BATTERY CIRCULARITY BUSINESS MODELS

This course looks at where important materials in products we use every day come from and how these materials can be used more efficiently, longer, and in closed loops. This is the aim of the Circular Economy, but it doesn’t happen on its own. It is the result of choices and strategies by suppliers, designers, businesses, policymakers and all of us as consumers. In addition to providing many cases of managing materials for sustainability, the course also teaches skills and tools for analyzing circular business models and promotes development of your own ideas to become more involved in the transition to a Circular Economy. You will learn from expert researchers and practitioners from around Europe as they explain core elements and challenges in the transition to a circular economy over the course of 5 modules: Module 1: Materials. This module explores where materials come from, and builds a rationale for why society needs more circularity. Module 2: Circular Business Models. In this module circular business models are explored in-depth and a range of ways for business to create economic and social value are discussed. Module 3: Circular Design, Innovation and Assessment. This module presents topics like functional materials and eco-design as well as methods to assess environmental impacts. Module 4: Policies and Networks. This module explores the role of governments and networks and how policies and sharing best practices can enable the circular economy. Module 5: Circular Societies. This module examines new norms, forms of engagement, social systems, and institutions, needed by the circular economy and how we, as individuals, can help society become more circular.

This course provides a glimpse into the world of batteries. We all use batteries every day, but do you really know how a battery works, what’s inside it, what it’s useful for, and how scientists are trying to improve them for the future? Content This is an introductory course adressing Battery basics The development of the lithium-ion battery Applications and requirements Materials used to build batteries What happens to a battery when it’s finished its life? How batteries are being developed for the future Course structure The course is completly self paced. It will take you about 10-15 hours in total to complete. You will learn It is hoped that after the course you will be much more aware of the battery world, the requirements, applications and components of a battery, as well as having a wider perspective of how this important technology will develop over the coming decade.  Who is this course for? As a participant in this course, you ideally have some form of technical background, probably studied sciences at college or even in higher education, or have experience in a technical profession. 

Virtual commissioning (VC) is a technique used in the field of automation and control engineering to simulate and test a system's control software and hardware in a virtual environment before it is physically implemented. The aim is to identify and correct any issues or errors in the system before deployment, reducing the risk of downtime, safety hazards, and costly rework. The virtual commissioning process typically involves creating a digital twin of the system being developed, which is a virtual representation of the system that mirrors its physical behaviour. The digital twin includes all the necessary models of the system's components, such as sensors, actuators, controllers, and interfaces, as well as the control software that will be running on the real system. Once the digital twin is created, it can be tested and optimized in a virtual environment to ensure that it behaves correctly under various conditions. The benefits of using VC include reduced project costs, shortened development time, improved system quality and reliability, and increased safety for both operators and equipment. By detecting and resolving potential issues in the virtual environment, engineers can avoid costly and time-consuming physical testing and debugging, which can significantly reduce project costs and time to market. The course includes different modules, each with its own specific role in the process. Together, the modules create a comprehensive virtual commissioning process that makes it possible to test and validate control systems and production processes in a simulated environment before implementing them in the real world. Modeling and simulation: This module involves creating a virtual model of the system using simulation software. The model includes all the equipment, control systems, and processes involved in the production process. Control system integration: This module involves integrating the digital twin with the control system, allowing engineers to test and validate the system's performance. Virtual sensors and actuators: This module involves creating virtual sensors and actuators that mimic the behavior of the physical equipment. This allows engineers to test the control system's response to different scenarios and optimize its performance. Scenario testing: This module involves simulating different scenarios, such as equipment failures, power outages, or changes in production requirements, to test the system's response. Data analysis and optimization: This module involves analyzing data from the virtual commissioning process to identify any issues or inefficiencies in the system. Engineers can then optimize the system's performance and ensure that it is safe and reliable. Expected outcomes Describe the use of digital twins for virtual commissioning process. Develop a simulation model of a production system using a systems perspective and make a plan for data collection and analysis. Plan different scenarios for the improvement of a production process. Analyze data from the virtual commissioning process to identify any issues or inefficiencies in the system and then optimize the system's performance. Needs in the industry Example battery production: Battery behaviors are changing over time. To innovate at speed and scale, testing and improving real-world battery phenomena throughout its lifecycle is necessary. Virtual commissioning / modeling-based approaches like digital twin can provide us with accurate real-life battery behaviors and properties, improving energy density, charging speed, lifetime performance and battery safety. Faster innovation (NPI) Lower physical prototypes Shorter manufacturing cycle time Rapid testing of new battery chemistry and materials to reduce physical experiments Thermal performance and safety It’s not just about modelling and simulating the product, but also validating processes from start to finish in a single environment for digital continuity. Suggested target groups Industry personnel Early career engineers involved in commissioning and simulation projects Design engineers (to simulate their designs at an early stage in a virtual environment to reduce errors) New product introduction engineers Data engineers Production engineers Process engineers (mediators between design and commissioning) Simulation engineers Controls engineer System Integration  

