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67882-01 - Seminar: Positive Energy Districts: A New Way to Realize a just Energy Transition? (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Adam Hearn (adam.hearn@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Urban innovative areas such as Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) are thought to facilitate decarbonization by means of technological innovations in order to produce more energy than they consume. At the same time, these are people centered in terms realizing a high quality of life and social inclusiveness. The very idea of such districts fits into the shift from “energy transition” to “just energy transition”. However, realizing as well as analyzing such districts or neighborhoods that satisfy the underlying holistic equation of PED = decarbonization + innovation + equity considerations is more than challenging.This seminar is designed to provide different scientific approaches and tools to examine districts which are implemented or planned to be implemented in the near future. We start with an overview of PEDs, tracing their development as a concept. We will critically examine different PED and PED like projects in order to understand how these areas may bring both benefits and burdens to citizens by considering among others topics like energy vulnerability, innovation research, quality of life, actor coalitions, new sustainable business models etc. Additional guest speakers will give insights from economic and engineering perspectives. |
| Learning objectives | The aims of this seminar are to get the students acquainted with this innovative concept, to provide the students an interdisciplinary knapsack of how such socio-technical innovations in urban settings may be analyzed, and to learn in what respect scientific results may serve to help shape future policy making. From a practical point of view, upon completion of this course, students will have a good understanding of how innovative urban areas are planned, implemented and evaluated. They will have a core understanding of some of the most important barriers and opportunities that are faced in PED creation. Although some of these are case specific, learning about these will help to enable students to identify similar issues in other contexts. |
| Bibliography | 1. https://jpi-urbaneurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/PED-Booklet-Update-Feb-2020_2.pdf 2. https://jpi-urbaneurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/White-Paper-PED-Framework-Definition-2020323-final.pdf 3.Hearn, A.X., Sohre, A. and Burger, P., 2021. Innovative but unjust? Analysing the opportunities and justice issues within positive energy districts in Europe. Energy Research & Social Science, 78, p.102127 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2021.102127 4. Hearn, A.X., 2022. Positive energy district stakeholder perceptions and measures for energy vulnerability mitigation. Applied Energy, 322, p.119477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2022.119477 |
| Comments | Please note entry requirements and mandatory course application procedure (additional to registration on online services). MSD 2017 For students with focus area in social sciences the seminar is optional for the "Core Competences in Social Scienes" module. The recognition of credit points for the "Focal Areas in Sustainability Research" module (learning agreement) is possible for all MSD students. This seminar is offered by the MSD. Dr. Adam Hearn, post doc of the Sustainability Research Group, Dep. of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. |
| Admission requirements | Special course application required (for details see "course application" or "Anmeldung"). Limited number of participants (25): Students of the MSD and those of the JIDSD have a first priority. Students of the listed programs (see list of modules) have a second priority. If you don't study the MSD or one of the listed programs you must do a master's degree within the Department of Social Sciences/Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and may attend the seminar in case of vacancies (= priority level three). Participation requirement for MSD Students: The seminar is published in the Core Competences in Social Sciences module. Students who have chosen the focus area in natural sciences or in economics must have completed the Complementary Knowledge in Social Sciences module (at least 8 out of 12 CP). Content related participation REQUIREMENTS for NON-MSD/IJDSD-students: They must have passed succesfully one of the following lectures (= credit points already acquired) during a former semester: - 11513: Sustainability: A new Societal Paradigm? - 41829: Perspectives of Social Sciences on Sustainability. |
| Course application | Please note entry requirements. For details see section "admission requirements". Mandatory application for ALL! Link open from 15.01.25/noon-04.02.25/midnight: NOTE: Link only guides to the ADAM website. You have to DO THE LOGIN to get access to the survey. First emails with confirmation of participation will be sent out at the end of the first deadline. In case of vacancies the online application LINK remains OPEN until 27.02.35/noon. Course enrollment on online services should be completed by the beginning of the teaching period (withdrawal possible until Monday of teaching week five).Monday of teaching week five). |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Monday | 14.15-16.00 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Kleiner Seminarraum 02.001 |
Dates
| Modules |
Module: Core Competences in Social Sciences (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development) Module: Resources and Sustainability (Master's degree program: Changing Societies: Migration – Conflicts – Resources) Specialization Module Global Europe: Environment and Sustainability (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Compulsory attendance in presence, required readings, oral presentation, essay. Details according to information of lecturer. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration, dereg: cancel course registration |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,1 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | University of Basel |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Nachhaltigkeitsforschung |