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2025/2026  BA-BHAAV2502U  Markets and Policies for a Sustainable Energy Sector

English Title
Markets and Policies for a Sustainable Energy Sector

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Bachelor
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 of General Management
Course coordinator
  • Christine Brandstätt - Department of Economics (ECON)
Main academic disciplines
  • CSR and sustainability
  • Innovation
  • Economics
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 30-01-2025

Relevant links
Learning objectives
There is an increasing demand for business professionals with an understanding of the energy sector. To support you with deciding about or starting your career in the energy, this course aims to enable you to:
  • Understand current and future challenges and trends for a sustainable energy sector
  • Understand the implications of political goals, e.g., regarding sustainability and decarbonization, for the energy sector
  • Describe the general organization and governance of the energy sector
  • Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the main assumptions of economic models of monopoly regulation and market design
  • Discuss different roles in energy supply or related business models from an economic perspective
  • Discuss current changes and innovations, their implications for energy firms’ opportunities and their interaction with regulation and market design
Course prerequisites
Basic working knowledge of microeconomics
Examination
Market and Policies for a Sustainable Energy Sector:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Written sit-in exam on CBS' computers
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Assignment type Written assignment
Duration 3 hours
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Winter
Aids Limited aids, see the list below:
The student is allowed to bring
  • An approved calculator. Only the models HP10bll+ or Texas BA ll Plus are allowed (both models are non-programmable, financial calculators).
The student will have access to
  • basic IT application package
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
The number of registered candidates for the make-up examination/re-take examination may warrant that it most appropriately be held as an oral examination. The programme office will inform the students if the make-up examination/re-take examination instead is held as an oral examination including a second examiner or external examiner.
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

The energy sector is one of the largest sectors in the economy and heavily regulated. It is critical for the mitigation of climate change and at the heart of recent debates on security and affordability. A basic understanding of the organization of the energy supply chain, energy market design, subsidies and network regulation, are vital to understand and evaluate business opportunities in renewable energies, sustainable fuels and other parts of the sector.

 

This course introduces you to the energy sector from an economics and business perspective. The course combines microeconomic concepts, particularly from industrial organization, with their application to electricity, heating, hydrogen and Power-to-X.

 

The course covers the following themes and topics:

  • Microeconomics of energy use, energy demand, and energy supply
  • Energy and climate policy at national level and international cooperation
  • Economics of support schemes and investments into renewable energy technologies and business models for innovative energy services
  • Market design in electricity markets and emissions trading schemes
  • Organization and governance of the sector, including monopoly regulation of energy networks

 

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 European Commission (DG Energy).
Research-based teaching
CBS’ programmes and teaching are research-based. The following types of research-based knowledge and research-like activities are included in this course:
Research-based knowledge
  • Classic and basic theory
  • Teacher’s own research
  • Methodology
  • Models
  • applied research on current questions in energy economics
Research-like activities
  • Analysis
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
Description of the teaching methods
The curse is a blended course.

It features:
• lectures where students have the opportunity to participate actively in discussions and case studies
• self-paced elements such as study questions and supportive video and audio material
• guest lectures by experts and practitioners from the energy sectors
• (voluntary) site visits to energy related facilities - participation is not a requirement for the course
Feedback during the teaching period
You will have opportunities to get feedback via
• oral discussions and cases in class
• study questions
• office hours
Student workload
Lectures 38 hours
Preparation for lectures 142 hours
Preparations for the exam 25 hours
Exam 3 hours
Expected literature

 

Mulder, M. (2021). Regulation of Energy Markets (Vol. 80). Springer International Publishing.

 

Selected chapters from:

 

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

 

Cretì, A., and Fontini, F. (2019). Economics of Electricity. Markets, competition and rules. Cambridge University Press.

 

 

 

Additional material

Collection of articles and policy reports 
Last updated on 30-01-2025