Training for a complex world

This innovative teaching approach is based on real-world problems that are currently confronting companies in the energy sector. The case studies are provided by industry partners such as Hitachi Energy, which is keen to discover how to keep power networks operating reliably in the face of climate change. “Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent due to global warming. We need to understand their impact on supply security in order to enhance the resilience and sustainability of our energy systems,” says Elise Fahy, a scientist at Hitachi Energy.

She provided technical input to help the Master’s students evaluate the case study, and she was clearly delighted by their level of motivation. “We have a complex task ahead of us. Spending time with tomorrow’s experts reminds me how important it is to share knowledge and learn from each other – especially in a field that is constantly evolving,” she adds. The case study showed the challenges power grids will face in coping with growing electricity demand for cooling on hot days. These results may provide useful input for the company’s future studies, says Fahy, who values her participation in the Master’s programme as a way of supporting the next generation of scientists.

The big picture

Back in the CAS module, a lively debate is taking place on the clash between the big-picture thinking of managers and the engineer’s tendency to fixate on numbers. “To begin with, I found it totally unrealistic to make calculations based solely on how a rise in temperature will affect electricity generation,” says CAS participant Federica Hunziker. But she gradually realised that having lots of in-depth studies is a vital part of tackling the bigger picture.

Schaffner is fascinated by these kinds of debates. “The simple act of combining managerial and engineering perspectives immediately plunges you into a more complex environment. It’s not a matter of right and wrong, but rather of qualitative and quantitative assessments,” he says. Business graduate Hunziker agrees that both are important: “We need engineers, but we also need generalists who can place their knowledge in a broader context.”

Hunziker works for the Pfiffner Group, which makes power transmission components. Her company will profit from the switch to renewable energies and smart grids, which actively manage power generation, consumption and load. “We’re seeing increasing investment not only in power generation, but also in grid expansion – and that will drive demand for our products even higher,” she says.

The CAS has given her the knowledge and confidence to discuss issues with engineers and seek out their opinion, which she says is often neglected, especially in politics: “But I’ve also come to realise how hard it is to form a clear opinion on energy topics: everything’s connected, and every decision has positive and negative effects in countless other areas.”

An opportunity for networking

The interaction between Master’s students, CAS participants and industry partners offers many benefits on a professional level, but it also offers a valuable networking platform. “Companies are on the lookout for people with specialist knowledge, and many of our Master’s students end up doing internships with industry partners. Some even get their first job through these networks,” says Schaffner.

As the industry partner for this particular case study, Elise Fahy believes she can give the students valuable insights into potential careers after they finish university. Establishing new partnerships is also a priority for CAS participant Beatriz Carone, who always has a business card on hand. Employed by a company in the energy-hungry metal industry, she is something of an exception on the CAS programme, having studied mining engineering at university. Nonetheless, she has no doubts as to the programme’s benefits: “Energy technology is a field that offers all sorts of opportunities, but it’s easy to get left behind if you don’t keep up with the latest developments.”

She’s hoping the CAS will give her the knowledge she needs to make informed decisions in her day-to-day work – but she too acknowledges the challenges involved: “Problems in this field tend to have many different solutions. If you want to make the right decision for your company, it’s vital to have a solid understanding of the technical and economic aspects.”

Showing the way forward

In the complex world of energy technology, Christian Schaffner sees the Energy Science Center (ESC) as a beacon lighting the way towards a secure and sustainable energy supply. The ESC brings together 55 professors from different departments, and Schaffner would like to see it become a hub of knowledge for the Swiss energy sector.

“We want industry, government and the general public to see us as their first port of call for a science-based assessment of energy-related topics,” he says. Hence the ESC’s publication in June of a policy brief entitled “Steps to fossil-fuel independence for Switzerland”, a compilation of knowledge and insights from ETH experts. “You can’t expect a single professorship to communicate that kind of accumulated knowledge. It can only be done by an interdepartmental body such as the ESC,” Schaffner argues.

From a scientific perspective, many of the topics covered in the policy brief are common sense, but he firmly believes that ETH has a responsibility to convey that knowledge to a wider public. Whether through public events such as "Energy Week @ETH" or his commitment to collaborating with the Swiss Museum of Transport on an energy exhibition, Schaffner is a born facilitator – and his enthusiasm for joining up the dots also extends to ETH Zurich’s role in the continuing education market: “I said to myself: if ETH had one particular core competence that we could pass on, what would it be? I think the CAS provides the answer, because it’s the perfect example of how we can communicate science and engineering to a group of people who studied or trained in different fields.”

Schaffner sees his primary role as an enabler who brings Master’s students, industry partners and CAS participants to the same table. “When I see that other people on the course are also thinking about the energy transition, it gives me the motivation I need to take on the challenge myself!” says CAS participant Carone. Sandwiched between the more mathematically demanding aspects of the programme, the case studies provide a welcome sense of collaboration – the feeling of being part of a community that is dedicated to the energy transition.