Sabrina Hasni is a consultant in the field of Electrification for decarbonisation solutions, with a background in process engineering, design integration, and project management within high-profile corporations. She holds an M.Eng in Petrochemicals and Plastics from the University of McGill and an M.Sc. in Solar Energy Engineering from the University of Freiburg/Fraunhofer Institute. Sabrina Hasni is a member of Women in Concentrated Solar Power created in September 2022 during the SolarPaces conference in New Albuquerque.

We had the honor of speaking with Sabrina Hasni, where she shared insights about her educational experience in the Solar Energy Engineering master's program.

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What aspects of the program did you enjoy the most?‍

What I enjoyed was the variety of subjects covering solar PV, solar thermal, concentrated solar and the economics around it. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and how helpful the tutors were in answering my questions. It was enlightening and enriching to be part of a classroom with people from various backgrounds.

I greatly enjoyed the projects we worked on with other students, as well as the professionalism of the academic staff. The key to learning for me is to enjoy the process and feel supported in every step of the learning journey.

In what ways has the program enriched your academic and professional development?‍

Ah... I have so much to say here; I was fascinated by concentrated solar more than solar PV. Given my background in chemical engineering, I like to design and manipulate molecules rather than electrons ! I knew I wanted to do my master thesis in concentrated solar, but what I didn't think is that I could write a paper or present a conference.

It was Prof. Dr. Werner Platzer who made me believe in myself and achieve what I did. I couldn't be more grateful for all his support and guidance. This helped me move my career towards electrification of industrial heat, including thermal storage. I am really enjoying my new roles, and the challenges they bring to decarbonize the industry. This is a very sensitive topic that I am very passionate about.

Were there any experiences or projects that particularly stood out during your time in the program?‍

I enjoyed the group assignments and the projects where we had to do research, model systems using tools such as HOMER (Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources) or SAM (System Advisor Model). I learned not only new skills by using new software tools but I also learned how others approached the problem and found the solution. It made me think that there is not one solution to a problem. If you give a problem to 10 engineers, you might get 10 different answers.

I remember Prof. Dr. Werner Platzer saying that he was more interested in knowing how we approached solving the problem rather than the solution itself.  It was really nice to share and learn from other students since we all have different backgrounds.

Final words‍

The program helped not only gain new technical skills and expand my knowledge, but also develop a new network in the solar industry. I was able to transform my passion into my daily work, and I hope to continue pursuing my passion for concentrated solar energy and achieve even more in the future. So if I have one recommendation to give, please don't hold back from living your passion every day. To trigger a change in your life. Not only do you need to believe in yourself, but you also need to take action.

Sabrina Hasni has published a Case study on decarbonization strategies for LNG export terminals using heat and power from CSP/PV hybrid plants. Feel free to read it here.

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