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2023/2024  KAN-CCMVV2431U  Advanced Topics in Energy and Environment: Sustainable Development and Policy

English Title
Advanced Topics in Energy and Environment: Sustainable Development and Policy

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Autumn
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Max. participants 80
Study board
Study Board for cand.merc. and GMA (CM)
Course coordinator
  • Manuel Llorca - Department of Economics (ECON)
Main academic disciplines
  • Economics
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 15-02-2023

Relevant links
Learning objectives
This course examines existing local, national, and global challenges related to the energy industry, its nexus with other sectors (e.g., transport, food, water), and the impact on the environment. In particular, it pretends to offer a vision on advanced issues at the forefront of the policy debate in the context of the green transition. Moreover, this course is aligned with the Nordic Nine principles and will provide the students with expertise to understand ethical dilemmas and have the leadership values to overcome them. The course will essentially be based on discussions about news, reports, and academic articles. Some of the topics will be covered by guest speakers who deal with those issues in their professional activity and hence the specific subjects are expected to change from year to year. The general aim is to enable the students to:
  • Demonstrate a good knowledge of fundamental energy and environmental economic principles and issues
  • Comprehend the trends, the complexity, and the interactions of the energy sector and other relevant sectors in modern economies
  • Identify the current challenges related to energy and environment (e.g., deployment of renewable energy sources and their integration in the grid, public acceptance of infrastructure projects, social policy issues, reduction of carbon footprint)
  • Understand the main options for addressing those challenges (e.g., policy, regulation, markets)
Course prerequisites
Mandatory prerequisites: Basic knowledge of microeconomics; interest in energy and environmental aspects.
Examination
Advanced Topics in Energy and Environment: Sustainable Development and Policy:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 15 pages
Assignment type Written assignment
Release of assignment Subject chosen by students themselves, see guidelines if any
Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Winter
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

Written product based on one of the topics (or two related topics combined) discussed during the course
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

The content of this course is flexible and expected to change every year, but always with a focus on policy, energy and environment. The topics covered will depend on the contribution of guest lecturers, visiting scholars, and academic staff from CBS. This module is endorsed by the Copenhagen School of Energy Infrastructure (CSEI) at CBS and it is embedded in its overall strategy of research and education. CSEI is directly supported by the Directorate-General for Energy from the European Commission and qualifies the discussions at the Commission’s annual Energy Infrastructure Forum. This centre conducts research in tomorrow’s energy infrastructure from an economic policy point-of-view to ensure a successful transition towards a new sustainable European Energy Infrastructure based on volatile and largely renewable energy sources. CSEI's research focus will shape the core of the course and ensures that the discussion themes are up-to-date, practically oriented, and of current international policy relevance. Some examples of topics that can be covered during the lectures are:

 

  • Social Cost-Benefit Analysis (SCBA) and environmental valuation
  • Climate change and carbon pricing
  • Energy poverty
  • Rebound effect in energy consumption
  • Energy issues in the global south
  • European energy and climate policy
  • European energy network development plans
  • The European Green Deal
  • Energy systems integration
  • Air and water pollution
  • Water resources management
  • Governance and performance of energy utilities
  • Circular economy
Description of the teaching methods
There will be lectures where students are expected to participate actively.
Feedback during the teaching period
Oral feedback will be continuously provided to the students through in-class examples, exercises, and case discussions. This feedback will be provided by the instructor in charge of the lecture. The students will be encouraged to attend the office hours should they need to receive additional oral feedback for their written assignments.
Student workload
Lectures 33 hours
Preparations for lectures 93 hours
Further reading and exam research 50 hours
Exam writing 30 hours
Expected literature

Examples

 

Selected chapters from:

 

Bhattacharyya, S.C. (2019), Energy economics: Concepts, issues, markets and governance, 2nd ed., Springer.

 

Perman, R., Ma, Y., Common, M., Maddison, D. and McGilvary, J. (2011), Natural resource and environmental economics, 4th edition, Pearson, Harlow.

 

Tietenberg, T. and Lewis, L. (2015), Environmental and natural resource economics, 10th edition (Global Edition), Pearson.

 

Additional references:

 

Gillingham, K., Rapson, D. and Wagner, G. (2016), “The rebound effect and energy efficiency policy”, Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, 10(1), 68-88.

 

Jamasb, T., Llorca, M., Meeus, L. and Schittekatte, T. (2020), Energy network innovation for green transition: Economic issues and regulatory options, Copenhagen School of Energy Infrastructure (CSEI), CSEI Working Paper 2020-15 / Department of Economics Working Paper 17-2020, Copenhagen Business School.

 

Jamasb, T., Nepal, R. and Timilsina, G.R. (2015), A quarter century effort yet to come of age: A survey of power sector reform in developing countries, Policy Research Working paper 7330, June, Development Research Group, The World Bank Group, Washington, DC.

 

Johnston, R.J., Boyle, K.J., Adamowicz, W., Bennett, J., Brouwer, R., Cameron, T.A., Hanemann, W.M., Hanley, N., Ryan, M., Scarpa, R., Tourangeau, R. and Vossler, C.A. (2017), “Contemporary guidance for stated preference studies”, Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economics 4(2), 319-405.

 

Rodriguez-Alvarez, A., Llorca, M. and Jamasb, T. (2021), “Alleviating energy poverty in Europe: Front-runners and laggards”, Energy Economics, 103, 105575

 

Sarkodie, S.A. and Adams, S. (2020), “Electricity access, human development index, governance and income inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa”, Energy Reports, 6, 455-466.

 

Schittekatte, T., Pototschnig, A., Meeus, L., Jamasb, T. and Llorca, M. (2021), “Making the TEN-E regulation compatible with the Green Deal: Eligibility, selection, and cost allocation for PCIs”, Energy Policy, 156, 112426.

 

Stahel, W.R. (2016), “The circular economy”, Nature, 531, 435-438.

 

Course material

Books, news, articles, and reports

 
Last updated on 15-02-2023