Sustainable Energy PhD

In recent years, many modern energy systems based on renewable energy sources and high energy efficiency have been proposed to support reliable, affordable, and clean energy production.

Our PhD programme will allow you to undertake in-depth research into new energy generation technologies and the complex issues facing low-carbon energy systems and technologies such as:

• Offshore wind turbines
• Green hydrogen production and refuelling infrastructure
• Thermal energy technologies (e.g., heat-mechanical energy conversion), as well as the related environmental and safety issues.

Along with net zero commitments, maintaining the ’always-on’ status of energy systems (i.e., their resilience) is of utmost importance for governmental bodies and the private sector. The scope of ‘energy resilience’ as an area of multidisciplinary research requires diverse skills from various engineering and physical sciences disciplines such as:

• Design
• Material selection
• Energy conversion and storage
• Thermodynamic and heat transfer
• Structural integrity
• Maintenance and repair, together with state-of-the-art sensors and instruments
• Artificial intelligence algorithms
• Digital twin technologies for energy control and monitoring systems.

By pursuing our PhD in Sustainable Energy, you will join the School of Mechanical Engineering Sciences and work with leading academics and researchers who will support you to broaden your understanding of the issues and solutions for sustainable and resilient energy and develop your professional practice. Our mission is to foster, promote and conduct research of international quality. We attract high-quality graduates and researchers and train them to international standards.

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, the University of Surrey ranks 15th in the UK for research power for engineering and top 20 in the UK for the overall quality of research outputs (research papers and other published works).

Our Sustainable Energy PhD will give you the knowledge, skills and expertise needed for a career in engineering, research, or academia. You’ll be intellectually challenged, develop research and management skills, and become an expert in your chosen field of study.

It normally takes around three and a half years to complete a full-time PhD. You will be assigned a minimum of two supervisors, who will guide you through your studies. You will learn how to conduct literature reviews, develop your ideas, and verify them with experiments, and collaborate and perform interdisciplinary research. Over time, we will develop your skills and transform you into an independent researcher.