ONLINE - Institutions and Public Regulation - Smart Energy (2020)

Welcome to ONLINE PhD course: Institutions and Public Regulation - Options for Planning and Managing Technological Innovation for Smart Energy Systems

Description: 

A “business-as-usual” energy scenario may be changed into a scenario based on renewable energy and flexibility. Going towards 100% renewable energy systems requires Smart energy systems. But what are the demands of institutions, organisations, and public regulation on the technological trajectory of this change?

The aim of this course is to enable the PhD researcher to analyse the interplay between technological innovation and the institutional/regulatory framework in which it is embedded. The PhD course focuses on the energy sector, but its content is also applicable to other institutional and regulatory frameworks where radical technological changes are investigated.

The objective is for you to use the content as an inspiration for an article or for your dissertation.

The course enables you to use cases for examining institutions and public regulation and raises an awareness of different innovation paths. Initially, you will be introduced to theories of markets, public regulation, and innovation, and to methodologies to research the mechanisms within these areas. Cases are presented which may illustrate that technological trajectories are closely linked to different institutional and regulatory models and actors. Case themes include: Privatisation and liberalisation programmes, ownership models, regulation of natural monopolies, public-private partnerships, EU renewable energy policy, CO2 trading schemes, green certificates, bottom-up and top-down technological innovation, strategic energy planning and others.


Preparation and assignment:

Before the course (no later than 30-11-2020) please prepare and upload (in Moodle) a document with a problem description of max. 2 pages including:

   a. Choice and description of a relevant technical solution in your Ph.D. project
   b. Describe the role of the technical solution and interplay with the energy system
   c. Describe and discuss the current economic, political and/or social conditions of the technical solution
   d. Based on a-c, formulate relevant problems/research questions with regard to the implementation of the technical solution
   e. Formulate initial ideas for policy changes

    Day 1:
    f.  Short pitch (2 minutes) of your problem description at the start of the course
    g. You will be divided into groups. In the groups, please read each others' assignment papers and discuss how the group members can work with their assignments during the course as well as relate the course content in provided lectures and readings. Guidance from lecturers available.

    Day 2:
    h. Please work on your assignments and prepare your presentations for day 3. Formulate concrete policy proposals during the course and present them on day 3. If relevant, present ideas for a research paper on the topic
    i. During the last two hours (15.00-17.00), "pitch" your presentations in the group. Guidance from lecturers available.

    Day 3:
    j. Final presentations – about 5 min each.

Group 1: Harrison, Maria, Jussi, Darren
Group 2: Magnus, Meng, Siavash, Vitalii
Group 3: Thomas, Jaqueline, Henrique
Group 4: Andrei, Mohammed, Yudha

Organizer: Brian Vad Mathiesen bvm@plan.aau.dk

Lecturers:  Brian Vad Mathiesen bvm@plan.aau.dk, Karl Sperling , Søren Djørup, Peter Sorknæs, Peter Karnøe, Frede Hvelplund, Member of Parliament Martin Lidegaard (tbc), Head of Energy Economics at Ørsted Lykke Mulvad Jeppesen (tbc), Consultant and former Head of Section in the Danish Energy Agency Ole Odgaard (tbc)

ECTS: 2,5

Time: 1-3 December 2020

Place:  ONLINE via a platform to be announced. You will receive a link.

Number of seats: 40

Deadline: 25 November 2020

Important information concerning PhD courses: We have over some time experienced problems with no-show for both project and general courses. It has now reached a point where we are forced to take action. Therefore, the Doctoral School has decided to introduce a no-show fee of DKK 3,000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately three months before start. This can hopefully also provide new students a chance to register for courses during the year. We look forward to your registrations.