Delft University of Technology is hiring a doctoral candidate on the subject of “Smart energy solutions to enable flexibility in European green ports”. The PhD position is part of the MAGPIE project, funded by the European Union.

The energy transition requires creative solutions for the efficient use of energy. Green ports reduce their impact on emissions by reducing consumption and by making use of flexibility to optimally match the supply and demand of clean energy. Through this position, you will be developing integrated smart energy solutions for green ports by providing strategic decision support on congestion points and energy system interventions through identifying synergies and barriers in flexible energy use. You will also contribute to the development of an energy system simulator with embedded cross-sector flexible energy matching, which will allow assessing technical performance, identify congestion points, quantify flexibility needs, identify constraints, etc. This platform will require the development of statistical models for resource availability using bottom-up models and/or machine learning using data from different segments of a green port (maritime, in-port, hinterland).

This is a four-year doctoral appointment, with an anticipated start date of March 1st 2022. You will be jointly supervised by Dr. Pedro P. Vergara (assistant professor), Dr. Simon Tindemans (assistant professor), and Prof. Peter Palensky (chair). You will be a member of the section Intelligent Electrical Power Grids in the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science. The project will offer opportunities to collaborate with industrial partners, but also with academics from other disciplines, as required (mathematics, operations research). Within the team, we strive to develop methods that are mathematically rigorous and have near-term application potential. We are strong supporters of open science (publishing, source code, data). You will also be expected to assist in teaching activities (student supervision, labs) related to your subject area.

About the MAGPIE project

The main objective of the MAGPIE  project is to demonstrate technical, operational, and procedural energy supply and digital solutions in a living lab environment to stimulate green, smart, and integrated multimodal transport and ensure rollout through the European Green Port of the Future Master Plan. The MAGPIE consortium, consisting of 4 of the main European ports, 9 research institutes and universities, 32 private companies, and 4 other institutes, addressing the missing link between green energy supply and green energy use in port-related transport and the implementation of digitization, automation, and autonomy to increase transport efficiency.

Essentials:

• Basic knowledge of electrical power systems and supply-demand matching.
• Completed an MSc degree in a highly technical related discipline (computer science, electrical engineering, etc.) and you were at the top of your class.
• Excellent analytical skills and a solid basis in machine learning and/or operational research. You can understand literature in both disciplines.
• Excellent provel oral and written communication skills in English. For more information see https://www.tudelft.nl/onderwijs/opleidingen/phd/admission
• You enjoy performing research. You are independent, self-motivated, and eager to learn.
• You are keen to work with partners to link real-world challenges to fundamental research questions.

Desirables:

• Knowledge of electrical distribution systems, power flow, and congestion management.
• Experience with optimization methods and scheduling problems as well as optimization packages such as GAMS, AMPL, and/or Pyomo.
• You enjoy programming and have experience with Python, machine learning, command-line tools, version control.      

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

TU Delft offers PhD-candidates a 4-year contract, with an official go/no go progress assessment after one year. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2434 per month in the first year to € 3111 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 sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation.

In this position, you will collaborate with another Ph.D. researcher hired at Erasmus University. See for more information: https://www.erim.eur.nl/doctoral-programme/phd-in-management/phd-vacancies/phd-research-in-energy-transition/

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 and aim to be as inclusive as possible (see our Code of Conduct). Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale.

Challenge. Change. Impact! 

Faculty Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three disciplines - electrical engineering, mathematics and computer science. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make future-proof. We are also working on a world in which humans and computers reinforce each other. We are mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. There is plenty of room here for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1,100 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.

Electrical Sustainable Energy Department

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 three areas:

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

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 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.