PhD Scholarship: Extreme Wave Impacts on Offshore Floating Photovoltaic Systems KU Leuven in Belgium

KU Leuven is offering a fully funded PhD scholarship in the Department of Civil Engineering on the topic of extreme wave impacts on offshore floating photovoltaic (OFPV) systems. The project sits at the intersection of coastal and offshore engineering, renewable energy, and marine structures, and is based within a leading research environment focused on hydraulics, water, sediment, geotechnical processes, numerical modelling, and laboratory experimentation.

Offshore floating photovoltaics are an emerging clean-energy technology that places solar panels on floating platforms at sea, often in combination with offshore wind infrastructure. While promising for expanding renewable generation, OFPV platforms can be exposed to severe ocean conditions. Large waves may overtop low-lying structures, generate strong impact loads, and damage solar panels or support components. A major aim of this PhD is to improve scientific understanding of these processes and help establish safer, more reliable design approaches where no dedicated standards yet exist.

The successful candidate will use advanced numerical simulations at KU Leuven to model how extreme waves interact with floating solar platforms. The simulations will capture key physics such as wave breaking, overtopping, and impact forces on panels and structural elements. To validate the models, selected scenarios will be tested experimentally at the University of Melbourne using a large wind–wave flume. Experimental data will then be used to refine the numerical work and identify critical wave conditions, design limits, and safety margins for offshore deployment.

The position offers advanced training in numerical modelling, laboratory experimentation, and offshore renewable energy engineering. The student will be primarily based at KU Leuven and will undertake a minimum 12-month research stay at the University of Melbourne. The project is described as fully funded for four years, subject to satisfactory progress, with a competitive scholarship under KU Leuven and University of Melbourne regulations.

Applicants should hold, or be close to obtaining, a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, Coastal Engineering, Ocean Engineering, or a related discipline. The candidate must meet the minimum H1 standard required for eligibility for a University of Melbourne scholarship. Strong English communication skills, analytical ability, problem-solving skills, self-motivation, and the ability to work both independently and in a team are important.

For further information, please contact Prof. dr. Tomohiro Suzuki at [email protected]. The application deadline is 2026-08-16.