ENVI3114: Semester 2, 2021

University home

Library

Current students

Staff intranet

Find an event

Give

Current students

Units ENVI3114 Semester 2 2021 [Normal day]

Unit of study_

ENVI3114: Energy and the Environment

Overview

This unit covers many aspects of energy and the environment: energy resources and use; electrical power generation including fossil fuelled and alternate methods; environmental impacts of energy use and power generation including greenhouse gas emissions; transportation and pollution; energy management in buildings; solar thermal energy, photovoltaics, wind power and nuclear energy; embodied energy and net emissions analysis and, importantly, socio-economic and political issues related to energy provision.

Details

Academic unit	Physics Academic Operations
Unit code	ENVI3114
Unit name	Energy and the Environment
Session, year ?	Semester 2, 2021
Attendance mode	Normal day
Location	Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Credit points	6

Enrolment rules

Prohibitions ?	ENVI3001 or PHYS3600
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points of 2000-level units
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	Junior Physics units or Intermediate Environmental Science units
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff and contact details

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	Written task take-home assignment on an energy-related topic	50%	Formal exam period	3 weeks after release
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Seminar presentation in groups of two, students will prepare and present a particular topic	20%	Multiple weeks	up to 10 mins
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Quizzes 4 online quizzes at beginning of lecture	10%	Multiple weeks	10 mins
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Calculation task take-home calculation assessment based on the tutorials	20%	Week 12	2 weeks after release
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

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.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Distinction	75 - 84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Credit	65 - 74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Pass	50 - 64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/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.

Special consideration

If you experience short-term circumstances beyond your control, such as illness, injury or misadventure or if you have essential commitments which impact your preparation or performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

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.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	1. Socio-economic aspects of energy; 2. Introduction to energy forms and units	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 01	1. Welcome; 2 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	Seminar (1 hr)
Week 04	Electricity Networks	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Calculations	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?	Seminar (1 hr)
Week 06	Solar	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Solar technology: options and limitations	Seminar (1 hr)
Week 07	Other renewable energy technologies	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Calculations 2	Seminar (1 hr)
Week 08	Energy storage	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Energy research policy	Seminar (1 hr)
Week 09	Guest lecture: the Business approach to renewables (tbc)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Calculations 3	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 10	Nuclear energy	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Does nuclear energy have a future in Australia	Seminar (1 hr)
Week 11	Transport systems	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	How do we solve the mobility problem?	Seminar (1 hr)
Week 12	Buildings and energy conservation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Buildings and planning	Seminar (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Participation in the presentation seminar is mandatory for each student.
Required materials: You must bring your laptop/tablet to those session 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. have developed analytical skills for assessing energy issues
LO5. have demonstrated 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 the current general energy situation with social and economic factors, 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

Closing the loop

Sessions and tutorials have been improved based on student feedback and latest educational research.

Additional information

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.

Key dates
Key dates through the academic year, including teaching periods, census, payment deadlines and exams.
Student administration
Enrolment, course planning, fees, graduation, support services, student IT
Expectations of student conduct
Code of Conduct for Students, Conditions of Enrollment, University Privacy Statement, Academic Integrity
Academic appeals
Academic appeals process, special consideration, rules and guidelines, advice and support
Learning and teaching policy
Policy register, policy search
Financial support
Scholarships, interest free loans, bursaries, money management
Study resources
Learning Centre, faculty and school programs, Library, online resources
Health and support
Student Centre, counselling & psychological services, University Health Service, general health and wellbeing

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

Details

Enrolment rules

Teaching staff and contact details

Assessment

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Special consideration

Academic integrity

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Closing the loop

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect