Course Syllabus

Picture: Anholt Wind Farm, DK (Anonymous, modified by E.Gentil)

Description of Course

Accelerating the Transition Towards Renewable Energy

For more than 40 years, Denmark has embarked in its renewable energy transition journey and has become a role model for the rest of the world.  Much more effort is still needed to move away from fossil fuels and have a 100 % renewable energy society by 2050. What are the drivers for this remarkable achievement? What lessons can be drawn? what are the bottlenecks for the development of renewable energy infrastructure?

The course is designed to provide a better understanding of renewable energy systems and do not require a technical background. This course is recommended for students who have an interest in sustainability, climate action, economics, environmental impacts, business, policy, planning and general problem solving. It is not an engineering course, although some basic technical components will be addressed. 

More than half of the climate crisis can be attributed to the extensive use of fossil energy. Globally, in 2019, more than 80 % of our energy consumption was still based on fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal). A profound and urgent transition is required to move our current energy systems towards more sustainable energy production, if society wants to minimize the catastrophic consequences of our changing climate, largely induced by our increasing use of energy.

This class will focus on many Danish and Northern European examples, by exploring the interdependence of electricity, heating and transport systems through concrete and innovative energy solutions (wind, solar, biofuel, electrification, etc.). Drivers and barriers for these solutions will be discussed in order to identify the critical paths towards energy transition acceleration. The mutually reinforcing roles in energy transition of policy makers, government, civil society and businesses will also be discussed in depth.

Learning Objectives of the Course 

By the end of this course you will be able to …

• To understand and explain the basics of energy systems
• To evaluate the merits of different energy solutions
• To identify the drivers and barriers for accelerating the renewable energy transition
  
• To appreciate the importance of integrating electricity, heating and transport in renewable energy systems
• To assess the untapped potential of energy efficiency (as a mean to reduce energy consumption)
• To conduct a discourse analysis of the different stakeholders involved in energy politics
• To carry out a policy analysis of energy systems

Faculty

Emmanuel Gentil. Ph.D. in environmental engineering, DTU, Denmark, 2011. Independent environmental consultant. Senior Consultant at Copenhagen Resource Institute, for the European Environment Agency and for the European Commission on waste management policy in the EU. Ph.D. School Manager and Ph.D. researcher at DTU, Denmark 2006-2011. Master of business strategy and environmental management, Bradford. With DIS since 2013.

Readings

Lovins et al. (2011). Reinventing Fire : Bold Business Solutions For The New Energy Era. Chelsea Green Publishing Company. 334 pp. (Avail in the library)

Usher, B. (2019). Renewable Energy: A Primer for the Twenty-First Century. Columbia University Press. 224 pp

Jacobson, M.Z. (2020). 100% Clean, Renewable Energy and Storage for Everything. Cambridge University Press. 442 pp

REN21 (2017). Renewables Global Futures Report: Great debates towards 100% renewable energy. 98 pp.

REN21 (2020). Renewables 2020 Global Status Report. 367 pp

Rubeck Andreasen, T. and Hvidtfeldt Larsen, B. (2013). Business Partnership Driving Sustainability. How To Save Energy And Increase Profit While Investing In Renewable Energy. 44 pp

The Danish Government Climate Partnerships (2020). Powering Denmark's Green Transition. Roadmap fora near carbon neutral energy sector to achieve Denmark's 70% reduction target by 2030. 110 p.

 

Final project

You will find the final project instructions on the Assignments section.

Field Studies

Field studies are visits or workshops lasting half a day. These field studies are an important, and mandatory part of the course in order to experience a real life situation or to interact with external experts.

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Approach to Teaching

The course is taught as a mixture of lectures and discussions. Also, guest speakers and field studies are important parts of the learning process. The course heavily emphasizes your own engagement and active participation. Much of the learning in this course is dependent on how much effort you put into your own explorations and research, not least in connection with the different types of assignments. 

AI Policy for my classes

In this class, AI tools are permitted and assumed to be part of the learning environment, but they must be used to support your learning rather than replace it. You may use AI to brainstorm, outline, revise, study, or test ideas, but you are responsible for understanding, evaluating, and owning all final work you submit. AI should help you think more deeply, not think for you. If AI use becomes a substitute for reading, writing, problem-solving, or reflection, it will weaken the very skills this course is designed to build.

Because AI systems have a significant combined environmental impact, they should be used thoughtfully and only when they genuinely improve learning. You are expected to use AI efficiently, critically, and transparently, and to recognize that every use of AI has costs as well as benefits. In this class, the goal is not to avoid AI, but to use it in ways that strengthen cognition, judgment, and independent learning. Any AI-generated content must be checked carefully for accuracy, bias, and relevance, and your own thinking must remain central to the work.

Ecosia (based on French company mistral AI), claim to use 100 % renewable energy to power their training and their datacenters.

Computers cannot be taken to take notes (tablets are OK and students with written accommodation are OK) but will be used when required for some exercises. AI glasses (meta glasses) and recording of any kind (audio, video, transcript), as well as headphone / earpieces during class is strictly prohibited to ensure that we a safe and inclusive learning environment for everyone in the classroom.

Tips for using AI:

• Beware of data poisoning: malicious or bad training data can bias or corrupt model outputs; for example, fake examples that link “refund” to “refund denied” can make a support bot give wrong answers.
• Watch for hallucinations: models can invent facts or sources, so always verify references and claims.
• Remember privacy with free AI: prompts and outputs may be used to train models, so don’t share sensitive information.
• Avoid unintentional plagiarism:  submitting lightly edited AI text as your own can violate academic integrity; for example, asking an AI for a paragraph and submitting it with minimal edits is still plagiarism.
• Improve results by refining prompts: vague prompts yield poor output; invest effort in clear, specific prompts and iterate.
• Verify numbers and facts: don’t trust statistics or facts from AI without checking reliable sources; you’re responsible for any errors.
• Disclose AI use in assignments: include a short paragraph noting how you used AI; failure to disclose may breach academic honesty rules.
• Use AI thoughtfully and seek permission when needed: only apply it where appropriate and confirm policies with other instructors or courses.

Expectations of the Students

• Active and voluntary participation in class discussions

• Having prepared properly for every class, i.e. doing all the required reading and research

• Being able to address the readings critically during class, thus displaying a good understanding of the subject matter

Grading

Short Essay (1-2p)	25 %
Quiz	15 %
Final Project	45 %
Participation	15 %

 

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