ENTREP 3006 - Energy Management, Economics & Policy

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2016

This course will focus on understanding technical, economic, and policy considerations related to achieving a profitable reduction in fossil fuel consumption through energy efficiency and renewable energy across a range of sectors and technologies, providing industry ready knowledge and skills.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code ENTREP 3006
    Course Energy Management, Economics & Policy
    Coordinating Unit Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation & Innov Centre
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Intensive: 36 to 40 hours
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Assessment Individual assignments, quiz, group report
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Gary Hancock

    Program Director Contact Details:
    Innovation and Entrepreneurship
    Name: Dr Gary Hancock
    Email: gary.hancock@adelaide.edu.au
    Phone: +61 8 8313 0125


    Teaching staff:


    Summer School and Semester 1
    Name: Dr Karlson ‘Charlie’ Hargroves

    Short Bio:
    Charlie is a Sustainable Development Fellow with the ECIC and a Senior Research Fellow with the Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute specialising in low carbon transitions, carbon structural adjustment, sustainable engineering, and curriculum renewal. After graduating from the University of Adelaide in 2000, and working as a civil/structural design engineer, Charlie co-founded 'The Natural Edge Project' (TNEP), an internationally recognised team of action researchers based at various universities across Australia including the University of Adelaide, Curtin University, QUT, and the ANU. Charlie has led the TNEP team to deliver five international books on sustainable development (selling over 80,000 copies in five languages) in collaboration with some of the world's leaders in sustainability. The first book won the Australian Banksia Award for Environmental Leadership, Education and Training in 2005, and the of the books were ranked among the 'Top 40 Sustainability Books' in the world in 2010 by the Cambridge Sustainability Leaders Program. Charlie was the founding CEO of Natural Capitalism Inc. in Colorado, USA and worked with many large companies to assist in greenhouse gas reduction initiatives.

    Email: karlson.hargroves@adelaide.edu.au 

    Phone: 0407 071 729
    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

    Every Tuesday, 3pm to 6pm
    1st March to 5th April 2016
    26th April to 7th June 2016
    Nexus10, Level 5, Seminar Room 5.01
  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    The overall aim of this course is to give students an understanding of how energy can be generated and managed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with consideration of the economics and policy implications and opportunities.

    At the end of this course, students should have an appreciation of the following:
    1 The imperative to focus on reducing fossil fuel based energy in the coming decades and the opportunity for the engineering profession to take a leadership role.
    2 An understanding of the complexity of responding to climate change by reducing fossil fuel consumption, including the rebound effect.
    3 The basis of the economics of climate change associated with transitioning economies to low carbon operation in the coming decades.
    4 Effective strategies to profitably decouple greenhouse gas emissions from economic growth and how this will provide opportunities for graduates throughout their career as an area for lifelong learning.
    5 An understanding of the multiple benefits of energy efficiency with a focus on mechanical engineering applications, technologies and sectors.
    6 An understanding of factors causing rising ‘Peak’ and ‘Base’ load electricity demand, and how renewable energy and energy efficiency can reduce demand.
    7 An understanding of how renewable energy in generated at the technical level.
    8 An understanding of options for energy management to reduce demand for both peak and base load power, with a focus on mechanical engineering applications.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Text book:
    No text required.
    Recommended Resources
    There is a wide range of material on the course topic available.

    The following provides some additional reading guidance if you are interested in reading further on the topic.

    • Factor 5: Transforming the Global Economy through 80% Improvements in Resource Productivity (Earthscan 2010)
    • Whole System Design: An Integrated Approach to Sustainable Engineering (Earthscan 2008)
    • The Stern Review of the Economics of Climate Change (Cambridge 2006)
    • IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) reports.

    Library Resources
    The University of Adelaide’s Barr Smith Library provides a range of learning resources including texts, journals, periodicals, magazines, and access to online databases and information services. It also offers a virtual library which is accessible via the University’s website. The University Library web page is: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/library/ 
    From this link, you are able to access the Library's electronic resources.
    Online Learning
    MyUni is the University of Adelaide's online learning environment. It is used to support traditional face-to-face lectures, tutorials and workshops at the University. MyUni provides access to various features including announcements, course materials, discussion boards and assessments for each online course of study (see: https://myuni.adelaide.edu.au) 
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course is offered in blended learning mode.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    As a guide, a 3 unit course comprises a total of 156 hours work (this includes face-to-face contact, any online components, and self directed study).
    Learning Activities Summary

    This is a draft schedule and session dates are a guide only. The timetable may be changed during the course delivery if necessary.

