The rapid rise of solar, wind and battery storage is essential for the UK’s net-zero goals. Yet something unexpected is happening on the grid. Despite careful harmonic studies clearing new renewable projects for connection, subharmonics sometimes appear without warning and then vanish again. These unexplained behaviours force developers into expensive last-minute fixes such as filters, delay projects and raise costs for everyone.
A new research opportunity aims to solve exactly this problem. The EPSRC IDLA PhD Studentship with EDF, based at Imperial College London’s Control and Power Research Group, invites outstanding candidates to investigate the modelling and control of harmonic phenomena in renewable energy systems. This fully funded four-year studentship combines world-class academic supervision with direct collaboration with one of the UK’s largest renewable energy companies. If you want to contribute to the stability of future power systems while building a career at the intersection of academia and industry, this is one of the most compelling opportunities available for the 2026/27 academic year.
Scholarship Summary
- Host Country: UK
- Host University: Imperial College London
- Scholarship Type: PhD Scholarships
- Eligible Countries: All Countries
- Scholarship Benefits: Full tuition fee, Living stipend, etc.
The Project: Modelling and Control of Harmonic Phenomena in Renewable Energy
The official title of the studentship is “Modelling and Control of Harmonic Phenomena in Renewable Energy.” It is funded through an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Industrial Doctoral Landscape Award (IDLA) in partnership with EDF power solutions UK&I and EDF R&D UK.
EDF power solutions UK&I develops and operates a large portfolio of onshore and offshore wind, solar and battery projects. With more than 14 GW of renewables in planning and development and dozens of operational sites across the UK, the company sits at the sharp end of grid connection challenges. Industrial supervisors Dr James Wylie (EDF power solutions) and Dr Roberto Moreira (EDF R&D UK) will work alongside academic supervisor Dr Giordano Scarciotti of Imperial’s Control and Power group.
The core problem is clear. Inverter-based resources (IBRs) such as solar inverters and wind turbines behave very differently from traditional synchronous generators. Current harmonic studies often fail to predict the sudden appearance or disappearance of subharmonics once these resources connect to the transmission network. The knowledge gap leaves developers relying on costly reactive measures rather than accurate design-stage solutions.
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The PhD will address five linked objectives:
- Explain the physical and control-related causes of these harmonic behaviours and why they can appear or disappear abruptly.
- Identify why existing models and simulation tools miss them.
- Build improved modelling approaches that capture the phenomena and can be incorporated into standard harmonic studies.
- Design control methods capable of eliminating or suppressing the unwanted subharmonics.
- Determine the broader factors that affect grid compliance beyond harmonics and propose practical mitigating actions.
Success will deliver both fundamental advances in nonlinear systems theory and practical tools that renewable developers can use. Validated case studies with EDF data will help reduce project delays, cut financial losses and accelerate the connection of low-carbon generation. In short, the research directly supports a more reliable path to net-zero electricity systems.
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Why This Studentship Stands Out
Imperial College London ranks among the world’s top institutions for both automation and control (3rd globally and 1st in Europe according to the 2025 Academic Ranking of World Universities) and energy science and engineering (5th globally and 1st in Europe). The Control and Power Research Group brings together nine power systems academics, eight control engineering academics and more than 100 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. The group maintains strong industrial links and laboratory facilities that support both theoretical and experimental work.
Dr Giordano Scarciotti leads the Modelling, Analysis and Control of compleX systems (MAC-X) laboratory. He is an expert in control theory and nonlinear systems, a recipient of the IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology Outstanding Paper Award in 2023, and an active member of international technical committees. His outreach channel on YouTube offers an accessible window into the research culture of the group.
Beyond the academic environment, the studentship includes a secondment opportunity at EDF offices in London. You will gain first-hand exposure to real project challenges, industry mentoring and the practical constraints that shape renewable development. This combination of rigorous theory, high-fidelity modelling and industrial collaboration is rare and highly valued by both academic and industry employers.
Funding Package and Eligibility Criteria For Fully Funded PhD Studentship in Renewable Energy at Imperial College London
Home fee status students receive a comprehensive package:
- Full tuition fees at the Home rate for four years.
- An EPSRC-rate stipend of approximately £22,780 per year (tax-free, London weighting).
- An additional £4,000 per year industry top-up from EDF (also tax-free).
- Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) covering research expenses, conference travel and collaboration costs.
- Support for the industrial secondment.
The studentship is primarily intended for Home fee status applicants. Overseas fee status candidates may be considered only in exceptional circumstances and would need to cover the difference between Home and Overseas fees through another scholarship or personal funds.
Applicants should hold a first-class Master’s degree (or equivalent) in engineering, physics or mathematics. A background in electrical and power engineering and control systems is highly desirable. Candidates must also meet Imperial College London’s general postgraduate entry requirements and be new entrants to the programme. The start date is the first day of the 2026/27 academic year (26 September 2026).
Full details of fee status rules are available on the UK government and Imperial College websites. Always check the latest guidance before applying.
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How to Apply for Fully Funded PhD Studentship in Renewable Energy at Imperial College London
Applications are submitted through Imperial’s online postgraduate application system. Select the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Research Programme and the Control and Power Research Group, then name Dr Giordano Scarciotti as a potential supervisor.
Your application must include:
- A covering letter that explains your motivation, relevant academic and technical background, and evidence of excellence.
- A full CV.
After submitting the application, email the application number (APPxxxxxxxxx) directly to Dr Scarciotti at g.scarciotti@imperial.ac.uk. Queries about the admissions process can be directed to eee.pgadmissions@imperial.ac.uk.
The formal application deadline listed is 26 August 2026, although the position remains open until filled. Early applications are strongly encouraged because high-quality candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Official scholarship page: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/scholarships-search/epsrc-idla-phd-studentship-with-edf-20262027.php
Control and Power Research Group: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/engineering/departments/electrical-engineering/research/control-and-power/
EDF power solutions UK and Ireland: https://www.edf-powersolutions.uk/
Imperial postgraduate applications information: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/apply/postgraduate/
What Success Looks Like
By the end of the four years you will have developed advanced skills in nonlinear modelling, power system dynamics, control design and industrial collaboration. You will have published research that helps close a recognised knowledge gap, contributed to real EDF case studies, and built a professional network spanning one of the UK’s leading universities and a major renewable energy developer. Graduates from this environment typically move into academic positions, research roles in industry, or technical leadership posts within the energy sector.
The transition to a renewables-dominated grid is already under way. The technical questions around harmonics and grid compliance will only become more pressing as inverter-based resources continue to grow. This EPSRC IDLA PhD Studentship with EDF places you at the centre of that challenge with the resources, supervision and industrial partnership needed to make a lasting contribution.
If you meet the academic criteria and are motivated by interdisciplinary research that combines rigorous theory with real-world impact, prepare your covering letter and CV and begin the application process. The opportunity to help shape more reliable, affordable and low-carbon electricity systems does not come around often.
For the most up-to-date information and to confirm eligibility, always refer to the official Imperial College London scholarship page linked above. Questions about the research project itself can be sent to g.scarciotti@imperial.ac.uk.
This is more than a funded PhD. It is a chance to solve a problem that currently costs the renewable industry time and money, while training at one of the strongest control and power groups in the world alongside an industry partner that is actively building the future energy system. The application window is open. The grid is waiting for better answers.