The ways how we produce and consume energy have far-reaching impacts on our economy, environment and society. This course focuses on energy problems and issues, and it aims to provide students a broad knowledge of the energy world.

This course is organized in four sections. The first section “Energy, Environment and Society” examines the three major dimensions of energy: economy, environment and society. The second session “Energy Basics” guides students to develop a critical awareness of the key concepts of energy and the principles of sustainable energy. We also examine various energy sources, from fossil fuels to nuclear power and to renewable energy, and evaluate their relative advantages and limitations. The third section “Energy Policies and Politics” provides a broad understanding of the energy policy making processes, and examples drawn from Hong Kong energy policies are used. The final section is “Sustainable Energy Applications and Case Studies”. It introduces some of the latest developments of sustainable energy applications. We will draw lessons from global experiences.