Energy in the 21st Century

Why should I take this Trinity Elective?

In 2023, over half of global electricity generation relied on fossil fuels, while wind and solar power, though growing rapidly, still made up just one eight.

But that’s up from less than 1% in 2004. It is not clear that the trend towards low carbon power generation is inexorable. There are many questions which are hotly contested, which need to be considered through critical thinking, rather than sound bites. For example: what are the practical limits of low-carbon energy technologies? How much energy do we need? How expensive is renewable power and is it a price that people can afford? What happens when the wind doesn’t blow, or at night when solar cells don’t work? In this Trinity Elective you will address the question of how the global community, and we in Ireland, should generate power for our sophisticated, comfortable, liberal civilization.

What will I learn?

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Quantify the scale of the global energy supply and demand challenge.
• Describe and critically compare various power generation technologies.
• Estimate the potential contribution of specific technologies to decarbonizing energy supply.

What will I do?

• Attend engaging lectures exploring the socio-economic, environmental, and technological aspects of electricity provision for the near future.
• Use an online tool to create your own comprehensive plan for decarbonizing a country's energy supply.
• Explore the interaction of weather and renewable energy generation using real world data.

How will this be delivered?

The module is structured to balance in-person lectures and self-directed learning:

• 30 hours of in-person lectures providing foundational knowledge and insights.
• 50 hours of reading and independent study to deepen your understanding.
• 10 hours of assignments focused on real-world applications.
• 2-hour final exam to evaluate your learning.

How will this be assessed?

• Final Exam (90%): A 2-hour exam at the end of the semester to assess your understanding of the module’s core concepts.
• Three Assignments (10%): Practical tasks to reinforce your learning and apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios.

Who can take this Trinity Elective?

This elective is open to any student eligible to take a Trinity Elective. If you’re curious about how we can balance energy demand, technological innovation, and environmental sustainability, this module offers the knowledge and tools to critically engage with one of the 21st century’s most urgent issues.

* Please note that assessment methods, assessment weightings and amount of contact hours are subject to change by the module coordinator. You can confirm all assessment details and expected contact hours with the module coordinator upon starting the elective.