Energy Technologies
Loughborough University
About the Project In order to maximise wind farm performance, it is essential that operation and maintenance strategies are optimised. In this project probabilistic models will be developed of whole turbine systems that are able to predict availability and performance over time. The models will incorporate the details of the turbines structure and the complexities of its operation hence enabling consideration of various scenarios including both offshore and onshore turbines.
- Location
- Loughborough, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 30 September 2026
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Energy Technologies
University of Birmingham
About the Project The construction of demonstration-class fusion tokamak reactors requires a wide range of structural materials, each with the mechanical performance and integrity required for the expected local service parameters [1]. While Reduced Activation Ferritic-Martensitic (RAFM) steels have attracted most research attention in fusion, the importance of Austenitic Stainless Steels (ASSs) has largely been overlooked.
- Location
- Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 31 October 2026
- Funding
- Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)
Energy Technologies
Loughborough University
About the Project The global textile and fashion industry is one of the most environmentally impactful sectors, with significant contributions to water pollution, carbon emissions, and resource depletion. Textile wet processing, particularly dyeing, is responsible for substantial environmental damage due to the extensive use of synthetic dyes and high thermal energy demand.
- Location
- Loughborough, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 30 December 2026
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Energy Technologies
University of Edinburgh
About the Project This PhD project will develop sustainable, bio-based gas sensors for applications in environmental monitoring, healthcare and smart packaging. The research will explore renewable and low-impact materials, including bio-derived substrates, functional polymers and carbon-based sensing layers, combined with scalable printing and coating techniques.
- Location
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 31 December 2026
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Energy Technologies
University of Edinburgh
About the Project Developing renewable energy solutions that can be rapidly implemented in the market using eco-friendly materials and manufacturing methods is crucial. Among various renewable technologies, photovoltaics have significant potential to support climate change mitigation.
- Location
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 31 December 2026
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Energy Technologies
University of Worcester
About the Project Sustainability transitions have become an important and promising research agenda with a clear focus on energy, transport, and food systems (Köhler et al., 2019). Recent developments in tourism geographies, however, have demonstrated the usefulness of integrating the sustainability transitions research agenda with tourism studies (see Niewiadomski and Brouder, 2022).
- Location
- Worcester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Energy Technologies
UNSW Sydney
About the Project Hydrogen fuel cells are a leading clean energy technology for a sustainable, low-carbon future, but nanocatalysts need to be high-performing while using minimal amounts of scarce, expensive Pt. Controlling how Pt atoms are arranged on the surface of a metal nanoparticle is a promising route to highly active fuel cell catalysts.
- Location
- Sydney, Australia, Australia
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
Energy Technologies
Kingston University
About the Project The construction industry is reportedly responsible for 38% of global carbon emissions. The proposed project aims to develop specifications for energy efficient geothermal pile foundations capable of extracting maximum energy from the ground, for use in heating or air-conditioning of a building. These are called smart geothermal energy piles (GEPs) and, unlike conventional borehole heat exchangers, GEPs do not require separate boreholes.
- Location
- London, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Energy Technologies
University of Liverpool
About the Project Candidates wishing to apply should complete the University of Liverpool application form to apply for a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. Please review our guide on How to apply for a PhD | Postgraduate research | University of Liverpool carefully and complete the online postgraduate research application form to apply for this PhD project. Please ensure you include the project title and reference number ENGMAE004 when applying.
- Location
- Liverpool, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)
Energy Technologies
University of Liverpool
About the Project Heat represents nearly half of the world's energy consumption and contributes to almost 40% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Meeting the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 requires the installation of approximately 600 million heat pumps annually by 2030. Heat pumps using CO2 as refrigerant will have a pivotal role to play in heat decarbonisation.
- Location
- Liverpool, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
Energy Technologies
University of Birmingham
About the Project This project offers an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge modelling research with real-world impact on battery safety, sustainability, and environmental protection. Eligibility: Open to applicants with UK home fee status only Are you interested in sustainability and the impact of materials on human health and the environment? Would you like to help develop safer, more sustainable batteries by improving predictive models of their behaviour?
- Location
- Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)
Energy Technologies
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Improving the sustainability of energy storage materials is becoming an increasingly important aspect in recent years. Sodium-ion batteries are a promising alternative to Lithium, that could reduce the reliance on rare earth elements. This project aims at numerical and experimental investigation of a novel sodium battery design. Simulations and experimental validation will be carried out to validate new functionality of the battery.
- Location
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Energy Technologies
University of Liverpool
About the Project In the UK, heat constitutes about half of energy consumption. The government plans to install 19 million heat pumps in homes over the coming decades to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. However, the current adoption rate of heat pumps in the UK is low. Challenges persist for heat pump technologies, particularly in the UK. Most of UK homes are connected to the gas grid, relying on gas boilers as the primary heating method.
- Location
- Liverpool, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
Energy Technologies
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by James Bull and Dr James Buick . Turbomachinery plays a critical role in modern energy, aerospace, and industrial systems, including gas turbines, expanders, compressors, pumps, and turbochargers.
- Location
- Portsmouth, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Energy Technologies
Kingston University
About the Project Perovskite silicon tandem solar cells have shown remarkable efficiency improvements but continue to face challenges in thermal stability, mechanical integrity, and moisture protection. This PhD project will explore a new concept of passive microfeatured backplates designed to enhance module durability and performance through improved heat distribution and barrier properties.
- Location
- London, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only