Special lecture of economics and politics in energy

Academic unit or major

Graduate major in Energy Science and Informatics

Instructor(s)

Koji Tokimatsu / Takehiko Murayama / Toshihiko Masui / Shin'Ya Kajiki / Ichiro Kutani / Akira Maeda / Ryosuke Izumida / Michio Hashimoto

Class Format

Lecture (Livestream)

Media-enhanced courses

-

Day of week/Period
(Classrooms)

3-4 Fri

Class

-

Course Code

ESI.B436

Number of credits

100

Course offered

2024

Offered quarter

4Q

Syllabus updated

Mar 14, 2025

Language

Japanese

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

The outline of the classes are as follows. It is required to understand various aspects of energy in society, industry, economy, and policy as well as technology. In this course, lectures compactly provide those aspects in view of risks in energy by explaining topics in the various fields. This provision enlightens students who will consider work in energy related industries. Considering technology-oriented students in our university, the contents starts from risks in energy technology, dynamism in energy industry, international affairs and market in energy, risks and management in policy. The lecture compactly gives essences in each and related fields and actual examples.
The aim of this course is for students from various origins and carriers after their graduations to understand various concepts related to the academic fields without any basic knowledge, and to give various knowledge and toolboxes to carry out their business after their graduation with memorize. This course SOLELY provides categorized and structured aspects of cross points in society, industry, economy, and policy as well as technology of energy. It is recommended to take this course for many students because it is consisted to be useful for business situations after graduation. The lineup of the course is listed as below to help students for course selection.
1. Risk governance of energy technology (prof. Takehiko MURAYAMA)
In order to deploy energy technology in real society, risk assessment and risk governance in energy technology to understand and deploy various background ideas such as technology and risk, social acceptance and phycology. Such ideas are understood via actual technology deployment of renewable energy and nuclear.
2. Research, Development, and Deployment (RDD) in energy technology (Dr. Shinya KAJIKI, Doshisha University)
Continuous governmental supports and private sector efforts had been paid to promote development of energy technology and resources, deployment, and dissemination. Historical examples are provided to be understood.
3. Global warming and mitigation in energy sector (prof. Toshihiko MASUI, Industrial Engineering and Economics, School of Engineering; National Institute for Environmental Studies)
Overall outline is provided for climate change science and mitigation, to understand importance of role of energy sector.
4. Dynamism in energy industry; power, automobile, and IT (Mr. Ryosuke Imaida, GF Research LLC, Founder & CEO)
Near-future trend related to energy industries are explained via analyzing the case studies; such as rise and fall of Japanese electric industry, cross-sectional fusion and competition in automobile industry (e.g., Google and Toyota) and smart grid (power, gas, IT, developer).
5. International order in energy and energy security (Mr. Ichiro KUTANI, Strategy Research Unit, The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan)
Near-future trend related to energy security issues are provided, starting from 1) price formulation mechanisms in international market in oil, gas, and coal, 2) international organizations like the International Energy Agency (IEA) for stabilization of price, supply, international trade, and order, 3) energy demand increase in China, India, and ASEAN countries, 4) Shale gas revolution in US, and 5) international affair in Mid East.
6. Economics and finance in energy market (prof. Akira MAEDA, the Univ. of Tokyo)
Lecture provides basics of asset market, price determinant and its volatility risk, and stabilization to understand financial engineering such as deliberative in energy market.
7. energy policy (a special guest speaker invited)
Lecture provides historical trend up to present of interpretation and evaluation over Japanese surrounding energy risks such as industrial sophistication, market stabilization, securing resources, by various political countermeasures (regulation, administrative directive, taxation, subsidy) and policy making process. Students can consider near-term desirable policy making.

Course description and aims

Following abilities are acquired through this course.
1) Understand and explain various concepts treated in socio-economics and policy of energy
2) Targets settings for various problems in energy and their solutions, to which you can apply the explained concepts and tools in the class

Keywords

socio-economics of energy, risks, management, industry, security, market, policy

Competencies

• Specialist skills
• Intercultural skills
• Communication skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

At the beginning of some 10 minutes of each class, a short review will be provided on the previous class, then proceed to the day’s class. The lecture is provided via zoom (livestyle).

Course schedule/Objectives

Study advice (preparation and review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

unspecified

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Course materials will be distributed. Related reference books are introduced in each class

Evaluation methods and criteria

every homework (10 point/times X 7 times) plus 30 point for a final report

Related courses

• ENR.A408 ： Economy of energy system
• GEG.S402 ： The economics and systems analysis of environment, resources and technology
• GEG.E421 ： Energy&Environment-1

Prerequisites

nothing