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University of Padova

Electrical Industry: Production and Economics

University of Padova via FutureLearn

Overview

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Discover how electricity is produced and exchanged and the reasons behind it

This innovative, three-week course from the University of Padova is designed to illustrate how electricity is produced, and exchanged, and why.

Understand how electrical systems have evolved over time

Firstly, you’ll gain insight into what electricity is, what it is used throughout society for and how the electricity system has been evolving steadily over time.

You’ll then assess the importance of electricity within the modern world and will understand how it is generated and exchanged among the different players active in the entire electricity supply chain.

Discover the need to move towards a decarbonised economy

You’ll then explore the new challenges and perspectives of electricity in the 21st century posed by climate change, such as increases in temperature increasing our energy demand, changing our ability to produce electricity and deliver it reliably. You’ll then identify the need to move towards a decarbonised economy going forward, and will discover the ways in which this can be achieved.

Ultimately, the course will tell you how to understand all the components of your own electricity bill, with the end result being that you’ll be able to make the best economic and money-saving choice when choosing an electricity supplier.

Learn from an environmental and energy economics expert at the University of Padova

You’ll be guided throughout this course by an expert of environmental and energy economics at the University of Padova, who has written the worldwide reference textbook on this specific topic.

Hear from our courses team

You can sign up at any time. However, if you’d like to take advantage of feedback from the educators and your mentors, you can do so within this period:

April 5 - May 14, 2021

This course is designed for all those interested in learning how electricity is produced, exchanged and used worldwide.

This can include students of management, engineering, social sciences and environmental studies, as well as practitioners, consultants and people working within the energy sector.

Syllabus

  • What is electricity? Why is it important?
    • Introduction to the Course
    • Introduction to Electricity
    • Synthesis
  • How is electricity produced and exchanged?
    • Four ways to organize the Electricity Supply Chain (ESC)
    • The timeline of electricity production and exchange
    • Synthesis
  • How should electricity be produced and exchanged?
    • Optimal dispatching of electricity
    • A step towards real-world systems
    • Synthesis
  • What will the future of electricity systems look like?
    • The role of renewable energy sources
    • Do you know what you buy when you buy electricity?
    • Synthesis

Taught by

Fulvio Fontini

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