Skills in development work are becoming increasing importance in professional life. This course offers you the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in product development, production development, and business development, as well as the relationship between these areas. You will be introduced to systematic working methods for product development, production development, and business development, with a specific focus on innovation and creativity in practical contexts. The goal of the course is to provide a deep understanding of the application of various processes in different types of development work. The objective is for course participants to enhance their ability to understand and apply development processes and gain deeper insights into how these processes relate to organizations' innovation and business strategies in order to achieve circular flows, resilience, and sustainability in the manufacturing industry. The teaching consists of self-study using course literature, films, and other materials through an internet-based course platform, as well as scheduled webinars and written reflections. There are no physical meetings; only digital online seminars are incuded. Course StartThe course starts in the spring of 2026, more information will follow.Applications are made via www.antagning.se between 2025-09-15 and 2025-10-15. Study hours 40 hours distributed over 7 weeks. Target GroupThis course is primarily intended for engineers in management or middle management positions within industry, whether they are recent graduates or individuals with extensive experience. The course is suitable for individuals with backgrounds in mechanical engineering, industrial engineering management, or similar educational background. Entry RequirementsTo be eligible for this course, participants must have completed courses equivalent to at least 120 credits, with a minimum of 90 ntry Requirementscredits in a technical subject area, with at least a passing grade, or equivalent knowledge. Proficiency in English is also required, equivalent to English Level 6. Educational package in circular economyThis course Product/production and business development for circular flows is an introduction of the educational package. The courses Business development for circular flow, Product development for circular flows and Production for cirkular flows are free standing independent courses that build on knowledge in the field. Link to Syllabus Please note that the number of participants for this course is limited, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible!

This course is designed for you who wants to learn more about functional safety of battery management systems. The course will also cover other aspects of safety such as fire safety in relation to Rechargeable Energy Storage Systems (RESS) and associated battery management systems. In the course you will be able to develop skills in principles of battery management systems, functional Safety as well as of other aspects of safety such as fire safety, hazard identification, hazard analysis and risk assessment in relation to battery management systems. The course also provides a broader understanding of the multifaceted nature of safety. The course is given with a low study pace. This course is primarily intended for engineers that need to ensure that battery management systems are safe, reliable, and compliant with industry standards. The course is suitable for individuals with backgrounds in for example functional safety, battery systems, automotive or risk assessment.  

This course explores the role of intelligent sensor systems in driving sustainability and enabling the green transition. Participants will learn the fundamentals of sensor technologies and their integration into intelligent, distributed systems. Emphasis is placed on applications in energy efficiency, environmental monitoring, and sustainable automation. The course covers topics such as basic sensor technologies, embedded systems, distributed computing, low-resource machine learning approaches, and federated learning for privacy-preserving, decentralized model training across sensor nodes. Through a combination of lectures, practical examples, and hands-on project work, participants will gain experience in designing and deploying intelligent sensor systems tailored to real-world sustainability challenges. The students bring their own case study example as the background for a practical project, through which the student is also finally examined. Recommended prerequisites: At least 180 credits including 15 credits programming as well as qualifications corresponding to the course "English 5"/"English A" from the Swedish Upper Secondary School. Online meetings (estimated): 14 Oct.: Introduction11 Nov.: Project Idea16 Dec.: Project Presentation Study hours: 80 This course is given by Örebro University.