About the Course
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the economic assessment of energy projects, with a strong focus on investment decision-making and financial evaluation. Participants will develop the skills needed to assess economic feasibility, applying key financial metrics such as Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and payback time.
The course covers the principles of discounted cash flow analysis, including cost of capital, discounting techniques, and the treatment of risk and uncertainty. Participants will explore how revenues, costs, inflation, taxes, and depreciation affect project viability, and will learn to conduct sensitivity, scenario, and break-even analyses.
Through hands-on exercises based on real-world cases—such as energy efficiency projects and offshore wind farms—students will gain practical experience in building and using Excel-based financial models. The course progresses from basic cash flow analysis to more advanced topics, including private versus socio-economic valuation, market prices, and policy frameworks.
In addition, the course introduces financing structures and bankability considerations, including debt–equity ratios, loan financing, and key financial performance indicators. Concepts such as Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), support schemes (e.g., PPAs and CFDs), and risk allocation are also examined.
By the end of the course, participants will be able to critically evaluate the economic feasibility of energy projects, design robust financial models, and understand the broader financial and policy context affecting investment decisions.
Who is this course for?
Engineers and technical professionals: Looking to complement technical expertise with economic evaluation skills.
Project developers and consultants: Seeking practical methods to assess feasibility and strengthen investment cases.
Policy-makers and public sector professionals: Interested in understanding socio-economic impacts and decision-making frameworks.
After this course, you can
Apply discounted cash flow methods, including NPV, IRR and break-even analysis, to assess the feasibility of energy projects.
Build and interpret Excel-based financial models that account for revenues, costs, financing structures, inflation, taxes and risk in energy projects.
Evaluate energy projects from both private and socio-economic perspectives, considering policy frameworks, market conditions and bankability criteria.
Course Highlights
Here are the key highlights of the program, designed to give you a clear picture of what sets this course apart and how it can strengthen your expertise in wind energy.
Master Investment Decision-Making
Build strong competencies in evaluating project feasibility using NPV, IRR, cash flow analysis, and risk assessment.
Hands-On Financial Modelling
Develop practical skills through Excel-based exercises and real-world energy project cases, including offshore wind investments.
Integrated Economic Perspective
Understand both private and socio-economic evaluation, including the role of policy, financing structures, and market conditions in shaping project outcomes.
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The course runs over approximately seven weeks: five weeks of guided module work, followed by time to complete an individual capstone project. New learning materials are released each Wednesday, including short lectures, readings, Excel-based exercises, and supporting resources. Participants can work through the materials at a flexible pace during the week while following the overall course schedule.
Each week includes a Weekly Live Learning Session on Wednesdays from 14:00 to 15:00 CET. These sessions give participants the opportunity to discuss key concepts, review exercises, ask questions, and exchange perspectives with peers. Participation is strongly recommended, as the sessions support progression through the course and help participants stay on track.
The expected total workload is 75 hours, including self-paced study, weekly exercises, live sessions, and the capstone project. Participants should expect to spend approximately 10 hours per week during the module period, with additional time allocated to completing the capstone project after the five weekly modules.
Basic knowledge in Microsoft Excel
The course combines flexible self-paced study with structured weekly interaction. Each week, participants gain online access to short lectures, readings, Excel-based exercises and supporting materials, allowing them to work through the content at a pace that fits their professional schedule.
To support progression and commitment, each module is accompanied by a Weekly Live Learning Session, where participants discuss key concepts, review exercises, ask questions and connect the material to real energy project cases. These sessions are designed to help participants consolidate their learning and stay on track while still benefiting from the flexibility of an online format.
The course concludes with an individual capstone project, in which participants apply the methods from the course to assess the economic feasibility of an energy project of their choice or by working with a case provided by the course teachers.
Assessment of the achieved learning objectives will be based on an applied capstone project carried out independently by the learner. Weekly exercises are available for the participants to check their progress.
Participants who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Achievement from DTU (without a grade).
Key Information
Meet your teachers
Learn from world-class researchers and passionate educators who bring cutting-edge expertise and hands-on experience into the classroom.
Lissy Langer
Researcher
Lissy Langer is a researcher at DTU focusing on sustainable energy transitions and climate policy. She has experience teaching interdisciplinary courses that link energy systems, innovation, and policy. She brings a research-driven, practice-oriented perspective to the course, grounded in real-world sustainability challenges.
Anastasia Ioannou
Associate Professor
Anastasia Ioannou is an Associate Professor at DTU whose work centers on energy systems analysis and the integration of renewable technologies. She has contributed to teaching activities that emphasize quantitative methods and systems thinking in sustainability studies. She brings a strong analytical approach to the course, helping students link technical insights with broader energy transition challenges.
Tyler Hansen
Researcher
Tyler Hansen is a Researcher at DTU focusing on the economics of energy systems. He has teaching experience that highlights economic analysis and policy design in the context of large-scale renewable investments. He brings a strong focus on market design and financial frameworks, linking theory to the practical challenges of accelerating the energy transition.
Matt Shields
Senior Advisor
Matt Shields is a Senior Advisor at DTU focusing on financing and investment strategies for sustainable energy projects. He has teaching experience that emphasizes financial analysis and risk assessment in the context of the energy transition. He brings a practical understanding of project finance, helping students connect financial structures with the deployment of low-carbon technologies.
Mohit Sharma
Senior Vice Presiden at Marubeni Corporation
Singapore
“Solid and comprehensive overview!”
"For anyone considering a career transition, this course offers a solid and comprehensive overview of wind energy. It equips you with the essential knowledge and skills needed to smoothly transition into the wind energy field."
Sophie Yin
Renewables Engineer, Woodside Energy
Australia
“Flexible learning with outstanding support!”
“What I enjoy the most about the programme is the flexibility. I have been able to access the content around other aspects of my life, which has been very valuable. Also, the lecturers have made them available to the students online to answer questions and actually provide knowledge beyond the course, which I really enjoyed.”
Fahd Outailleur
Head of Engineering at Enel Green Power
Morocco
“Europe’s leader in wind energy”
“I chose to enrol in this wind energy master's program because DTU is the leading technical university in Europe, renowned for its specialization in wind energy. The program reflects the state of the art of the sector. Before joining, I knew some of their software programmes like WAsP and the Global Wind Atlas. So I was confident about the quality of the training.”
Testimonials
Discover what DTU students have to say about their journey, their experiences, and the skills they’ve gained.
Financing Options
We offer a range of discounts and packages to make the programme more accessible.
Early Bird Discount
Register before 01 December
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Team-Based Learning
Enroll a group of 3 or more participants from the same company and benefit from special team pricing.
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Course Modules
This course is designed around five thematic modules, with one key theme covered each week.
1.
Basic economic principles and methods
2.
Extended revenue & cost calculation
3.
Private valuation
4.
Socio-economic valuation
5.
Financing considerations
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For course-specific questions or if you are looking for a customised training solution for your company, please contact us at courses@windenergy.dtu.dk.