PhD Machine Learning for Energy System State Estimation

Challenge: Transforming the conventional carbon-intensive energy use

Change: AI to turn data into knowledge for efficient systems

Impact: Boosting the sustainable, fair and reliable energy transition

Job description

TU Delft is a top-tier university and is exceedingly active in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with a strong expertise in energy systems. Energy systems are the backbone of our modern society but are becoming increasingly complex and challenging to operate as renewable energy, heating and transport sectors are integrated into the system. It’s crucially important that energy systems are sustainable, reliable and effective, now and in the future.

As part of your 4-year PhD project, you will develop novel graph-based machine learning algorithms for state estimation of energy systems. The scientific challenge is to design a real-time state estimator for an active distribution system considering topological uncertainties. State estimation is an important task where the operator considers very little noisy measurement data to infer the full system state. However, often, the accuracy is used to infer the full state while the true state is seldom known and can only be reproduced in computer simulations. Therefore, you will explore a novel approach investigating graph neural networks and structural information combining with parameter estimation methods. Your PhD research will be in the area of applied data-driven scientific computing combining statistics, time-frequency analysis, low-dimensional model reductions, and other techniques to extract information from data. You will apply self-supervised learning making the information useful for the management and planning of complex energy systems considering foundational models.

You will be hired as a PhD researcher at TU Delft. You will be jointly supervised by Associate Professor Dr. Jochen Cremer (academic supervisor) and Dr. Nuran Cihangir (your company supervisor, Stedin). Recognising the transformational power of AI, TU Delft joins forces with the distribution system operator Stedin. As a member of the Intelligent Electrical Power Grids research group at TU Delft, you will be an affiliated researcher with the ICAI AI for Energy Grids Lab and with Delft AI Energy Lab where we combine ground-breaking AI methods with the reliable theory of the physical energy system. Practically, you will work one day a week at Stedin, where you will be supported by around 5 scientific staff, data scientists and power system experts.

About the department at TU Delft:

The research in the Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy is inspired by the technical, scientific, and societal challenges originating from the transition towards a more sustainable society and focuses on four areas:

• DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage (DCE&S)
• Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (PVMD)
• Intelligent Electrical Power Grids (IEPG)
• High Voltage Technologies (HVT)

The Electrical Sustainable Energy Department provides expertise in each of these areas throughout the entire energy system chain. The department owns a large ESP laboratory assembling High Voltage testing, DC Grids testing environment, and a large RTDS that is actively used for real-time simulation of future electrical power systems, AC and DC protection, and wide-area monitoring and protection.

The Intelligent Electrical Power Grid (IEPG) group, headed by Professor Peter Palensky, works on the future of our power system. The goal is to generate, transmit and use electrical energy in a highly reliable, efficient, stable, clean, affordable, and safe way. IEPG integrates new power technologies and smart controls, which interact with other systems and allow for more distributed and variable generation.

Job requirements

• An MSc degree in either Machine Learning, Robotics, Control Systems, Operations Research or in Power/Energy Systems, Electrical Engineering, etc.
• Demonstrated competences in one or more of these categories: AI, computer/data science, machine learning, energy system modelling, dynamic systems, power systems or another relevant field.
• An affinity with teaching and guiding students.
• A proven record and interest in further developing your modelling, programming, analytical and scientific writing skills.
• An affinity with energy and power systems, with net-zero carbon targets, technical challenges.
• Proficient in verbal and written English.
• The ability to work in a team, take initiative, be results oriented and systematic.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three scientific disciplines. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we all use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make completely sustainable and future-proof. At the same time, we are developing the chips and sensors of the future, whilst also setting the foundations for the software technologies to run on this new generation of equipment – which of course includes AI. Meanwhile we are pushing the limits of applied mathematics, for example mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. In other words: there is plenty of room at the faculty for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1000 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

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 € 2901 per month in the first year to € 3707 in the fourth year. 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.