Deployable microgrid planning for temporary settings/displaced populations
Anis Mokadem
Conflicts, disasters, and climate change force millions into remote or off-grid settlements, where diesel generators are the main power source. These systems pollute, degrade air quality, and depend on diesel supply chains that are costly, volatile, and prone to disruption—especially in conflict zones. This study investigates the techno-economic feasibility of hybrid renewable microgrids as cleaner, more reliable alternatives for powering both short- and long-term settlements. It proposes redeploying modular systems across sites to recover costs in short-term settlements and explores planning approaches for scalable, future-proof expansion of long-term settlements.
Supervisor(s)
- Dr Koen Van Dam (Chemical Engineering)
An Analysis of Solar Powered Irrigation Systems for Rice Cultivation in Sri Lanka
Ayumini Pathirage Don
Investigating the use of solar powered irrigation systems for rice cultivation in Sri Lanka. A general model is developed to solve for optimal solar setup that is efficient and economically viable, with a case study demonstrating its use. The system is compared against diesel pumps to evaluate it's techno-economic viability.
Supervisor(s)
- Dr Piers Barnes (Physics)
- Dr Benedict Winchester (Physics)
Sustainability and conflict resilience in the power sector: a case study for Lebanon
Jad Atallah
The electricity sector in Lebanon has seen several transitions since the 1990s, however, its official supplier "EDL" has been historically unable to provide reliable electricity due to factors such as insufficient generation capacity, fuel costs, and conflicts with neighboring countries, leading to long blackout hours throughout the country. The recent switch of Lebanese households to solar energy systems to mitigate the absence of the main grid, alongside Lebanon's plans of increasing its share of renewable energy in its electricity supply, present an opportunity for the government to plan for the future of the electricity sector by considering present factors and possible future scenarios.
Supervisor(s)
- Dr Benedict Winchester (Physics)
Delivering Cost-Effective Sustainable Social Housing in Colombia: Demand-Pull for Clean Concrete
Maria Laura Rivera Vargas
This project assesses the cost and emissions implications of substituting conventional concrete with low-emission alternatives in Colombia’s social housing sector. It integrates apartment- and national-level modelling with dynamic inputs on material prices, emissions intensity, and housing ceilings linked to the minimum wage. The study explores demand-pull policy interventions to support the adoption of clean concrete, aligning material decarbonization strategies with housing policy, public procurement, private sector action, and coordination across the construction value chain.
Supervisor(s)
- Dr Gbemi Oluleye (The Grantham Institute)
Bridging the Gap: From Energy Transition Scenarios to Gender-Inclusive Pathways
Maryam Ahmad
This thesis develops a framework for assessing gender inclusion and justice within European energy transition pathways. It uses a multi-method approach combining literature insights, semi-structured interviews, and Eurostat-based data analyses. By examining social and economic indicators, the project quantifies the energy burden alongside the gendered impacts of the transition. These findings, alongside expert perspectives, inform a structured framework for evaluating gender responsiveness in EU energy policy. Python-based tools support the visualisation of results, enhancing the transparency of the project.
Supervisor(s)
- Dr Rocio A Diaz-Chavez (Centre for Environmental Policy)
Agrivoltaic Systems in Island Contexts: A Case Study of Corsica’s Energy-Water-Food Nexus
Maurice Mannoni
This research investigates agrivoltaic systems' potential to address Corsica's energy, water and food security challenges. Using GECROS crop modelling and local agricultural data, the study evaluates the technical viability of photovoltaic systems over agricultural land. The project progresses from farm-level case studies to broader analysis. Through CLOVER microgrid modelling, the research assesses how agrivoltaic installations could contribute to local energy independence whilst maintaining agricultural productivity. The work combines techno-economic analysis with energy system modelling to identify optimal deployment strategies for agrivoltaic development in Mediterranean island contexts.
Supervisor(s)
- Dr Benedict Winchester (Physics)
Displacing Diesel Generators in Remote Grid-Tied Hospitals: Mexico's Market Conditions Analysis
Sofía Ochoa Sawaya
This project provides a techno-economic and environmental analysis for an integrated, low-carbon energy system at a hospital in Sonora, Mexico, designed to meet its full electricity, heating, and cooling loads. The central aim is to displace the conventional high-cost, high-emission diesel backup generator with a resilient hybrid solution (e.g., solar PV, CHP, battery storage, and thermal technologies). The research assesses how the optimal system design and performance are impacted by varying potential Mexican market and policy scenarios, such as different electricity tariffs, renewable energy incentives and carbon pricing schemes.
Supervisor(s)
- Dr Salvador Acha (Chemical Engineering)
- Professor Nilay Shah (Chemical Engineering)
Displacing diesel back-up generators with PV and battery storage solutions
Tan Wei Zhe
This project develops a techno-economic optimisation model for hybrid energy systems combining photovoltaic (PV), battery energy storage systems (BESS), and generators using various fuels. Using real building data, it minimises total system cost over a 10-year horizon, considering capital, operational, fuel, and replacement costs, technology degradation, and blackout scenarios.
Supervisor(s)
- Dr Salvador Acha (Chemical Engineering)