Sustainable Energy Technology and Systems (Bachelor)

The world's energy supply is facing a major challenge: in order to protect the climate, all current fossil fuels must be replaced by renewable energy sources. This affects not only the electricity sector, but also the heating, mobility and industrial sectors. To ensure that this happens without any losses, the Sustainable Energy Technology and Systems degree course deals with the overall system before, during and after the energy transition. In addition to new technologies, the focus is on increasing efficiency and sector coupling. Based on the engineering fundamentals, the various aspects and problems of the energy transition are examined in in-depth subjects.

The energy transition affects all aspects of life, meaning that graduates will find a broad field of activity in both small start-ups and global companies. Traditional energy supply companies such as plant operators, energy supply companies, grid operators and municipal utilities are looking for broad-based engineers with a system-wide overview, as are industrial companies that need to restructure their energy supply. In addition, there are the manufacturers of (new) technologies for energy generation, distribution, storage, conversion and application, particularly in the area of system design and integration. Planning and engineering offices as well as authorities and associations that control and regulate the energy transition in all areas will also have a need for engineers with a wide range of qualifications in the future.

• Operators of energy generation and storage facilities
• Manufacturers of e.g. wind turbines, PV systems, converter systems, battery storage systems, charging infrastructure, electric vehicles
• Planning and engineering offices
• Energy supply companies
• Grid operators
• Authorities and associations
• Energy consulting agencies

Alternatively, a consecutive transition to the Master's degree in Energy Systems Engineering is possible, which enables individual specializations and broadens the view of the overall system.

At Clausthal University of Technology, the research focus "Sustainable Energy Systems" is dedicated to the energy transition, in which a secure energy supply based on renewable sources is investigated. The basis for this is the Sustainable Energy Technology and Systems course, which examines thermal energy generation, which has been important in the past and will continue to be important in the future, as well as the new energy system. This is also reflected in research projects in which interdisciplinary work is carried out on the transition to the new energy system and on new business models. For the students, the connection with research and industry results in a practical course of study. In addition, there is a very good supervisory relationship with a mentoring program in the introductory phase and close contact with staff.

The basis of the course is a broad engineering education, on which the fundamentals of energy technology in the electrical, mechanical and thermodynamic fields are built. As a result, students learn about conventional power plants, electrical machines, how electrical energy supply works and how it fits into the overall energy system. In addition, the knowledge is linked and deepened in energy technology application subjects. An energy system is designed and planned as part of a project based on an application-oriented problem. The curriculum is supplemented by a compulsory elective area in which students can set their own priorities in in-depth lectures. The course concludes with an industrial internship and the Bachelor's thesis as an independent scientific project.

• Engineering Mathematics
• Technical mechanics
• Fundamentals of electrical engineering
• Technical thermodynamics and heat transfer
• Control engineering
• Sustainable energy systems and energy transition
• Electrical power engineering and power generation
• Combustion technology
• Battery systems
• Introduction to business administration and law
• Seminar & practical course on sustainable energy technology
• Energy system design project
• Industrial internship
• Bachelor thesis

In the industrial internship, students are integrated into the working environment of technicians or leading and developing engineers in the field of energy technology. The aim is to gain practical experience as well as professional orientation.