Course structure
Welcome to the course! The course focuses on the economic and policy related aspects of bioenergy development, including the methodological basis of the most common policy instruments linked to energy markets regulation, the different policy aspects related to the development and implementation of bioenergy markets, international governance, etc… The course will include several lectures structured around the main topics of the course. Each of the lectures will include readings and materials, in order to facilitate the student the understanding of the contents of the lectures and to expand the views hold by the instructor. This session will explain how the wiki-based page of the course works. At the end of the course there will be a final exam as well as practical group assignments.
The lectures are structured in main topics, related to the role of policies, market establishment and analysis, economic instruments and governance of bioenergy markets. Although each session is intended for one lecture, often it is developed throughout several sequential teaching hours, depending on the time table of each year and the course needs.
1. Background
why bioenergy? – oil crisis – current status
2. The role of policy
role of policy – externalities – policy layers
3. Economic instruments
supply and demand – taxation – subsidies
4. Adoption dynamics in bioenergy
spreading innovations – adoption curves – pioneers and laggards
5. Market behaviour
creating a market model – price reaction – gamification
6. Governance
conflicts – international agreements – current scrutiny
7. International bioenergy trade
pellets – long distance trade – main players
8. Bioenergy market supply
economics of supply chains
9. International policies
policy frameworks in other geographies
10. Future trends
foresight of bioenergy markets
Requirements and evaluation
Grading is from 0 to 5, with 1 being the minimum to pass the course, as standard in the UEF courses. 70% of the grade results of the final exam, and 30% of the assignments presented in the practical lectures. The assignments are obligatory to pass the course.
Teaching Methods
- Development of knowledge on the topic
- Pre-readings and open discussion of the topics
- Development of skills and practical knowledge
- Generation of new information and make it available