PhD position in grid connection of renewable energy systems

Electrification and digitalisation are among the largest areas for the future in the conversion to sustainable societies. The Department of Electrical Engineering conducts successful research and education in the areas - renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, industrial IoT, 5G communication and wireless sensor networks as well as smart electronic sensors and medical systems. The Department of Electrical Engineering is an international workplace with around 130 employees that all contribute to important technical energy and health challenges at the Ångström Laboratory.

The position is at the division of electricity, at the Department of Electrical Engineering. We look forward to your application for your future work with us for the future of grid connection of renewable energy systems, with a focus on power electronics.

Project description
The integration of renewable energy in the Swedish electrical grid is increasing as a part of the goal to reach the climate targets. Another advantage of increased amount of renewables in the energy mix is that it the reduces the vulnerability to fuel supply disruptions. In addition to increasing the amount of renewables, the total demand of electric power is increasing because of electrification of vehicles and industry. The power grid and all its components will go through a major change in the coming decades, and the role of different power production technologies will have to follow this development.

One key difference between the grid connection of renewable energy and traditional electric power production such as nuclear power and hydropower that dominate the Swedish grid, is that the hydro and nuclear generators can be directly connected to the grid. For intermittent energy sources, such as ocean and wind energy, the connection has to be made using as intermediate step with power converters. One of the challenges of grid-connection with power converters is the lack of direct connection between the generator and the grid, so that the rotational energy of the generator does not act as a buffer for frequency variations in the electric grid. Frequency regulation and the possibilities of the different energy production types to contribute to it are becoming increasingly important.

This project aims to investigate the impact of connecting renewable energy to the grid and to evaluate the different technologies behind it. Vertical axis turbines are an interesting technology with the advantages of omnidirectional production and the possibility of placing the heavy part of the energy converter, the generator, at the bottom of the construction. This allows for a larger, more powerful generator.

The project will investigate interaction between one generator with a vertical axis turbines and the grid, several generators and the grid as well as optimizing control of the turbine in terms of energy extraction and safe operation of the device. The project has access to simulation software, a dedicated lab for control of a prototype generator with in-house made power converters, and two experimental sites, one with a marine current energy turbine in Söderfors and one wind turbine in Marsta.

Some suggested topics, depending on the interest of the candidate:

• Interaction of renewable energy and the grid
• Grid connection topologies
• Optimization of turbine control
• Parks of several turbines

We have an exciting work environment designed by the doctoral student and the research team together. The doctoral student will be supervised by at least two supervisors. The Department of Electrical Engineering also gives a salary supplement to employed doctoral at the Department of Electrical Engineering.

Duties

• Write scientific papers and publish in relevant scientific journals.
• Present the research orally at relevant international conferences.
• Preparing and performing experiments both in the lab and on site.
• Teaching (for example tutorials and labs) and other departmental duties of no more than 20%.

Requirements

• The applicant must hold a master degree in, engineering physics, energy systems, electrical engineering, or a similar field.
• Very good oral and written proficiency in English and Swedish.
• We will put an emphasise in your personal qualities such as that you show independence, that you are goal- and result oriented, have good cooperation and communication skills. 

Additional qualifications

•  Knowledge of modelling tools such as Matlab/Simulink/LT Spice.
• Experience with LabVIEW and cRIO.
• Work in power systems or power electronics (hardware or software).

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date  as agreed. Placement: Uppsala 

For further information about the position, please contact: Johan Forslund, mail, johan.forslund@angstrom.uu.se, telephone +46 70 79 26 532.

Please submit your application by June 16th 2025, UFV-PA 2025/1464.

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