NERD-IT: New forms of real time data informing innovative tariffs – PhD Studentship

Sponsored by Centrica and NERC, this studentship will provide an initial bursary of £17,500, rising to £18,500 p.a. in the final year (tax free) plus fees* for three years.

Start Date: Cranfield campus – 6th Feb

Sponsored by Centrica and NERC, this studentship will provide an initial bursary of £17,500, rising to £18,500 p.a. in the final year (tax free) plus fees* for three years.

Achieving 80% reduction in UK emissions from 1990 levels (as enshrined in Climate Change Act) requires radical changes in the ways we generate, deliver and consume energy. This will require high shares of renewable energy generation on the one hand and electrification of heating and transport sectors, resulting in higher demands for electricity, on the other. In order to reduce the need for costly stand-by capacity to deal with the intermittency of renewable resources and keep the cost of energy affordable, the energy industry needs to be able to respond to changes in supply and demand dynamically. This is contingent upon understanding what is happening in real or near real time in demand and supply profiles, anticipating how they might change in the next time period and what actions should be taken to lower costs of energy provision. The roll-out of smart meters along with the increasing availability of new forms of user data from crowdsourced platforms such as social media, mobile phones and apps offer an immense opportunity to improve our understanding of consumer’s energy behaviours and preferences and UK’s changing energy mix in near real-time and at a low geographical resolution.

This PhD studentship at Cranfield University will involve collaboration with Centrica’s Cornwall Local Energy Market project, an ERDF-funded project that will test the use of flexible demand, generation and storage to address these challenges. The PhD student will analyse the scope of computational methods like machine learning or hierarchical analytic methods to analyse these new forms of data to enable suppliers to recognise tipping points, emerging patterns, interdependencies and end-user behaviours in near real time. This would in turn enable the development of demand side measures in the residential sector and reduce the need for stand-by generation, overall keeping energy affordable for UK consumers whilst decarbonizing our energy system.

Entry requirements:
The project is highly interdisciplinary and we welcome applications from a range of disciplines. Applicants should hold a minimum of a UK Honours Degree at 2:1 level or equivalent in subjects such as Environmental Science, Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics or Natural Sciences.

Research students at Cranfield also benefit from being part of a dynamic, focused and professional study environment and all become valued members of the Cranfield Doctoral Network. This Network brings together both research students and staff, providing a platform for our researchers to share ideas, identify opportunities for collaboration and create smaller communities of practice. It aims to encourage an effective and vibrant research culture, founded upon the diversity of activities and knowledge. A tailored programme of seminars and events alongside our Doctoral Researchers Core Development programme (transferable skills training), provide those studying a research degree with a wealth of social and networking opportunities.

How to apply:
For further information please contact: Dr Nazmiye Ozkan, Senior Lecturer in Environmental/Energy Economics, E: [Email Address Removed], T: (0) 1234 754296
To apply, please complete and submit the application form online at http://www.dream-cdt.ac.uk/studying/application/.
For further information contact us today:
Admissions
T: +44 (0)1234 758082
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