Studentship: UKRI Net2Zero CDT PhD Studentship - Dynamic performance and AI driven optimisation of hybrid energy systems for net zero

Job Description:

Supervisors: Dr Ioanna Dimitriou, Dr Oliver Fisher

Programme Length: Four years

Contract Type: Full-time

Prospective Start Date: October 2026

The positions are filled in a first-in, first-served basis therefore we encourage early expression of interest.

Net²Zero Centre for Doctoral Training

The EPSRC and BBSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Negative Emission Technologies for Net Zero (CDT in Net²Zero) is an equal partnership between Aston University (lead), University of Nottingham, Queen’s University Belfast, and University of Warwick. Through cutting-edge research and interdisciplinary collaboration, this CDT aims to tackle global challenges related to climate change and sustainability.

Our four-year doctoral programme is training the next generation of research leaders tasked to remove greenhouse gases from the environment. The CDT in Net²Zero focuses on the use of biomass to replace fossil fuels and removal (or capture) of CO₂ from the atmosphere, with the potential to create new sources of fuels and chemicals. The centre’s expertise covers Direct Air Capture and CO₂ Storage (DACCS), CO₂ utilisation, biochar synthesis and utilisation, biomass transition to materials and chemicals, and biomass to energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) etc.

Training and Development

Through our research training programme, you will be able to:

• Develop a network with doctoral researchers, academia, government and industry.
• Access to cutting-edge facilities and opportunities for international collaboration, preparing you for a successful career in academia, industry, or policymaking.
• Carry out a training programme covering practical engineering, communication, entrepreneurship, and business skills to prepare students for diverse sectors.
• The CDT facilitates direct contact between students, industrial partners, policy makers, and third sector organisations to support future careers. You will have the opportunity of a three-month placement with industry, research collaborators or policymakers.

Project Overview and Background

As global energy demand rises, reducing carbon emissions has become increasingly challenging. Gas‑turbine‑based power generation continues to play a central role in electricity supply, yet it is also a major source of CO₂ emissions and contributes to grid instability as renewable penetration increases. Achieving national net zero targets require integrated solutions that simultaneously decarbonise existing infrastructure, enhance grid flexibility and enable the production of sustainable energy carriers.

Hybrid energy systems offer a promising pathway, but current designs face important limitations. Many studies depend heavily on electricity‑intensive Power‑to‑X routes while underutilising thermochemical biomass conversion and advanced solar‑thermal technologies. Emerging carbon‑capture approaches such as electrochemically mediated amine regeneration show strong potential for flexible, low‑temperature operation, yet they remain largely unexplored within fully integrated hybrid systems. Additionally, current techno-economic feasibility studies rely on steady‑state modelling and overlook the dynamic behaviour under variable grid and weather conditions. These gaps restrict the deployment of high‑efficiency, multi‑source energy platforms capable of adaptive and resilient performance.

This PhD project aims to develop and evaluate a novel hybrid system that integrates gas turbines, low-temperature carbon capture, biomass gasification, and advanced solar thermal applications to enable carbon-negative fuel production and grid support. The research will involve thermodynamic modelling, transient simulation under UK climate and grid demand profiles, economic assessment, life‑cycle analysis, and AI‑driven multi‑objective optimisation. Although the initial focus will be on gas turbines, the hybridisation framework developed in the project will be designed to be transferable to other industrial and power‑generation applications, including industrial furnaces (e.g. steel, cement) and waste‑to‑energy plants. The overarching objective is to design intelligent control strategies that coordinate energy flows across the hybrid system, maximise CO₂ utilisation, and demonstrate the technical and economic viability of a closed‑loop carbon platform suitable for large‑scale deployment.

Person Specification

• Motivation, creativity, and resourcefulness
• A mature approach to learning
• Candidates should have been awarded, or expect to achieve:
  1. A Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related discipline with an award of First Class or 2.1
• Experience in, or willingness to learn modelling and simulation tools such as:
  1. MATLAB
  2. Python
  3. Engineering Equation Solver
  4. Aspen Plus
  5. TRNSYS
• A solid foundation in thermodynamics, process modelling, programming or energy systems

Excellent written and oral communication skills are essential, as the successful candidate will collaborate closely with other researchers, contribute to high‑quality journal publications, and present findings at international conferences. We welcome applicants who are enthusiastic about interdisciplinary research and eager to develop advanced technical and analytical capabilities.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of the Net²Zero CDT and we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in a higher education setting. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ people, and women.

Financial Support

• Four-year studentships with a tax-free stipend at UKRI rate (£21,805 per year for 2026/27)
• Paid tuition fees
• A generous research training support grant.

Overseas Applicants

This opportunity is currently open for home fee status candidates only. You can find the rules for home fee eligibility here.

How to Apply

All applicants should first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) form here (you only need to submit one Expression of Interest regardless of the number of projects you are interested in). Successful applicants will be invited to submit a formal application via the NottinghamHub.

When submitting an EOI form, please include the following information:

1. Your personal details for processing the application.
2. A copy of your passport and, where relevant, include evidence of settled or pre-settled status.
3. Your personal characteristics, for monitoring purposes only.
4. Your Academic background. We will require English language copies (or screen captures) of the transcripts and certificates for all your higher education degrees, including any bachelor's degrees.
5. If English is not your first language, you will be required to present evidence that you meet the English Language requirements. You can submit the evidence at a later stage. the evidence at a later stage.
6. Your research background and experience.
7. Expressions of Interest will be assessed against the following criteria:

A. Candidate’s motivation and experience: The extent to which the candidate’s expertise, experience, and ambitions align with the goals of the Net2Zero CDT programme.

B. If you are shortlisted, you will have the opportunity to meet the potential supervisors.

These studentships are open until filled, and hence early applications are strongly encouraged.

Contact Information

For general application or process enquiries, please contact:

• Beatrix Gateb (Senior CDT Administrator for Net2Zero CDT) at [email protected]

For academic enquiries, please contact:

• Dr Ioanna Dimitriou (main supervisor) at [email protected]
• Prof. Hao Liu (Co-Director of Net2Zero CDT) at [email protected]
• Prof. Eleanor Binner (Co-Director of Net2Zero CDT) at [email protected]

Closing Date: 30 Sep 2026
Category: Studentships