Great insights, new connections, and collaboration ideas at EnergyWeek

As EnergyWeek partner VAMK was once again organising the event of the year in Vaasa. The themes this year were batteries and storage, future smart cities, digitalisation and energy regulation.

Vaasa University of Applied Sciences was visible at EnergyWeek on many different forums. At the exhibition on Tuesday and Wednesday, experts showcased VAMK’s projects, technology and business services, training programs and training tailored to companies. The themes that were highlighted at VAMK’s stand included wind power and renewable energy, smart energy, energy storage and digitalisation as well as 3D printing.

”Energyweek is one of the highlights of the year for VAMK. Once again, we participated actively with our own stand as well as by arranging a yearly seminar. Energyweek is a great opportunity to present VAMK’s energy industry related courses and degrees as well as our research and development projects in the heart of the energy cluster”, tells Marja-Riitta Vest RDI director, VAMK.

Expert views in wind power seminar

Insightful thoughts about expectations and solutions for energy storage were heard on Wednesday at the wind energy seminar Coping with Intermittent Wind Power, organised by VAMK. The moderator of the seminar was Hannu Laaksonen, Professor, School of Technology and Innovations, Electrical Engineering, University of Vaasa. The seminar started with a presentation by Raine Hermans, Dean, School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa. Hermans presented the procurement process of University of Vaasa’s new innovative energy system. After that, Ville Väre, Business Development Director, Smart Energy Solutions at Elisa talked about the demand flexibility and battery energy solutions from a telecom company’s perspective. Lastly, VAMK’s Senior Lecturer, Unit of Technology Jukka Hautala discussed demand flexibility solutions from households’ perspective.

In the interesting panel discussion part of the seminar, Mikko Salminen, Head of Physical Trading & Operations, Alpiq Finland, Antti Kostiainen, Sales Manager, Hitachi Energy, Ilari Alaperä, Head of Fortum Spring, Fortum, Ville Väre, Business Development Director, Smart Energy Solutions, Elisa and Ossi Koskinen, Principal Lecturer and Smart Industry RDI platform leader, VAMK discussed the use of artificial intelligence and new generation solutions in terms of demand flexibility.

Towards a more sustainable future with education

On Friday, VAMK’s Senior Lecturer Seppo Mäkinen participated in the Engine as a future solution seminar. In the seminar, Mäkinen presented the hydrogen economy training packages, which VAMK organises in cooperation with Turku University of Applied Sciences from autumn 2023. The hydrogen education is financed by the Service Center for Continuous Learning and Employment. The Service Center promotes the development of the skills of working-age people and the availability of a skilled workforce. The service center’s operations are guided by the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Labor and Economy.

For VAMK, the EnergyWeek ended with Energy Academy’s Back to the Future event on Friday. Energy Academy promotes cooperation between university students and companies in the region. VAMK is part of the Energy Academy and was prominently represented at the event. VAMK’s Project Management student Emil Gulyc talked about Energy Academy’s mentoring program and the International Talents program was presented by VAMK’s International Business student Yue Zhang together with Vaasa University student Yeasin Arafat.

The event also included a roasting panel discussion, where the students roasted the representatives of higher education institutions and companies in the region with difficult questions, especially regarding the employment of international students. Among the six roastmasters were, besides Yue Zhang from VAMK, also VAMK’s Energy Technology students Robin Hagqvist and Heidi Perälä. Among the panelists was VAMK’s TKI director Marja-Riitta Vest.

Thank you to everyone for a great week and see you next year!