Energy, Environment and Sustainability

Code: EME13073L

6 ECTS

Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours

Scientific Area: Electrotechnical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Teaching languages: Portuguese

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English

Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

Learning Goals

This course aims to provide an integrated view of the scientific and technological aspects but also of the economic, environmental and social issues of energy production and consumption. The evolution of energy production and consumption patterns and the energy markets are studied. It is also addressed the development and implementation of technologies and policies for a more sustainable developed, and the incentives and barriers facing this implementation. To promote group work.

1. The Earth: land subsystems and their interaction. The main biogeochemical cycles. Resources: content, availability and strategic importance. Duration of resources and their distribution.
2. Sustainability and use of resources: Biocapacity and ecological footprint, the ecological balance, the water footprint and the carbon footprint. Energy and sustainability, life-cycle assessment in the context of sustainability. Diagnosis for sustainability in Portugal.
3. Energy sources: fossil fuels, nuclear energy and alternative sources (renewable energy). Energy and exergy analysis.
4. Energy: production, transmission, storage and consumption. The energy markets. Energy efficiency.
5. Energy and environment: pollution, greenhouse effect and climate change.

Teaching Methods

Lecture, practical and workshop. Assessment is performed with three examinations, individual projects and group projects.
Examinations (frequencies/exam): 40%
Individual projects and group projects: 60%