Summer School 2023
Overview
The transformation towards renewable energy supply is a main challenge towards a net-zero emission economy and one of the sustainable development goals. With this one-week block course we want to introduce and discuss the main forms of the future renewable energy supply such as base load capable hydropower and geothermal energy but also photovoltaics and wind power. As the energy source itself may be renewable and clean, its installation and employment may also have negative effects which need to be considered. During the course we will touch some details on technical aspects or renewable energy forms, but will also provide a foundation to understand their complexity with respect to geological, economical and social aspects and consequences and to discuss opportunities and risks for the individual renewable energy technology. The discussion on the future energy mix cannot be detached from the transformation towards decentralized power grids. We will also review advances and drawbacks of decentralized energy supply and challenges of this transformation.
Throughout the course, experts will address different topics of renewable energy supply in lectures, flanked by two excursions related to hydropower and geothermal energy.
Target Group
The Summer School addresses primarily PhD candidates in the field of environmental and climate research, but is also open for advanced students in related disciplines.
Confirmed Lecturers
| Lecturer | Institution | Topic |
| Nana Berdzenishvili | Cerberus Frontier Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia | Energy Transition Under the Guidelines of Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance |
| Prof. Dr. Alexander Colsmann | Light Technology Institute (LTI), KIT, Germany | Solar Energy from Plastic Foils |
| Rafael Finck | Institute for Industrial Production (IIP), KIT, Germany |
Current Status and Transition of Energy Supply in Europe |
| Dr.-Ing. Stephan Hilgert | Institute for Water and River Basin Management (IWG), KIT, Germany | Ecological Aspects of Hydropower Dams |
| Dr. Daniel Ketzer | Sustainability Office, KIT, Germany | Agrivoltaics |
| Dr. Daniel Ketzer and Markus Winkelmann | Sustainability Office and Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS), KIT, Germany | Research in Societal Responsibility – The LeNa-Criteria and their Application to Renewable Energy Research |
| Norbert Lewald | European Institute for Energy Research (EIFER), Karlsruhe, Germany | Wind Power |
| Prof. Dr. Jochen Kolb | Institute of Applied Geosciences (AGW), KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany | Lithium Extraction from Geothermal Brines |
| Dr.-Ing. Peter Oberle | Institute for Water and River Basin Management (IWG), KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany | Hydropower – Opportunities and Restraints |
| Dr. Sadeeb Ottenburger | Institute for Thermal Energy Technology and Safety (ITES), KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany | Challenges for the Future Energy Grid |
| Maria Papapetrou | School of Architecture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece | Renewable Energy Power Plants x Matters of Space, Design and Psychology |
| Prof. Dr. Frank Schilling | Institute of Applied Geosciences (AGW), KIT, Germany | Renewable Energy – A Key to Sustainable Development |
| Prof. Dr. Ingrid Stober | Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Freiburg, Germany | Shallow and Deep Geothermal Energy |
Cooperation
The Summer School is organized by the Graduate School of Climate and Environment (GRACE) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in cooperation with the Georgian Technical University (GTU) and the Tbilisi State University (TSU) in Georgia.
Information
Date: October 8-13, 2023
Location: Hotel am Froschbächel, Henri-Dunant-Platz 2, 77815 Bühl, Germany (Map)
Accommodation: Participants will be accommodated in single rooms directly at the venue.
Costs: The Summer School is free of charge for members of GRACE, including full board, accommodation and travel costs. Students from Georgia can apply for funding through the DAAD-SDG project.
Program: The final program can be downloaded here >> Program.
ECTS: 3
Application: Please apply through the registration form. The application deadline is September 4, 2023 for applicants from Georgia. Applicants from KIT can apply until September 13, 2023.
If you have any questions, please send us an e-mail at info∂grace kit edu.
