Benjamin Jentzsch

Mechanical engineer at Mining & Generation, Vattenfall Europe in Cottbus, Germany. Joined the International Trainee Programme in September 2008. Why did you choose Vattenfall and the International Trainee Programme?

Every player in the energy industry is challenged by the climate discussion and forced to rethink their future fuel mix. In spite of this discussion I think that coal based power generation will remain important in the future and I would like to contribute to a reasonable fuel mix including local fossil fuels. Vattenfall supports this and extends the research and development activities in the field of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology.

Beyond the general opinion of Vattenfalls energy policy I felt that the programme suited my requirements well and it was the one I wanted the most between the different companies I could choose from. Vattenfall’s advertisement for the programme had a strong focus on personal development, not just on skills. I think it is important that a company cares about the personal development of its employees.

The international aspect was also important. My primary criterion was to get the opportunity to work abroad and to think outside the box, since the energy question can’t be solved by a single country.

What was your image of Vattenfall before you started the trainee programme?

As a student I was working in the energy industry and knew that Vattenfall was one of the four big players in the German power generation market. Even when Vattenfall received a lot of bad press because of its nuclear power plants in Germany, I had a positive image of the company based on a reasonable evaluation of what had happened. The CO2-intensive coal power generation is an issue for Vattenfall, but I was aware of the fact that Vattenfall is well ahead when in came to research on coal mining and coal fuelled power plants, and of course CCS technology.

What are you doing, workwise, right now (November 2008)?

I am working at the department of power plant engineering, which deals with power plant technology and also technical issues of power generation in the future. Although based in Cottbus right now, I work partly on-site at Schwarze Pumpe 30 kilometres south of Cottbus. At Schwarze Pumpe there are an Oxyfuel pilot plant and a test facility for drying lignite prior to combustion. The support of these two projects is currently my main field of activity. My daily work at the office is about economic and technical issues, but it also may include wearing a blue overall working at the facility.

What do you expect to get out of the trainee programme?

CCS technology is vital to the future of coal-based energy in general but particularly for Mining & Generation and the whole Vattenfall group. I think this will be a big part of my work in the future, so I am glad that I get the opportunity to work with it already.

What do you think you will be doing immediately after completing the trainee programme?

I am going to continue in the projects I am currently in. Perhaps in another function, but still at the same department working with CCS.