Studium Generale: Nachhaltigkeit

The module is aimed at students who are involved in voluntary work within the university or in civil society or are planning to do so during the semester. It offers the opportunity to contextualise the content of their own voluntary work, reflect on personal progress and become more aware of their own role in voluntary work. The aim is for participants to learn how to place their volunteer work in a social, environmental, or societal context and to develop motivation and strategies for future activities.

The module can be used to accompany voluntary service for reflection purposes and offers the opportunity to have your commitment recognised. It is also part of the sustainability certificate.

For voluntary work/commitment to be taken into account in this module, it must be completed during the course of study, cover at least the period of one semester (6 months) and comprise at least 50 hours of work. 

For those who are not yet involved in volunteering:
We offer the opportunity to organize a conference on civic engagement and volunteering as a recognized volunteer activity (for the sustainability certificate).

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at: nachhaltigkeit@hwr-berlin.de.

Contents and sequence: 

The module is divided into two blocks: 

1.First block (start of semester): Kick-off 

• Module introduction & goals
• Theoretical input on civil engagement
• Exchange on successes and challenges in volunteering

2.Second block (end of semester): Conference

• Present projects/reflection
• Feedback and discussion
• Reflect on learning
• Wrap-up

Assessment: 

2 CP are awarded for participation and the presentation (in the form of a poster) of your own commitment in both blocks. Students who also submit a reflection journal or a blog post series at the end of the semester and successfully pass will receive a total of 3 CP. 

Learning objectives: 

After completing the module, participants will be able to: categorise their voluntary work in terms of content and society, critically reflect on personal progress and challenges, develop strategies to make volunteering sustainable and motivating, inspire other students and the civil society community through their volunteering. 

Target group: 

The module is aimed at students from all disciplines who are interested in volunteering or are already involved.

To receive the Sustainability Certificate, you’ll need to complete this course.

In this module, students deepen their understanding of renewable energy (RE) project finance and contractual frameworks by working with advanced tools and real-world case applications. The focus lies on financial modelling and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), which are central to evaluating project bankability and structuring long-term energy sales.

Topics include:

• Renewable Energy Project Evaluator
  • Introduction to the RE Project Evaluator financial modeling tool
  • Inputting and analyzing project, technology, and financial parameters
  • Structuring debt and loans, and evaluating project viability using financial output data
• Power Purchase Agreements (PPA)
  • Definition and basic objectives of PPAs
  • Market drivers and types of PPAs
  • Institutional prerequisites to conclude PPAs
  • General PPA models
  • PPA pricing and volume structures
  • Allocation and management of price and risk components
  • Impact of PPAs on project bankability and financing structures
  • Contractual architecture of a sample PPA and PPA-related financial agreements

Objective:

Students will:

• Use the RE Project Evaluator tool to input data, analyze parameters, and assess project viability
• Understand the key concepts, types, and market drivers of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)
• Explain institutional requirements and contractual structures related to PPAs
• Analyze PPA pricing, risk allocation, and their effects on project financing and bankability

This module provides students with applied skills in the areas of development, financing, and risk management for renewable energy projects.

Structure:

The module runs over two months and combines in-person teaching with self-study and group work. Students engage with lectures, exercises, and independent work on financial modelling and PPAs. A group challenge format forms the basis of the final assessment.

Workload: 75 h (40 h self-study; 35 h contact time)

Schedule:

• 11.12.2025, 5-7pm – Introduction to the assignment / energy challenge (online)
• 16.12.2025, 5-7pm – Renewable Energy Project Finance Due Diligence (Rafael Juan Martí)
• 05.01.2026, 5-8pm – Power Purchasing Agreements (Alexander Boensch)

Examination timeline:

• 22.01.2026 – Submission of draft (feedback by RENAC lecturers, HWR)
• 12.02.2026 – Presentation (feedback by RENAC lecturers, HWR, Novisio)
• 05.03.2026 – Submission of final report (feedback by RENAC lecturers, HWR)

Assessment:

• Group work in energy challenge format, including draft, presentation, and final report submission

Literature:

Relevant materials will be provided via the e-learning platform (Moodle/RENAC).

Target Audience:

The module is designed for students with prior knowledge of RE project development, finance, and legal aspects, particularly in economics, business, engineering, or business law. Suitable for Bachelor students (higher semesters) and Master students.

In this module, students gain insights into the development, finance, and legal aspects of renewable energy (RE) projects. The focus lies on understanding the project life-cycle, evaluating investment feasibility, and applying financial and legal frameworks to real-world RE projects.

