phd research proposal on renewable energy pdf

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Sustainable Energy PhD

Key information, full-time - 4 years, part-time - 8 years.

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Why choose this programme

In recent years, many modern energy systems based on renewable energy sources and high energy efficiency have been proposed to support reliable, affordable, and clean energy production.

Our PhD programme will allow you to undertake in-depth research into new energy generation technologies and the complex issues facing low-carbon energy systems and technologies such as:

• Offshore wind turbines
• Green hydrogen production and refuelling infrastructure
• Thermal energy technologies (e.g., heat-mechanical energy conversion), as well as the related environmental and safety issues.

Along with net zero commitments, maintaining the ’always-on’ status of energy systems (i.e., their resilience) is of utmost importance for governmental bodies and the private sector. The scope of ‘energy resilience’ as an area of multidisciplinary research requires diverse skills from various engineering and physical sciences disciplines such as:

• Material selection
• Energy conversion and storage
• Thermodynamic and heat transfer
• Structural integrity
• Maintenance and repair, together with state-of-the-art sensors and instruments
• Artificial intelligence algorithms
• Digital twin technologies for energy control and monitoring systems.

Our mission is to foster, promote and conduct research of international quality. We attract high-quality graduates and researchers and train them to international standards.

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, the University of Surrey ranks 15th in the UK for research power for engineering and top 20 in the UK for the overall quality of research outputs (research papers and other published works).

What you will study

Our Sustainable Energy PhD will give you the knowledge, skills and expertise needed for a career in engineering, research, or academia. You’ll be intellectually challenged, develop research and management skills, and become an expert in your chosen field of study.

It normally takes around three and a half years to complete a full-time PhD. You will be assigned a minimum of two supervisors, who will guide you through your studies. You will learn how to conduct literature reviews, develop your ideas, and verify them with experiments, and collaborate and perform interdisciplinary research. Over time, we will develop your skills and transform you into an independent researcher.

Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination with at least two examiners. You have the option of preparing your thesis as a monograph (one large volume in chapter form) or in publication format (including chapters written for publication), subject to the approval of your supervisors.

Research support

The professional development of postgraduate researchers is supported by the Doctoral College , which provides training in essential skills through its Researcher Development Programme of workshops, mentoring and coaching. A dedicated postgraduate careers and employability team will help you prepare for a successful career after the completion of your PhD.

Research themes

• Offshore renewable energy systems (e.g., offshore wind, floating solar, wave and tidal)
• Distributed energy generation
• Hydrogen production, distribution, and end-use
• Novel materials for energy production and storage
• Renewable fuel combustion and heat transfer
• Resilience and security of energy systems and infrastructure
• Structural integrity of energy assets
• Dynamics of energy structures
• Inspection and repair of energy infrastructure
• Sensors and instrumentation for energy monitoring
• Life prediction and extension of energy systems
• AI and digital twin for energy optimisation.

Research centres

Research facilities.

As a PhD student within the School of Mechanical Engineering Sciences, you will have access to all our facilities, including our:

• Mechanical testing facility
• Wind turbine
• Environmental Flow (EnFlo) laboratory
• MicroStructural Studies Unit
• Surface Analysis Laboratory .

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to hold either:

• A first or upper second-class (2:1) UK degree in a relevant discipline (or equivalent overseas qualification).
• A lower-second (2:2) UK degree plus a good UK masters degree - distinction normally required (or equivalent overseas qualification).

International entry requirements by country

English language requirements.

IELTS Academic: 6.5 or above (or equivalent) with 6.0 in each individual category.

These are the English language qualifications and levels that we can accept. 

If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses , designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.

Application requirements

Applicants are advised to contact potential supervisors before they submit an application via the website. Please refer to section two of our application guidance .

After registration

Students are initially registered for a PhD with probationary status and, subject to satisfactory progress, subsequently confirmed as having PhD status.

Selection process

Selection is based on applicants:

• Meeting the expected entry requirements
• Being shortlisted through the application screening process
• Completing a successful interview
• Providing suitable references.

Student life

At Surrey we offer the best of both worlds – a friendly campus university, set in beautiful countryside with the convenience and social life of Guildford on your doorstep.

