Search result: Catalogue data in Spring Semester 2021

Environmental Sciences Master Information
Minors
Minor in Sustainable Energy Use
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
052-0610-00LEnergy and Climate Systems II Information W2 credits2GA. Schlüter
AbstractThe second semester of the annual course focuses on physical principles, component and systems for the efficient and sustainable supply with electricity, daylight and artificial light. This includes concepts of on-site generation of energy, building systems controls and human-building interaction. Additionally, larger scale building energy systems for districts are discussed.
ObjectiveThe lecture series focuses on the physical principles and technical components of relevant systems for an efficient and sustainable climatisation and energy supply of buildings. A special focus is on the interrelation of supply systems and architectural design and construction. Learning and practicing methods of quantifying demand and supply allows identifying parameters relevant for design.
ContentEfficient buildings and integrated design
Renewable, on-site energy generation
Daylight and artificial light
Intelligent buildings: automation and user
Urban energy systems
Lecture notesThe slides of the lecture serve as lecture notes and are available as download.
LiteratureA list of relevant literature is available at the chair.
151-0206-00LEnergy Systems and Power EngineeringW4 credits2V + 2UR. S. Abhari, A. Steinfeld
AbstractIntroductory first course for the specialization in ENERGY. The course provides an overall view of the energy field and pertinent global problems, reviews some of the thermodynamic basics in energy conversion, and presents the state-of-the-art technology for power generation and fuel processing.
ObjectiveIntroductory first course for the specialization in ENERGY. The course provides an overall view of the energy field and pertinent global problems, reviews some of the thermodynamic basics in energy conversion, and presents the state-of-the-art technology for power generation and fuel processing.
ContentWorld primary energy resources and use: fossil fuels, renewable energies, nuclear energy; present situation, trends, and future developments. Sustainable energy system and environmental impact of energy conversion and use: energy, economy and society. Electric power and the electricity economy worldwide and in Switzerland; production, consumption, alternatives. The electric power distribution system. Renewable energy and power: available techniques and their potential. Cost of electricity. Conventional power plants and their cycles; state-of-the-art and advanced cycles. Combined cycles and cogeneration; environmental benefits. Solar thermal; concentrated solar power; solar photovoltaics. Fuel cells: characteristics, fuel reforming and combined cycles.
Lecture notesVorlesungsunterlagen werden verteilt
151-0928-00LCO2 Capture and Storage and the Industry of Carbon-Based ResourcesW4 credits3GM. Mazzotti, A. Bardow, P. Eckle, N. Gruber, M. Repmann, T. Schmidt, D. Sutter
AbstractCarbon-based resources (coal, oil, gas): origin, production, processing, resource economics. Climate change: science, policies. CCS systems: CO2 capture in power/industrial plants, CO2 transport and storage. Besides technical details, economical, legal and societal aspects are considered (e.g. electricity markets, barriers to deployment).
ObjectiveThe goal of the lecture is to introduce carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) systems, the technical solutions developed so far and the current research questions. This is done in the context of the origin, production, processing and economics of carbon-based resources, and of climate change issues. After this course, students are familiar with important technical and non-technical issues related to use of carbon resources, climate change, and CCS as a transitional mitigation measure.

