About the Centre

The Centre aims to reduce CO2 emissions and support an environmentally friendly but reliable energy world by developing and implementing:

  • Techniques to carbon neutral fuels such as biomass and hydrogen to be used in systems designed for fossil fuels
  • Use of CO2 as a chemical feedstock for industry and manufacture – turning a waste into a product
  • Use of biomass as a feedstock for chemical processes as a replacement for fossil fuels
  • CO2 capture technologies for a range of in industrial sectors, including power, iron, steel, cement and glass-making
  • Automation of large energy-intensive processes to improve their flexibility and emission performance

Aims

The CDT aims to grow the next generation of research leaders and innovators, allowing them to develop a broad economic, societal and contextual awareness, as well as strong technical skills that will enable them to operate within multi-disciplinary team.

Significant funding

The centre has been successful in attracting significant funding from the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) to support our programme.

What we can offer

  • Four-year studentship with an enhanced stipend (ca £20k), tuition fees (paid) and generous research training support grant (for UK and EU students who meet residency requirements), including overseas placement

 

  • The only EPSRC-funded Phd/EngD programme of its kind in the UK, with internationally leading universities in Energy Systems field Nottingham (Lead), Cardiff and Sheffield.

 

  • Research leaders with the transdisciplinary understanding of the technical, political and public perception issues of energy technologies which will determine how they can be applied in the real world.

 

  • Studentships with an accompanying industrial sponsor from the Energy sector, upon which the research challenge and project will based (e.g. Siemens, BP, Wales and West Utilities, TATA, Hieta, Welsh Water, Ricardo, RWE, Rolls-Royce, National Instruments….)

 

  • First two years include practical training on large-scale energy system facilities plus seminars, industrial guest lectures, site visits, etc.

 

  • An annual cohort of students typically comprising about 12 CDT students.
    Four intakes 2020-23    

 

  • Opportunities to explore interests with academic and industrial supervisors before committing to a particular research project

 

  • Annual attendance at UK conference plus international conference during the research studies. International secondment included (typically 3 months)

 

  • ·         A unique range of large-scale, translational research facilities at all three academic centres including the national Gas Turbine Research Centre (Cardiff) and the UK  Pilot-scale Advanced CO2 Capture Technology (PACT) facilities (Sheffield)

 

  • Outstanding links with future employers through an established CDT Industrial Advisory Board comprising 40+ of the leading large and small (SME) companies in Energy Systems.