PHD POSITION ON ENERGY SYSTEMS MODELING

(Ref. BAP-2017-288)


Tewerkstelling : Voltijds
Duur : Bepaalde duur
Plaats : Leuven
Solliciteren tot en met : 31/08/2017

For the Energy and Environment research group (unit Applied Mechanics and Energy Conversion) we are looking for a new highly motivated colleague to do a PhD on energy systems modeling.
PHD POSITION ON ENERGY SYSTEMS MODELING

At the division of Applied Mechanics and Energy Conversion (TME) of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, a young research group led by prof. Erik Delarue is working on energy systems modeling (unit commitment, system planning, renewables integration, energy policy and energy market design). This group has gained significant expertise and international recognition in the field of energy systems modeling over the past years. Several PhD students and post-doc are currently working on modeling and on applications towards energy and climate policies.
Website unit


Project

Many electricity generation systems are undergoing so-far unseen drastic changes, largely driven by concerns on global warming (i.e., aiming to reduce CO2 emissions).The share of intermittent (variable and to some extent unpredictable) renewable energy sources (RES) like wind and solar photovoltaics is rapidly increasing and will continue to do so in the future. This poses important challenges on various fronts: technical, economic, reliability, policy, etc. Models are often used to address these challenges, by analyzing system operation and planning.The envisaged research will be conducted in the context of a recently awarded European research project, aiming to build an open source toolbox for the modeling of integrated energy systems. The toolbox will be modular and adaptable, making it suitable for both detailed modelling of complex features in energy systems as well as for large-scale problems. The adaptability comes from a design where the input data defines the temporal,spatial, technological, regulatory and sectoral dimensions of the model instance. A series of case studies will further be conducted, to expand specific modelling capabilities and to deploy the toolbox to potential users.KU Leuven is broadly involved in the overall project. Our main specific contributions will be situated in the actual model development,as well as in case studies on gas networks, energy markets and temporal aggregation.The PhD candidate can start from existing energy systems models and dedicated expertise available in the research group.

Profile

We are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic and communicative researcher with a Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field, preferably from a reputable institute from a country within the European Economic Area. You should have obtained excellent study results.The candidate should have a strong background and interest in energy, and especially in energy system operation and planning, renewables integration, energy policy and modeling. Experience with Matlab/Python/GAMS/Julia is a plus.The candidate is expected to:
  • Have a very good knowledge of English (spoken and written),knowledge of Dutch is an asset
  • Be able to work accurately and methodically
  • Work in the context of an international (European) researchproject
  • Be a team player
  • Present research findings at national and international meetingsand conferences
  • Publish research findings in international journals
  • Assist in teaching activities through project work andexercise sessions
  • Supervise Master theses



Offer

We offer:
  • A doctoral scholarships for one year, renewable up to four years, and a PhD degree in Engineering if successful
  • A highly specialized doctoral training, making the candidate expert in energy systems modeling
  • Multiple benefits (health insurance, access to university infrastructure and sports facilities, etc.)
  • The opportunity to participate in an international research project, research collaborations and international conferences

A targeted start date around October 2017 is to be agreed upon. Part of this research is to be performed within the framework of EnergyVille, a research collaboration on sustainable energy between KU Leuven,VITO and imec.

Interested?

Applicants should express their interest by sending an email to prof. Erik Delarue via the dedicated email address jad@kuleuven.be . The email should contain the following information (in the text body):
- Name
- Master degree (Master specification, University + Country, Year obtained)
- Master thesis title
- A one paragraph (up to half an A4 page) statement on how you see future energy systems becoming more integrated, and on the role of electricity in this regard.
Please also attach an academic CV to your email.
(Do not directly apply in the online system as referred to below. This will be only necessary for selected candidates in a second stage.)

For more information please contact prof. Erik Delarue via jad@kuleuven.be .


You can apply for this job no later than August 31, 2017 via the
online application tool