PhD Position Future Energy Infrastructure Planning Under Uncertainty in collaboration with Stedin

Do you want to develop innovative solutions to support urgent energy infrastructure planning challenges?

Do you want to have direct real-world impact by working closely with the Dutch distribution grid operator Stedin?

• Hours per week: 36-40
• FTE: 1,0

Job description

Grid operators, such as Stedin, must urgently plan near-term investments in energy infrastructure to ensure a carbon-neutral, robust, adequate, cost-effective, and socially acceptable system in the long term, with impacts, opportunities, and barriers extending beyond 2050. This planning task is extremely challenging due to deep uncertainty regarding technological and societal developments across all sectors of the economy that influence the energy system's demand, as well as parallel planning decisions taken by other system actors.

A relevant case in point of the complex and uncertain interdependency between energy planning and socio-technical developments is the greenhouse horticulture sector, which in the Netherlands significantly contributes to both the economy and the energy system. Greenhouses currently meet their local electricity, heating, and CO2 needs via gas-fuelled combined heat and power (CHP) plants, which can operate flexibly and thereby also provide grid balancing. However, whether the sector's pivotal role as a flexible energy system asset will continue is highly uncertain. Socio-economic developments may transform the overall size of the sector or the products they prioritise (e.g., vegetables or ornamental plants, whose energy requirements differ significantly). At the same time, technological developments and carbon-neutrality goals may radically transform the sector's local energy infrastructure and business model, for example, transitioning from CHPs to renewable sources that cannot provide grid flexibility but rather require it. Moreover, grid operators must weigh possible alternative flexibility means (storage, power-to-heat, power-to-gas, gas-to-power) against publicly financed grid reinforcements and privately owned commercial opportunities.

Current energy planning methods fail to capture this complexity, leading to poorly justified choices on alternative infrastructures and interdependencies and to over- or underinvestment. In this PhD, we will develop methods and tools to go beyond such barriers and enable the robust, adequate, cost-effective, and socially viable planning decisions that grid operators need. We will do so in various stages. First, by investigating how to capture various plausible socio-economic developments for a given energy sector, such as greenhouse horticulture, and their implications on energy demand. Second, by quantifying how these developments may transform the sector's local energy infrastructure, which may comprise various energy carriers such as heat, hydrogen and green methane. This requires accurately capturing the sector’s heat, electricity, and CO2 needs, then evaluating the interactions between the design options of horticulture companies and their impact on local infrastructure and energy system planning. Third, by developing an innovative methodology that leverages the information produced on socio-economic and technical developments to generate insights into the trade-offs between alternative planning strategies for grid operators, based on relevant KPIs. We aim, in particular, for insights that enable us to prioritise near-term investments and adapt to various possible future investment trajectories as uncertain information unfolds over time.

To achieve such goals, you will build on cutting-edge methods and tools in our team, such as open-source energy system modelling frameworks and Modelling to Generate Alternatives (MGA) under uncertainty, and combine them with techniques from AI and other fields to ease computation and ensure robust, practically-actionable insights. TU Delft and Stedin jointly fund this PhD position. You will work with researchers at TU Delft and with system strategists at Stedin, spending one day per week at Stedin’s Rotterdam premises.

At TU Delft, you will work closely with Francesco Lombardi in the Energy & Industry section, where you will interact with researchers working on similar topics. You'll also join a lively community of renowned interdisciplinary energy researchers in the Department of Engineering Systems and Services. We host researchers from diverse countries and disciplines.

At Stedin, you will work closely with experienced system strategists who focus on the long-term integral development of the energy system. We comprise a community of experienced and innovative colleagues whose primary drivers are societal value creation and sustainable development goals. You will encounter the group that created the systemic energy visions and strategies that are now leading governmental (among others) policies.

Job requirements

You must be able to demonstrate:

• Master’s degree in engineering (e.g., CoSEM, SET, Electrical Engineering if you attended TU Delft), physics or other related discipline (must have been awarded by the agreed-upon starting date of the PhD).
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills.
• Very good written and spoken communication skills in English.
• Very good written and spoken communication skills in Dutch.

Bonus points if you have:

• Programming experience Python or a similar language.
• Knowledge of open-source energy system modelling frameworks, such as PyPSA, Calliope, Tulipa or similar.
• Knowledge on the (Dutch) Power System (dynamic and quasi static simulations)
• Taken courses in Optimisation, Energy System Modelling or similar.
• Prior research experience, especially in energy system modelling or other energy-related research.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Working at TU Delft means contributing to solutions that really make a difference.

At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a high-quality education and conduct pioneering research that extends beyond the campus. You will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional. Working at TU Delft means join an international community of professionals and students. Together, we create knowledge, innovations, and solutions that help move the world forward.

Faculty Technology, Policy & Management

The Faculty of TPM provides an important contribution to solving complex technical-social issues, such as energy transition, mobility, digitalisation, water management and (cyber) security. TPM does this with its excellent education and research at the intersection of technology, society and policy. We combine insights from both engineering and social sciences as well as the humanities. TPM develops robust models and designs, is internationally oriented and has an extensive network of knowledge institutions, companies, social organisations and governments.

Conditions of employment

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from €3204 - €4051 gross per month, from the first year to the fourth year based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.

As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis.

As part of knowledge security, TU Delft conducts a risk assessment during the recruitment of personnel. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology. The assessment is based on information provided by the candidates themselves, such as their motivation letter and CV, and takes place at the final stages of the selection process. When the outcome of the assessment is negative, the candidate will be informed.