Examining the threat of climate change and the tools used to combat it 

Module details

  • Offered to 3rd Year students in Spring term
  • Thursdays 16:00-18:00
  • Planned delivery: On campus (South Kensington)
  • 1-term module worth 5 ECTS  
  • Available to eligible students as part of I-Explore  

This module will enable you to appreciate the challenge posed by climate change, and the technologies and systems that will be required to mitigate it. This will be achieved by introducing you to key mitigation technologies and giving you skills to perform basic economic analysis of the options. Lectures will also cover technoeconomic assessment and emissions estimation methods, possible future technology developments and approaches to systems thinking, as well as the policy background on climate change. 

You will learn about the technologies and systems for combating climate change and calculate performance metrics for these technologies. The module will also teach you how energy systems are interconnected, and how interdisciplinary approaches are needed to combat climate change. On completion of the course, you will be able to develop and analyse technical approaches to tackle climate change, while considering policy, regulatory, and social aspects. 

Please note: The information on this module description is indicative. The module may undergo minor modifications before the start of next academic year. 

Accordian

Learning outcomes

By the end of this module, you will better be able to: 

  • List and describe the key functions of technologies and systems that can be used to combat climate change 
  • Calculate key economic and environmental performance metrics for technologies that can combat climate change 
  • Describe how energy systems are interconnected, and how changes in one part of the system influence other parts across technical, economic and social aspects 
  • Analyse, understand and critique approaches to combatting climate change from a range of disciplinary backgrounds 
  • Plan holistic approaches to combating climate change, undertaking a robust techno-economic assessment and communicate this plan to a diverse audience in a convincing and inclusive manner 
Indicative core content

This module will look at: 

  • System approaches to combating climate change e.g., Carbon Trading, Tax & Offsetting 
  • Renewable Electricity Generation and Storage e.g., Hydro, Wind, Geothermal and other assorted electricity generation methodologies 
  • Carbon Capture & Storage 
  • Decarbonisation of End Uses (Transport, Buildings, Industry) 
  • Policy around climate change (e.g., EU-ETS, carbon leakage, grants/FITs/CfDs, efficiency regulation, etc.) 
Learning and teaching approach

This module will use lectures to provide context to climate change and ensure everybody has the required level of understanding of the factors influencing climate to assess mitigation technologies. There will be a series of interactive lectures (e.g., flipped classroom lectures, where you are given reading material on a given mitigation technology/methodology (e.g., CCS), you will then be given an introduction to the technical aspects of how the mitigation technology works, followed by a discussion led by you and your peers on the pros and cons of the technological approach). In the following lectures you will be shown how to perform a techno-economic assessment, emissions projection methodologies, as well as the policy background on climate change in various places (UK/EU/USA/China/Australia etc). 

Feedback drop-in sessions will be made available after online assessments, where you can ask questions about the topics with which you struggled in the quizzes.

You will receive verbal feedback on your presentations immediately on conclusion from the assessors, as well as access to a written feedback form on your presentation within 10 working days.

Assessment

Coursework: 

  • Online Quiz 1 - individual assessment (10%) 
  • Online Quiz 2 - individual assessment (10%) 

Practical: 

  • Debate/Presentation - group assessment (80%) 
Key information
  • Requirements: It is compulsory to take an I-Explore module during your degree (you’ll take an I-Explore module in either your 2nd or 3rd year, depending on your department). You are expected to attend all classes and undertake approximately 105 hours of independent study in total during the module. Independent study includes for example reading and preparation for classes, researching and writing coursework assignments, project work and preparing for other assessments 
  • I-Explore modules are worth 5 ECTS credit towards your degree; to receive these you will have to pass the module. The numerical mark that you obtain will not be included in the calculation of your final degree result, but it will appear on your transcript 
  • This module is offered by the Department of Chemical Engineering 
  • This module is designed as an undergraduate Level 6 course 

Got any questions?

Contact the lecturer
Adam Hawkes
a.hawkes@imperial.ac.uk