SMARTGYSUM-ESR08: "Real-time modelling and validation of Distributed Energy Storage Systems and Integration strategies"

27 Jan 2025
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Research Field

Engineering » Electronic engineering

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Positions

PhD Positions

Country

Germany

Application Deadline

20 Feb 2025 - 23:00 (Europe/Brussels)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

37.5

Offer Starting Date

1 Apr 2025

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Horizon 2020

Reference Number

SMARTGYSUM-ESR08

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

DESCRIPTION OF RECRUITMENT INSTITUTION

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is “The Research University in the Helmholtz Association.” As the only German university of excellence with a national large-scale research sector, we offer our students, researchers, and employees unique learning, teaching, and working conditions. The roots of the academic education institution extend all the way back to 1825. Today’s structure of KIT is the result of the merger of the Technical University of Karlsruhe and Karlsruhe Research Center in 2009.

Presently, more than 9000 people are working at KIT, of which more than half are conducting research in a broad range of disciplines from natural sciences to engineering, to economics, to the humanities and social sciences. This makes KIT one of the largest science institutions in Europe. Apart from excellent academic education and cutting-edge research, innovation is our central task. We do not only create and impart knowledge for the society and the environment, we also use this knowledge to develop applications for industry. It is our goal to help manage global challenges facing humankind by pioneer research contributions in the areas of energy, mobility, and information. Doing this, we attach high importance to permanent contact and exchange with society. 

Energy Lab 2.0

Energy Lab 2.0 is a large-scale research infrastructure for the research on the interaction of components for future energy systems and the testing of new approaches to stabilizing energy grids. Electrical, thermal and chemical energy flows are connected by means of new information and communication technology. The goal of the research is to improve transport, distribution, storage and usage of electricity to lay the groundworks for the transition to renewable energy generation. A 4-quadrant, 1.5kV, 1MVA power hardware in the loop facility is newly developed in Energy Lab 2.0, for testing of high-power electrical components and systems. This facility is equipped with digital real time simulator workstations, that are able to simulate large and complex electrical grids.

Energy Lab 2.0 is a project of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in cooperation with the Helmholtz German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ). It is funded by the German Federal Ministries of Education and Research (BMBF) and Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), as well as the Ministry of Science, Research and Art Baden-Württemberg (MWK).

Real Time Systems for Energy Integration (RTSET) group

The RTSET group focuses in the development, control and testing of new energy technologies and solutions. The group is located at the Institute for Technical Physics (ITEP) at KIT and it consists of Prof. De Carne, 3 post-docs, 16 Phd Students, and 4 technical staff.

The RTSET group leads the research activities at the Power Hardware In the Loop (PHIL) lab, and has active collaborations with national and international academic and industrial partners.

Power Hardware In the Loop (PHIL) Lab

The PHIL lab represents the core of the Energy Lab 2.0, where high-power technologies are tested and new hardware and control solutions are tested. In this lab a 1MVA PHIL experimental setup has been realized, where real hardware technologies can be tested in realistic real time-simulated conditions. This allows high flexibility and high fidelity of the experiments.

List of key equipment:

• Two Spitzenberger PAS 5000 linear power amplifier
• One Spitzenberger PAS 15000 linear power amplifier
• OPAL-RT 4510, 4520, 5600, 5700,5707 digital real time simulators
• RTDS digital real time simulator
• 5x200KVA Egston power amplifier, for a total power of 1MVA 
• Kratzer DC emulator 250kW, 1000V, 1000A
• High speed flywheel STORNETIC 120kW
• Supercaps Energy Storage System 500kW, 1,3kWh
• Alkaline Electrolyzer 50kW and connected Hydrogen liquefier
• Battery Energy Storage 10kW/10kWh
• Real German distribution grids implemented in OPAL-RT
• Oscilloscopes, AC sources, DC supplies

DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH GROUP AND TOPIC

SMARTGYsum (SMART Green energY Systems and bUsiness Models) project groups together leading European Universities and Institutions (the consortium is composed by 13 universities and 14 companies/institutions) with the aim to implement a multidisciplinary and innovative research and training program, bringing to enable a new generation of Early Stage Researchers (ESR) to foster a New Green Energy Economy in Europe. ESR will acquire the knowledge, methods and skills across a wide range of disciplines around the Energy ecosystem, Renewable Electric Energy Systems and Business Models for the deployment of the Green Energy System. Trained ESR will have the technical and economical knowledge to break the barriers for the deployment of energy transition as market and social barriers (price distortion through externalities, low priority of energy issues, split incentives); financial barriers (investment, high up-front costs, lack of access to capital); information failures (lack of awareness, knowledge and competence); or regulatory barriers (restrictive procurement rules).

RTSI invite applicants for a PhD Fellowship in Green Energy Systems to research on Real-time modelling and validation of Distributed Energy Storage Systems and Integration strategies.

The research topic will be contextualized in WP3 “Smart Energy Distribution, Microgrids and Grid of Microgrids”, being supervised by Prof. Mathias Noe and Dr.-Ing. Giovanni De Carne (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) and co-supervised by Prof. Dimitri Vinnikov (Tallinn University of Technology), and with a complementary secondment in SMARTECON OU.

