Teaching the Modelling of Integrated Energy Systems – Course Design and First Experience

In order to design interventions in energy systems, it is key to combine existing models and simulations. As the interplay of different steps along the energy value chain, various actors and regional scopes makes it difficult for one model or model owner to cover the entire complexity of the system, the usage of present resources instead of creating new ones is a consequential approach to tackle todays and tomorrows challenges. Identifing suitable models, combining them and critically analysing their outcomes are essential skills in this context. This is taught in the course “Design of Integrated Energy Systems” at TU Delft. During the course, groups of students define their own design problem they want to adress, develop a modelling strategy for it and translate it with the existing models and simulations. A range of existing models from students themselves, from researchers and from the energy industry are provided. Self-reflection, peer-review, the academic debate on modelling and feedback by the teachers after presenting preliminary results are key elements for stimulating the progress of the group work. Both students and model owners have expressed their enthusiasm for this approach, the students have learned a lot from this confrontation with reality, the model ownens gained valuable insight from the fresh eye that the students could deliver on their modelling practice.