TEK3970 – Energy Systems and Energy Transition

This course introduces you to the practical side of energy transition and renewable energy deployment, focusing on the design, integration, and evaluation of renewable solutions within real-world environments.

The course explores both technical and contextual challenges by utilizing real datasets and case studies from Norway and international contexts. You will navigate the fundamental steps of project development, including site selection, data analysis, and preliminary system design. Additionally, the curriculum covers environmental assessments, innovation trends, such as floating wind, green hydrogen, and digital twins, and the human and societal dimensions of the renewable energy technology implementation.

At the end of this course, you will

• understand the principles behind renewable energy integration across various sectors, including the power grid, local communities, transport, and industry
• be able to explain practical constraints affecting deployment, such as geographical, environmental, economic, and regulatory factors
• know how to identify and analyze innovation trends in renewable energy sectors, including long-duration storage and floating wind
• be able to perform system design exercises, such as sizing PV-battery systems and comparing different storage options
• be able to use introductory digital tools and datasets to analyze site suitability and evaluate system performance
• be able to evaluate trade-offs between different renewable solutions in varied contexts, ranging from urban and rural settings to industrial and island environments
• collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary teams to produce practical solutions and communicate design proposals clearly, both visually and in writing
• be able to reflect on sustainability, environmental impacts, and societal acceptance regarding the implementation of renewable energy technologies

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

This course is open for admission to students on the bachelor's programme Technology Systems: Science and Engineering. Please refer to the programme description for admission requirements.

The teaching format combines lectures with work-integrated learning to bridge the gap between theory and practice. The course guides students through realistic design problems similar to those encountered in the energy industry.

Teaching methods include:

• practical project development steps: site selection and data analysis
• case-based work using real-world datasets
• team-based exercises designed to develop communication, problem-solving, and project management skills
• active participation in class discussions and collaborative design tasks

The course has mandatory assignments that must be approved in order to sit the exam.

The assessment for this course is centered on a practical design project. Students will design a renewable energy solution for a selected real-world site. The project must include a system layout, basic sizing, and environmental considerations.

Students will be required to complete mandatory assignments during the semester to qualify for the final assessment.

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.

Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass, the original examination.