PhD Spatial-temporal lay out of energy infrastructure

Background

This PhD position is part of a larger interlinked PhD program that is set-up as a cooperation between four universities in the Netherlands (RUG, TU Delft, TU Eindhoven and Utrecht University), RWE and TNO. This PhD program is investigating different aspects related to the development of the large-scale offshore wind farm – Oranje Wind – in the North Sea, about 53 kilometres off the Dutch coast. This development will take place in the coming years and aims at delivering more than 760 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind capacity (enough to supply the equivalent of almost one million Dutch homes) and will contribute to the Dutch ambitious build-out targets for offshore wind. The offshore windfarm is designed to deliver solutions for the optimal integration of offshore wind farms into the Dutch energy system, with the ultimate goal to perfectly match the demand for energy to the flexible generation profile of offshore wind farms, contributing to grid stability. To unlock full system integration the concept for the wind farm combines offshore wind with electrolyser capacity for green hydrogen production, and other flexible demand solutions like e-boilers and battery storage. Additionally, floating solar panels will allow a more efficient use of ocean space. The six PhD positions in the program are to independently provide the development of a broad knowledge base on wind energy in the Netherlands and internationally, to support the growth of wind energy by both innovations and deeper knowledge of the (system related) issues at hand.

The system integration requires an interdisciplinary approach and cooperation and exchange with the other five PhD projects is considered conditional. Also, it is expected that the PhD candidate will work closely together with experts from the applied research institute TNO. Collaboration with and at the TNO offices is expected to ensure the anticipated intense cooperation. While at TNO, 100% of the time of the PhD is dedicated to the research program. The PhD program itself is part of a larger dissemination and communication program that provides ample opportunity to work together with other stakeholders from academia, research institutes and industry.

Job description

The future energy system in the North Sea Region may have a capacity of 300-400 GWe wind offshore electricity generation capacity and will cover a large area, as well as large scale energy infrastructure, artificial islands as energy hubs and as a consequence have a large spatial and environmental footprint. Previous research has (already) highlighted that the importance of balancing spatial functions and claims and spatial planning in combination with the design of the energy infrastructure is key to minimize impacts, conflicts as well as moderating the costs of this future energy system. Furthermore, previous research identified that international alignment and collaboration is essential for a balanced and ecosystem based expansion of offshore electricity generation on a marine basin scale. For informing international strategies for balancing offshore electricity generation with other offshore uses and ecosystems, better analytical tools and methods are needed that combine spatial and institutional analysis to help determine future locations and trajectories for infrastructure and energy generation capacity.

This PhD project will build on existing spatial planning analysis and environmental impact analysis tools and have close collaboration with several other PhD projects in this program, e.g. on scenario analysis and system modelling and accelerating implementation. The PhD project will also directly benefit from collaboration with the NWO ECOAMARE project conducted within the same Department, which targets the further development of spatial planning analysis and environmental impact analysis tools. Some of the research challenges are in understanding the impacts of realizing new infrastructure (cables, gas pipelines) and energy hubs (such as artificial islands) around the wind off-shore (and expectedly complementary other energy generation ) capacity and how this can affect the lay out of this future energy infrastructure.

Central to the PhD project is understanding how an integrated North Sea energy system and grid can be spatially developed in an international context. The PhD researcher will

• Develop spatially explicit scenarios regarding offshore electricity expansion on marine basin scale that are fueled by different pathways for marine basin scale strategic planning and consider key technical, geopolitical and ecological uncertainties.
• Identify and analyze practices for realizing novel offshore developments regarding e.g. new infrastructure (cables, gas pipelines), energy hubs (such as artificial islands), or multi-use (e.g. aquaculture in wind farms) and their impacts.
• Analyze and compare concrete practices for managing and resolving conflict between offshore electricity generation with other offshore uses and the ecosystem of relevant North Sea countries.
• Identify and analyze (systemic) barriers and opportunities for international alignment of marine spatial planning practices of relevant North Sea countries and identify and analyze risks, trade-offs and associated costs and benefits of the developed scenarios.
• Formulate practical advice for improving governance frameworks and practices for marine spatial planning processes and practices of relevant North Sea countries.

  Organisation

  The Faculty of Spatial Sciences consists of over 100 members of staff, 100 PhD students, and 1,100 students. The Faculty offers a vibrant academic environment with an international staff and extensive experience in working within international research projects. We focus on high quality teaching and research in the fields of social and economic geography, demography, and spatial planning. With a Faculty slogan of ‘making places better together’ and an overarching research theme 'Towards Wellbeing, Innovation and Spatial Transformation' (tWIST), it is our mission to produce research which is world-leading, distinctive, and policy-relevant. With two bachelor and seven master programmes, we provide a wide range of courses within the wider field of spatial sciences.

  The Faculty consists of four departments: Cultural Geography, Demography, Economic Geography, and Planning & Environment. As Assistant Professor you will be positioned within the department Planning and Environment. This Department is involved in the master programmes Society, Sustainability & Planning and Environmental & Infrastructure Planning, and both bachelor programmes of the Faculty entitled ‘Spatial Planning & Design’ and ‘Human Geography & Planning’. Research at the Department of Planning & Environment focuses on issues of institutional design for purposeful interventions within the human environment. Qualifications

  • Has a MSc in the wider field of spatial planning, geography, environmental policy or sciences, public administration, international studies, or another related disciplines.
  • Has experience or affinity with the topic of marine spatial planning, offshore energy transition, environmental impact and/or international governance.
  • Has qualitative research skills with expertise in conducting in-depth interviews, policy analysis and qualitative data analysis methods.
  • Has a background or interest in applying GIS modelling techniques for analytical purposes.
  • Is a team-player with excellent communication skills.
  • The project is multi-disciplinary in nature and affinity with or interest of working in an interdisciplinary environment is important.
  • Is fluent in English (reading, writing, speaking) on a C1 level.

    If you already have a PhD degree, unfortunately, we cannot consider you for this position. Organisation Conditions of employment

    In accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, the University of Groningen offers you

    • A salary of € 2,872 gross per month in the first year, up to a maximum of € 3,670 gross per month in the final year, based on a full-time position.
    • The selected candidate will first be appointed for a period of 12 months. Prolongation of the contract is contingent on sufficient progress in the first year to indicate that a successful completion of the PhD thesis within the next three years is to be expected. The contract will then be prolonged for another 3 years.
    • For more detailed information about working conditions and working for the University of Groningen, please check: www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/

      Start date a.s.a.p.