IE Group Work presentation on Green Deals (for « International Energy Master Students ») : 20%
- Individual peer review excercise of 5 background papers and 5 individual policy briefs : 20%