Sustainable Energy Planning and Management

As a Sustainable Energy Planning and Management student at Aalborg University you learn to understand these issues. The broad knowledge you build within engineering, economics, and management prepares you for a leading role on the future energy market. Our aim is to give you a comprehensive understanding of the technological, institutional, and economic issues and methods related to energy planning and sustainable development. You acquire not only theoretical and methodological knowledge but also the practical ability to apply your knowledge to particular cases.

Sustainable Energy Planning and Management is an educational programme devised by a research unit called the Sustainable Energy Planning Group. The group resides at the Section of Technology, Environment and Society at the Department of Development and Planning at Aalborg University. The programme is hosted by the Faculty of Engineering and Science and is carried out in English.

Problem-based learning

Sustainable Energy Planning and Management offers you a combination of relevant academic courses and problem-based semester projects. As a student at Aalborg University, your work is divided equally between project work and lectures and seminars on particular subjects. Project groups of 3 to 6 students are formed each semester and are assigned a scientific supervisor. In consultation with your supervisor, you decide the subject and content of your projects. A typical project is done as a case study in co-operation with a Danish company, e.g. a local CHP plant. Project work is supported by a selection of specific courses and thematic seminars at the department or other related degree programmes. At the end of the project period, you submit a written project report and take the oral project examination.

How to study Sustainable Energy Planning and Management at Aalborg University
To enrol on the programme you are required to have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Science. In order to attend the programme, you have three possibilities:

• A one-semester guest study with focus on the corporate and/or the regional perspective
• A two-semester guest study including national and global energy
• The full two-year Master’s programme in Sustainable Energy Planning and Management
  

During the first semester, all students concentrate on courses and projects related to energy planning from a company's perspective. For students who choose to do a second semester, projects focus on energy planning from an institutional and societal perspective. If you complete the full Master's programme, the studies continue with a traineeship on the 3rd semester and a Master's thesis on the 4th semester.

Semesters

1st Semester: Projects, technologies, and corporations/companies
The first semester focuses on specific projects and energy technologies from a business-economic point of view. You will be introduced to theories, methods, and tools for evaluating energy projects in various corporate contexts.

2nd Semester: Systems, institutions, and society
The second semester focuses on entire energy systems, including institutional and societal perspectives. You will be introduced to theories, methods, and tools for evaluating energy systems and energy policies.

Here is an overview of the courses provided during the 1st and 2nd semesters:

1st semester

• Feasibility Studies 2 ECTS
• Research Methodology 2 ECTS
• Organisation Theory 1 ECTS
• Approaches to environmental problem solving 2 ECTS
• Introduction to Energy Systems 1 ECTS
• Sustainable Energy Systems Analyses 2 ECTS
• Fundamental Investment Theory and Excel 1 ECTS
  

2nd semester

• Policies, Institutions and Discourses 2 ECTS
• Theories of Science 2 ECTS
• Politics of Sustainable Development 2 ECTS
• Technology Transfer 1 ECTS
• Environmental Governance and Policy Instruments 1 ECTS
• International and EU Green Policies 1 ECTS
• Sustainable Energy Planning & Policies 1 ECTS
  

For the most updated information on courses and contents, check the study guidelines for the individual semesters (1st semester and 2nd semester).

These can to a limited extent and under certain circumstances be supplemented by courses offered by other relevant programmes at the university, covering topics such as:

• Energy distribution technology
• Wind power technology
• Energy resources
• Electrical and thermal conversion technologies
• Overall planning of energy systems
• Design and operation of energy systems
• Analysis, modelling and simulation methods in electric energy systems
  

Please note though that the university in general operates with predefined course packages for the individual semesters, so the flexibility is not as large as in some other universities.

3rd Semester: Traineeship or study abroad
During the 3rd semester, you do a three-month traineeship abroad or in Denmark. You are given a chance to apply your theoretical insights to a practical situation, in which you obtain not only practical experiences but also make contacts that may prove fruitful to you later. Hosts include utilities, consultancies, governmental organisations, and many others in Denmark and abroad. The actual choice depends on your personal preferences and your ability to secure a position. An alternative option is to enrol at another (Danish or foreign) university in order to undertake a one-semester study there.

4th Semester: Master's Thesis preparation
On the final semester, the main focus is on the writing of the Master's thesis. You work individually or in a small group with other students, and in co-operation with your supervisor. The Master's thesis, being the highest level of work undertaken, should aim at synthesising theories and methods in order to design a potential solution to real life sustainable energy planning and management problems.

The 4th semester may be combined with the 3rd semester to form an extended thesis. This is particularly relevant if, for instance, your research question demands more time for collecting data or conducting field studies. This option is not recommended for students without extensive experience in working on projects.