Start date: October 2024

Start date: January 2025

Start date: April 2025

Start date: July 2025

• Annual fees will increase by 4% for each year of study, rounded up to the nearest £100 (subject to legal requirements).
• Any start date other than September will attract a pro-rata fee for that year of entry (75 per cent for January, 50 per cent for April and 25 per cent for July).

View the list of fees for all postgraduate research courses.

Additional costs

There are additional costs that you can expect to incur when studying at Surrey.

A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.

Apply online

If you are applying for a studentship to work on a particular project, please provide details of the project instead of a research proposal.

Read our application guidance for further information on applying.

To apply online first select the course you'd like to apply for then log in.

1. Select your course

Select the course you wish to apply for.

To apply online sign in or create an account.

Code of practice for research degrees

Surrey’s postgraduate research code of practice sets out the University's policy and procedural framework relating to research degrees. The code defines a set of standard procedures and specific responsibilities covering the academic supervision, administration and assessment of research degrees for all faculties within the University.

Download the code of practice for research degrees (PDF) .

Terms and conditions

When you accept an offer to study at the University of Surrey, you are agreeing to follow our policies and procedures , student regulations , and terms and conditions .

We provide these terms and conditions in two stages:

• First when we make an offer.
• Second when students accept their offer and register to study with us (registration terms and conditions will vary depending on your course and academic year).

View our generic registration terms and conditions (PDF) for the 2023/24 academic year, as a guide on what to expect.

This online prospectus has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies.

Whilst we have done everything possible to ensure this information is accurate, some changes may happen between publishing and the start of the course.

It is important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a course with us. Read our full disclaimer .

Course location and contact details

Campus location

Stag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught. 

University of Surrey Admissions

University of Surrey Guildford Surrey GU2 7XH

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PHD RESEARCH PROPOSAL TOPIC Assessing Waste To Energy resources in Nigeria And Its Contribution To The Energy Mix

Related Papers

idode Enamhegbai

Amarachi N Ugagbe

Olasunkanmi Oyadokun

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Yusuf Sulaimon Aremu

This study explored empirically the ‘Energy Sector as a Critical Sector to Nigeria Economic Development: With Perspective to Electricity Subsector’ the study covers the period of 1981-2011. The study is borne out of the curiosity to determine the importance of electricity to the socio-economic development in Nigeria having relegated its role as “electricity is just an intermediate input”. The research takes analytical/quantitative dimension; the quantitative technique is used in analyzing times series data on per capita GDP of Nigeria, Gross Capital formation as proxy of Capital, Post Secondary School Enrolment as proxy of Labour and Electricity consumption. Restricted Error Correction model (VAR) is used with the aid of Econometrics View Package (E- view). The study reveals that the long run relationship that exists between real gross domestic product (PCGDP) a proxy of economic growth/development and electricity consumption is not significant, while, there is existence of short run causality between electricity consumption and economic growth. Further investigation using Granger causality analysis reveals that the two variables granger causes one another. Attempt was made to analyse the Electricity Transmission Mechanism with respect to different subsectors of the economy as it is translated to economic development in the long run, if the sector is properly harnessed. This then bring the study to the conclusion that electricity is not just an intermediate input or resources of satisfying domestic needs alone but it is ‘a critical sector to economic development most especially to developing country like Nigeria’. Therefore necessary recommendations were made as a way forward to achieve the impressive, sustainable growth and inclusive development.

Prince Akubue

Nigeria's energy need is on the increase as the population is not balanced by adequate energy development availability. This paper explains the profile of energy generation and consumption in Nigeria with the challenges faced. The ever increasing demand and inadequate supply of energy in Nigeria has been a great challenge to her development. A robust solution must be found to end the nation's energy crises. Energy efficiency which is a component of energy consumption leads to important social benefits, such as reducing the energy bills for poor households. From an economic point of view, implementing the country's renewable energy target will have significant effects, but these can partly be offset by selling carbon credits according to the rules of the 'Clean Development Mechanism' agreed some 10 years ago, which will result in indirect health benefits. In the shift to Nigeria sustainable energy generation future, many factors need to be considered and appropriately addressed. These include a full exploitation and promotion of renewable energy resources, energy efficiency practices, as well as the application of energy conservation measures in various sectors such as in the construction of industrial, residential, and office buildings and transportation. Indeed, Nigeria receives a huge amount of solar radiation, has abundant wind energy resources, and large deposits of fossil fuel, as well as enormous hydro-power resources from Niger and Benue Rivers. About 80% of hydro-power remains untapped, the total 5.5KW-hr/m2/day of solar radiation is not utilized and wind energy resources remain unexploited. The solution lies in creating a mixed supply of energy whereby untapped renewable resources are combined with abundant non-renewable fossil fuel, including the massive quantities of gas wasted from crude oil exploitation.

