POSTDOC (M/F) - Modeling and Analysis of Prospective Scenarios for Hydrogen in France and Germany

General information

Organisation

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :

• defence and security,

• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),

• technological research for industry,

• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.

Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.

The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France

Reference

Description de l'unité

I-Tésé is the energy economics research institute of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), France's largest government-funded research and technology organization.

We work on low-carbon energy production and storage technologies, the availability of the resources required for these technologies, and changes in demand and consumption patterns.

We approach our research systemically, leveraging the CEA's historic expertise, creating numerical models, and utilizing the latest multicriteria analysis and system dynamics software to run complex scenarios.

With a team of around thirty experts based in Paris-Saclay and Grenoble, we work closely with other CEA institutes, as well as with industry and public authorities, in France and abroad.

Category

Mathematics, information, scientific, software

Contract

Postdoc

Job title

POSTDOC (M/F) - Modeling and Analysis of Prospective Scenarios for Hydrogen in France and Germany

Subject

The use of hydrogen produced by electrolysis, along with its derivatives (such as synthetic methanol and synthetic kerosene), is one of the solutions envisioned to decarbonise certain sectors such as the steel industry and sea and air transport. The development of a European hydrogen transport network is envisaged to support production, access to storage facilities, exchanges between regions with high renewable potential and industrial hubs, and to limit certain electricity grid reinforcement costs.

The Franco-German research project CrossHy focuses on analyzing possible deployment pathways for hydrogen transport infrastructure in France and Germany. It relies on two complementary modeling tools (REMix, ANTARES).

The project involves regular exchanges between French and German research teams. As part of the postdoctoral fellowship, a three-month research stay is planned in Stuttgart within the DLR team involved in the project.

Contract duration (months)

24

Job description

The use of hydrogen produced by electrolysis, along with its derivatives (such as synthetic methanol and synthetic kerosene), is one of the solutions envisioned to decarbonise certain sectors such as the steel industry and long-distance sea and air transport. 

The development of a Europe-wide hydrogen network is considered to support electrolytic hydrogen production, provide access to unevenly distributed underground storage, connect renewable-rich regions with industrial hubs and, in certain areas, limit the cost of reinforcing the electricity transmission network.

CEA I-Tésé is one of the partners in the French-German CrossHy research project. This 3-year project also involves an energy system modelling team from the German research center DLR and French gas TSO NaTran as an associated partner. 

The project aims to analyse the possible deployment pathways for hydrogen transport infrastructure in France and Germany.

It includes a significant modelling part and relies on two complementary modelling tools:

   - The open-source tool called REMix, developed by the DLR team, which can optimise energy system investment trajectories.

   - The open-source tool developed by RTE called ANTARES which is used by the CEA-Itésé and NaTran teams to model the European power system.

The project includes the development of a European-scale model, based on a combination of REMix and ANTARES tools, and a regional-scale model, based on REMix.

One of the key challenges of the project is to consolidate a set of input data consistent across Europe, with several variants on certain key parameters such as the level of hydrogen demand at different time horizons. A more refined representation of consuming sectors is envisaged to better represent the potential flexibility of this demand. 

The post-doc is going to contribute in particular to: 

(a) Enhance model inputs and hydrogen demand flexibility representation

   - Consolidate input datasets for the various models

   - Investigate methods to better represent hydrogen demand flexibility in both models; implement the required changes in ANTARES

(b) Analyse and interpret model results

   - Process and analyse the outcomes of the models developed in REMix

   - Define and conduct relevant sensitivity analyses, in direct collaboration with DLR

(c) Implement and evaluate model coupling

   - Implement the coupling between REMix and ANTARES

   - Analyse the results and assess the added value of coupling the two models

(d) Communicate project findings

   - Summarize and present the project results to various stakeholders, including public authorities.

The post-doc will be based in either CEA-Saclay or CEA-Grenoble.

Regular physical meetings between the French and German research teams are planned during the project; the post-doc will include a 3-month visit to Stuttgart to work and exchange with the DLR team involved in the project.

Methods / Means

Development of prospective scenarios, Use of ANTARES, Scripting in Python/R

Applicant Profile

- PhD/Post-Doc in the field of economic modelling/simulation of energy systems.

- Interest in the energy transition and in technological and economic aspects, in particular around hydrogen.

- Analytical and synthesis skills.

- Experience with an energy system modelling tool such as ANTARES would be appreciated.

- Experience in scripting with Python and/or R would be an asset.

Site

Grenoble

Job location

France, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Isère (38)

Location

Grenoble

Candidate criteria
Languages

English (Fluent)

Position start date

01/11/2025

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