4TU students’ ideas on the energy transition accelerated by the Future of Energy Business course

A collaboration between Deloitte and 4TU.Energy

The energy transition requires more than technical knowledge alone. It calls for new ideas — and for those ideas to be translated into real-world impact. By combining the academic strength of the 4TU Federation with Deloitte’s expertise in business and consultancy, the Future of Energy Business course aims to accelerate exactly that process.

Bridging technology and business

Each autumn since 2022, there are 5 half-day workshops over a period of 5 weeks. This course offers motivated students and young professionals a unique learning environment with a business perspective on the energy transition. The course targets energy-interested 3rd-year bachelor and master students across all faculties from four technical universities (4TU) in the Netherlands (Trainees from companies across the energy sectors joined since 2025). Participants work in interdisciplinary teams on concrete challenges related to the energy transition, guided by facilitators from both academia (4TU.Energy researchers) and industry (Deloitte topics experts).

2025 edition: strong participation and outstanding feedback

The 2025 edition of the course started on 10 November 2025 and concluded with a festive final pitch event on 9 December 2025. In total, 40 participants took part:

20 students from the 4TU universities
20 trainees from organisations active in the energy sector

All participants successfully completed the programme and received a certificate.

The course was evaluated very positively:

4.8 / 5 – overall course rating
4.8 / 5 – likelihood of recommending the course to others

Learners and facilitators reflections

A student participant, Santiago Castillo from Eindhoven University of Technology, reflected:

“The workshop sessions offered a unique blend of strategic thinking, technical in-depth analysis, and real-world industry insights. The discussions strengthened my motivation to contribute to a more sustainable energy future.”

Facilitators also emphasized the interdisciplinary strength of the programme. Stefanie Horian from Delft University of Technology noted:

“I’m especially proud that the team I mentored won first place. Their pitch addressed an urgent challenge in the energy transition and demonstrated how technical solutions and digital platforms can be combined in a compelling business case.”

Zia Hoseini from Wageningen University & Research, a facilitator for the second time, added:

“The interaction between university students and industry interns clearly showed how interdisciplinary and international the energy transition is — and how crucial it is to translate ideas into implementable narratives.”

From learning to concrete ideas

Over the five weeks — combining one online session with in-person workshops — participants explored topics such as:

Energy transition scenarios
Hard-to-abate sectors
Emerging solutions
The future of work in the energy system

The final jury-evaluated pitches showcased a wide range of innovative ideas, including:

Green methanol production in the Netherlands
Hydrogen storage solutions
Dispatchable power generation investments
Hybrid heat pump and green gas applications
Energy exchange platforms for industrial sites
Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU)

Educating the next generation of energy leaders

The Future of Energy Business course demonstrates how education can actively contribute to the energy transition: by combining academic knowledge, business perspectives, and real-world case studies. Beyond strengthening the collaboration between 4TU.Energy and Deloitte, the programme creates lasting value for students, trainees, facilitators, and the wider energy community.

We look forward to the next edition of the course and warmly welcome new participants — both learners and facilitators — to join future cohorts.

For more general information about the course, please visit the dedicated course webpage here.