Education
E.ON ERC is highly committed to provide excellence and innovation in education.
ACS I Faculty for Electrical Engineering and Information Technology
ACS offers a selection of courses developed and constantly updated, to meet the requirements of the most modern programs in energy. As the courses originate from the individual ACS environment, where energy and ICT come together, the educational offer, mostly at master level, reflects cutting edge research topics which are still rarely covered by courses in the academic environment, like Modeling and Simulation of Complex Power Systems, Automation of Complex Power Systems, and Measurement Techniques and Distributed Intelligence for Power Systems. In addition, classes on modern power system aspects are offered like Power System Dynamics, Modern Control Systems and Low Carbon Energy Conversion Systems. Examples in the lectures and practice sessions are taken from real world case studies so on one hand the information the students receive is up to date, and on the other hand the students get a glimpse in the motivations, meaning and methods of scientific research. The interdisciplinary nature of the energy field is addressed within individual courses and by participating in intrinsically multi-disciplinary education initiatives, like Electrical Energy from Renewable Sources. The teaching style is open to new technologies in order to facilitate the active participation of the students in the learning process and to collect feedback for constantly improving the presentation of the material and the selection of the examples. For this purpose, online applications for smart phones and other portable devices are used for Q&A on the fly and surveys during some of the lectures.
EBC I Faculty for Mechanical Engineering
The Institute for Building and Air Conditioning Technology offers courses for students, both in the Bachelor's program "Mechanical Engineering" and in the consecutive Master's programs "Energy Technology" and "General Mechanical Engineering". These courses can also be taken as electives in other Bachelor and Master programs. The courses for the bachelor's programs provide a foundation in the field of energy economics and energy networks, while the courses for the master's programs deal primarily with the components and design of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in buildings. In 2013, Prof. Müller received the internal faculty teaching award of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. This award is given for a very good evaluation of his lectures by the students.
FCN I School of Business and Economics
The two chairs at FCN of Prof. Madlener (FCN-ECO) and Prof. Praktiknjo (FCN-ESE) offer lectures, seminars and theses as well as student projects in Bachelor and Master programs. The courses are offered partly in German and partly in English. Lectures in German are "Energy Economics" and "Environmental Economics", the latter in the last semesters with more than 300 students, as well as "Energy System Analysis" and "Introduction to the Energy Sector". Lectures in English are "Economics of Technical Change," "Economics of Technological Diffusion," and "Advanced Energy Economics." In addition, a new lecture "Smart Grid Economics and Information Management" is offered in cooperation with PD Dr. Clemens van Dinther from ista in Essen. Seminars will be offered alternately in "Behavioral and Experimental Economics" and "Competition and Regulation in Energy Markets" on selected current topics. In addition, Prof. Madlener and Prof. Praktiknjo regularly give lectures at several LEONARDO modules in energy and climate topics. In general, the main topics in the courses are the application of economic theory and analysis methods to grasp and better understand the fundamentals and current developments of energy markets, the emergence and diffusion of innovative technologies (especially in line with the ongoing transformation of energy systems), and the allocation of necessary energy infrastructure and public goods. Since this year, FCN offers together with the research area "Energy, Mobility and Environment (EME)" of the RWTH School of Business and Economic, a specialization in "Sustainability and Business" in the Master's program in Business and Administration with about 20 core and ad-on courses. Topics include challenges for energy supply, mobility, environmental and climate protection, and sustainability of energy use and mobility behavior. These courses address economic issues from the development of new energy markets and energy policies, evaluation, promotion and dissemination of innovative "green" technologies.
PGS I Faculty for Electrical Engineering and Information Technology
Together with two adjunct professors and the PGS and ISEA staff, Prof. De Doncker and Prof. Sauer offer lectures, seminars, exercise and laboratory sessions in all Bachelor and Master programs of the faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (ET&IT). The subjects offered cover a range of topics from energy storage technologies to power electronics and electrical drives. In particular, at the Master Level, both chairs offer courses on electrical energy conversion and storage systems, primarily in the Master Curricula “Energy Engineering”, and “Systems Engineering and Automation”. Since 1997, most lectures are offered also in English for the International Master Curriculum “Electrical Power Engineering”. The lectures are supported by research assistants of PGS and the Institute for Power Electronics and Electrical Drives (ISEA). Fundamentals, modeling and analysis techniques for electrical and electro-chemical components and systems are the main topics in the Bachelor programs. The detailed synthesis, control and design of power electronic converters, drives and electro-chemical storage systems, such as batteries and fuel cells, are covered in the Master Curricula. Specialized lectures are offered on (medium voltage) traction drives and railway traction systems (Dr. Brockmeyer). PGS/ISEA also supports the lectures on National (Bachelor) and International (Master) Patent Law (Dr. Jostarndt), which are offered to all E.ON ERC students and graduate students.
Since 2016 Prof Figgemeier, professor at the ISEA associated Helmholtz-Institut Münster, supplements the range of lectures with courses on the subject of ageing processes and service life prediction of batteries.