PhD Studentship - Underground Pumped Hydraulic Storage University of Nottingham in United Kingdom

[Fully funded for 3.5 years tuition and includes a tax-free UKRI stipend of approximately £20,780.]

The University of Nottingham is offering a fully funded PhD studentship in Underground Pumped Hydraulic Storage, supervised by Dr Angus Pettey and Dr Charles Heron. This innovative project addresses a critical challenge in the transition to renewable energy: the need for reliable and robust energy storage solutions. Traditional battery storage facilities require significant capital investment and depend on lithium, a resource with intensive mining demands. This studentship explores an alternative approach—using the land beneath wind or solar farms to store energy by pumping water into a sealed flexible membrane under soil, converting solar energy into pressure potential energy without the need for large elevation changes.

The project will be conducted in one of the UK’s leading geotechnical centrifuge testing laboratories, where the candidate will model the storage facility and tackle geotechnical challenges such as cyclical loading and interface effects. The research aims to rationalise the use of this method at various scales to meet societal needs for sustainable energy storage.

Applicants should have an undergraduate background in geotechnics or soil mechanics. Desirable skills include data analysis in Python, interest in energy policy or the economics of energy, and numerical modelling, though these are not required. Under supervision, the successful candidate will gain expert knowledge in centrifuge modelling, advanced programming and data analysis skills, effective research communication, lab demonstration and teaching experience, and the confidence to address complex problems.

This position is fully funded for 3.5 years, covering tuition and providing a tax-free UKRI stipend of approximately £20,780. Funding is awarded through a competitive process after a suitable candidate is identified. The studentship is primarily available to UK nationals, but exceptional international applicants with strong credentials may also be considered.

To apply, interested candidates should email Dr Angus Pettey at [email protected] with the subject line 'UPHS PhD.' Further details and the application link are available on the University of Nottingham’s project webpage. The application deadline is 10 May 2026.