Transforming Energy Systems: Why Governance Matters (FutureLearn)

Offered by University of Exeter,
Transforming Energy Systems: Why Governance Matters (FutureLearn)

Tackling climate change demands profound and rapid energy system transformation. Discover how effective governance enables this. Understand the importance of governance for rapid energy system decarbonisation. Energy governance includes the rules, regulations, institutions and politics that affect energy system change. Effective governance is key to the transformation of energy systems in order to tackle climate change with the urgency that’s needed.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

On this course, you will explore how and why energy systems need to change, and what this means for security, people and costs. You will also learn about the key elements of effective energy governance and explore real-life examples of energy governance from around the world.

What topics will you cover?

Energy System Transformation: changes, challenges and governance

  • What energy systems are for and how they work
  • Links between energy systems, climate change, air pollution and equity
  • Exploring energy system change through a 4D approach (decarbonisation, decentralisation, digitisation and democratisation)
  • The role of energy governance in system transformation

Emerging Energy Systems

  • How are the characteristics and operation of energy systems changing
  • What does a smart and flexible future look like
  • Changing value flows and new business models within energy systems
  • What does the energy transformation mean for current institutions?

People, Scale and Society

  • How is the role of people within energy systems changing?
  • What is meaningful consent and why is it so important?
  • What is local energy, why is growing in importance and what are the implications of this?
  • How can we best coordinate change across multiple levels of the energy system?

Energy governance change for rapid decarbonisation

  • How to co-ordinating the governance of electricity, heat and transport
  • The importance of a people-focused energy system, and how to get it
  • Examples of good energy governance from other countries
  • A fit-for purpose energy governance framework for energy system transformation

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

  • Explore the need for energy system transformation, ways to achieve it and the role of governance within it
  • Describe how the characteristics of energy systems are changing as they become smarter and flexible and what this means for institutions and system value streams
  • Explore how energy systems are becoming more localised and closer to people, and what the implications of this are for coordinating change
  • Identify what governance change is required to deliver a sustainable, equitable, affordable and secure energy system
  • Apply your knowledge of governance to identify suitable changes for rapid decarbonisation
Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Carbon Markets: Examining EU Policies for Transnational Climate Action (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
European University Institute - EUI

Carbon Markets: Examining EU Policies for Transnational Climate Action (FutureLearn)

Explore the current policies being created by the EU and assess their efficacy in promoting global climate action. Understand and evaluate the steps taken to create a climate policy framework. As the impact of climate change continues to affect our planet, it’s imperative that our global community fights to reduce their emissions and live sustainably.

Feb 28th 2022
5-12 Weeks
Sustainability of Social-Ecological Systems: the Nexus between Water, Energy and Food (Coursera) Coursera
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Sustainability of Social-Ecological Systems: the Nexus between Water, Energy and Food (Coursera)

In this course you will become familiar with the ideas of the water-energy-food nexus and transdisciplinary thinking. You will learn to see your community or country as a complex social-ecological system and to describe its water, energy and food metabolism in the form of a pattern, as well as to map the categories of social actors.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Climate and Energy: An Interdisciplinary Perspective (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Glasgow,CIVIS

Climate and Energy: An Interdisciplinary Perspective (FutureLearn)

Explore climate change issues from an interdisciplinary perspective to find innovative solutions for a better future. Gain interdisciplinary skills for climate change solutions. On this four-week course, you’ll join educators from ten universities on a virtual field trip to a remote Swedish island to gain perspectives on climate and energy from a multitude of disciplines.

Self Paced
4 Weeks
Act on Climate: Steps to Individual, Community, and Political Action (Coursera) Coursera
University of Michigan

Act on Climate: Steps to Individual, Community, and Political Action (Coursera)

Are you concerned about climate change? Would you like to learn how to address and respond to this challenge? If so, this course is for you. Act on Climate: Steps to Individual, Community, and Political Action is intended to help learners understand, address and respond to climate change as individuals and in partnership with their communities and political leaders.

Sep 7th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Energy, the Environment and Our Future (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Pennsylvania State University

Energy, the Environment and Our Future (FutureLearn)

Learn where we get our energy from today and why we need to change our energy system now, to avoid future changes to our climate. Our ancestors burned trees and whales far faster than nature produced more, gaining good from the energy but causing big problems. Today we burn fossil fuels, which allows us to live well, but will cause even bigger problems in the future.

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
From the Big Bang to Dark Energy (Coursera) Coursera
The University of Tokyo

From the Big Bang to Dark Energy (Coursera)

We have learned a lot recently about how the Universe evolved in 13.7 billion years since the Big Bang. More than 80% of matter in the Universe is mysterious Dark Matter, which made stars and galaxies to form. The newly discovered Higgs-boson became frozen into the Universe a trillionth of a second after the Big Bang and brought order to the Universe.

Sep 7th 2026
4 Weeks
New Energy Technologies: Energy Transition and Sustainable Development (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Grenoble Ecole de Management

New Energy Technologies: Energy Transition and Sustainable Development (FutureLearn)

Explore the development of new energy technologies and discover key energy challenges with this online course. In a world facing pressing energy challenges, the need for alternative energy and new energy technologies has never been more pressing. This course explores the new and upcoming technologies that may help solve some of the world’s biggest energy challenges - examining them from both a business and technological perspective.

Self Paced
4 Weeks
Ecological and Energy Transitions in Southern Countries (Coursera) Coursera
École normale supérieure

Ecological and Energy Transitions in Southern Countries (Coursera)

This MOOC is at the junction between the development of Southern countries and sustainable development. It has: 1) a macroeconomic and financial dimension, developed by Gael Giraud and Alain Grandjean; 2) an ecological and climatic dimension, developed by David Claessen and ENS speakers; and 3) a focus on Southern countries, developed by AFD speakers.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks