Course Description
Course Name
Energy And Environment
Session: VGSS3122
Hours & Credits
10 SCQF Credits
Prerequisites & Language Level
Taught In English
- There is no language prerequisite for courses at this language level.
Overview
This course will explore the underlying physical mechanisms of various methods of energy production, the principles of energy consumption and efficiency and their influence on environment and climate. The course will equip future physics graduates with a solid foundation in key physical principles and ideas that underpin climate change science and sustainable energy.
By the end of this course students will be able to:
? Demonstrate basic understanding of the physical principles involved in relevant energy sources (fossil, nuclear fusion and fission, wind, photovoltaic, hydroelectric, wave, geothermal etc).
? Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the various energy sources.
? Identify potential energy saving methods and to suggest improvements in energy efficiency of any specific system (from a single building to a whole country).
? Describe the relation between energy production/consumption and any potential climate change.
? Apply objective tackling methods for ?hardly-solvable? problems, focussing on scientific aspects, but also taking financial, ethical and political constraints into account (trade-off techniques).
*Course content subject to change