PhD position on: Optimization of energy management in hybrid electrical microgrids with the integration of services to the distribution network

Location
Université de Poitiers 86073 POITIERS, France
&
ESTIA Campus, Technopole Izarbel, Bidart, France

Remuneration
Doctoral research grant

Expected start date at the earliest opportunity

Contract duration 3-years fixed-term research contract

PRESENTATION OF THE INVOLVED LABORATORIES

This PhD position is offered in collaboration between two complementary research laboratories:

LIAS – Automatic Control & Systems Team

LIAS has experience in electrical energy conditioning, with recognized expertise in power quality, renewable energy integration, and multi-source systems. Its interdisciplinary research combines power electronics, control, and computer science to develop optimized system architectures and advanced control strategies for efficient energy management.

ESTIA-Recherche – EneR-GEA Team

EneR-GEA focuses on renewable energy, storage, and power distribution, with strong expertise in electrical engineering and control. Its research addresses the integration of energy sources and storage into microgrids and weakly interconnected networks, supported by advanced platforms including a microgrid testbed and a “Building Micro-Grid” demonstrator.

This PhD position is part of the project “Micro-Grid and Management of New Decarbonized Energies”, funded under the PSGAR CERENA program of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region.

Keywords: Electrical microgrid, renewable energy sources, distributed generation, power converters, advanced control algorithms, energy management.

CONTEXT

The research focuses on the development of a meshed DC microgrid, a technology considered both disruptive and enabling for next-generation power network architectures based on power electronics converters. DC microgrids offer significant advantages over traditional AC networks, particularly in the context of the energy transition and decentralized energy production. They facilitate the local integration of renewable energy sources and enable substantial efficiency gains by reducing energy losses associated with power transmission and AC/DC conversions. This approach is especially well suited to systems based on solar energy and battery storage, which naturally operate in DC. Overall, the project contributes directly to the energy transition and supports the evolution of modern electrical grid architectures.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Compared to AC networks, DC microgrids enable more efficient integration of renewable sources and storage, reducing conversion losses and improving overall performance.

The project aims to design and optimize multi-source energy systems to enhance local energy autonomy. It includes advanced control of photovoltaic generation, innovative power converter topologies (MVDC and DC/AC), and energy management within an “energy hub” architecture integrating production, storage, and consumption.

Key challenges include system optimization, energy flow control, and ensuring reliability, resilience, and grid-support capabilities.

MAIN OBJECTIVES:

• Use of a modular approach to enable flexible integration and configuration of power electronic converters;
• Facilitation of the integration of power converters with existing and future microgrid infrastructures;
• Deployment of DC feeders to connect inherently DC equipment;
• Improvement of the economic efficiency of solar renewable energy systems and their local use through optimized architectures and multi-objective energy flow management;
• Ensuring voltage stability and power quality at all points of a connected or standalone microgrid, while meeting protection and reliability requirements;
• Implementation of reliable information exchange linked to supervision systems, along with the provision of grid services and flexibility for the electrical network.

REQUIRED SKILLS:

Application procedures:

Recruitment will begin on May 31, 2026, and will remain open until the position is filled. Applications should include a detailed CV, a cover letter, the names and email addresses of two referees, and any supporting documents demonstrating relevant skills and experience. Please send your application to: Pr. Jean-Paul GAUBERT, jean.paul.gaubert@univ-poitiers.fr & Pr. Ionel VECHIU, i.vechiu@estia.fr

General presentation of both institutions:

LIAS: http://www.lias-lab.fr

ESTIA/ESTIA-Recherche: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpNvK7JbwLA&t=21s