Energy Transitions and Climate Change (ETC)

Graduate Program (& Advanced Certificate) Status

Course Level: 
Master’s
Campus: 
Vienna
Course Open to: 
Students on-site
Remote students
Academic Year: 
2022-2023
Term: 
Fall
US Credits: 
2
ECTS Credits: 
4
Course Description: 

This course covers

* the global energy challenges and scenarios for the 21st century and the need for energy transitions

* the three perspectives on national energy transitions (techno-economic, socio-technical and political)

* comparative examples of national energy transitions (Germany and Japan as well as selected developing countries as case-studies)

* an overview of key energy supply technologies: renewables, fossils and nuclear

* net-zero energy systems

The course serves both as a  step to  Sustainable Energy Transitions course in Winter Semester and for those who would like to receive a broad understanding of contemporary issues in sustainable energy and its impacts on climate.

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Learning Outcomes: 
  1. Understand contemporary challenges of energy systems, including their social and environmental role and impacts
  2. Understand the need for and the principles of constructing global energy-climate scenarios and their use for policy+making
  3. Understand the principles and the challenges of net-zero energy systems
  4. Understand the role of national priorities and contexts in transitions to sustainable energy systems
Assessment: 
  • 20% - class participation
  • 20% - comments on a selected paper (in blog)
  • 60% - final exam
Prerequisites: 

None