    Week
    Content Activities
    Overview and Core Principles
    1 'Decoupling Energy Pollution and Economic Growth', and 'Economics of Climate Change: The Stern Review'
    2 'Achieving a 60% Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050', and 'Carbon Down, Profits Up – Multiple Benefits of Energy Efficiency'
    3 'Responding to the Complexity of Climate Change', and 'Integrated Approaches to Energy Efficiency and Low Carbon Technologies'
    Improving Energy Efficiency, by Technology and Sector
    4 'Energy Efficiency - Resource Productivity Improvement and Rebound', and 'Improving the Energy Efficiency of HVAC Systems' Quiz 1: In-Class 2-3pm covering Weeks 1,2, and 3
    5 'Improving the Energy Efficiency of Motor Systems', and 'Improving the Energy Efficiency of Boilers and Steam Distribution Systems'
    6 'Improving Energy Efficiency in Manufacturing Industries', and 'Improving Energy Efficiency in the Fast Food Industry'
    Mid Semester Break
    7 'Improving Energy Efficiency and Trucking' and 'Improving Energy Efficiency and Passenger Vehicles'
    8 'Introduction to Energy Efficiency Opportunities in Mechanical Engineering', and 'Small Group Exercise – Whole Systems Design of Passenger Vehicles' Quiz 2: In-Class 2-3pm covering Weeks 4,5,6 and 7
    Understanding Renewable Energy and Energy Management
    9 'How Do We Make Electricity From Wind and Steam?', and 'How Do We Make Electricity From Moving Water and Gas?'
    10 Small Group Exercise Working Session (lecturer available in class room)
    11 'Factors causing rising ‘Peak’ and ‘Base’ load electricity demand', and 'Can Renewable Energy supply Peak and Base Demand?'
    12 'Energy Management to Reduce ‘Peak Load’ Electricity Demand', and 'Energy Management to Reduce ‘Base Load’ Electricity Demand'
    13 Quiz only and Group Assignment Report Due Quiz 3: In-Class 2-3pm covering Weeks 9,10,11 and 12
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    Throughout the course a number of blended and small group activities will be used to provide greater context for the material presented and provide an opportunity for peer-to-peer teaching and learning.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary

    An overview of the course assessment appears in the following Table. Details appear in the following section:

    #AssessmentLengthWeightingDue DateLearning Outcomes
    1 Quiz 1 1hr 20% See MyUni
    2 Quiz 2 1hr 20% See MyUni
    3 Quiz 3 1hr 20% See MyUni
    4 Group Report 2000 Words 40% See MyUni
    Total 100%
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Students should attend all classes in order to pass the course. There is considerable experiential learning in workshops during the intensive classes that build your knowledge and thus enable you to be successful in this course.

    Course results are subject to moderation by the ECIC Board of Examiners
    Assessment Detail
    Quizzes: The three quizzes will be undertaken in a CAT Suite under closed book conditions and will comprise of both multiple choice and short answer questions drawn from lecture and tutorial content.

    Group Assignment: The group assignment will be on "Decoupling Economic Growth from Greenhouse Gas Emissions in South Australia" and will involve considering the content of lecture notes, nominated references, and self-directed research to identify specific options for South Australia to deliver reductions in greenhouse gas emissions based on examples that have led to a verified decoupling of such emissions from profit (of a company) or economic growth (of a state or nation), while creating jobs. The case studies must be relevant to application in SA and aligned directly to a specific SA goal or action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    Students are to structure the assignment in four parts, namely:
    1) Overview of Commitments: Outline SA's commitments and progress related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions (no more than 500 words).
    1) Area of Innovation: Outline proven innovations that stand to deliver further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in SA,
    2) Economic Benefits: Outline the verified economic benefits of such innovations and highlight any considerations relevant to application in SA, and
    3) Future Options: Suggest ways to improve such options to achieve greater greenhouse gas emissions in SA than in the existing examples (i.e. how can they be improved when implemented in SA?).

    The assignment will be marked based on its ability to respond to the headings above and provide a robust and well considered case study of decoupling at a level suitable for publication. All material must be acknowledged as per standard academic protocols with full referencing provided as footnotes.
    Submission
    All text based assignments must be submitted via MyUni.
    Please refer to step by step instructions: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/myuni/tutorials/files/AssignmentStudentSubmission.pdf

    There are a few points to note about the submission of assignments:
    • Assignment Submission:  Assignments should not be emailed to the instructor; they must be lodged via the MyUni Course site (unless specified to do both). Note that assignments may be processed via TURNITIN, which is an online plagiarism prevention tool.
    • Cover Sheet:  Please submit, separate to your assignment, the completed University of Adelaide Assessment Cover Sheet providing details of yourself and your team members (if applicable), your assignment, the course, date submitted, etc. as well as the declaration signed by you that this is your (your team’s) work.  Note that the declaration on any electronically submitted assignment will be deemed to have the same authority as a signed declaration.
    • Backup Copy of Assignments:  You are advised to keep a copy of your assignments in case the submitted copy goes missing.  Please ensure that all assignment pages are numbered. If your assignment contains confidential information, you should discuss any concerns with the Course Lecturer prior to submission.
    • Extensions of Time:  Any request for an extension of time for the submission of an assignment should be made well before the due date of the assignment to the Course Lecturer.  Normally, extensions will only be granted for a maximum of two weeks from the original assignment submission date.  Extensions will only be granted in cases of genuine extenuating circumstances and proof, such as a doctor’s certificate, may be required.
    • Failure to submit: Failure to submit an assignment on time or by the agreed extension deadline may result in penalties and may incur a fail grade.  Note that a late penalty of 5% of the total available marks for that assessment item will be incurred each day an assignment is handed in late (Unless otherwise stated in 'Assessment Related Requirements' or 'Assessment Detail' above) Assignments handed in after 14 days from the due submission date will fail even if a 100% mark is granted for the work.

    Resubmission & Remarking

    Resubmission of an assignment for remarking after reworking it to obtain a better mark will not normally be accepted.  Approval for resubmission will only be granted on medical or compassionate grounds.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.