Ezugwu Chinedu Anthony

Karl Loic Nguetcha

Karl loïc TSB

Energy poverty is a common problem for every country in sub-Saharan Africa and is mostly driven by the lack of electricity. In Nigeria, the failure of the government to fix the power outage has been connected to Nigeria’s slow economic growth by affecting human social capital. This research would examine the residential, educational, and environmental implications of the lack of power in Nigeria, to determine the relationship between electricity consumption, school enrolment, and energy poverty measurement in Nigeria. Also, to investigate the causes of non-reliable power systems. The study used time series annually from 1990 to 2020. The study shows that energy poverty is very much present in Nigeria and is shaped by the lack of electricity which has damaging effects on Nigeria’s residential, educational, and manufacturing sectors through electricity consumption. The study used unit root test (ADF and PP), lag length criteria, ARDL model and bounds test, and ECM (error correction model). Findings showed that at difference, all the variables are significant and so stationary, and the PP test is also used to support it. Following lag length criteria, lag 2 was the best option. F- statistic is greater than I (0) and I (1), and T-Statistic is too. ECM showed that the correction of the previous error will be done at a speed of 104%. Therefore, to solve the problem, TCN can update and expand transformer capacity and the new voted law that would empower state governments to generate and transfer electricity on their own should be implemented. The fact that access to clean cooking should be increased is a gender problem as well and can save many lives. The grid needs to be renovated. Keywords: Energy poverty, Electricity, Clean cooking, Education, Climate change, Nigeria.

abubakar hassan adamu

Electricity is vital and inevitable to our daily and day to day activities, as it lighting our environment, powers our homes, schools, hospitals, offices, businesses, and aid industrialization, It is a known phenomena that the economic growth of a nation depends on its electricity generation. The objective of this research is to evaluate the extent to which increase in capital expenditure on power sector will lead to increase of GDP in the economy as well as to examine the effect of installed and generation capacity on the level of power consumption for sustainable economic development in Nigeria. Given the expected result of this study, the researcher generated two sets of hypothesis H0.1:-Government capital investment on power supply has no impact in economic development of Nigeria. H1.1:-Government capital investment in power supply has impact in economic development of Nigeria. In line with the formulated hypothesis the researcher employed econometric techniques for this analysi...

Nnaemeka V Emodi

Energy availabilty is crucial for the economic growth of any nation in the world today. Access to clean, affordable and reliable energy are necessities in achieving a sustainable development in the modern world. Energy poverty in a country can be said to be a situation where its citizens lack electric power to meet even their own basic needs such as lighthing and cooking. Nigeria, as a country described as the “giant of Africa and the most populated black nation in the world still faces the crisis of energy poverty. Nigeria is blessed with an abundant energy resources of both fossil fuels and renewable energy (RE), but the main challege is the country’s inability to adequately and efficiently utilize these energy resources. This lack of efficent energy utilization has led to the near depletion of the fossil fuel resources within the country’s boarder and the energy crisis afflicting Nigeria is expected to be on the rise if the government does not act immediately by the diversification of country’s energy sources and exploit the abundant natural renewable resources avaliable in the country. This paper reviews the standpoint of efficent energy management with strategic concentration on the demand side energy savings and RE resource potential in Nigeria to ensure sustainable development. The energy situation in the country is reviewed with the consumption parttern of the various fossil fuel resources in the country. The paper also examined the various RE potentials, locations and present ways in which they can be harnessed for useful and uninterrupted energy supply. Some effective strategies and energy policy are presented in order to overcome the energy poverty situation in Nigeria.

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