PhD Hydrogen value chain deployment - Coherent design of technology and regulatory framework...

Delft University of Technology is hiring a doctoral candidate on the subject of integrated hydrogen-energy system. The position is established within the faculty of Technology Policy and Management (TPM), department Engineering Systems and Services (ESS), more specifically in the Energy and Industry (E&I) section, where the research on energy system integration, industry and energy transitions and circular economy takes place.

In this position, you will work as part of a team of three doctoral candidates in a project called “HyChain Energy System Integration: Agenda for the emerging hydrogen economy supporting energy system integration”.This project, funded by NWO, is a collaboration between TU Delft, University of Amsterdam, Tilburg University, Breda University of Applied Sciences, TNO, ISPT and a range of industrial partners.

Presented in May 2022 the REPowerEU Plan builds on the Fit for 55 package with the ambition of achieving at least -55 % net GHG emissions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050 in the European Union. Further, it stresses phasing out Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels from Russia before 2030 and increasing the resilience of the EU-wide energy system. Amongst other measures, REPowerEU introduces an ambition to reach in 2030 an additional 15 million tons of renewable hydrogen on top of the 5.6 Mt foreseen under Fit for 55.

In order to create a feasible pathway to a hydrogen economy it is important to understand and model the effects of the regulatory choices on the market, as well as on the stakeholders involved. This PhD project concentrates on analyzing regulatory challenges and opportunities on the European and national level as well as Agent-Based Modelling (ABM) of integrated hydrogen-energy systems seen as socio-technical ones operating in a complex institutional environment. The ABM results will be translated into recommendations for regulation, policy challenges and business models.

This four-year doctoral appointment will be supervised by prof.dr.ir Zofia Lukszo, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management/ Delft University of Technology and prof.dr. Saskia Lavrijssen, Department of Law Technology Society and Markets/University of Tilburg. The research will be performed in collaboration with our other consortium partners.