ECONOMICS OF ENERGIES SOURCES

Single discipline educational activity

Course Sheet

Course code:

LM57012

Academic Year of enrolment:

2018

Year of supply:

2019/2020

Type of Course:

Elective Course

Degree:

Course of 2nd Cycle Degree in MANAGEMENT, FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT

Disciplinary Sector:

Commodity Studies

Location:

PESCARA

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

DEL SIGNORE Antonella

Cycle:

First semester

Hours of classroom activity:

Individual study hours:

153

Prerequisites:

there are none

Objectives

Educational objectives
- Energy study as a factor of production and development.
- Show the international and national picture of the situation of energy resources.
- Provide knowledge on economic indices based on energy consumption in order to make comparisons between economic systems, industrial sectors and individual industries.
- Emphasize the professional function of the Energy Manager.

Expected learning outcomes
KNOWLEDGE
Since the current civilization is characterized by the enormous progress made in the scientific and technological field, at the end of the course the students will be in possession of the cognitive tools for:
explain the economic facts related to energy sources, starting from the examination of the technical aspects;
- analyze the environmental effects of energy production.
CAPACITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
At the end of the course students will be able to:
- apply knowledge to the identification of the main critical issues
relating to the forms of energy currently used and potentially usable.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
At the end of the course the students will have acquired the following skills
communication:
- know how to use economic language adequately
- to expose and rigorously discuss the technical-economic reports relating to the topics studied.

Contents

The course will be carried out in an interdisciplinary way trying to make the facts and the technical aspects of the energy sources in connection with the economic aspects of this sector. In fact, if on the one hand it is quite easy to find documents on the technical aspects of energy, on energy sources and on “machines”, or find manuals and treatises concerning exclusively economic aspects of energy, on the other hand it is more difficult to find literature that consider the technical aspects of energy sources to explain the economic facts related to them. This is particularly important for the analysis of the environmental effects of energy production.
Since the current civilization is characterized by the enormous progress made in the scientific and technological field, economists will be able to perform their functions better if they take into account the technical content of economic problems.
The various topics will be treated in such a way as to contain a historical part, a technical part with the most important energy production cycles and an economic-commercial part.

Extended Syllabus

Part I
- Energy in general. Energy sources. Classification and type. Energy measurement. Earnings. Thermoeconomics. Historical aspects of the engines and their technical evolution.
- Resources and reserves. World energy supply situation. The demand for energy. Energy intensity and the causes of change in energy demand. The Italian energy balance.
Part II
- Fossil fuels: generalities, historical aspects, resources and reserves, chemical energy. Coal: historical aspects. Classification of carbons. Coal transformation processes. Production and uses. International coal trade.
- Oil. Historical aspects. Research and extraction. Production and international trade. Oil refining cycle. Petroleum products: evolution of demand. Oil industry organization. The oil companies. Evolution of oil contracts.
- Natural gas: technical aspects. Uses. Reserves, production, transport, trade. Italian situation.
- Nuclear energy: historical aspects. Nuclear fuel cycle. Enrichment processes: technical and economic aspects. Location of nuclear power plants and environment. Functioning and characteristics of nuclear power plants: types of reactors. Uranium market and evolution of enrichment services contracts. The confinement of radioactive waste: technical aspects and microeconomic and macroeconomic factors that affect its economy.
Part III
- Renewable energy sources: geothermal, wind, solar, biomass, mini-hydraulics. Technical and economic aspects.
- Electricity: historical and technical aspects. Hydroelectric and thermoelectric power: technical and economic comparisons. The cost of producing electricity from the various primary sources. Electricity market and international exchanges. Load diagram. Rates. The electrical intensity: two case studies compared.
- Energy saving: rational use of energy and energy management. Energy management.
- Risks in energy production: for humans and the environment. Comparisons between different sources. Environmental impact assessment.

Recommended Bibliography

Mario Giaccio, Tecnologia ed Economia delle Fonti di Energia, Libreria dell’Università Editrice, Pescara, 2000.
Material provided by the professor

Teaching Methods

The lesson course is divided into 72 hours of frontal teaching which provide a strong interactive component between teacher and students

Evaluation methods

Verification of learning:

The verification of the preparation of the students will take place through an interview (oral exam) on the subjects being taught. The evaluation will be expressed in thirtieths.

Contacts/More Information

email: signore@unich.it
days and office hours: Thursday 10-12

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

Aree

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