ORE GEOLOGY - IN THE EPICENTRE OF THE FOSSIL-FREE ENERGY TRANSITION

The battery value chain encompasses the extensive range of processes and industries that contribute to the production and post-use phase of rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles and other applications. Familiarity with all parts of the value chain is important in the growth of the individual parts. A stronger value chain and a greater awareness of its entirety also leads to the development of more sustainable and higher performance batteries that are needed for the ongoing green transition. In this course, we will give an overview of the key activities and industries within the battery value chain, from raw materials to use-phase and recycling. A focus will be on scale-up, linking lab-scale research to production, while additionally considering sustainability aspects in all value chain sectors. Topics Battery value chain overview Sourcing raw materials Critical raw materials and sustainable materials Materials synthesis and scale-up of production Electrode fabrication Cell formats, fabrication, and formation Applications and safety Re-use, recycling, and circularity  Course structure This course is fully digital with pre-recorded lectures. The recordings are in Swedish with English subtitles. You can take part in the course in your own pace. You will learn By the end of the course, you will be able to: identify the key processes and industries of the battery value chain, describe the important practices in each part, and relate certain aspects to your existing knowledge and/or experiences. You will be able to discuss aspects of sustainability for each part of the value chain, how the concept of circularity is important, and how these relate to the development of next-generation batteries. Who is the course for? This course is designed primarily for those active in the vehicle industry or other technical fields that have limited knowledge of batteries or related topics. Participants ideally have an educational or professional background in the natural sciences or technology, but the course can also be interesting for those in geology, social sciences, or with links to any battery-relevant industry. 

Access to critical minerals and materials crucial to our wealth and well-being must be produced in a sustainable way. This means that the research must deal with metals and minerals that are innovation-critical, necessary for green/smart transition, rare, of insufficient supply or which should not be traded from conflict zones. Various component of the course makes it useful for professionals and hands-on with lectures, assignments, homeworks, fieldcourse and field reports as well as rock physics lab. Topics Sustainable exploration, mining and extraction of critical raw materials Course element: Critical and strategic raw materials Sustainability, SDGs, ESG and social aspects (the value chain) Exploration methods Geological and ore forming context Physical properties Geophysical methods Drilling technologies Extraction and mineral processing methods Rock quality and mining methods Nano-tech solutions Ground water contamination and accessibility Environmental assessments Mine tailing and beneficiation Site visits and hands-on (Epiroc, Blötberget, labs) Course structure The course is a combination of in-person, hybrid and hands-on including field trips. You will learn By the end of the course, you will be able to: analyse what exploration methods are used for what commodities, have good knowledge of the state-of-the-art solutions and incorporate your learning in todays industry practices. Who is the course for? This course is designed for those who are geologists, engineers or work with sustainability to learn how critical raw materials are explored, mined and turn to metals. It is open to both university students but also industry participants from relevant sectors. How much time do I need for the course? The course will run from 25 August - 5 December 2025 and will in sum require 100 hrs of commitments. Check the SERC center for more updates: www.smartexploration.se

Opens in May 2025. The Swedish version of the course, namely ”Varför välja trä vid nästa byggprojekt?” is already open. For more iformation contact course coordinator dimitris.athanassiadis@slu.seCourse DescriptionDifferent types of biomaterials (e.g., wood) are crucial in the challenge of decarbonizing the built environment and reducing the carbon footprint of buildings and infrastructure by replacing materials like steel and cement, which have high carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time, we must not forget that it is important to preserve biodiversity and the social values of our forests. The 13 modules of the course cover many forestry related subjects, including harvesting methods, biodiversity, forest management, logistics, the role of forests in the climate transition, carbon storage, environmental benefits of multi-story buildings with wood, and more. The goal is that participants will gain a shared understanding of Swedish forestry so that they can make well-informed decisions about material choices for their next construction project. Course PeriodThe course will be active for 3 years. Content Forest history: The utilization of forests in Sweden throughout the past years Forestry methods and forest management Forest regeneration Wood properties Forest mensuration Forest tree breeding The forest's carbon balance Business models and market development: Focus on wood high rises Nature conservation and biodiversity in the forest Course StructureThe course is fully digital with pre-recorded lectures. You can participate in the course at your own pace. Modules conclude with quizzes where you can test how much you have learned. You will learn aboutUpon completion of the course, you will have learned more about various forest-related concepts, acquired knowledge of forest utilization in Sweden throughout the past years, increased your understanding of forest management and how different management methods affect biodiversity in the forest, and learned about the forestry cycle—from regeneration to final harvesting, etc. Who is this course for?This course is designed for professionals such as architects, municipal employees working with urban planning and construction, individuals in the construction and civil engineering sector, and those in other related fields. This is an introductory course and will contribute to upskilling of the entire construction sector, thereby increasing the industry's international competitiveness while also providing important prerequisites for the development of future sustainable, beautiful, and inclusive cities. Since the course is open to everyone, we hope that more groups, such as students, doctoral candidates, forest owners, and others with an interest in forestry, will take the course and engage with inspiring lectures where scientific knowledge primarily produced within SLU (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) is presented.

