Energy transition and climate neutrality

The global transition to climate neutrality and a more sustainable energy supply means that net emissions of greenhouse gases will be gradually reduced. The demand to be able to estimate carbon footprints for energy carriers, processes, products and companies has therefore increased. The aim of the course is to become more familiar with both scientific and working life-related energy and material flow calculations that form the basis for such estimates and to gain a basic understanding of how the use of fossil and renewable energy carriers, energy efficiency, transport and production methods etc. affects carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions.

Course contents

The course deals with simple emission calculations for fuels (combustion), energy carriers (production of electricity, district heating) and various cases are analyzed (transport, company, product). Various examples demonstrate how factors such as the system’s location (geography), the time of the study, selected allocation principles etc. may affect the calculation results.

Learning outcomes

After passing the course, the student is expected to be able to

• account for the main sources of carbon dioxide emissions.
• account for the difference between biogenic and fossil emissions.
• account for the difference between direct and indirect emissions understand the concept of carbon dioxide equivalent.
• design simple systems that estimate the carbon footprint of energy supply and use find central literature on climate policy, emission calculations and emission coefficients, for example standards and recommendations.
• to find and be able to apply emission coefficients for different fuels, and understand why the coefficients may vary.
• to analyze other calculations and estimates made (for example based on system delimitation, accuracy, comparability and / or the transparency of reporting).
• to understand and be able to take a position on the workload and challenges, linked to the system being studied; for example a combustion process, an energy carrier or a product.

Completion methods

Written and oral assignments: Assignments and group assignments. Examination.

More information in the Åbo Akademi University study guide.

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