VARO Preem
Rethinking refining for the post-carbon era
The visit to the Gothenburg refinery, operated by VARO Energy and Preem, provided insight into the transformation of a traditional sector. Born from the merger between Switzerland’s VARO Energy and Sweden’s Preem, this major player in Northern European refining is gradually transitioning toward renewable fuels—without waiting for regulatory pressure.
Students learned how the company integrates biomass into its processes, despite technical challenges such as lower energy density, impurities, and complex conversion pathways. The Sunpine project, which converts residues from the pulp and paper industry into renewable diesel, is a notable example.
At the same time, VARO Preem is leveraging artificial intelligence to optimize conversion units such as Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) and reduce emissions in real time.
This visit revealed a key reality: the energy transition in industry is not decreed—it is built step by step, balancing technological innovation, economic viability, and anticipation of future regulations. For OSE students, it underscored that decarbonization requires long-term vision and the ability to fundamentally rethink industrial models—core competencies for future engineers.
Scania R&D
Electrifying heavy transport: a technical and logistical challenge
At Scania, a leader in trucks and buses, students discovered that electrifying heavy-duty transport goes far beyond battery technology. The challenge is to make electric solutions competitive by 2035 by rethinking vehicles, charging infrastructure, and business models.
The company is investing in Milence (a joint venture with Volvo and Daimler) to deploy a European high-power charging network, and in Erinion to optimize depot charging, where up to 60% of fleet energy needs can be covered. This systemic approach—combining innovation, collaboration, and efficiency—demonstrates that the transition of heavy transport requires close coordination between industry, grid operators, and public authorities.
Presentation of an R&D prototype of a Scania semi-trailer by Joakim Gimholt.
Karolinska University Hospital
Combining medical excellence and environmental performance
At Karolinska University Hospital, ranked the best hospital in Europe in 2025, students observed how medical excellence and environmental performance can coexist. With an annual energy consumption of 176.5 GWh, the hospital produces 94% of its cooling and 90% of its heating on-site, using heat pumps, a cooling network, and 168 geothermal wells.
The visit also highlighted a robust energy resilience strategy: 66 uninterruptible power supply systems (UPS) and backup generators ensure continuity of care, while a sustainability program (2023–2027) optimizes waste management and prioritizes reusable equipment.
This immersion demonstrated that hospitals are not merely energy consumers—they are key actors in the transition, capable of combining efficiency, sobriety, and resilience.
Stockholm Royal Seaport
Rethinking the city for a sustainable future
Stockholm Royal Seaport, a flagship redevelopment project covering 236 hectares of former port land, aims for carbon neutrality by 2030. Students explored a model of sustainable urban planning where energy efficiency, social diversity, and biodiversity converge to create an innovative living environment.
Buildings are designed to minimize carbon footprints and rely on an underground vacuum waste collection system, eliminating noise pollution and emissions from garbage trucks. The district also prioritizes green spaces and soft mobility (bike infrastructure, reduced car use), while promoting social diversity through inclusive housing accessible to all income levels.
This visit showed how a district can become a living laboratory for sustainable cities, integrating technology, inclusion, and environmental responsibility.
Flower
Energy flexibility: a cornerstone of the transition
Founded in 2020, Flower has become Sweden’s leader in electricity flexibility, with a portfolio of 250 MW of batteries and 15,000 charging points managed across Europe. Students learned how the company uses artificial intelligence to optimize electricity production and consumption in real time, smoothing the intermittency of renewable energy sources.
Flower demonstrates that flexibility is not only a technical lever but also an economic one. By aggregating batteries, demand response, and EV charging, the company secures power grids, accelerates the transition, and creates value for its clients. Active in seven countries, it shows how Swedish solutions can scale and adapt across Europe.
For the students, this visit clarified that energy flexibility is not optional—it is a prerequisite for large-scale transition and effective decarbonization.
Students from the Class of 2025 at the offices of Flower in Stockholm.
The study trip
A program that combines academic rigor with real-world grounding to prepare for future challenges
This study trip to Sweden confirmed that the energy transition goes beyond theoretical concepts—it is built on the ground, through daily engagement with the stakeholders driving it forward. For students in the OSE Specialized Master’s program, this immersion provided a formative experience, enabling them to confront academic knowledge with industrial and societal realities.
Through visits to organizations such as Göteborg Energi, VARO Preem, Scania, Karolinska, and Stockholm Royal Seaport, students gained a deeper understanding of the importance of a systemic approach that integrates technical, economic, and environmental dimensions. They also recognized that the energy transition requires agility, collaboration, and long-term vision—qualities that Mines Paris – PSL actively fosters in its students.
By placing real-world immersion at the core of its pedagogy, the program prepares its students to become key actors in the energy transition, capable of designing and leading innovative and sustainable projects.
Testimonials
Flavien BAZON, OSE Specialized Master’s student, Class of 2025
