Creating the next generation of energy technologies

 

Sensitivity analysis of offshore wind energy models

Camille Plessis

Offshore wind is a rapidly growing industry as part of the renewable energy mix and the energy market is driving the tariffs down. To determine the tariffs and making value-based calculations, energy companies are using sophisticated energy models. Energy models have many input parameters and require heavy processing facilities to assess different scenarios. This project aims to analyse these models and to perform global sensitivity analysis on offshore wind energy and economics models.

Supervisors:

• Dr Sugei Kucherenko, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London
• Ruslan Galimov, GE Renewable Energy

 

Optimal Design and Techno-economic Assessment of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems

Hector Aguirre

This project seeks to explore the potential of designing and exploiting optimised, a distributed HRES from both technical and economic perspectives in a hotel in Fayoum, Egypt. The renewable technologies to be integrated within such HRES include PV panels, solar thermal collectors, hybrid solar PV-thermal collectors, wind turbines, biomass boilers, etc. to meet the local demands for heating, cooling and electricity. An optimisation model will be created to optimise the size of the technologies according to different technical, economic and environmental performance indicators for three different scenarios: stand-alone HRES, grid-connected HRES and off-grid HRES with energy storage.

Supervisors:

• Prof. Christos Markides, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London
• Dr. Jian Song, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London

 

Techno-economic analysis of transmissions alternatives for renewable hydrogen from floating wind

Max Peel 

Which transmission systems are better for renewable hydrogen production from offshore wind energy is still unknown. There are pros and cons to both using high voltage electricity versus using hydrogen pipelines, so my thesis aims to use a Levelised Cost of Hydrogen model to evaluate the economic differences between transmission systems. Through the use of interviews with experts and sensitivity analysis to understand the most important variables I aim to reach conclusions to aid decision making on this new exciting technology combination.

Supervisors:

• Dr Koen van Dam, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London
• David Woodhead, Everoze Consultancy

 

Transient Thermal Behaviour of Composites for Energy Applications

Nicholas Voltis

Thermal energy storage (TES) has a pivotal role to play in the energy chain and low carbon economy specifically in conserving, efficiently utilising energy, dealing with the mismatch between demand and supply and enhancing the performance and reliability of energy systems. This thesis investigates the state-of-the art development of TES materials with a specific focus on latent heat composite phase change materials (PCM). The aim of this thesis is to use the theoretical and practical background of composite TES, latent heat and PCMs to the transient operation of internal combustion engines and specifically for large ship engines, to improve their performance.

Supervisors:

• Dr. Antonis Sergis, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London
• Prof. Yannis Hardalupas, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London
• Dimitris Bikos, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London

 

The role of grid balancing services to enhance profitability of green hydrogen production

Sacha Lepoutre 

Green hydrogen appears as a promising solution to decarbonise the future economy. Currently unattractive, the whole industrial sector would benefit from understanding how to enhance economic viability of green hydrogen production. In partnership with Neoen, a French leader in the production of renewable energies, the research focuses on the potential economic interest of using the electrolyser to support the grid while producing green hydrogen. To assess the economic contribution of this side activity, a business plan model was developed to assess the overall economics of hybrid green hydrogen production projects.

Supervisors:

• Dr. Koen Van Dam, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London
• David Woodhead, Everoze