The student will acquire expertise in interdisciplinary fields, gaining through this training program a set of skills that are highly appreciated by semiconductor corporations, providing him/her a valuable expertise background for a future career in the green energy industry.

The ESR will take part in the whole researching process, starting with the proposal of new ideas, going from the design to the experimental validation of prototypes in the laboratory and industry facilities, and finishing with the developing of the business models.

CONTEXTUALIZATION OF POSITION

The position is in the frame of a H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN) action for Early Stage Researchers within the project SMARTGYsum (Research and Training Network for Smart and Green Energy Systems and Business Models). ESR08 fellow to be recruited from April 2025. The grant covers up to 3 years (the first 7 months will be funded by SMARTGYsum project, there will be renewing possibility with other funds) of full time research according to salary table established in the grant for Germany.

APPLICATION

For consideration, interested applicants should submit the required information by completing the form in https://www.smartgysum.eu/Home/Apply  based on the instructions given. An attached document must be uploaded containing the curriculum vitae, a letter of interest and contact details of two references. All documentation should be in English and merged in a single PDF document. Please, note that applications which do not follow the announcement’s guidelines will not be considered.

For further information, please contact Dr. Eva Gonzalez-Romera (recruitment@smartgysum.eu ) for questions about application procedure or Prof. Dr.-Ing. Giovanni De Carne (giovanni.carne@kit.edu ) for questions about research objectives.

CLOSING DATE

Thursday, February 20th , 2025.

Where to apply

Website

https://www.smartgysum.eu/Home/Apply

Requirements

Research Field

Engineering

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Applicants are required to have an excellent academic background with a master’s degree or equivalent in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Control Engineering or any other related discipline, achieved with top marks, with hands-on skills in Power Electronics. Applicants who are in the final phase of their master’s degree are also encouraged to apply but have to complete the master before starting the fellowship.

Motivation and potential for research activities. Ability to work independently and in a team. Be innovative and creative. Keep an open mind.

Expertise with the following topics: Test-case analysis, control and energy management of novel energy technologies (e.g., hydrogen-based solutions).

Expertise with the following engineering tools and programming languages: Matlab/Simulink, lab experience

Prior experience on any of these topics will be valued: Experience with electronic circuits modeling in (Matlab, Simulink); Experience in power electronics laboratory environment (e.g., Oscilloscope, DC power supply, Power analyzer).

Previous work and experimental laboratory experience on electrical engineering area, especially on electrical setup development, are considered a plus for this application.

Specific Requirements

Excellent English language skills (both oral and written). English level certification B2 is desired if English is not the native language.

Publications in international journals/conferences will be valued.

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Additional Information
Benefits

SMARTGYsum project is aimed to train 15 creative and innovative researchers in the field of green energy system and business models. It will incorporate multidisciplinary knowledge, covering Power Electronics, Electric Engineering, Material Sciences, ICT, Data Sciences, Value Chains, Finance and Investments, Management of Energy Markets, Economical and Policy instruments.

The researchers trained in this network will be able to convert state-of-the art knowledge and ideas into new products for economic and social benefit, and promoting the energy transition.

As a trained researcher you will have many opportunities to develop an industrial career in any part of the world, but especially in the EU. You will be trained in electric, power electronic and ITC technologies and in business models, and have a secondment in a complimentary training environment as part of your assignments.

You also will be in a very good position to join R+D departments of Energy Companies and to apply for a postdoc position in any of the top EU academic institutions. You will have a balance knowledge of Technology and Business Models, and a set of relevant scientific publications, a PhD Degree (If possible a Double PhD Degree, International or Industry mention will be established) and, potentially, International patents.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must satisfy the eligibility conditions for MSCA Early Stage Researchers, i.e., they must have obtained their master’s degree in the past 4 years and must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies) in Germany for more than 12 months in the past 3 years. Applications of candidates not fulfilling these eligibility conditions will not be considered.

Be eligible to enroll or be enrolled in the University PhD program (https://www.etit.kit.edu/english/index.php ).

Selection process

Applications will be marked and ranked according to the Academic curriculum, Research activities and Technical and transversal skills. Best candidates could be interviewed using an on-line conference system.

Additional comments

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ESR

• An Initial Research Project (IRP) will be assigned to the ESR at the beginning of the fellowship. The ESR will have the responsibility of executing all the tasks described in the IRP, which will involve research and organization tasks, mobility requirements, milestone accomplishments and deliverable submission.
• Enroll in the Faculty for Electrical Engineering and Informatic Doctoral program at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Karlsruhe, Germany, and carry out all the activities required to make a high-quality PhD dissertation within the expected timeframe. Publications in high impact-factor international journals are expected.

COVID-19’s outbreak: on-site presence at the recruitment institution will be required if health recommendations authorize it.

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Country

Germany

Geofield

Contact

City

Karlsruhe

E-Mail

recruitment@smartgysum.eu

STATUS: EXPIRED

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