PhD student position in energy and environmental systems

We invite applicants to join our team of researchers within the area of environmental and energy systems analysis focusing on the transition towards a sustainable transport sector. This PhD position allows you to work within the rapidly developing scientific area of hydrogen technology. It gives you the potential to develop a strong research profile collaborating across several interrelated PhD and postdoc projects within the new competence centre Technologies and innovations for a future sustainable hydrogen economy (TechForH2).

Information about the research and the division
Our research aims to provide long-term, and most often global, perspectives on future renewable fuels for transport. We seek to rigorously analyze the feasibility of energy transitions, utilize empirical as well as estimated data, and explore whether and under what conditions changes can occur as well as the cost-effectiveness and environmental effects of such changes. Research tools include techno-economic assessments, life cycle assessment, and cost-minimizing models where all energy sectors compete for the same primary energy sources in a future carbon constrained world. Currently, we have a special interest in the role of hydrogen and electrofuels (fuels produced by combining energy from electricity, hydrogen from water via electrolysis, and carbon, or possibly nitrogen, into liquid or gaseous hydrogen-containing end-fuels) in the fuel mix, meeting ambitious climate targets.

To meet future climate targets, aviation, and shipping as well as road transport need to reduce their climate impact. The use of renewable fuels needs to increase for all transport modes. Biomass-based fuels, electrification, hydrogen and electrofuels are being developed for different parts of the transport sector.

The research within the position will focus on answering the following over-arching question: what are the potential roles of hydrogen in achieving cost-effective, energy efficient and sustainable transport? This question is part of an even broader research agenda on understanding the feasibility of climate mitigation targets.

For hydrogen, storage and distribution represent challenges. Your initial task will be to develop a European model for hydrogen infrastructure requirements. The model will develop different future European hydrogen demand scenarios by modelling cost, efficiency, small scale versus large scale hydrogen production, tank stations/bunker terminals etc. Results from this model will be used as input data to the Global Energy Transition (GET) model and other existing models, developed and used by researchers at Chalmers.

The Global Energy Transition (GET) model is a cost minimizing “bottom-up” systems engineering model of the global energy system used in our team. It can be used to study carbon mitigation strategies while minimizing the discounted total energy systems cost for the period under study. The model focuses on the supply side and has five end use sectors: electricity, transport, feedstock, residential -commercial heat and industrial process heat, and generates fuel mix scenarios, for different transport modes, that meets the modeled constraints at lowest cost.

The position will be hosted by the unit of Maritime Environmental Sciences at the department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences. Our research team, presently consisting of three senior researchers, three PhD students, and two postdocs, is embedded in an interdisciplinary environment where we have close collaboration with other research teams at Chalmers such as technology experts, systems engineers, natural and social scientists carrying out research on solutions to major environmental challenges. We also collaborate with international organizations within academia and industry.

Major responsibilities
Your major responsibility as a PhD student is to pursue your own doctoral studies. You are expected to develop your own scientific concepts and communicate the results of your research, both orally and in writing, in English. Your research will be supervised by well-reputed senior researchers at the unit Maritime Environmental Sciences at the department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences. Your work as PhD student is performed in collaboration with researchers, industry professionals, and other PhD students. The position is part of the competence centre TechForH2 focusing on hydrogen for transport in which several PhD students and postdocs will be engaged. More than 90% of your time will be dedicated to research and doctoral courses required for obtaining a PhD, which include reviewing literature, participating in the design of research studies, interacting with companies and authorities, collecting and analysing empirical data, and disseminating research results in scientific journals and reports as well as to industry and public.

The position generally also includes teaching on Chalmers' undergraduate level or performing other department duties corresponding to up to 10% of working hours. 

Qualifications
To qualify for this position you must have a master's level degree, awarded no more than three years prior to the application deadline (according to the current agreement with the Swedish Agency for Government Employers), in a relevant field such as industrial ecology, energy technology, or applied mathematics, with a specialization in energy systems analysis, energy modelling, or energy transitions. Proven experience with data analysis and programming (e.g., GAMS, Matlab, Python or R) is also a must. Knowledge of alternative transport fuels is beneficial. You are, further, expected to have excellent oral and written communication skills in English and strong commitment to scientific inquiry.

We are looking for a motivated and independent researcher with good analytical skills who is interested in the transport sector transition, interdisciplinary research with a holistic systems perspective. We also believe that you have a strong curiosity and a genuine wish to learn more and develop your skills and knowledge further in the fields of research, research communication and project management.

Contract terms
This postdoc position is a full-time temporary employment limited to a maximum of 4.5 years.

Application procedure
Read more and apply here.

Application deadline: 2022-09-01