Topics include:

• Overview of renewable energy project development
• Key financial and non-financial aspects of renewable energy projects
• Life-cycle and development steps of RE projects
• Basic financial principles: time value of money, cost of capital
• Financial performance indicators for assessing RE investments
• Risk assessment and management tools
• Financing options for RE projects: equity, debt, and project finance structures
• SPV contract negotiation and business planning
• Bankability assessments and financial engineering (case studies)
• Legal and contractual frameworks in RE projects
• Investor risk management and requirements of financing institutions

Objective:

Students will:

• Understand the lifecycle, development process, and key factors influencing RE projects
• Acquire knowledge of core financial principles and evaluate the feasibility and investment potential of RE projects
• Analyze and select appropriate financing structures
• Assess project bankability
• Understand legal and contractual frameworks for RE projects

Structure:

The module runs over two months and combines in-person teaching with self-study and online learning. Students participate in lectures, exercises, and case studies, while deepening their knowledge independently through online resources (e-learning platform).

Workload: 75 h (45 h self-study; 25 h contact time)

Schedule:

• 16.10.2025, 5-6 pm – Introduction & guided tour of the e-learning platform
• 23.10.2025, 5-7 pm – Life-cycle and value chain of RE projects: example Photovoltaics (Rafael Juan Martí)
• 17.11.2025, 5-7pm  – Renewable Energy Project Contracts (Alexander Boensch)

Assessment:

• Online exam (10–11 December 2025)

Literature:

Relevant materials will be provided via the e-learning platform (Moodle/RENAC).

Target Audience:

The module is open to students of economics, business, engineering, and business law with an interest in renewable energy project development, finance, and legal aspects. It is suitable for both Bachelor students (higher semesters) and Master students.

It is recommended to complete the introductory courses (Introduction to Energy, Introduction to Electricity) at the beginning of the module if no prior knowledge of the energy system exists.

In this practice-oriented course, students will acquire hands-on project management skills by planning and implementing their own sustainability initiatives on campus. The course introduces methods for structuring, coordinating, and communicating projects effectively – skills highly relevant across disciplines and career paths, particularly in business, public management, and law.

Students will explore possibilities for the climate-resilient transformation of the Lichtenberg campus. Focus areas include sustainable rainwater management, urban greening, and the improvement of outdoor comfort. Working in small teams, students will engage with campus users to better understand needs and usage patterns. Based on these insights, they will collaboratively develop initial ideas and recommendations for future measures. The course fosters teamwork, social learning, and contributes to the broader vision of a "blue-green" Lichtenberg campus.

Objective:

The Green Project Lab enables students to develop and implement practical projects in the field of sustainability. They acquire knowledge in the planning, implementation and evaluation of such projects and develop practical solutions to ecological and social challenges. 

Struktur:

The Green Project Lab is designed as an interdisciplinary seminar that runs for one semester. Each semester focuses on a different key topic in the field of sustainability (e.g. green-blue infrastructure, sustainable mobility, renewable energies).

Dates:

16 October, 4–7:45 p.m.

23 October, 4–6:15 p.m.

30 October, 4–6:15 p.m. 

06.11. Asynchronous learning (Moodle) 

13.11.  4:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.

27.11. 4:00–6:15 p.m. 

04.12. 4:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.

Project work – self-study

15.01. 4:00 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. 

Examination performance:

Presentation / Additional task (for 2.5 ECTS): Reflection diary and project report

Target groups:

The course is open to students from all universities and non-university students with an interest in the topic and is explicitly aimed at all departments.

Credits can be counted towards the sustainability certificate.

Die SDGs stellen die anspruchsvollste internationale Vereinbarung dar, um eine nachhaltige und gerechte Welt zu erreichen. In 17 miteinander verbundenen Zielen werden Themen, die von sauberer Energie, Gesundheit, dem Schutz der Meere bis zur Entwicklung von Städten und Gemeinschaften reichen miteinander systematisch verbunden, durch Zwischenziele konkretisiert und ihr Erfolg durch eine Reihe von Indikatoren auf lokaler und staatlicher Ebene erfasst. In diesem Seminar gehen wir zunächst auf unterschiedliche Positionen zum Thema der Globalen Gerechtigkeit in der politischen Theorie ein, beschäftigen uns anschließend mit der Konzeption der SDGs und prüfen danach kritisch anhand von 2-3 Praxisbeispielen inwieweit die SDGs ihrem Anspruch gerecht werden können.