Energy Transitions
| Module title | Energy Transitions |
|---|---|
| Module code | GEO3159 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Karen Bickerstaff (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 80 |
|---|
Module description
References to a low carbon or net zero transition pervade discussion of energy policy, climate change, (geo)politics and general economic policy in the UK and globally.
Whilst energy transitions have unfolded at pace in recent decades, the goal of creating a low carbon energy transition remains a ‘wicked problem’ – a complex and intractable challenge, where our responses often have unintended consequences.
This module will offer different perspectives on these challenges and the theories, knowledges and interventions that are required for rapid energy transitions. It will address matters of technology innovation and economy – exploring the sorts of technology mixes and regulatory environments that are required to deliver system-level transformation. It will also ask a wider set of questions about the societal and spatial contexts that are critical to how, where and when energy transitions are happening: For instance, the cultural norms that shape changing patterns of energy consumption; the political economy of energy policy; the importance of place and identity in the trajectory of energy transition pathways; what energy citizenship and democracy does/might look like and what constitutes a ‘good’ energy transition – and for whom.
This module will offer you a range of perspectives on the drivers of and challenges to energy transitions - addressing an urgent topic that holds significant academic, policy and practical importance. There are no pre-requisite modules.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to provide an integrated and interdisciplinary perspective on energy transitions that addresses spatial, social and economic perspectives. It will offer you new ways of thinking about energy system transitions as a complex challenge that i) explicitly builds an understanding of socio-technical complexity and contested knowledge ii) explores different theoretical approaches to energy transitions and assesses their strengths and limits iii) equips you with a range of critical skills for the analysis of energy transition problems and solutions. We will look at case studies, particularly at the national and local level, which will give you real world opportunities to apply theory to practice.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Articulate the different approaches to understanding the spatial, social and technical dimensions of energy transitions
- 2. Articulate the value and limits to different approaches to understanding the spatial, social and technical dimensions of energy transitions
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Convey the different forms of knowledge and expertise that inform policy and action on energy transitions and the contingent, and an understanding of the sometimes contested nature of these knowledges
- 4. Analyse and evaluate proposed solutions at different geographical scales
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Communicate ideas, principles and theories effectively and fluently through written means
- 6. Demonstrate an ability to critically evaluate and synthesise data from a range of appropriate sources
- 7. Evidence in writing the ability to undertake self-directed study and research
Syllabus plan
The following provides an indicative guide to module content, where topics may vary from year to year:
Introduction to Energy Transitions
Energy transitions and economy
Energy basics and key transitions in power, heat and transport
Energy, the innovation chain and newer technologies
The economics of energy and policy examples
Energy transitions and society
Energy transitions as socio-technical systems
From behaviour change to social practice
Governing energy transitions: reducing energy demand
Energy transitions and place
Communities and lived experience: Place, identity and ‘acceptance’ of new infrastructure
Stakeholder imaginaries and engagement: socio-technical, spatial and publics
Towards place-sensitive, just transitions
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activities | 22 | Lectures and workshops |
| Guided independent study | 128 | Reading and preparation for assessment |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-class group discussion | 5-10 minutes per lecture | 1-6 | In class verbal feedback from lecturer |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 100 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exam | 100 | 2 hours | All | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam | Exam (2 hours, 100%) | All | Referral/deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to redo the relevant assessment. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Bridge, G., Barr, S., Bouzarovski, S., Bradshaw, M., Brown, E., Bulkeley, H., & Walker, G. (2018). Energy and Society: a critical perspective. Routledge
Grubler, A., Wilson, C., Bento, N. et al. A low energy demand scenario for meeting the 1.5 °C target and sustainable development goals without negative emission technologies. Nat Energy 3, 515–527 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-018-0172-6
Hansen T, Coenen L (2015) The geography of sustainability transitions: Review, synthesis and reflections on an emergent research field, Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 17: 92–109
Hulme, M. (2009). Why We Disagree about Climate Change: Understanding controversy, inaction and opportunity (Cambridge University Press).
Kuzemko C, Lockwood M, Mitchell C and Hoggett R (2016) Governing for sustainable energy system change: Politics, contexts and contingency, Energy Research & Social Science 12: 96–105
Schmidt, O. & Staffell, I. (2023) Introduction: Looking at the big picture. In: Monetizing Energy Storage. Oliver Schmidt & Iain Staffell, Oxford University Press.
Strengers, Y., & Maller, C. Eds (2015). Social Practices, Intervention and Sustainability: Beyond behaviour change. Routledge.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 26/02/2025 |
| Last revision date | 06/05/2025 |