The class will be structured in 2 hours of lecture and one hour of exercises/discussion. At the end of the semester a group project is planned.
ContentBoth the Swiss and the European energy system face a number of significant challenges over the coming decades. The major concerns are the security and economy of energy supply and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Fossil fuels will continue to satisfy the largest part of the energy demand in the medium term for Europe, and they could become part of the Swiss energy portfolio due to the planned phase out of nuclear power. Carbon capture and storage is considered an important option for the decarbonization of the power sector and it is the only way to reduce emissions in CO2 intensive industrial plants (e.g. cement- and steel production).
Building on the previously offered class "Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS)", we have added two specific topics: 1) the industry of carbon-based resources, i.e. what is upstream of the CCS value chain, and 2) the science of climate change, i.e. why and how CO2 emissions are a problem.
The course is devided into four parts:
I) The first part will be dedicated to the origin, production, and processing of conventional as well as of unconventional carbon-based resources.
II) The second part will comprise two lectures from experts in the field of climate change sciences and resource economics.
III) The third part will explain the technical details of CO2 capture (current and future options) as well as of CO2 storage and utilization options, taking again also economical, legal, and sociatel aspects into consideration.
IV) The fourth part will comprise two lectures from industry experts, one with focus on electricity markets, the other on the experiences made with CCS technologies in the industry.
Throughout the class, time will be allocated to work on a number of tasks related to the theory, individually, in groups, or in plenum. Moreover, the students will apply the theoretical knowledge acquired during the course in a case study covering all the topics.
Lecture notesPower Point slides and distributed handouts
LiteratureIPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C, 2018.
Link

IPCC AR5 Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report, 2014. Link

IPCC Special Report on Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage, 2005. Link

The Global Status of CCS: 2014. Published by the Global CCS Institute, Nov 2014.
Link
Prerequisites / NoticeExternal lecturers from the industry and other institutes will contribute with specialized lectures according to the schedule distributed at the beginning of the semester.
227-0664-00LTechnology and Policy of Electrical Energy StorageW3 credits2GV. Wood, T. Schmidt
AbstractWith the global emphasis on decreasing CO2 emissions, achieving fossil fuel independence and growing the use of renewables, developing & implementing energy storage solutions for electric mobility & grid stabilization represent a key technology & policy challenge. This course uses lithium ion batteries as a case study to understand the interplay between technology, economics, and policy.
ObjectiveThe students will learn of the complexity involved in battery research, design, production, as well as in investment, economics and policy making around batteries. Students from technical disciplines will gain insights into policy, while students from social science backgrounds will gain insights into technology.
ContentWith the global emphasis on decreasing CO2 emissions, achieving fossil fuel independence, and integrating renewables on the electric grid, developing and implementing energy storage solutions for electric mobility and grid stabilization represent a key technology and policy challenge. The class will focus on lithium ion batteries since they are poised to enter a variety of markets where policy decisions will affect their production, adoption, and usage scenarios. The course considers the interplay between technology, economics, and policy.

* intro to energy storage for electric mobility and grid-stabilization
* basics of battery operation, manufacturing, and integration
* intro to the role of policy for energy storage innovation & diffusion
* discussion of complexities involved in policy and politics of energy storage
Lecture notesMaterials will be made available on the website.
LiteratureMaterials will be made available on the website.
Prerequisites / NoticeStrong interest in energy and technology policy.
227-0730-00LPower Market II - Modeling and Strategic PositioningW6 credits4GD. Reichelt, G. A. Koeppel
AbstractOptions in the electricity business
Portfolio and risk management: valuation of hedging strategies, risk assessment
Hydropower optimization and hedging
Valuation of power plants with real options
Capacity markets and quota Systems
Complex energy contracts with embedded options
Strategy and positioning for utilities
ObjectiveThe students know the main derivatives applied in the electricity business. They are able to est up hedging strategies and can evaluate them. They habe a basic understanding of the optimization of large, complex hydro power plants, of capacity markets and of quota systems. They know the discounted cash-flow method and real options to assess the value of power plants. The students are able to identify the components of complex energy supply contracts and to assess the risk.
ContentOptions in the electricity business: option valuation with binominal trees, Black-Scholes formula, sensitivities (Greeks), implied volatility
Portfolio and risk management: delta- and gamma-neutral hedging, valuation of hedging strategies, risk assessment (case study)
Hydropower optimization and hedging
Valuation of assets (power plants, grids), DCF method, real options
Strategy and Positioning: Mini cases (group work)
Capacity markets and Quota Systems
Application of derivatives: complex energy contracts with embedded options, development of sales-oriented products
Credit Risk Management
Electricity marketing
Lecture notesHandouts - all material in English
Prerequisites / Notice2 day excursion, presentations of invited speakers from the industry

