MSc in Sustainable Energy Systems

Global warming and declining fossil-fuel resources have placed the development and implementation of sustainable energy systems at the top of the political agenda worldwide. Major investments in new energy technologies and systems will revolutionize our societies and economies in the coming decades. With unique research facilities and instruction from world-leading researchers and industry professionals, this state-of-the-art education will prepare you to operate at the forefront of that revolution.

Studying this program at the Chalmers University of Technology, you will be exposed to expertise in the technologies of the future, but also, crucially, in the bridging and transition processes and systems needed to implement them. This is something that will characterize the professional careers of energy engineers in the coming decades.

Several departments conduct cutting-edge research in fields such as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), C02 mitigation for chemical and industrial processes, smart power grids for wind and solar power, and bioenergy, for example — much of which will be covered in-depth in the program. We also specialize in modeling and planning of energy systems and in environmental impact analysis of the energy sector through tools such as life cycle analysis and environmental risk assessment.

Energy is a priority area for Chalmers as a whole and tops the budget list for the University’s strategic research and educational plans. The program enjoys close collaborations with many key players in the energy sector, and our courses offer guest lectures from the industry, industrial site visits, and analysis of real industrial cases. Many world-renowned researchers are active in the courses, and the unique, hands-on, and cutting-edge education will enable you to master not only current energy systems and technologies, but also gain a close insight into the ones of the future.

As we strive for the students to achieve a deep and holistic understanding of technologies and systems, we seek a balance between different forms of teaching. You will take part in individual and group assignments, in addition to lectures, projects, case studies, problem-solving sessions, laboratories, and seminars, providing you with an opportunity to train in teamwork as well as in written and oral communication and presentation skills.

Alongside the fundamental areas of sustainability and energy technology, you can choose from a wide range of elective courses, from higher-level energy systems and process industry to more fundamental processes at a more detailed level, such as combustion processes and computational fluid dynamics. We offer a number of suggested ‘Profile tracks’ where you can choose a package of courses that align best with your interests. We create energy engineers with a broad overall knowledge of current and future energy systems with detailed knowledge in specific and important areas.

Career​

The energy sector is arguably the largest industrial sector globally. With the challenge of resource depletion and climate change, there will be a future need for energy engineers who have core competencies in energy system analysis. By acquiring deep technical knowledge of the main energy technologies and by understanding how they interact with economics and energy policies, our graduates become experts in identifying sustainable solutions to complex problems in the energy field.

Graduates from our program will be well-prepared for tasks such as the design, development, and implementation of energy systems and technologies. Graduates will also be able to contribute to energy policy development. Examples of career opportunities after graduation from the program include the utility industry, the energy-intensive process industry, district heating, and cooling companies, larger municipalities, consulting companies, energy equipment manufacturers, research institutes, and government agencies.

A significant number of the master's thesis projects in the program are conducted together with the industry. This is often also the place where our graduates obtain their first job. In addition, a number of our students also pursue higher-level academic studies, such as Ph.D. positions both at Chalmers and other academic institutions.