Course Outline

Economics of Energy, Resources and the Environment

• Identify the fundamental principles of the economics of natural resources;
• Explain the concept of external impacts of resource use and methodologies for supporting ‘the polluter pays principle’;
• Understand how a value is placed on environmental damage and the potential hazards of doing so;
• Explain the design and operation of the gas and electricity markets;
• Identify major factors impacting on the world oil market and their wider economic and environmental ramifications; and
• Describe the economic theory underpinning environmental regulation and critically discuss contemporary Australian climate change policy.

Energy Technologies

• Have an understanding of conventional energy technologies and their role in climate change;
• Be able to assess low carbon energy alternatives, their role in a decarbonised energy system and their impact on decision support tools in policy making;
• Have awareness of the impact of distributed energy generation resources on existing energy systems; and
• Critically evaluate the practical implications of achieving a decarbonised energy system, from an engineering, economic and policy viewpoint;

Law for Energy and Resources

• Understand the international legal framework for the management of energy and of natural resources and solve some key issues of international energy law;
• Understand the relevant legal framework for issues regarding climate and renewable energy law and explain some key concepts;

Resource Development and Sustainable Management

• Illustrate the differences between resources and reserves, and explain why and how resources are characterised and developed;
• Understand how key concepts in economics and finance can be applied to evaluating resource projects;
• Critically assess the major mineral and petroleum techniques, processes, methods and practices;

Project Management for Energy and Resources

• Define a project, its characteristics and the role of the project manager;
• Identify the causes of project failure and suggest ways in which these can be overcome;
• Explain the application of the theoretical frameworks within a project environment;
• Produce a project plan;
• Identify their own motivations, strengths and weaknesses as members of a project team.

Nuclear Energy

• A basic understanding of how nuclear energy is used to generate electricity
• An understanding of how fuel is extracted, processed and turned into fuel for nuclear reactors
• An understanding of the major issues associated with decommissioning of nuclear energy power stations and storage of spent fuel

Energy Efficiency and Conservation

• Understand key concepts and methods for energy efficiency and conservation;
• Learn energy management and control techniques;
• Take a systems engineering approach for energy management and conservation; and
• Understand Policy measures for energy efficiency and conservation.

Macroeconomics and Sustainability

• Explain the fundamental principles of macroeconomics;
• Describe how the government and central bank employ fiscal and monetary policy to achieve economic stability and growth;
• Understand the origins of the sustainability problem  and the concepts of sustainable development;
• Critically assess the relationship between economic growth and environmental quality; and 
• Understand contemporary issues in macroeconomics and environmental sustainability, including the role of public policy.

Big Data Analytics in Energy and Resources Management

• BDA origin, processing and handling;
• How BDA is used in other applications (outside energy and resource management applications;
• How BDA is used and how it can be used in energy and resource management applications;
• How BDA is used and how it can be used in future energy and resource management applications for changing behaviour