Energy Landscapes – Geographical Dimensions of Energy Systems

Globally increasing energy demands and the current extension of renewables place multiple pressures on the earth’s environmental resources. The space-intensive character of climate mitigation through solar-, wind-, hydro- or bio-energy, can lead to land use conflicts with nature conservation and food production. Beyond in-situ effects for land-use systems in advanced countries, climate protection objectives foster the global sprawl of green energy technologies, again with space-intensive ex-situ effects for emerging and developing countries. Against this background, the Seminar aims to provide an introduction into basics and potentials of renewable energy technologies, and discusses opportunities, implications and risks of the current paradigm shift from ‘energy for space’ (i.e. the centralized energy supply in the industrial period) to ‘energy from space’ in the current post-industrial period.

1) Energy basics and the role of geographical space

2a) The current fossil-nuclear energy system – resources and risks

2b) Climate change and mitigation options – pathways and scenarios for a paradigm shift in energy supply

3) Solar energy – potentials, technologies, utilization and implications

4) Bio energy – potentials, technologies, utilization and implications

5) Hydro energy – potentials, technologies, utilization and implications

6) Wind energy – potentials, technologies, utilization and implications

7) Other renewables – potentials, technologies, utilization and implications

8a) Infrastructures and networks

8b) Integrated assessment of energy pathways

9a) Carbon capture and storage – options and consequences for land use management

9b) Sustainable energy transition – challenges and opportunities