ENVI5707: Semester 2, 2022

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Units ENVI5707 Semester 2 2022 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

ENVI5707: Energy - Sources, Uses and Alternatives

Semester 2, 2022 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

This unit of study addresses physical principles and environmental impacts of energy generation and use. Different energy carriers, global energy resources, the economics associated with energy conversion, the politics and culture surrounding energy conversion and use, and renewable energy technologies are discussed. A key focus of the unit is on building numeracy skills for performing useful calculations related to energy and greenhouse gas emissions. This unit of study includes several field trips to energy utilities and associated energy sites.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Physics Academic Operations
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Arne Geschke, arne.geschke@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Arne Geschke, arne.geschke@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Amanda Irwin, amanda.irwin@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Essay/case study take-home assignment on an energy-related topic	50%	Formal exam period	3500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Seminar presentation In groups of two, students will prepare and present a particular topic.	20%	Multiple weeks	10-12 minutes, 1-2 pages
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Quizzes Online quizzes at beginning of lecture	10%	Multiple weeks	10 min
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Calculations assignment Take-home calculation assessment based on the tutorials	20%	Week 12 Due date: 30 Oct 2022 at 23:59	take-home assignment, two weeks time
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Quizzes: Combined marks of the quizzes (Week 4, 6, 8 and 11). Quizzes will be handed out at the beginning of the session and contain 4-5 multiple choice questions about the lecture contents.
Calculation assignment: One assignment based on short calculations. Questions will be handed out at least a week before the assignment is due. Assignments are to be submitted through turnitin via the Canvas site for this course. If there is no extension applied for, late submission will result in penalties. According to the University guidelines, there will be an immediate deduction
of 20% of the marks for the task, and then a further 10% deduction each day until the task is submitted. For practice, there will be exercise sheets given out during the semester, with worked answers provided later.
Essay/case study: Essays are to be submitted through turnitin via the Canvas site for this course. Early submission of essays is
welcome. If there is no extension applied for, late submission will result in penalties. According to the University guidelines, there will be an immediate deduction of 20% of the marks for the task, and then a further 10% deduction each day until the task is submitted. Guidelines for scientific essay writing will be discussed in class.
Seminar presenation: Preparation and performance in the seminars in which you are directly involved. The seminar assessments will be on the basis of material content, strength of the position put forward, and participation in the general discussion.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Energy – Socio-economic aspects and introduction to energy forms and units	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 01	Welcome and course introduction	Seminar (1 hr)
Week 02	Traditional energy resources and electricity generation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Electricity generation and how do electricity markets work?	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Australia's greenhouse response	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	Electricity Networks	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Calculations tutorial I	Seminar (1 hr)
Week 05	Life-cycle costs of electricity and practical aspects of energy use.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	How viable is new fossil electricity generation in Australia	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 06	Solar	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Solar technology: options and limitations	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Other renewable energy technologies	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Calculations tutorial II	Seminar (1 hr)
Week 08	Energy storage	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Energy research policy – clean coal, energy storage, H2, biofuels, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and fuel cells	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Guest lecture: the Business approach to renewables (tbc)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Calculations tutorial III	Seminar (1 hr)
Week 10	Nuclear Energy	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Does nuclear energy have a future in Australia?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	Transport systems	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	How do we solve the mobility problem?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Buildings and energy conservation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Buildings and Planning	Tutorial (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Tutorials: Students are required to attend the tutorials and seminars (either in person or remotely)

Requirements: You are required to bring your laptop or tablet to the lecture in those weeks when quizzes are scheduled.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. be aware of the profound importance of energy in modern societies
LO2. understand fundamental energy concepts such as energy sources, energy conversion and energy efficiency
LO3. make connections between energy use, energy technology, policy and sustainable development
LO4. develop analytical skills for assessing energy issues
LO5. demonstrate critical thinking in the seminars and in essays on topics relating different scientific aspects of energy use
LO6. have a good overview of renewable energy technologies
LO7. explain, with social and economic factors, the current general energy situation and how it is related to greenhouse gas emissions, then generalise these into different future energy scenarios
LO8. argue coherently for a particular point of view, both verbally and in a written form
LO9. do simple but comprehensive energy calculations.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Unit structure was redesigned following student feedback

Additional information

Site visit guidelines

Currently, no site visit is planned.

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

General Laboratory Safety Rules

No eating or drinking is allowed in any laboratory under any circumstances
A laboratory coat and closed-toe shoes are mandatory
Follow safety instructions in your manual and posted in laboratories
In case of fire, follow instructions posted outside the laboratory door
First aid kits, eye wash and fire extinguishers are located in or immediately outside each laboratory
As a precautionary measure, it is recommended that you have a current tetanus immunisation. This can be obtained from University Health Service: unihealth.usyd.edu.au/

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

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