Moodle: Link
363-0514-00LEnergy Economics and Policy
It is recommended for students to have taken a course in introductory microeconomics. If not, they should be familiar with microeconomics as in, for example,"Microeconomics" by Mankiw & Taylor and the appendices 4 and 7 of the book "Microeconomics" by Pindyck & Rubinfeld.
W3 credits2GM. Filippini, S. Srinivasan
AbstractAn introduction to energy economics and policy that covers the following topics: energy demand, investment in energy efficiency, investment in renewables, energy markets, market failures and behavioral anomalies, market-based and non-market based energy and climate policy instruments in industrialized and developing countries.
ObjectiveThe students will develop an understanding of economic principles and tools necessary to analyze energy issues and to understand energy and climate policy instruments. Emphasis will be put on empirical analysis of energy demand and supply, market failures, behavioral anomalies, energy and climate policy instruments in industrialized and developing countries, and investments in renewables and in energy-efficient technologies.
ContentThe course provides an introduction to energy economics principles and policy applications. The first part of the course will introduce the microeconomic foundation of energy demand and supply as well as market failures and behavioral anomalies. In a second part, we introduce the concept of investment analysis (such as the NPV) in the context of renewable and energy-efficient technologies. In the last part, we use the previously introduced concepts to analyze energy policies: from a government perspective, we discuss the mechanisms and implications of market oriented and non-market oriented policy instruments as well as applications in developing countries.

Throughout the entire course, we combine the material with insights from current research in energy economics. This combination will enable students to understand standard scientific literature in the field of energy economics and policy. Moreover, the class aims to show students how to relate current issues in the energy and climate spheres that influence industrialized and developing countries to insights from energy economics and policy.

Course evaluation: at the end of the course, there will be a written exam covering the topics of the course.
Prerequisites / NoticeIt is recommended for students to have taken a course in introductory microeconomics. If not, they should be familiar with microeconomics as in, for example, "Microeconomics" by Mankiw & Taylor and the appendices 4 and 7 of the book "Microeconomics" by Pindyck & Rubinfeld.
529-0191-01LElectrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage TechnologiesW4 credits3GL. Gubler, E. Fabbri, J. Herranz Salañer
AbstractThe course provides an introduction to the principles and applications of electrochemical energy conversion (e.g. fuel cells) and storage (e.g. batteries) technologies in the broader context of a renewable energy system.
ObjectiveStudents will discover the importance of electrochemical energy conversion and storage in energy systems of today and the future, specifically in the framework of renewable energy scenarios. Basics and key features of electrochemical devices will be discussed, and applications in the context of the overall energy system will be highlighted with focus on future mobility technologies and grid-scale energy storage. Finally, the role of (electro)chemical processes in power-to-X and deep decarbonization concepts will be elaborated.
ContentOverview of energy utilization: past, present and future, globally and locally; today’s and future challenges for the energy system; climate changes; renewable energy scenarios; introduction to electrochemistry; electrochemical devices, basics and their applications: batteries, fuel cells, electrolyzers, flow batteries, supercapacitors, chemical energy carriers: hydrogen & synthetic natural gas; electromobility; grid-scale energy storage, power-to-gas, power-to-X and deep decarbonization, techno-economics and life cycle analysis.
Lecture notesall lecture materials will be available for download on the course website.
Literature- M. Sterner, I. Stadler (Eds.): Handbook of Energy Storage (Springer, 2019).
- C.H. Hamann, A. Hamnett, W. Vielstich; Electrochemistry, Wiley-VCH (2007).
- T.F. Fuller, J.N. Harb: Electrochemical Engineering, Wiley (2018)
Prerequisites / NoticeBasic physical chemistry background required, prior knowledge of electrochemistry basics desired.
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