PhD Elevate Scholarship - CQUniversity and Sunshine Hydro Pty Ltd (Artificial Intelligence Based Optimised Energy Trading Platform for Hybrid Renewable energy Platforms) (External)
Sunshine Hydro recently announced their $2bn 'Flavian' pumped hydro and green hydrogen project within the Central Queensland Renewable Energy Zone. The project will be located near Miriam Vale in Gladstone, Queensland. The final investment decision (FID) targets 2025 and energy production from 2028. Sunshine Hydros' ambitious technology readiness plan will develop further, operationally test and demonstrate critical technologies. The proposed Super hybrid energy ecosystem will be managed through a proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) based Advanced Energy Storage Optimising Program (AESOP). This system is well developed but will benefit from ongoing development, validation and enhancement. Integration with live National Electricity Market (NEM) systems and the relevant demonstration system on the CQUniversity Gladstone marina campus (microgrid, electrolysers etc.) will allow further development and optimisation of the AESOP. This PhD scholarship is aimed at investigating Artificial Intelligence based optimisation techniques to further improve the performance of AESOP. Government and private investment projects for pumped Hydro are well advanced and will play a significant role in energy transition and the transformation of Qld's economy. This scholarship is an exciting opportunity to work closely with a major commercial developer on advanced technology. The skills and expertise developed by a successful candidate will be in high demand and applicable to many renewable energy developments.
Scholarship Value: $31,000 Stipend p.a. ($93,000 Total)
Length of Scholarship: 3 years
Number Available: 1
Opening Date: 24 October 2022
Closing Date: 10 March 2023
| Study Level | Postgraduate (Research) |
|---|---|
| Year of Study | Future; First year |
| Citizenship | Any |
| Ethnicity | Any |
| Study Region | Gladstone Queensland |
| Study Mode | On-campus |
| Study Load | Full time |
| Gender | Any |
In addition to meeting the enrollment criteria for PhD by Research of CQUniversity, the candidate must be available to undertake the research full-time while being based at CQUniversity Gladstone campus. The candidate should also be prepared to visit Sunshine Hydro and its sites when required. International applicants must be onshore in Australia to be eligible to receive this scholarship.
The successful candidate must have a degree in a relevant engineering or science discipline. They must have a proven track record of engaging in research/industry projects in undergraduate (and postgraduate, if any) specialisation. Prior experience of being involved in power systems, application of Artificial intelligence in power systems and optimisation related projects as well as optimisation techniques in general will be an advantage. The candidate must demonstrate good verbal and written communication skills and be capable of working in teams in academic and industry environments. A track record of research publications and project reports showing good communication skills will be beneficial.
Globally we are in the early stages of another industrial revolution driven by clean energy demand. Australia is ideally placed to take advantage of this through a long-term commitment to technology innovation and deployment, workforce training, skills development, and translating knowledge and know-how into practical, commercial solutions. Gladstone and Central Queensland have immense advantages. We have the potential to become a global hub for the production of clean energy that will keep our existing industries competitive and create new local export opportunities. The pace of change is unprecedented, and CQUniversity is committed to playing a leading role in facilitating collaboration across governments, experts and industry and providing world-class research, training and support to the emerging Hydrogen and renewable energy sectors.CQU has formed a Hydrogen & Renewable Energy Research & Training centre to support the diverse and ambitious range of projects in Gladstone and the region. Analysis shows that the Central Queensland region is a globally advantaged producer of clean energy, specifically Hydrogen. This advantage has been recognised by the formation of the NERA Gladstone Hydrogen Cluster and the Federal contribution of $70m towards Gladstone hydrogen hub deployment projects. The centre is based in the attractive waterfront CQU Gladstone Marina Campus. Several research facilities are under development, an additional suite of Hydrogen Incubator spaces for process engineering, manufacturing and lab research is also becoming available. As a dual-sector university, CQU also trains production, instrumentation, and control technicians for the surrounding heavy industry.
Applications must include all necessary supporting documents. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants will need to supply the following supporting documentation:
- Cover letter addressing selection criteria
- CV
- Certified copies of any qualifications
- Transcript
Please email supporting documents to Dr Sanath Alahakoon (s.alahakoon@cqu.edu.au), Discipline Leader - Electrical Engineering
Candidates will be notified of the outcome by email.