PhD position on the design of regulatory tools to manage grid connection queues

KU Leuven is among the best 100 universities in the world according to both Times Higher Education World Rankings and QS World University Rankings. It can look back on a long tradition of pioneering research and high-quality education. Within the Electrical Energy Systems and Applications (Electa) division of the Department of Electrical Engineering at KU Leuven, a new but growing research team led by prof. Leonardo Meeus conducts research on the latest developments in European electricity markets using regulatory impact assessments and optimization models. The team collaborates closely with the Electricity Area of the Florence School of Regulation, which focuses on applied research, policy events and training on the most topical electricity policy and regulatory issues. Our projects aim to be at the interface between the world of practice and traditional academic research. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive working environment that fosters teamwork and personal growth.

For more information, visit
https://research.kuleuven.be/en/career/phd,
https://set.kuleuven.be/phd,
https://www.esat.kuleuven.be/electa/information
https://fsr.eui.eu/energy/electricity

Project

The rapid electrification of the energy system and the strong uptake of renewables are placing increasing pressure on electricity grids across Europe. Ensuring that grids do not become a bottleneck is essential to achieving the European Union’s climate and competitiveness goals. However, in many regions, new connection requests are “stuck” in increasingly long queues, causing significant delays for generation, storage and demand projects.

While these challenges are partly driven by physical grid constraints, they are exacerbated by current grid connection practices. In particular, the dominant “first come, first served” principle does not account for the maturity, viability, or system value of connection requests, and is increasingly questioned by policymakers and industry stakeholders. Alternative approaches are emerging, but remain fragmented, practice-driven and largely unexplored in academic literature. This PhD aims to contribute to this knowledge gap by:

1. Developing an overview of regulatory frameworks and instruments that can be applied to manage (potential) grid connection queues, taking inspiration from country use cases, academic literature and other relevant sectors.
2. Assessing the efficiency of different queue management tools in reducing connection delays while considering broader objectives such as decarbonization, fairness, and competitiveness. The most critical design choices will be evaluated using mostly quantitative methods.
3. Evaluating how a combination of queue management and congestion management tools might interact, identifying potential complementarities as well as conflicts, and translating these insights into concrete regulatory recommendations for Flanders, Belgium and Europe.

Profile

As the ideal candidate:

• You have a Master of Science degree in engineering, preferably from a reputable institute.
• You are motivated to work independently, as well as in team, on different regulatory tools to address grid connection queues, starting from the Belgian context.
• You are communicative and can express yourself fluently in English, both orally and in writing.
• You are eager to disseminate your research results through scientific publications, stakeholder interactions and conference presentations.
• You are interested in contributing to teaching activities for a limited number of hours.
• You are willing to live in Belgium. The primary workplace would be Electa in Leuven, but telework is possible.

Your background and experiences match the following expectations or allow you to achieve them quickly:

• Have a solid background in the basic features of EU electricity markets and an affinity with EU energy institutions, policy and regulation.
• Become an expert on the latest evolutions in EU energy regulation and market design.
• Gain specific expertise on grid connection processes, with a focus on distribution grids.
• Continuously align your project with the latest policy and stakeholder debates.
• Become proficient in the engineering mathematics required to execute the project, such as optimisation models and data analyses.
• Become highly skilled in the programming languages Julia, and others if needed.

Offer

This PhD position is part of DINEMO (DIstribution NEtwork Management Optimization), a project funded through the FWO SBO programme. The consortium consists of multidisciplinary, energy sector experts from KU Leuven, UGent, UHasselt and the Florence School of Regulation. Within this context, we offer:

• A four-year doctoral scholarship starting 1 October 2026 with a net monthly salary of approximately €2500, leading to a PhD degree in Engineering, if successful.
• Multiple benefits (health insurance, access to university infrastructure and sports facilities, etc.).
• A research visit to the Florence School of Regulation in Italy, if desired.
• Guidance from experienced faculty, who will teach you the fundamentals of applied, academic research using different research methodologies.
• Training on research methodologies and soft skills through access to internal and external courses.
• The opportunity to develop a professional network and contribute to the EU regulatory debate by attending conferences and interacting with stakeholders.
• The opportunity to work in a small but ambitious team that encourages personal growth, creativity and taking responsibility.
• The opportunity to gain experience in the role of project management, after a sense of organizational skills have been demonstrated.

Interested?

For more information please contact Dr. Ellen Beckstedde, mail: [email protected].

KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.