TEK5420 – Norway’s Energy Transitions: Policy Directions and Challenges

Course content

Energy politics and policy form the background and the main concern of the course, which simply put is that in order to understand the energy transition we need to understand the role of interests, actors, and politics, that lead to certain policies and make others less likely to happen. The attention is primarily on the Norwegian developments, but frequently contrasted with examples from other countries. The course will venture into areas beyond the electricity sector, but the primary focus is on stationary, electrical energy. The course uses Norway as an empirical example, to enable the students to understand how political framework conditions are shaped by different factors - and how these factors again influence the energy transition.

The course will start by explaining how policy work is adopted and is shaped by what factors, before subsequent lectures will apply this to different empirical arenas and sub-sectors and the change pressure they are experiencing. Such arenas and sub-sectors include a general design of the Norwegian electricity sector (design and contingent shape and alternatives), solar PV prosuming in Norway developments, windpower licensing and how this is the primary reason for the current reduction in PV diffusion, as well as similar issues.

The course will have a primary focus on policy as a driver of the Norwegian energy sector transitions. A goal for the course is to communicate the importance of understanding political conditions, why and how these are not randomly shaped, and how they influence the direction of changes in the energy system.

Learning outcome

After completing this course, you will

  • understand how energy policy is formulated and adopted
  • understand how policy influences the direction of energy system change
  • be able to do a simple balanced explanation of energy policy development and design
  • be able to read and criticise social science academic articles about energy policy
  • understand the connection between stakeholder interests and beliefs, and how this influences policy design

Admission to the course

Students admitted at UiO must?apply for courses?in Studentweb. Students enrolled in other master's degree programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may?apply to take this course as a single course student.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.

The course is limited to 30 students. Students admitted to the programme Renewable Energy Systems (master) have priority.

The course is intended for all students at master's level and does not require previous courses within social sciences. It builds on and expands on knowledge and skills similar to that obtained through the bachelor’s degree program in Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Engineering.

Teaching

The course has 3 hours of lectures, seminars and group work every other week throughout the semester.

The course has 2 mandatory assignments which must be approved in order to take the final exam.

Examination

A final oral exam, in the form of a 45-minute presentation, counts 100% towards the final grade.

The mandatory assignments must have been approved before you can take the final exam.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.

Resit an examination

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are?offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.

Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pa