Energy grid and power markets

Background: The energy landscape is changing drastically. The share of renewables has increased significantly, and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. In liberalized energy markets, the interplay between the different actors, markets and policy interventions, together with the high uncertainty (e.g., regarding technological progress) has made it more difficult and at the same time more important to anticipate the impact of adapting or introducing new policies.To support energy policy-making, mathematical models are developed and deployed. Up to now, mainly optimization models have been applied to address normative questions (e.g., to what extent should different energy sectors decarbonize to cost-effectively achieve certain emission reduction targets?) with the goal of determining a long-term vision (where do we want to go?). However, many of the current policy questions relate to translating this vision into specific policy and market design choices (how will we get there?). For this purpose, other types of models, such as equilibrium and agent-based models are required.This project aims to develop an energy modeling toolbox to support energy policy making. To this end, existing optimization models will be improved and new equilibrium and agent-based models will be developed. In addition, improved ways to account for uncertainty and to derive robust policies will be set up. This project targets all stakeholders that participate in the debate regarding energy policy. These include among others government agencies, energy companies, consumers and civil society organizations. An advisory committee consisting of this variety of stakeholders is composed and a valorization plan is developed to maximize adoption of the toolbox and ensure follow-up developments. In this regard, the toolbox will be made openly accessible to all interested parties. As such, the project will facilitate the transition towards a sustainable, competitive and reliable energy system. Your involvement: Title: Accurate and computationally efficient representation of grids for policy support studies Description: The overall complexity of the energy system makes it impossible to study it in fill detail. It is essential to make simplifications to the models to make them computationally solvable. However, electrical power systems are often overly simplified in such models. In this PhD project, the representation of electrical power systems in equilibrium and agent-based models will be investigated. Aspects which are of importance to consider are the granularity of the representation in time and place, the level detail of the different processes taking place in practice and the approximation of the non-linear power flow equations.