Job Information
Area: Engineering
Location: UK Other
Closing Date: Wednesday 30 September 2026
Reference: ENG407
Supervisors: Dr Ioanna Dimitriou, Dr Oliver Fisher
Programme Length: Four years
Contract Type: Full-time
Prospective Start Date: October 2026
Net 2 Zero Centre for Doctoral Training
The EPSRC and BBSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Negative Emission Technologies for Net Zero (CDT in Net 2 Zero) is an equal partnership between Aston University (lead), University of Nottingham, Queen’s University Belfast, and University of Warwick. Through cutting‑edge research and interdisciplinary collaboration, this CDT tackles global challenges related to climate change and sustainability.
The four‑year doctoral programme trains the next generation of research leaders tasked with removing greenhouse gases from the environment. The CDT focuses on using biomass to replace fossil fuels and capture CO₂ from the atmosphere. The centre’s expertise covers Direct Air Capture and CO₂ Storage (DACCS), CO₂ utilisation, biochar synthesis and utilisation, biomass transition to materials and chemicals, and biomass to energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS).
Training and Development
- Develop a network with doctoral researchers, academia, government, and industry.
- Access to cutting‑edge facilities and opportunities for international collaboration, preparing you for a successful career in academia, industry, or policymaking.
- Carry out a training programme covering practical engineering, communication, entrepreneurship, and business skills to prepare students for diverse sectors.
- Have a three‑month placement with industry, research collaborators or policymakers.
Project Overview and Background
As global energy demand rises, reducing carbon emissions is increasingly challenging. Gas‑turbine‑based power generation continues to play a central role in electricity supply, yet it is also a major source of CO₂ emissions and contributes to grid instability as renewable penetration increases. Achieving national net zero targets requires integrated solutions that decarbonise existing infrastructure, enhance grid flexibility, and enable sustainable energy carriers.
Hybrid energy systems offer a promising pathway, but current designs face important limitations. Many studies depend heavily on electricity‑intensive Power‑to‑X routes while underutilising thermochemical biomass conversion and advanced solar‑thermal technologies. Emerging carbon‑capture approaches such as electrochemically mediated amine regeneration show strong potential for flexible, low‑temperature operation, yet they remain largely unexplored within fully integrated hybrid systems. Current techno‑economic studies rely on steady‑state modelling and overlook dynamic behaviour under variable grid and weather conditions.
This PhD project aims to develop and evaluate a novel hybrid system that integrates gas turbines, low‑temperature carbon capture, biomass gasification, and advanced solar thermal applications to enable carbon‑negative fuel production and grid support. The research will involve thermodynamic modelling, transient simulation under UK climate and grid demand profiles, economic assessment, life‑cycle analysis, and AI‑driven multi‑objective optimisation. Though the initial focus is on gas turbines, the hybridisation framework will be transferable to other industrial and power‑generation applications, such as industrial furnaces and waste‑to‑energy plants. The overarching objective is to design intelligent control strategies that coordinate energy flows, maximise CO₂ utilisation, and demonstrate the technical and economic viability of a closed‑loop carbon platform suitable for large‑scale deployment.
Person Specification
- Motivation, creativity, and resourcefulness.
- A mature approach to learning.
- Academic background: a Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related discipline with an award of First Class or 2.1.
- Experience in, or willingness to learn, modelling and simulation tools such as MATLAB, Python, Engineering Equation Solver, Aspen Plus, and TRNSYS.
- A solid foundation in thermodynamics, process modelling, programming, or energy systems.
Excellent written and oral communication skills are essential, as the successful candidate will collaborate closely with other researchers, contribute to high‑quality journal publications, and present findings at international conferences.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of the Net 2 Zero CDT and we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, fairness, and inclusivity, and we encourage applications from underrepresented groups, including people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ people, and women.
Financial Support
- Four‑year studentships with a tax‑free stipend at UKRI rate (£21,805 per year for 2026/27).
- Paid tuition fees.
- A generous research training support grant.
Overseas Applicants
This opportunity is currently open for home fee status candidates only.
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