PHY3067	Energy and the Environment	2013-14
	Mr T.A. Mitchell, Dr M.E. Eames and Mr A.D.S. Norton
Delivery Weeks:	T2:01-11
Level:	6 (NQF)
Credits:	15 NICATS / 7.5 ECTS
Enrolment:	32 students (approx)

Description

Students will work individually and in groups in order to engage with the technical, economic and social issues arising from energy-use and environmental change. They will study these in sufficient depth to allow them to make informed and quantitative judgements about proposals to ameliorate environmental damage by policy and other changes. They also have the opportunity to exercise these skills by examining a 'real world' issue as the topic of a group research-project and report.

Module Aims

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the broad range of issues concerned in the relationship between energy-use and environmental change. Energy is mainly derived from fossil fuels; there are two problems with this energy source. The first is that it is finite, and so in the future we must move to sustainable energy sources. Secondly, fossil fuels pollute the environment on both a local and a global scale. For example the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are increasing, and this is likely to lead to global warming.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

A student who has passed this module should be able to:

• Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:
  1. analyse and compare alternative potential solutions to environmental and energy-supply issues using their knowledge of a wide range of energy technologies and energy-related environmental issues;
  2. in the overall context of the need to reduce global fossil fuel consumption:
     • quantify the scope for efficiency improvements in electricity production,
     • evaluate the relative potentials of a range of renewable energy technologies,
     • quantify and compare various economic demand management measures,
     • calculate heat loss from buildings and identify effective conservation measures,
     • distinguish between local and global pollution effects;
• Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:
  3. work in a group to analyse a problem and hence:
     • use literature and other search methods to acquire the necessary data,
     • order and analyse data from diverse sources to support an argument,
     • quantify each element and produce a rational comparison of options,
     • summarise the complex and difficult issues into a convincing conclusion,
     • write a convincing and coherent account of their analysis;
• Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge:
  4. distinguish between competing solutions by making a quantitative assessment of the efficacy of each;
  5. work in groups, i.e. define and share tasks, cooperate with others, discuss and form a consensus agreement;
  6. communicate a coherent and convincing technical argument in writing;
  7. communicate clearly with an audience by making a ten-minute oral presentation.

Syllabus Plan

1. Lectures
   1. Introduction and Energy Balance
   2. Energy Supply
   3. Fossil Fuels and Economics
   4. Nuclear
   5. Combined Heat and Power, Heat pumps and Geothermal Energy
   6. Biomass
   7. Solar Energy and Photovoltaics
   8. Wind Energy
   9. Energy from Water
   10. Transport Sector
   11. Energy in Buildings
   12. Environmental Impacts
   13. Climate Change 1
   14. Climate Change 2
   15. Future technologies
   16. Adaptation, Mitigation and Policy
2. Group Project
   Working in groups of 4 or 5, students will analyse and compare alternative approaches to a problem; possible topics include, for example, "Propose a series of measures which, globally, could be used to absorb or sequester 50% of the carbon currently emitted from burning fossil fuels", "Determine what fraction of the UK's requirement for electricity could be met from wind power", etc. A group will produce a report and present its findings to the rest of the class at the end of the module. (Refer to the table of Asessments and Assignments above.)

Learning and Teaching

Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Description	Study time	KIS type
16×1-hour lectures	16 hours	SLT
8×3-hour worksheets	24 hours	GIS
6×1-hour project sessions	6 hours	SLT
Reading, private study and revision	104 hours	GIS

Assessment

Weight	Form	Size	When	ILOS assessed	Feedback
50%	Worksheets	8×3-hours	Approximately weekly T2:01-08	1,2,4,6	Written
40%	Group Project Report	5000 words	Deadline week T2:10	1-6	Written and verbal
10%	Group Presentation	30 minutes	Week T2:11	1-5,7	Written and verbal

Resources

The following list is offered as an indication of the type & level of information that students are expected to consult. Further guidance will be provided by the Module Instructor(s).

Core text:

• Coley D.A. (2008), Energy and Climate Change: Creating a Sustainable Future, Wiley, ISBN 978-0-470-85313-9 (UL: 333.7917 COL)

Supplementary texts:

• Allaby M. (2000), Basics of Environmental Science, Taylor and Francis, ISBN 0-415-21175-1 (UL: 504 ALL)
• Boeker E. and van Grondelle R. (1995), Environmental Physics, John Wiley and Sons, ISBN 0-471-93931-5 (UL: 628 BOE)
• Boyle G. (1996), Renewable Energy - Power for a Sustainable Future, OUP/OU, ISBN 0-19-856452-x (UL: 333.82 BOY)
• Campbell I.M. (1986), Energy and the Atmosphere, A Physical-Chemical Approach (2^nd edition), Wiley, ISBN 0-471-90856-8 (UL: 551.511 CAM)
• Ramage J. (1997), Energy: A Guidebook, An Opus book, OUP, ISBN 0-192-88022-5 (UL: 333.79 RAM)
• Twidell J. and Weir T. (2002), Renewable Energy Resources (2^nd edition), F. and F.N. Spon, ISBN 0-419-12010-6 (UL: 621.4 TWI)

ELE:

• http://newton.ex.ac.uk/redirects/ELE/phy3067

Further Information

Prior Knowledge Requirements

Pre-requisite Modules	Thermal Physics (PHY2023)
Co-requisite Modules	none

Re-assessment

Re-assessment is not available except when required by referral or deferral.

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Time scale for re-assessment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Notes: Re-assessment is not available for this module.

KIS Data Summary

Learning activities and teaching methods SLT - scheduled learning & teaching activities 22 hrs GIS - guided independent study 128 hrs PLS - placement/study abroad 0 hrs Total 150 hrs

Summative assessment Coursework 90% Written exams 0% Practical exams 10% Total 100%

Miscellaneous

IoP Accreditation Checklist	Not applicable, this is an optional module.
Availability	unrestricted
Distance learning	NO
Keywords	Physics; Energy; Fuel; Fossil; Issues; Conservation; Range; Fossil fuels; Measures; Warming; Potential.
Created	01-Oct-10
Revised	12-Dec-13