A major contemporary challenge is to achieve a shift towards more sustainable systems of energy provision. Renewable energy sources are a key ingredient of such transitions, but delivering an expansion of renewable energy raises big issues for the relationship between society, energy, government and the landscape. This places planning in a pivotal position, and it is the role of this module to develop an advanced understanding of the roles that planning can perform.

After introducing students to key technologies, trends and patterns in the development of renewable energy – organised with theories of ‘transition pathways’ – the module provides the following: an outline and analysis of the conventional role of planning in renewable energy decision-making; the role of zoning strategies and new infrastructure decision-making regimes; the role of planning and other actions (such as fostering community-ownership of renewable energy) in fostering wider societal support; more radical energy planning ideas, such as the pursuit of 100% renewable systems, linking electricity, heat and transport.

1. Understand the various factors shaping the emergence and expansion of different renewable energy technologies, including resource availability and market structures;
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of key planning strategies for promoting renewable energy (zoning, centralisation, and local energy planning)
3. Develop a nuanced understanding of society-energy relations, as revealed and shaped by planning, including the limits of ‘NIMBY’ concepts, and ways of fostering better societal engagement
4. Evaluate the merits of different renewable energy pathways, those based on large-scale centralised infrastructures and more decentralised systems

The module will be delivered through lectures and seminars, in-person and on campus unless mitigating circumstances arise. Seminars will enable small group discussion about key issues relevant to the module. Students are expected to engage with additional module content on Learning Central e.g. readings or other material, to prepare for lectures and seminars, and to supplement and deepen taught components.

• Students will be required to interpret and critically evaluate planning approaches.
• Students will be required to write well-structured and coherent analyses of different planning approaches and their effects on renewable energy development.
• Students will advance their understanding of public engagement in planning, and its effects on attitudes to development, and reconsider the salience of labels like NIMBYism
• Students will be able to critically evaluate changes in government planning policy, especially as they apply to major infrastructure.

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment takes place throughout the module.  There are learning checks in every lecture and the workshops which support the assessments provide an opportunity for peer to peer and tutor feedback.

THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REASSESSMENT IN THIS MODULE:

Re-assessment

Students are permitted to be reassessed in a module which they have failed, in line with University regulations. You will only be reassessed on the components of the module in which you have failed. The format of the reassessment will be the same as the original assessment and will take place in the Summer re-sit period.

Data collection and Ethical Approval

For some assessments, students may be required to collect their own data. In such assessments ethical approval from the School Research Ethics Committee must be obtained before data collection can begin. The module leader will discuss the process for obtaining ethical approval if it is needed in this module. Ethical approval is not needed for students using existing, open data sets (e.g. anonymised secondary data). This does not include social media data (e.g., Twitter or Facebook posts), where ethical approval must be obtained. The ethical approval process will take time and you are strongly recommended to adhere to the timetable outlined by the module leader to ensure you are not delayed in your assessment

Summative Assessment

The summative assessment of this module is in three parts. The first part, worth 10%, is based on the completion of five multi-choice tests. These are linked to the reading required to participate in the reading seminars, and are designed to encourage students to understand carefully the items they are reading. The tests will be administered on-line. The second part, worth 30%, is the production of a consultation response to a recent government consultation connected to renewable energy. The remaining 60% will be an essay, focusing on one of six pre-given questions

This module examines the role of planning in shaping renewable energy development. After introducing students to key technologies, trends and patterns in the development of renewable energy – organised using ‘transition  theories’ – the module covers the following: an outline and analysis of the conventional role of planning in renewable energy decision-making; the role of zoning strategies and new infrastructure decision-making regimes; the role of planning and other actions, such as fostering community-ownership, in fostering wider societal support for renewable energy; more radical energy planning ideas, such as the pursuit of 100% renewable energy systems, linking electricity, heating and transport. The principle focus is the UK, but the content will also draw on relevant experiences from Europe, North America and beyond.