Energy: first grid position in the race to a greener future
One day
Novice
Course details
Our daily lives are heavily dependant on energy but the way we produce, distribute and consume it can have a great impact on the environment. This is why in 2019 the European Commission announced the European Green Deal, a growth strategy to transform the EU into the first climate neutral continent by 2050, based on a significant reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and use of fossil fuels.
This course looks deeper into some of the practices, technologies, policies and lifestyles that can lead us to a climate-neutral and resilient economy, helping slow down global warming while ensuring affordable, secure and sustainable energy for businesses and households.
Target audience
Science teachers, high school students and the general public.
Learning objectives
At the end of the course, you should be able to:
- understand the importance and impact energy has on our lives and the implications of its excessive consumption on the (un)sustainability of our environment
- familiarise with actions and initiatives citizens and communities can take to limit their energy consumption
- discover the potential of solar energy in the clean energy sector, understand how solar panels work and build your own solar cell
- explain what energy efficient buildings are and how they can contribute to decarbonising the EU bloc; identify the benefits of nearly and net zero-energy buildings and learn to assess energy performance
This content is offered by the European Commission. The European Commission is the European Union's politically independent executive arm. It is alone responsible for drawing up proposals for new European legislation, and it implements the decisions of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.
Schedule
- General
- 1. Green Energy to Tackle Climate Change: from European Initiatives to Citizen Actions
- 2. Energy Efficiency and Energy Citizenship
- 3. Harnessing the Power of the Sun: Photovoltaics
- 4. Energy Efficiency in Buildings