Rate My Professor Sanna Syri

Sanna Syri is a Professor of Energy Technology and Energy Economics at Aalto University School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, where she has served since 2010, with her position becoming permanent in 2015. She holds a Master's degree in Engineering Physics from Helsinki University of Technology, awarded in 1994, and a Doctoral degree in Engineering and Technology from the same institution in 2001. Her Master's thesis was conducted at the University of California. Before joining Aalto, Syri worked at the Finnish Environment Institute, modeling the spread and environmental impact of acidifying air pollution. She then spent eight years at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, focusing on energy systems, carbon dioxide emissions, and electricity markets. Additionally, she was a research scientist for one and a half years at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Vienna, Austria.

Syri's research centers on efficient strategies for mitigating climate change within large-scale energy systems, with particular emphasis on international electricity markets and sustainable district heating systems. She investigates cost-effective policy instruments to decarbonize energy systems, enhance energy efficiency, and tackle challenges associated with emission-free technologies including solar and wind power, nuclear energy, and carbon dioxide capture. Her work is supported by national and European research programs. She supervises nearly twenty master's theses each year and PhD students, contributing to the training of future experts in sustainable energy. Notable publications include "Economic viability of large-scale solar PV implementation in the Nordic power market: Case Finland" (2026, with D. Heenatigala Kankanamge et al.), "Impact of electricity price input methods on economic optimisation models: A case study of district heating thermal energy storage in Finland" (2026, with I. Skorniakov et al.), "Techno-economic assessment of heat recovery from a PEME stack to district heating systems" (2026, with I. Moradpoor et al.), "Data center waste heat utilization in district heating in a volatile low-carbon electricity market" (2025, with S. Tervo et al.), and "Utilizing data center waste heat in district heating" (2017, with M. Wahlroos et al.). Through her modeling and economic analyses, Syri influences advancements in sustainable energy policies and technologies.