Carbon neutral energy systems within Planetary Boundaries

Project ID: 2228cd1278 (You will need this ID for your application)

Research Theme: Energy and Decarbonisation

UCL Lead department: Chemical Engineering

Project Summary:

The UK Government is committed to decarbonise the energy sector by 2035. The sector is the largest source of national carbon emissions, and it is thus key to achieve net-zero targets. However, the transition to a carbon-neutral energy system must be done with care to avoid locking in technologies that may cause transgression of other ecological limits (e.g. biodiversity loss, freshwater use). This project aims at identifying energy system configurations that are truly environmentally sustainable by combining UK TIMES – the UCL energy systems model for the UK – with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the pioneering Planetary Boundaries (PBs) framework. The ultimate objective is to support policy- and decision-making in the UK, whilst developing an approach that can be replicated worldwide.

The student will work closely with Dr. Andrea Paulillo as part of a prestigious RAEng Research Fellowship focused on the concept of “Absolute environmental Sustainability”, and with the UCL Energy Institute, which develops the UK TIMES model. The student will be integrated in the renowned LCA Research Group at the UCL Chemical Engineering Department.

The studentship will develop an approach to incorporate LCA and PBs in the UK TIMES model, particularly focusing on how to harmonise emission types in UK TIMES with LCA indicators and PB’s control variables. By applying the framework the student will i) assess the environmental sustainability of carbon neutral scenarios for the energy system and ii) optimise future scenarios based on transgression of planetary boundaries and costs.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated student with a strong interest in sustainability, industrial ecology and environmental issues, and who has/will have completed a first-class degree at the Meng/MSc level in Chemical/Environmental Engineering, or a related discipline. The ability to work independently while being a productive member in a collaborative team is a must.