ERBE CDT

Congratulations to UCC ERBE student, Shahnewaz Siddiqque who has recently successfully defended his thesis ” Leveraging Data-Driven Decision Support to enhance flexibility resources adoption in Industrial Energy Systems”. Congratulations to Sid and his supervisor Dr. Dominic O’Sullivan, UCC, we are absolutely delighted for everyone involved.

Sid has kindly told us more about his ERBE experience:

Tell us about your work and time with ERBE CDT

Working with ERBE CDT was a unique experience. The program is designed to train the next generation of energy researchers who can make a positive impact in the sector through their research. It provided comprehensive training and engagement opportunities, helping me grow as a researcher. The cohort-based approach and regular activities like student conferences, summer schools, and colloquia gave me the chance to learn from and collaborate with fellow students, professors from UCL, LU and MaREI and the industry partners.

What was your PhD about:

My Ph.D. work focuses on demand flexibility, a concept that is gaining importance as the world shifts to renewable energy. My goal was to help large industrial consumers understand how much flexibility they have in their energy use and how they can earn incentives by offering this flexibility to support the grid. As part of my research, I developed a novel framework that uses smart meter data to measure both the flexibility potential of industrial processes and the financial benefits of participating in demand response programs. I also designed a decision-making framework that combines energy modelling with multi-criteria analysis. This helps industries choose the best renewable energy systems and flexibility resources that align with their sustainability goals. Finally, I explored how small and mid-size batteries can create extra revenue for industrial consumers by providing grid support. When combined with renewables and demand flexibility, these batteries can play a key role in making industrial energy use more efficient and profitable.

 – What were the highlights of your PhD/ERBE?

Throughout my PhD, I had the opportunity to participate in and present at leading conferences such as IEEE PES GM 2023 and IEEE T&D Conference 2022. These experiences played a key role in refining my research ideas and expanding my professional network. Attending summer schools with ERBE CDT in Cambridge provided valuable exposure and broadened my understanding of critical challenges in sustainability and energy research. I have published two journal papers, with two more currently in the publication process. Additionally, engaging in ERBE activities like the student conference and colloquium allowed me to collaborate with a diverse group of students and mentors, significantly enriching both my academic experience and professional growth

– What are you doing now/what’s next?

I have joined ESB Networks in Ireland as a Senior Product Specialist within the Distribution Markets System Operation team. In this role, I am responsible for researching and developing innovative technologies to that can enhance the flexibility of the distribution grid, enabling more efficient integration of renewable energy and improving grid reliability.

Congratulations to our newest MaREI ERBE graduate, Dr. Orlaith McGinley, who graduated from University of Galway,  in November. 

Orlaith’s PhD thesis is entitled  “Retrofitting homes: Evaluating the householder’s retrofit journey, existing retrofit services, and future directions for success in Ireland’s retrofit industry.”  and she is pictured here with her supervisor Prof. Jamie Goggins from University of Galway.  The entire ERBE team would like to congratulate Orlaith and all the team involved in this fantastic achievement. 

Orlaith has since taken up a new post-doc position in University of Galway and we wish her the very best of luck in the future. 

Huge congratulations to our very first MaREI ERBE graduate, Dr. Nima Najafi Ziarani, who graduated from Munster Technological University, Cork,  on October 30th. 

Nima’s PhD thesis is entitled “Improving the Performance of Single-sided Natural Ventilation Using Airflow Guiding Components”  and his  supervisors were Dr. Paul O’Sullivan from MTU and Prof. Malcolm Cook from Loughborough University. The entire ERBE team would like to join Nima in expressing our gratitude to them for their invaluable support and guidance during Nima’s PhD journey. 

Tell us about your work and time with the ERBE CDT:

I embarked on my Ph.D. journey on December 2nd, 2019. Right from the beginning, it became evident that the program was deeply rooted in years of thoughtful consideration and expertise. ERBE organized a range of impactful events, including block weeks, summer schools, the ERBE colloquium, student conferences, mini-conferences, and industry advisory meetings. These were meticulously crafted to shape a distinctive and meaningful Ph.D. experience.

While my primary focus in research revolved around the fundamentals of fluid mechanics and ventilation, much of my time was spent immersed in computational fluid dynamics simulations and hands-on work in the lab, connecting sensors to data acquisition devices. However, ERBE and its events broadened my perspective beyond the technical aspects of my work. Of particular interest to me were the socio-technical aspects of building design, a realm I had little prior exposure to. ERBE provided a unique opportunity to form a T-shaped knowledge, delving deep into my specific research while gaining valuable insights from diverse projects. The experience allowed me to strike a balance between specialization in my topic and learning from the broader spectrum of research within ERBE.

