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PI5025: ENERGY POLITICS (2022-2023)

Last modified: 31 Jul 2023 11:19


Course Overview

History and politics of energy since WW2. Nuclear Power politics – rise, fall and non-rise?. Renewable energy politics, rise and stagnation or triumph?  EU politics of liberalisation and interventions such as the EU ETS. Environmental politics and oil; conserving nature and extracting oil Arguments about regulations on oil and gas, planning arguments, arguments about oil spills, protests (eg Brent Spar). The politics of natural gas. The case of ‘fracking’. The course will discuss how economics and politics interact. No prior technical or econometric knowledge is required for this course.

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Term First Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr David Toke

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Any Postgraduate Programme (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

History and politics of energy in the UK since WW2, with a focus on nationalisation then privatisation of oil, gas and electricity and its impacts, and recent emphases on climate change and energy security 2. Nuclear Power politics: The decline, and arguable rise of nuclear power. The interaction between the politics of Electricity Market Reform and business pressure 3. Renewable energy politics: the rise of renewable energy using international examples. The politics of renewable energy in the UK and how it is involved and affected by incentive regimes such as the Renewables Obligation and EU politics. 4. EU politics of liberalisation and interventions such as the EU ETS 5. Environmental politics and oil; conserving nature and extracting oil – what are the contradictions? What are the arguments about regulations on oil and gas, planning arguments, arguments about oil spills, protests (eg Brent Spar). 6. The politics of natural gas. The case of ‘fracking’.


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Essay (2500 words) - 50%

Exam (take home/open book) - 50%

Alternative Resit Arrangements

Second attempt at whatever part of the assignment the student failed.  

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
FactualRememberILO’s for this course are available in the course guide.

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