FORNY100 Energy, Environment and Society

Credits (ECTS):10

Course responsible:Thomas Martinsen

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Norsk

Limits of class size:35 places. See note further down.

Course frequency:Annual

Nominal workload:250 hours

Teaching and exam period:This course starts in August block. This course has teaching/evaluation in August block and the Autumn parallel.

About this course

Introductory course for the bachelor's program in renewable energy. The course has an introduction to scientific approach and writing of reports. Environmental impacts resulting from the production, distribution and use of energy is essential. It includes climate change, acidification, local air pollution and consequences for the environment. Natural systems and their behaviour, energy system(s) and society as well as the links between them are themes.

Learning outcome

A candidate with a completed qualification will have the following learning outcomes in the course:

Knowledge

They should should be able to:

  • Reproduce the Norwegian energy system and the challenges it faces today and in the future at a global, regional and local level, including which emission sources and substances contribute to pollution and access to and use of energy resources in various functions in society.
  • Recognize main dimensions in circular economy / LCA, main elements for sustainable development, main principles for water management and ecological and natural systems relevant to pollution from energy production.
  • Reproduce the functioning of energy conversion technologies and the energy market and how policy, instruments and technological development are analyzed.

Skills

  • Apply simple writing rules.
  • Use the reference program EndNote, including entering references in NMBU Harvard style in your own library from databases and manually entering references in your own text.
  • Be able to use the program Word including insert figure/table text with hyperlink and cross-reference to text, numbered headings and table of contents.

General competence

Students should be able to describe what the study in renewable energy is about and recognize career opportunities. Through the semester assignment receive (listen, ask and respect) and react (answer, discuss and understand) in collaboration with other students. Give a short and concise presentation of the semester assignment for the class.

  • The teaching will be a combination of lectures, reading, exercises field trips, group work and term paper. We will search up current issues in the mass media, and use those as a starting point for discussion. We will follow job calls and identify what you can apply for after graduation. There will be visits with Akershus energy (bioenergy plant, heat pump and thermal solar energy), The Energy Farm and other places. We will use simple relevant models, such as klimagassregnskap.no, The Climate game and The Energy Portal. We will check the energy data available on the Web, for example, electricity prices on the finance portal and NordPool and discuss what is driving them. A term paper consisting of 15-25 pages must be written.
  • Lectures and information will be provided in Canvas. Part of the content follows a book. Techers are available for questions during office hours. Selected teachers provide guidance for the term paper throughout the semester.
  • Total assessment:

    • Term paper.
    • Written exam (2 hours).

    Both examinations have to passed to pass the course.

  • A sensor will approve the exam questions and grade the results.
  • First lecture. Participation in field trips, one with overnight stay and three daytrips. All hand-ins related to writing exercise and the oral presentations of the term paper.
  • Students who want to take the course must apply for admission in Studentweb no later than the 5th of August. After that, the places in the course will be distributed.

    To retain their place in the course, students admitted to the course must attend the first lecture in August. Other students will be admitted if there are seats available after the first lecture.

  • 110 hours
  • B-FORNY
  • 10 credits overlap with FORN100 (previous version).
  • Passed / Not Passed
  • Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse).