UiB students get a taste of reality

This semester at UiB they are taking the course “Energy Transition”, so Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) was a natural stop. “The purpose of visiting the diverse industrial cluster is to get the students out of the lecture halls and into the real world. The presentation and tour at TCM certainly contributed to this,” says Professor William Helland-Hansen.

UIB students at TCM.

An important topic in the energy transition

“Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is an important topic in the energy transition. At TCM, chemists Fred Rugenyi and Dimitrios Siozos gave the students an interesting introduction to CO₂ capture technologies, followed by a long and fruitful discussion on the challenges of implementing CCS as an element in the fight against climate change. They were also able to see how both mature and new technologies are tested in practice”.

This was the fourth time that the Department of Geosciences has taken bachelor students to the region north of Bergen. In addition to TCM, they visited Equinor Mongstad, Wergeland Group in Sløvåg, Renovation in Nordhordland, Gulen and Solund (NGIR) and Greenspot Mongstad.

World wide…

“The special thing about the Energy Transition course is that only a third of the students are Norwegian, while the rest come from ten different countries around the world,” says Helland-Hansen. “During the semester they receive 25 lectures from as many lecturers, giving them a broad introduction to the technical, legal, economic and psychological aspects that are important for a successful global energy transition. By also gaining an insight into how industrial players in Norway are working practically to reduce climate emissions with new technologies, they will hopefully be inspired to acquire more knowledge and become part of the green transition in their respective home countries”.

UiB students shall write a short essay

After the excursion, the students will be asked to write a short essay evaluating the energy transition work of one of the five companies they visited. “It could make for interesting reading,” says the professor, adding that the department has also planned visits to Equinor in Bergen and Northern Lights in Øygarden.

“We are very grateful for the good cooperation and openness that the companies show in their presentations and discussions with the students. The encounters with reality are extremely valuable,” concludes William Helland-Hansen.