GD690 – Sustainable Energy: Economics, Policy and Management

The objectives of this course are to provide students with a solid understanding of the economics underlying the sustainable energy, the conversion principles and technology behind various renewable energy sources, to examine the policy and the management issues of the sustainable energy market, and to contrast these to the commodity markets for oil and gas. This course builds understanding of the global energy situation, sustainable energy policies, and the market outlook for various energy sources: conventional power generation, wind power, solar energy, oil and natural gas. Drivers of demand, supply and price formation will be explored, including their relationship to resource scarcity, technology and innovation, economic factors, and policy variables. Sustainability is examined by studying global and regional environmental impacts, economics, energy efficiency, consumption patterns and energy policy. The current energy system that encompasses resource extraction, conversion processes and end- uses are covered. Responses to current challenges such as declining fossil fuels and climate change are explored: unconventional fossil fuels, carbon sequestration, emerging technologies (e.g., renewable sources: biomass, wind, and photovoltaics; fuel cells) and end-use efficiency and conservation. Finally, the impact of the sustainable energy technologies and policies on energy markets is analyzed in terms of current and future states for energy supply and demand (trends, challenges, opportunities, projections) from economic, business, and sustainability perspectives.