Aalborg University (AAU) is establishing a new platform for teaching and research into the energy systems of the future with a grant of DKK 53 million from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The new facility, ENERGY-HUB, will be located at the Department of Energy in Aalborg and will function as a mini-version of a modern energy system, where students, researchers and partners can develop and test technologies in practice. This is stated by Aalborg University in a press release.
ENERGY-HUB will be a flagship project for the university's interdisciplinary learning and technological development. Here, students will work with everything from energy storage and grid integration to societal and economic aspects of the green transition.
- We are creating a platform where we do not just teach about the energy systems of the future - we build them. It will be a kind of mini-version of the energy system that we as a society must develop. Here, students can work experimentally and interdisciplinary with real technologies and issues, says Mads Pagh Nielsen, professor and deputy head of the Department of Energy and project manager for ENERGY-HUB.
In the coming years, the platform will also form the framework for 50 so-called leadENG projects – an upscaling of AAU's model for problem-based student projects, where students from different disciplines collaborate on concrete technical solutions.
- It is a quantum leap in ambition. It gives us the opportunity to build something that can make a real difference. But it is not just about technology. The energy systems of the future also require an understanding of societal, political and human aspects. That is why ENERGY-HUB is a project for the entire Aalborg University – from engineers and planners to business economists and lawyers, says Mads Pagh Nielsen.
Hope for thousands of young people to visit
ENERGY-HUB will also have a strong focus on dissemination and recruitment. The project will open the doors to up to 5,000 students from high schools and primary schools, who will be introduced to the energy technologies of the future through visits, workshops and practical activities.
According to Mads Pagh Nielsen, experience has shown that young people who have the opportunity to experience research environments up close are more likely to choose a science or technical education. That is why funds are being allocated to schools and high schools to cover transport costs and participate in teaching courses at AAU.
- We know that young people who come out and experience something at university have a much greater tendency to choose a STEM education, says the deputy head of department.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation also sees ENERGY-HUB as an important initiative for the energy education of the future.
- The idea of having students design and build a mini-energy park as part of their education is innovative, and it will strengthen their understanding and skills in relation to sustainable energy systems. ENERGY-HUB also provides schools, high schools and the general public with an opportunity to gain insight into the importance of the green transition. In the long term, the initiative will contribute to building the necessary workforce and creating the societal support required for Denmark to become independent of fossil fuels by 2050, says Berith Bjørnholm, Vice President for Education & Outreach at the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
ENERGY-HUB will be built in the period 2026–2032 and will become part of AAU's 6,000 square meter energy laboratories. The project is being carried out in collaboration with, among others, University College North Jutland, NTNU in Norway, the UNESCO center UCPBL at AAU, and a number of high schools and primary schools.
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