This past term, 28 energy engineering students from four Unite! partner universities – TU Darmstadt, Aalto University, UPC Barcelona, and TU Graz – embarked on the first edition of the Unite! E3 European Energy Excursion. Supported by the Unite! Seed Fund for Student Activities, this student-led initiative aimed to take energy education beyond the classroom, providing a first-hand, multi-perspective look at Europe's transition to net-zero.

Over five intensive days, the cohort traveled across Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, exploring how high-level regulatory frameworks directly shape physical infrastructure and industrial manufacturing.

Brussels (Policy & Governance): The journey began at the European Commission Visitor Center and ENTSO-E, where students examined EU energy policy, grid resilience, and ten-year network development planning. The group also attended the European Sustainable Energy Week (#EUSEW), connecting with youth-led energy networks like EYEN and VOYCE.

Rotterdam (Offshore Grid Infrastructure): Shifting from policy to physical deployment, the cohort visited TenneT at the Port of Rotterdam. Participants toured the Amaliahaven high-voltage substation construction site, gaining insights into integrating massive 2 GW offshore wind connections from the North Sea into the mainland grid.

Berlin (Manufacturing, Innovation & National Policy): The final leg featured a packed schedule across clean technology leaders.

In Berlin, the group first visited Siemens Energy, where factory tours provided insights into the manufacturing of SF6-free Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) and the newly opened Siemens Energy x Air Liquide electrolyzer gigafactory. At the 1KOMMA5° TechLab, CPO Jannik Schall introduced the students to Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) and decentralized energy management. A behind-the-scenes tour of the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg in Grünheide offered further insights into industrial production. The programme concluded with strategic policy discussions at Agora Energiewende and the German Bundestag on Germany’s roadmap towards climate neutrality by 2045, followed by a Q&A session with an energy policy expert.

Beyond the technical site visits, the true highlight was the collaboration between the students. Seeing how strangers turn into colleagues and friends throughout the week was really rewarding for the organisers.