  About the courseRenewable hydrogen stands out as a highly promising solution to decarbonize heavy industries and transportation sector, helping to achieve the climate goals of Sweden- reaching net zero emissions by 2045. The terms renewable hydrogen, clean hydrogen or green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced from renewable energy or raw material. The utilization of renewable hydrogen for industrial applications necessitates the development of the entire value chain, from generation and storage to transport and final applications. Unlocking the potential of hydrogen economy in Sweden involves not only technological advancements and infrastructure development but also a skilled workforce. This course offers an introduction of renewable hydrogen as a pivotal component for industrial applications, focusing on its generation, storage, transport, and utilization within industrial contexts. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of renewable hydrogen technologies, such as electrolysis, fuel cell, and hydrogen storage and distribution solutions, preparing them with essential knowledge and foundational insights for advancing the decarbonization of industrial processes through the adoption of hydrogen-based energy solutions. Aim and Learning OutcomesThe goal of this course is to develop a basic understanding of renewable hydrogen as a pivotal component for industrial applications, focusing on its generation, storage, transport, and utilization within industrial contexts.The learning outcomes of the course are to be able to: Explain the fundamental knowledge and theories behind electrolysis and fuel cell technologies. Compare and describe the differences of existing renewable hydrogen generation technologies (PEM, AE, AEM, SOE, etc.), and existing fuel cell technologies (PEMFC, MSFC, SOFC, etc.. Describe the principles of hydrogen storage, including gas phase, liquid phase, and material-based storage and thermal management of storage systems. Identify the challenges of hydrogen transportation and be able to describe relevant solutions. Examples of professional roles that will benefit from this course are energy and chemical engineers, renewable and energy transition specialists, policy makers and energy analysts. This course will also support the decarbonization of hard-to-abate industries, such as metallurgical industry and oil refinery industry, by using renewable hydrogen. This course is given by Mälardalen university in cooperation with Luleå University of Technology. You may join the course from March 17 until the middle of April, 2025. Scheduled online seminars April 22nd, 2025May 19th, 2025 Study effort: 80 hours  

Målet med kursen är att ge lärare fortbildning inom ämnet djurvälfärd och hållbarhet. Kursens mål är också att ge lärare inspiration att designa sin egen undervisning, att ge lärare möjlighet att ta till sig ny forskning och att dela med sig av läraktiviteter som kan användas av fler.

This course is offered on-demand, meaning that it will begin as soon as at least 10 participants have registered. Once the threshold is reached, the course will start shortly thereafter. Batteries and battery technology are vital for achieving sustainable transportation and climate-neutral goals. As concerns over retired batteries are growing and companies in the battery or electric vehicle ecosystem need appropriate business strategies and framework to work with.This course aims to help participants with a deep understanding of battery circularity within the context of circular business models. You will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to design and implement circular business models and strategies in the battery and electric vehicle industry, considering both individual company specific and ecosystem-wide perspectives. You will also gain the ability to navigate the complexities of transitioning towards circularity and green transition in the industry.The course includes a project work to develop a digitally enabled circular business model based on real-world problems. Course content Battery second life and circularity Barriers and enablers of battery circularity Circular business models Ecosystem management Pathways for circular transformation Design principles for battery circularity Role of advanced digital technologies Learning outcomes After completing the course, you will be able to: Describe the concept of battery circularity and its importance in achieving sustainability goals. Examine and explain the characteristics and differences of different types of circular business models and required collaboration forms in the battery- and electric vehicle- industry. Analyze key factors that are influencing design and implement circular business models based on specific individual company and its ecosystem contexts. Analyze key stakeholders and develop ecosystem management strategies for designing and implementing circular business models. Explain the role of digitalization, design, and policies to design and implement circular business models. Plan and design a digitally enabled circular business model that is suitable for a given battery circularity problem. Examples of professional roles that will benefit from this course are sustainability managers, battery technology engineers, business development managers, circular developers, product developers, environmental engineers, material engineers, supply chain engineers or managers, battery specialists, circular economy specialists, etc. This course is given by Mälardalen university in cooperation with Luleå University of Technology. Study effort: 80 hours