23-31.38.222 Energy SystemTransformation - Insights from Physics and Socio-Economic Sciences

Instructors: Prof. Dr. Hartwig Spitzer; Prof. Dr. Jana-Michaela Timm

Event type: Seminar

Displayed in timetable as: 23-31.SustS20

Hours per week: 2

Credits: 6,0

Language of instruction: German

Min. | Max. participants: - | 20

Comments/contents:
This interdisciplinary seminar will be held in German.

Our seminar addresses the highly up-to-date issues of the energy transition and focuses on questions such as: "Will the energy transition succeed?" "On whom does this depend?". Together with the students, we will look at the different levels of actors and effects that have to come together in order to realize a climate-neutral economy and a climate-neutral way of living in our society. We focus on technical, societal and individual levels. The starting point is the assumption that we need an interplay between the economic implementation, technical-physical solutions as well as the creation of the necessary structural framework conditions, which are realized by the politically and socially responsible persons in order to create a change.

In this context, economics and physics are two essential scientific disciplines that can contribute to these levels of actors and effects from a complementary perspective. Physics looks at the scientific fundamentals and the technical possibilities or risks. Economics deals with the financial, social, and political possibilities of an alternative way of life and energy supply. Together, these two disciplines provide valuable insights into the prerequisites for a successful energy transition.

Students learn that they can be involved at all levels of impact. Because the new employment opportunities in the course of energy transition need economists and physicists with a view on both aspects: Technology and social conditions. The basic interdisciplinary knowledge for this is acquired by the students in our seminar. Specifically, in the final workshop we want to deepen the following concepts:
- Joint reflection process on the contents of the seminar.
- Linking of the individual seminar contributions ("red thread" elaboration)
- Identification of conflicting goals and development of proposed solutions
- Small group work with as much speaking time as possible