Electricity, an essential pillar of modern society, plays a central role in the transition to a low-carbon economy. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global electricity consumption is expected to rise by about 4% per year until 2027.
A Rapidly Evolving Sector
In this context, electric energy systems must evolve to meet several major challenges: the growing electrification of end-uses (EVs, AI, data centers), increasingly decentralized production, massive integration of renewable energy and the emergence of smart grids.
These transformations call for a new set of skills and expertise. In response, IFP School is launching a new Specialized Engineering program dedicated to electric energy systems: Electricity Management and Digital (EMD).
The aim is to train a new generation of engineers capable of designing, managing and optimizing electric energy systems, driven by innovation and committed to efficiency, sustainability and digital transformation.
A Program focused on Energy Transition
“Electricity is everywhere—in heating, mobility, work. The recent blackout in Spain and Portugal highlights the urgent need for investment in this strategic sector to ensure its reliability and performance,” explains El Hadj Miliani, Supervisor of the EMD program.
“Modernizing electricity production, transmission and distribution is essential to achieve carbon neutrality. Demand for talent is soaring, both in France, with an estimated 43,000 hires by 2030, and internationally. EMD is designed to meet this challenge,” he continues.
Launching this September, the program has been accredited by the Commission des Titres d’Ingénieur (CTI) and is built on the expertise of IFP School’s Powertrains and Sustainable Mobility and Energy Economics and Management Centers, along with the Electricity and Digital Transition (ETD) teaching and research chair.
A High-Level Technical and Digital Curriculum
Taught entirely in English over 16 months (full-time or apprenticeship), EMD is open to students holding an engineering degree or equivalent (four of five years of higher education).
With 35% of the curriculum focused on digital technologies, the program offers a systemic and techno-economic view of the electricity value chain: production, transmission, distribution, storage and consumption.
Courses include:
- Techno-economic analysis of electric energy systems,
- Electricity markets,
- Smart grid design and operations,
- Power electronics,
- Regulation and integration of renewables,
- Charging station integration and management,
- Econometrics and modeling.
The program emphasizes the use of advanced digital tools—including Machine Learning—for forecasting, optimization and system modeling.
“The EMD program provides a deep understanding of the electricity sector while strengthening digital skills. Students will learn to analyze real-time data to optimize each part of the electric energy system,” explains Arash Farnoosh, Scientific Advisor to the Dean and holder of the ETD chair.
“We’ll focus on digital solutions that improve the balance between electricity supply and demand. The goal is to design and operate decentralized, interactive, flexible and resilient systems,” adds El Hadj Miliani.
“For instance, using solar irradiation data over one year, students will evaluate the feasibility of installing a photovoltaic plant and determine its economic viability. They might also use data to analyze electricity market trends and forecast prices,” he notes.
A Hands-on, Industry-Relevant Approach
Following IFP School’s project-based learning philosophy, EMD combines theory, lab work, real-life case studies, and field visits (e.g., gas and combined-cycle power plants in Metz, industrial sites in Lyon, etc.).
The course also includes a 4- to 6-month internship and a project focused on designing a renewable energy plant (solar or wind-based).
A Broad Range of Career Opportunities
Graduates will be equipped to design and manage intelligent, interconnected electric grids. EMD opens the door to three professional fields:
- Operations & Production: grid engineer, renewable energy engineer, charging station engineer, energy storage engineer;
- Innovation & Digital: smart grid engineer, energy data scientist, digital project manager;
- Consulting & Development: business engineer, project developer, energy trader, etc.
Interested in the EMD program or supporting its students?
Contact El Hadj Miliani at: el-hadj.miliani@ifpen.fr
Article written by Meyling Siu Miranda