Energy Systems Short Course
Learn skills in analysing the financial, technical, and environmental performance of energy projects.
About
The Energy Systems Short Course teaches skills in analysing the financial, technical, and environmental performance of energy projects. The course centres on practical, hands on, modelling exercises. Participants develop their own spreadsheet models, and learn how to answer questions such as: Is a proposed wind farm or gas turbine a good investment? What is the probability that it will earn a commercial rate of return? What is the best financing structure for the project?
Modules
- Introduction and basics of finance
- Capital – Debt and equity, cost of capital, discounted cash flow and NPV
- Financial analysis of electricity generation – renewable and fossil fuel technologies
- Unconventional natural gas extraction technology
- Financial analysis through Real Option Value (ROV)
Course delivery
All classes will be scheduled outside of business hours. Students are expected to attend in person at the University of Melbourne campus in Parkville, Victoria. Zoom links are available as a back-up for those unable to attend onsite.
Please check back for the 2024 course dates.
Cost
The course is free of charge for students currently undertaking graduate studies at the University of Melbourne. Preference will be given to final year PhD students, but all graduate students are encouraged to apply.
The course is open to all other participants for a fee of $5,000 (excluding GST) per place.
Course information
Download the 2023 course guide for more information on the learning modules and schedule.
Presenter and Convener
Dr. John Burgess is a chemical engineer with extensive industrial and research experience. This includes a long and distinguished career at BHP, where he rose to senior executive level. He was also recently the Chair of the CSIRO Energy Advisory Committee for a number of years. John is an Honorary Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland, and a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE).
Co-convener
Jonathan Anderson is a Sustainability Manager with Keolis Downer, and former Senior Engineer with engineering consultancy Arup. He has extensive experience across renewable energy generation and storage, water and wastewater management, mining, waste, agribusiness, freight and logistics, and process automation. Jonathan was a student of the 2018 Energy Systems Short Course, and has assisted Dr. Burgess with teaching the course since 2020.
Further information
For more information, please email mei-info@unimelb.edu.au.