Designing Climate-Neutral Industry and Electricity Generation from edX

This course is designed for the next generation of policy-makers, sustainability consultants or professionals and students from various fields who want an overview of climate change mitigation strategies in industry and electricity generation and apply them to their own projects.

This course covers a wide variety of topics in the industry and electricity generation domains, from the current situation to the challenging mission of becoming climate-neutral. Specifically:

Industry - You will learn about types and sources of industrial emissions. You will also learn about the existing technological options, methodologies and tools to mitigate emissions (mainly GHG) inside and outside the boundaries of the industrial plant.
Electricity generation - you will learn what the options are for climate-neutral electricity and review the strategies for dealing with the variability of renewable energy, as well as how energy system modeling is used to devise plans and policies for the energy transition.

The course includes videos, examples, interviews with experts, exercises and quizzes so that you can master and practice what you have learnt and explore mitigation strategies through real life examples. Enriched by relevant readings and discussion forums, this course will let you dive deeper into specific areas of interest you might have and further facilitate your learning experience.

Course material and exercises will be complemented by relevant content about policy, through which you will also discover current measures taken by governments world-wide.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Review the industrial sources of emissions and existing technological options to mitigate them.
Identify available methods and tools used to evaluate and deploy specific measures to mitigate emissions in the industrial sector beyond the boundaries of a single company.

Describe how the electricity system works and assess the resource potential, costs, and variability of different renewable generation options.
Explain the three main ways to deal with renewable generation variability and interpret energy system modelling results in order to quantify their trade-offs.

Review the industrial sources of emissions and existing technological options to mitigate them.
Identify available methods and tools used to evaluate and deploy specific measures to mitigate emissions in the industrial sector beyond the boundaries of a single company.
Describe how the electricity system works and assess the resource potential, costs, and variability of different renewable generation options.
Explain the three main ways to deal with renewable generation variability and interpret energy system modelling results in order to quantify their trade-offs.

Syllabus

The course is organized across four units:

1. Industrial sector contribution to GHG emissions and mitigation measures

In the first week of the course, you will examine the role of industry as source of emissions. You will discuss the metrics and indicators that can be used to monitor GHG emissions, and will come to understand the role of different mitigation options inside the boundaries of the industrial plant.

The content is split into six modules:

Industrial sources of emissions and main mitigation options

Gas, solid and liquid waste

Energy and material consumption and CO2 emissions

Heat integration

Renewable sources

Carbon capture, utilization and storage

2. System thinking in the industrial sector

In week two you will explore the main methodologies and tools that are currently used to evaluate and motivate climate change mitigation options beyond the boundaries of a single company. You will see that these measures have not only benefits, but also trade-offs.

The content is split into four modules:

Industrial Ecology and system thinking

Environmental life cycle assessment

Governance of integrated energy systems

Trade-offs, synergies and industry 4.0

3. Climate-neutral electricity: the pivotal role of renewables

In week three you will focus on climate-neutral electricity, especially renewables: wind, solar, water. These technologies are likely to form the backbone of any climate-neutral energy system, but you will also discuss them in the context of other options. The five modules are:

How the electricity grid works

Quantifying renewables costs

Quantifying renewables variability

Quantifying renewables resources

Other climate-neutral electricity technologies

4. Managing renewable variability and planning the energy transition

In the fourth and final week you will first systematically explore the available options for dealing with the variability of renewable electricity generation, before zooming out and looking at the role of energy system models in quantifying the trade-offs between different options and guiding policy and planning. The five modules are:

Designing for variability 1: Geographical balancing

Designing for variability 2: Storage

Designing for variability 3: Demand response and dispatchable supply

Examining trade-offs between different options: energy system models

Case study: Designing options for the energy transition

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Teaches how to assess the resource potential, costs, and variability of different renewable generation options

Develops skills in identifying and deploying specific measures to mitigate emissions in the industrial sector

Develops skills in evaluating and deploying specific measures to mitigate emissions in the industrial sector

Taught by Mar Pérez-Fortes, Stefan Pfenninger, Paola Ibarra-Gonzalez, Brendon De Raad, Gijsbert Korevaar, Jannis Langer, Francesco Lombardi, and Samantha Eleanor Tanzer, who are recognized for their work in climate change mitigation and energy transition

Examines the role of energy system models in quantifying the trade-offs between different options and guiding policy and planning

Career center

Learners who complete Designing Climate-Neutral Industry and Electricity Generation will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Industrial Ecologist

This course will introduce you to the field of industrial ecology, which is the study of the environmental impact of industrial systems. This course will help you develop strategies to reduce the environmental impact of industrial activities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Industrial Ecologist

Climate Change Policy Analyst

This course provides an overview of climate change mitigation strategies in industry and electricity generation. This course will help you understand the complex issues surrounding climate change and develop and implement policies to address them.

See salaries and explore the career path for Climate Change Policy Analyst

Renewable Energy Engineer

This course will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of renewable energy technologies, such as solar, wind, and hydro power. This course will help you design and implement renewable energy systems.

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Sustainability Manager

This course will provide you with the skills to develop and implement sustainability programs for businesses and organizations. This course will cover topics such as climate change mitigation, energy efficiency, and waste reduction.

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Utility Engineer

This course will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the electric power industry. This course will help you operate and maintain electric power systems and develop plans to meet future energy needs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Utility Engineer

Energy Analyst

This course will teach you the fundamentals of energy analysis, which is the study of how energy is produced, distributed, and used. This course will provide you with the skills to analyze energy systems and develop plans to improve their efficiency and sustainability.

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Environmental Consultant

This course will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of environmental issues and regulations. This course will help you assess and mitigate environmental impacts of industrial and energy projects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Consultant

Sustainability Consultant

This course will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of sustainability principles and practices. This course will help you develop and implement sustainability strategies for businesses and organizations.

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Carbon Capture and Sequestration Specialist

This course is a great introduction to the field of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), which is a process of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial and power plant emissions and storing it underground to prevent it from entering the atmosphere. This course will significantly reduce CO2 emissions from industrial plants by gaining knowledge of CCS technologies.

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Energy Efficiency Consultant

This course will teach you the principles of energy efficiency, which is the practice of using less energy to perform the same task. This course will help you qualify to help businesses and organizations reduce their energy consumption and costs.

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Systems Engineer

This course will teach you the fundamentals of systems engineering, which is the process of designing and managing complex systems. This course will provide you with the skills to design and implement sustainable industrial and energy systems.

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Chemical Engineer

This course will teach you the fundamentals of chemical engineering, which is the application of science and technology to the design, development, and operation of chemical plants. This course will help you qualify to design and operate industrial plants that produce chemicals, fuels, and other products in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.

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Wind Turbine Technician

This course may be helpful for Wind Turbine Technicians as it covers topics such as climate-neutral electricity and managing renewable variability.

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Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator

This course may be helpful for Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators as it covers topics such as industrial sources of emissions and mitigation measures, and system thinking in the industrial sector.

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Water Resources Engineer

This course may be helpful for Water Resources Engineers as it covers topics such as climate-neutral electricity and managing renewable variability.

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