PhD Position in Electrical power engineering and mechatronics, Early stage researcher

Tallinn University of Technology, School of Engineering, Department of Electrical Power Engineering and Mechatronics offers a 4-year PhD position in the field of electrical power engineering and mechatronics.

Proposed doctoral thesis topic: "Local markets in electric microgrids".

Supervisors: Tarmo Korõtko and Professor Matti Lehtonen

Abstract

A PhD position in the domain of electric microgrids and on the topic of local electricity markets jointly supervised by Tallinn University of Technology and Aalto University (cotutelle agreement). The aim of this research is to increase the economic feasibility of microgrids and individual prosumers by optimizing microgrid economic performance through participation in ancillary service markets and providing prosumers access to multiple electricity grid services.

Description

To foster innovation in the electric power domain by introducing private capital into the development of smart grids, microgrids need to become economically beneficial. To make participation in microgrids attractive for prosumers and to obtain favorable conditions from the larger electricity grid, microgrids need to also address their needs. The extensive participation in the provision of ancillary grid services enables grid companies to limit capital investments and operation costs and introduces new revenue streams to microgrids. Prosumers are interested in access to a variety of electricity grid services to enable them active engagement in managing their operations and economic performance.

Microgrids with mixed ownership of assets require dedicated methods for the optimal dispatch of prosumer assets. A recognized approach to manage the higher-level operation of microgrid prosumers, while maintaining the ability to optimize microgrid operations, is using a peer-to-peer/platform local market mechanism. Local markets for electrical prosumers inside microgrids are an actual research topic, but market mechanisms commonly enable trading of one specific commodity. The use of a local electricity market platform enables to implement different markets for prosumers, while enabling the microgrid operator to maintain a holistic view of microgrid operations.

The main objective is to increase the economic feasibility of microgrids and individual prosumers by optimizing microgrid economic performance through participation in ancillary service markets and providing prosumers access to multiple electricity grid services.

Responsibilities and (foreseen) tasks

• State of art analysis on economic aspects of microgrid operation, ancillary electricity markets, microgrid economic optimization methods and existing local market mechanisms applicable to electric microgrids.
• Research, development, mathematical modelling, and experimental verification of microgrid economic optimization method considering participation in ancillary service markets.
• Research, development, mathematical modelling, and experimental verification of microgrid local market platform.