Erik Ahlgren

Erik Ahlgren is Professor of Energy Technology at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. His research centres on energy-system transitions across scales, integrating techno-economic and systems-dynamics modelling to address urban and rural energy challenges in both Nordic and East African contexts.

Research focus

• Energy-system transitions connecting technology, economy and environment
• Urban energy systems and sector coupling
• Rural electrification and mini-grid planning in East Africa
• District heating and cooling futures
• Clean cooking with biogas

He leads or co-leads 25 projects funded by the Swedish Energy Agency, Swedish Research Council (VR), SIDA, the EU and other bodies, and collaborates closely with Addis Ababa University, University of Rwanda and Eduardo Mondlane University.

Teaching & outreach

Responsible for the public digital evening course Climate – the science, measures and policy.

Grants & projects

• Buildings in the integrated energy system (2024–2028, Swedish Energy Agency)
• A multiperspective analysis of cost-efficient batteries in rural mini-grids (2023–2026, VR)
• PhD Programme in Electrical Power and Control Engineering with Addis Ababa University (2018–2025, SIDA)
• BREEMRES – research training partnership programme (2018–2025, SIDA)
• Flexibility for Smart Urban Energy Systems (FlexSUS, 2019–2024)

Collaborations & networks

Active in international consortia including the Strategic Research Centre for 4th Generation District Heating (4DH), FutureGas, and numerous East African capacity-building initiatives.