PhD student position in Electric power grid resilience

Information about the division
The Division of Electric Power Engineering conducts research within a broad range of topics in electric power technology. Our purpose is to develop interdisciplinary research areas within the university as well as with external partners. Research activities at the division can be organised in three main areas: electric power systems, power electronics, and electric machines. The strength of our research is based on a solid theoretical basis and extensive experimental verification in our laboratories as well as in the field.

Within the team working with power systems, power electronics, drives and energy storage for renewables and electrified vehicles we are 60 persons, of which a bit more than half are PhD students about 25 seniors and postdocs.

Information about the department
At the department of Electrical Engineering we value all our co-workers and we know that a variety of personalities and experiences makes the most creative workplaces. We therefore encourage applicants with any genders, backgrounds and abilities.

Our overall ambition is to contribute to a sustainable future. We aim to create a positive impact on the development of society, both environmentally, socially and economically. Research and education are performed in the areas of Communication and Antenna systems, Systems and Control, Computer vision, Signal processing, Biomedical engineering and Electric Power Engineering. Our knowledge is of use everywhere where there is advanced technology with integrated electronics, no matter if it involves electricity, electrical signals, optical signals or microwaves. The department is a dynamic and international work environment with about 200 employees from more than 20 countries. We collaborate closely with both national and international academia, industry and medical researchers.

Job description
This project is a cooperation between Chalmers, Rise and University West. 2 PhD students will work in parallel, one on the societal and behavior side and one on the technical side. This advertisement deals with the latter one. In this study, the ability of buildings to play an active role in the operation of the power system, especially at severe disturbances, for instance periods with severe cold, will be investigated. Lighter actions such as delaying unimportant loads to very severe actions lowering the indoor temperature substantially is to be considered. The effect of the ability and willingness of households and organizations to prevent and adjust to meet limitations in the electricity grid in spite of the resulting discomfort, and to support the power system, both on a short as well as a longer term (weeks), is to be investigated.

The benefit of such efforts is that the very expensive overdimensioning of the power system infrastructure and electric power production ability can be limited, which is especially important now that we are moving towards a more sustainable power system without the support of fossil power plants. Your task will be to investigate how buildings, in particular residential houses, can change their energy and power consumption and what the consequences regarding the possibility to conduct normal ‘household chores’ as well as indoor climate consequence, during various problematic power system situations. Furthermore, to determine the benefit for the power system in terms infrastructure and power reserves, for the various ‘electricity consumption reduction levels’. Finally, an important task is to tightly cooperate with the other PhD student and relate the technical results to behavioral aspects.

Position summary
Full-time temporary employment. The position includes departmental work up to 20 %, apart from the research task, for instance teaching. The position is time limited to 4 years + additional time covering the teaching duties (typically 6-12 months).

Qualifications
To be qualified you must have a Master’s degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits or equivalent in Electric Power Engineering, Engineering Physics or civil engineering with base also in electric power. We believe you are a highly motivated person, who can work independently. For this position a good knowledge of power electronics and their energy consumption as well as power systems is valuable. Ability to cooperate with other persons is highly desirable. Previous practical experience (professional as well as other) within a relevant theme is also an advantage. Cooperation ability is also a requirement, since this thesis position also deals with cooperation with a society behavioral PhD student.

Good proficiency in English orally and in writing is required. Knowledge of Swedish is an advantage, if the student is not familiar with Swedish, the student is expected to learn the language within two years. Chalmers offers Swedish courses. 

Chalmers continuously strives to be an attractive employer. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

Application deadline: 8th August 2020

APPLY HERE

For questions, please contact:
Torbjörn Thiringer, Professor, Division of Electric Power Engineering
E-mail: torbjorn.thiringer@chalmers.se
Phone: +46 31 772 1644

Caroline Markusson, Rise
E-mail: caroline.markusson@ri.se
Phone: +46 10 5165339