PhD position “Energy Hubs for Integration of Large-scale renewable Energy: Modelling and...

The challenge

Increasing decentralized power production from wind and solar are putting a strain on the capacity of the electricity grid in different parts of the Netherlands. Consequently, new projects cannot be connected to the grid preventing growth of renewable energy production. Also, when power demand is exceeding the transport capacity, an extra alternative electricity flow is needed to fulfil the power demand. This could be solved by increasing capacity: grid expansion. However, this is expensive and takes years of time to be realized. Although grid expansion is inevitable in the long term, a solution is needed for a short/medium term. If the copper route (i.e. reinforcing the grid by adding more cabled) is not a viable option anymore, then an alternative route through conversion to energy carrying molecules can be a solution. For this purpose we need major breakthroughs, advanced technologies and new integrated renewable energy systems for the energy hubs. Such an energy hub is a place where different forms of sustainable generation, storage and conversion come together to ensure a reliable supply of clean energy to customers in its surrounding.

Integrated networks of heat, gas and electricity systems with innovative energy conversion and storage technologies are required for the energy supply in our future cities, and without cooperation between very different stakeholders this transition will not be possible. In the present 4-years project you will develop innovative strategies by developing models of subsystems of energy hubs by combining energy carriers such as electricity, heat and gas which these models can accurately simulate the dynamic behavior of the system. Such models can either be used for the energy calculation tool, but also as validation base for less complex models within an energy management system (EMS) and explore if the models would fit to the current optimization algorithms for use in such an EMS setting. The UT has developed a platform for smart grid model predictive control called DEMKit. The PhD can work on digital twin modelling and application of DEMKit.

The project is executed in close cooperation with Alliander, TNO, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, EIGEN, Ventolines, Recoy, Semper Power, PARKnCHARGE, ElaadNL, Over morgen, Connectr and Shared Energy Platform. The project is funded by the MOOI-SIGOGE.