In my first year of the EIT InnoEnergy Master’s in Smart Electrical Networks and Systems (SENSE) at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, several of my courses exposed me to concepts in electromobility. Courses in ‘Electrical Machines and Drives’, along with ‘Power Electronics’, taught me the basic electrical engineering fundamentals that apply to electric vehicles. Meanwhile, other courses such as ‘Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Electrical Power Engineering’ along with ‘Smart Electrical Networks and Systems’ had open, flexible assignments that allowed me to learn more about the business models and grid impacts associated with electromobility. 

In the spring of my first year, I teamed up with two fellow EIT InnoEnergy Master’s students to pursue the EDPR University Challenge. This was basically a months-long hackathon focused on Europe’s energy challenges with participation of EDPR, the fourth-largest producer of wind power in the world.  We developed the specifics and business model behind an idea in the energy sector and decided to investigate ways to enhance the utilization of EV charging facilities in Brazil. Although we did not win the competition, the experience taught me a ton about the landscape and intricacies of EV charging – a point that, in my opinion, is often overlooked in the conversation about EVs.

Another way I tackled electromobility was through the Berlin Energy Efficiency Hackathon. If you are curious about that experience, you can check out the blog post here. In short, my group and I had to pitch a new way to increase the penetration of EVs in commercial fleets. EVs are often discussed for personal use, but the concept of using EVs for company cars still has a long way to go to successful implementation. 

My Master’s in Smart Electrical Networks and Systems is directly related to electromobility, as the increasing electrification of the transportation sector causes an increase in electricity demand. This causes risks to the reliability and security of the power grid, which need to be accounted for and accommodated. Of course, there are many solutions – increasingly distributed energy generation like solar and wind, transmission and distribution grid reinforcement, installation of new control technologies and power electronics devices, and more. 

However, if you are interested in other Master’s programmes, you can also select study topics that are impacted by and related to electromobility. For one, the Master’s in Energy Storage is directly related to energy storage and battery technologies that form the backbone of electric vehicles. Within the Master’s in Sustainable Energy Systems, students have the possibility of working with an electromobility-associated group for either their POY or iPOY projects. For programmes with flexible thesis opportunities, like Master’s in Renewable energy, students often find Master’s thesis with companies or research involving electromobility. In general, many of my friends and fellow EIT InnoEnergy students have interned at such places as well. 

There are several ways to engage with electromobility, too. You can leverage your EIT InnoEnergy network or check out EIT InnoEnergy Career Centre to seek internships, Master’s thesis as well as connections with potential employers.

Many students organise their own events on the subject and bring in a guest speaker with CommUnity by EIT InnoEnergy. There are opportunities to share your thoughts in an article through CommUnity or even EIT InnoEnergy website. And of course, plenty of opportunities for hackathons, conferences, and other events hosted either by EIT InnoEnergy’s experts such as Jennifer Dungs, Johan Söderbom and many others or external industry partners such as EDPR.

All in all, there are plenty of ways to engage with electromobility as an EIT InnoEnergy Master School student! 

by Emilia Chojkiewicz, EIT InnoEnergy student 

Energy Storage is a cornerstone of electric mobility. We invite you to join the Head of Energy Storage at EIT InnoEnergy, Johan Söderbom for InnoTalks Expert: Energy Storage edition. 

Date: 31 March 
Time: 15.00 CET 
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