1-year Mitacs Phd Internship - Vancouver, Canada - UBC Faculty of Forestry

UBC Faculty of Forestry
UBC Faculty of Forestry
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Vancouver, Canada

1 week ago

Sophia Lee

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Sophia Lee

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Description

Project Abstract:

The transition towards a hydrogen-based energy system is pivotal for achieving decarbonization goals.

However, this transition is encumbered by significant challenges, particularly in terms of making hydrogen both accessible and affordable at a scale comparable to fossil fuels.

A critical yet often overlooked obstacle is the deficiency of sophisticated modeling tools, which are essential for understanding and navigating the complexities of hydrogen systems.

This project delineates the multifaceted challenges inherent in the widespread adoption of hydrogen and underscores the necessity for comprehensive modeling frameworks.


We will collaborate with our industry partner, Teralta Hydrogen Solutions Inc., to create an industry-representative simulation model that provides necessary data for the techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) used for understanding the financial and environmental implications of a given design of a H2 production and distribution system.

Such an understanding is critical for making an informed decision with respect to scaling up a H2 system.

The methodology and resulting modeling framework (i.e., process simulation + LCA +TEA) will be made publicly available through a technical report (and potentially a peer-reviewed journal publication), public data repositions, and tutorial videos, which will ensure a broad impact of this project to benefit both researchers and industrial practitioners aiming to promote the scaling of H2 systems.


Project Objectives:


The general objective of this project is to develop a streamlined modeling framework for estimating the financial and environmental benefits of accelerating the adoption of hydrogen at commercial scale.

The resulting framework can identify opportunities for cost reduction and explore alternative sourcing options, ensuring that hydrogen production remains cost-competitive and environmentally responsible.


We will co-develop the framework with various departments within Teralta, including engineering, procurement, and project management to incorporate the best industrial practices to achieve cost reduction, efficiency improvement, and quality assurance.


Project Deliverables:


  • A process simulation model that can be customized to calculate the material and energy balances for a given environmental impact for a given scenario of H2 production and distribution.
  • A TEA model that can be customized to calculate the cosefficiency and other economic metrics (e.g., net present value) for a given scenario of H2 production and distribution.
  • An LCA model that can be customized to calculate the environmental impacts for a given scenario of H2 production and distribution.
  • A Pythonbased analytical platform that integrates the TEA and LCA calculations
  • A technical report that documents the data and methodology of the models created from this project

Position Details:


Supervisor:
Prof. Qingshi Tu**, Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry

Start Date:
As soon as possible. This position will last for 1 year.

Compensation:
Around the typical PhD RAship level. You can inquire with Siduo Zhang when you apply.


Qualifications:


  • Must be a currently registered fulltime PhD student at UBC
  • Background and research field is related to the topic of this project
  • Experience and skills in process simulation model, TEA model, and LCA model
  • Strong research skills, communication skills, and academic writing skills
  • Selfmotivated, can work well independently and on a team
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