Energy production and management

Improvements in energy efficiency, the development of renewable energies and energy storage are amongst the main challenges facing engineers today. It is within this context that this specialisation aims to provide general engineering students with the skills to deal with cross- and multi-disciplinary issues linked to energy. The following fields are covered:
 

• conventional energy production
• renewable energy production (wind, solar and thermal power etc.)
• energy management, transport and storage
• efficient use of energy particularly in industry and construction
• consideration of the environmental constraints linked to energy (depollution of energy production systems)

Contribution to sustainable development goals

Learn more about Centrale Nantes' commitment to the 17 sustainable development goals

Double Degree Programme

• Selected students spend two years studying courses from the engineering programme at Centrale Nantes. This usually includes one year of the common-core engineering curriculum followed by one year of specialisation. 
• Double degree students are typically accepted after successfully completing two or three years of higher education in their home institution.
• Learn more about the double degree programme

Exchange Study Programme

• Selected students have the opportunity to spend a semester or a year of their studies at Centrale Nantes to obtain ECTS credits. 
• Applicants must be fluent in French (B2 level recommended) and have a Master 1st year university level with the equivalent of 240 ECTS credits (in the European system, or equivalent).
• Learn more about the Exchange Study programme

2025/26 Academic Year

Examples of past projects

• Design, production and testing of a thermal solar collector  
• Study on inter-seasonal heat storage
• Study on concentrated solar power
• Integration of forecasted weather data into the energy control system of the Solar Decathlon prototype
• Thermal study of housing (steady-state calculation and dynamic thermal simulation)
• Study of a cogeneration system and combined cycles
• Study of an ocean thermal energy system

Examples of past internships

• Assistant Solar Project Manager (JP Energie Environnement)
• Consultant in Carbon and Energy Transition Strategy (Carbone 4)
• Heating and air-conditioning installation study and works
• Energy optimization for a rotary kiln: experimental development of an innovative heat exchanger (IFSTTAR)
• Study and improvement of tomorrow's power grid (RTE)
• Integration of wind turbines into the electricity market (Maïa Eolis)

A wealth of employment prospects exist across industry:

• Traditional energy production sector (EDF, Areva, GDF Suez, TOTAL, ALSTOM, ENI, E.ON)
• Renewable energy production sector (Areva Solar, Naval Group, ALSTOM, SIEMENS, GE Wind Energy, Gamesa, REPower, Enercon,...)
• Energy transport sector (RTE, Direct Energie, GrDF, ENI)
• HVAC sector (Saunier Duval, GEA, Daikin, A2P,...),
• Energy-consuming industries aiming to reduce their energy bill (SNCF, Saint Gobain, ArcelorMittal, Air Liquide, ...)
• Engineering and design consultancies specialising in thermal comfort and building energy (Indiggo, Alterea, Alteréco,...)
• National and international bodies promoting the development of renewable energies, and energy research centres (CEA, IFPEN)