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2024/2025  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 150
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 05-02-2024

Relevant links
Learning objectives
This elective course examines the current and topical local, national, and global sustainability challenges related to the energy industry, its nexus with other sectors (e.g., transport, food, water), and the impact on the environment. In particular, the course aims to offer the students perspectives on advanced issues at the forefront of the policy debate in the context of the green transition.

This course is aligned with the CBS’ Nordic Nine principles and will provide the students with the knowledge and expertise to understand the economic, social, and ethical dilemmas related to energy and the environment and have the leadership values to overcome them. The aim of this course is to enable the students to:
  • Demonstrate an up-to-date knowledge of the fundamental energy and environmental economic principles applied to current issues and challenges
  • 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 sources, their integration in the energy system, public acceptance of energy infrastructures, innovation policy, social policy issues –equity and energy poverty– and reduction of carbon footprint)
  • Understand the main options for addressing those challenges (e.g., policy, regulation, markets and economic incentives)
Course prerequisites
Basic knowledge of microeconomics; interest in modern energy, environmental, sustainability, and resource issues.
Examination
Advanced Topics in Energy and Environment: Sustainable Development and Policy:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Oral exam based on written product

In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance, see also the rules about examination forms in the programme regulations.
Individual or group exam Oral group exam based on written group product
Number of people in the group 2-4
Size of written product Max. 20 pages
Definition of number of pages:
Groups of
2 students 10 pages max.
3 students 15 pages max.
4 students 20 pages max.
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.
10 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and second internal examiner
Exam period Winter
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Re-take exam is to be based on the same report as the ordinary exam:

*if a student is absent from the oral exam due to documented illness but has handed in the written groupproduct she/he does not have to submit a new product for the re-take.

*if a whole group fails the oral exam they must hand in a revised product for the re-take.

*if one student in the group fails the oral exam the course coordinator chooses whether the student willhave the oral exam on the basis of the same product or if he/she has to hand in a revised product for there- take.
Description of the exam procedure

Oral exam based on the written product about one (or a combination) of the topics discussed during the course or closely related to the syllabus. The topics are chosen by the students.
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 offered by the staff of 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 of the European Commission and, among others, qualifies the discussions at the Commission’s annual Energy Infrastructure Forum. CSEI conducts applied research in tomorrow’s energy infrastructure from an economic and policy point-of-view to ensure a successful transition towards a green and 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 real-world and policy relevant. Examples of topics that have been covered in recent years include:

 

  • Social cost-benefit analysis and environmental valuation
  • Climate change and carbon pricing
  • Humanitarian energy research
  • Energy poverty
  • Public acceptance of energy projects
  • Air and water pollution
  • Water resources management
  • Rebound effect in energy consumption
  • Green transition of the shipping sector
  • European energy and climate policy
  • Liberalisation of the energy sector and energy policy issues
  • The European Green Deal
  • Energy systems integration
  • Governance and performance of energy utilities
  • Coal markets and renewables cannibalisation
Description of the teaching methods
The lectures and guest lectures will be provided by academic staff at CSEI, and experts and practitioners from the energy industry. Students are expected to actively engage in lectures and discussions. Prior to some sessions, study questions and case-based exercises will be shared with the students for discussion at the lectures.
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 receive feedback about their projects in several lectures. The students will also be encouraged to attend the office hours should they need to receive additional oral feedback.
Student workload
Lectures 30 hours
Preparations for lectures 96 hours
Further reading and exam research 50 hours
Exam writing 30 hours
Expected literature

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 (examples):

 

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.

 

Haselip, J., Chen, K., Marwah, H. and Puzzolo, E. (2022), “Cooking in the margins: Exploring the role of Liquefied Petroleum Gas for refugees in low-income countries”, Energy Research & Social Science, 83, 102346.

 

Jamasb, T., Llorca, M., Meeus, L. and Schittekatte, T. (2023), “Energy network innovation for green transition: Economic issues and regulatory options”, Economics of Energy & Environmental Policy, 12(1), 81-95.

 

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.

 

Nyathikala, S.A., Jamasb, T., Llorca, M. and Kulshrestha, M. (2023), “Utility governance, incentives, and performance: Evidence from India’s urban water sector”, Utilities Policy, 82, 101534.

 

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.

 

Wüstenhagen, R., Wolsink, M. and Bürer, M.J. (2007), “Social acceptance of renewable energy innovation: An introduction to the concept”, Energy Policy, 35(5), 2683-2691.

 

Course material

Books, news, articles, and reports

 
Last updated on 05-02-2024