What was your PhD about:

My Ph.D. project marked the initial stride in the pursuit of designing breathable buildings. Surprisingly, we discovered that achieving this goal necessitates a profound understanding of how a building interacts with the atmospheric boundary layer flow. The foundation of my work aimed to elucidate the intricate connection between external and internal flows in the context of single-sided natural ventilation using CFD. Having uncovered the coupling nature between these flows, our efforts were directed towards demonstrating how various airflow guiding components, such as louvres and guide vanes, could influence this interaction using experimental measurements and CFD. Our goal was to showcase how a better design of these components could significantly enhance the overall performance of the ventilation system.

What were the highlights of your PhD/ERBE:

The journey of my Ph.D. was punctuated by several noteworthy highlights across various dimensions. A significant aspect was personal development, notably as it marked my first experience living abroad, compounded by the initial two years spent in a COVID lockdown. With the steadfast support of my supervisors and a determined effort to remain focused, I successfully navigated the challenges of stress, homesickness, depression, and pressure both during and post the COVID era. Completing my project precisely within the four-year timeframe, culminating in the defense of my thesis on December 4th, 2023, stands as a testament to my newfound self-confidence in overcoming adversity.

From an academic perspective, a standout achievement was the publication of three journal papers in my final year. This underscored the depth and impact of my research within the academic community.

Equally memorable were the ERBE events. While I enjoyed each one, the ERBE block week in 2020 was particularly special as our team was recognized as the best, and my self-introduction video earned the distinction of the best video. Additionally, the ERBE student conference in 2021 brought the honor of winning the best poster award. Importantly, these events were not about fostering competition but served as enjoyable platforms to bond, practice teamwork, and collaboratively solve problems.

What are you doing now/what is next?

My passion lies in applying the knowledge I’ve acquired to address real-world challenges. There is nothing more exhilarating to me than employing fundamental principles, along with numerical and computational techniques, to solve intricate problems. This drove my decision to join Arup’s Computational Fluid Dynamics team in Dublin as a project engineer. Arup, being one of the largest consultancy firms globally, boasts a roster of leading experts from various countries. Working in this dynamic environment, I have the opportunity to collaborate with these professionals and gain insights from their extensive experience.

While I am currently immersed in industry work, I am equally committed to remaining engaged with academic research both now and in the future. I firmly believe that the wealth of knowledge within academia, coupled with the potential inherent in ongoing research and the researchers themselves, can serve as a valuable resource for the industry. This intersection of academia and industry holds the key to unlocking innovative solutions and overcoming engineering challenges.

Acknowledgments:

I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisors, Dr Paul O’Sullivan (MTU, Ireland), and Prof. Malcolm Cook (Loughborough University, UK). Their unwavering support, guidance, and expertise have been instrumental in navigating the challenges and successes of this Ph.D. journey. Without their mentorship, dedication, and invaluable insights, reaching this milestone would not have been possible.

Our 2024 ERBE Colloquium was held in University College London on November 13th. Very well attended by all the ERBE students from Loughborough, UCL and MaREI, it was an excellent opportunity for our students to network and present their research. Well done to all our MaREI ERBE students who presented posters on the day and a huge congratulations to Talie and Eoin, who delivered excellent speaker presentations on their research to date to the full ERBE CDT cohort and visiting guests and alumni. 

The ERBE Summer School took place in June in UCC and took the format of a series of workshops led by Prof. Brian Norton. The aim of the Summer School was to train the students in producing a paper provisionally entitled “Methodological challenges in research on energy resilience of the built environment.” 

Students reviewed the relevant literature to determine key issues that need to be considered to ensure methodologies used are fit-for-purpose.

If approved the resulting paper will be co-authored by all contributing workshop participants.

As part of the Summer School, the students also had a buildings tour of UCC and a visit to the LIR National Ocean Testing Facility in Ringaskiddy which was very informative for all attendees.

ERBE 2024 Successful Viva

We are also delighted to share that MaREI’s Orlaith McGinley of the University of Galway successfully defended her PhD thesis on ‘Retrofitting homes: Evaluating the householder’s retrofit journey, existing retrofit services and future directions for success in Ireland’s retrofit industry’.