Thanh Huynh | Energy markets | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Thanh Huynh | Energy markets | Best Researcher Award

Senior Energy Engineer, at Siemens AG, Germany.

Summary

Thanh Huynh, Ph.D. candidate and Senior Energy Engineer at Siemens AG, is a German-born expert in energy systems and digitalization. With a rich blend of academic and industrial experience, Thanh bridges cutting-edge research with practical applications. His professional journey spans automation engineering, energy flexibility, and local energy markets for multimodal energy systems. Thanh has contributed to multiple publications in top-tier journals and has successfully supervised several master’s theses. Fluent in German, English, and Vietnamese, Thanh thrives in multicultural environments, leveraging his expertise to foster innovation in energy systems.

Professional Profile

ORCID

Education 🎓

Thanh holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, and Computer Engineering from RWTH Aachen (2018), where he graduated with distinction (1.3). His thesis focused on power flow controllability in medium-voltage grids using DC technology, earning a perfect score (1.0). Thanh also earned his Bachelor of Science from RWTH Aachen (2016) with a thesis on particle deposition under hybrid AC/DC fields, also graded 1.0. Beyond formal education, Thanh attended specialized programs, such as the Vietnam-Germany Summer School on Wind Power, and actively participated in global development and educational initiatives.

Experience 🛠️

Thanh’s career spans research, industry, and entrepreneurship. Since 2023, he has served as Senior Energy Engineer at Siemens AG, spearheading automation and digitalization in energy systems. Concurrently, he pursues a Ph.D. at TU Darmstadt, investigating local energy markets for multimodal energy systems. His tenure at Siemens Corporate Technology (2019–2023) focused on market algorithms for sector-coupling using advanced optimization methods. Thanh also managed the construction and administration of MIA Hotel and Café in Vietnam, showcasing his project management skills. Earlier, Thanh interned as a Research Assistant at TUMCREATE Singapore and RWTH Aachen, honing his expertise in grid modeling and linear programming.

Research Interests 🔍

Thanh’s research focuses on energy flexibility, local energy markets, and digitalization of energy systems. His Ph.D. explores thermal-electric energy systems with temperature flexibility in heating sub-networks. Thanh is passionate about developing optimized algorithms for sector-coupling and energy management, leveraging tools like Mendix, Python, and AWS. He is also interested in integrating digital twins and advanced simulation techniques to enhance energy systems’ efficiency and sustainability. Thanh’s work emphasizes bridging academic research with practical applications to address global energy challenges.

Awards 🏆

Thanh’s achievements reflect his dedication and excellence. He received the PROMOS Scholarship in 2018, enabling international research exposure. His academic work consistently earned top grades, including perfect scores for both his bachelor’s and master’s theses. Thanh’s contributions as a project leader, researcher, and engineer have been recognized in industry and academia, showcasing his leadership and innovation.

Publications 📚

Thanh has contributed to impactful research on energy systems:

  • 2024
    Title: Local multi-modal energy market for thermal-electric energy systems with temperature flexibility.
    Journal: Energy
    Authors: Thanh Huynh, P. Friedrich, S. Thiem, V. Danov, F. Steinke, S. Niessen
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.133584
    Summary: This paper explores a local energy market framework integrating thermal and electric energy systems, considering temperature flexibility in heating networks to optimize energy exchange and efficiency.
  • 2024
    Title: Design and simulation of district heating networks: A review of modeling approaches.
    Journal: Energy
    Authors: S. Kuntuarova, T. Licklederer, Thanh Huynh, D. Zinsmeister, T. Hamacher, V. Perić
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.132189
    Summary: A comprehensive review of methodologies and tools for modeling district heating networks, highlighting best practices for energy system optimization.
  • 2022
    Title: Local energy markets for thermal-electric energy systems considering energy carrier dependency.
    Journal: Smart Energy
    Authors: Thanh Huynh, F. Schmidt, S. Thiem, M. Kautz, F. Steinke, S. Niessen
    DOI: 10.1016/j.segy.2022.100065
    Summary: This study investigates the interaction between energy carriers and storage systems within local markets for hybrid thermal-electric energy systems, proposing solutions to improve reliability and economic viability.
  • 2020
    Title: Optimal electric-distribution-grid planning considering demand-side flexibility.
    Journal: Applied Energy
    Authors: S. Troitzsch, B. K. Sreepathi, Thanh P. Huynh, A. Moine, S. Hanif, J. Fonseca, T. Hamacher
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.114917
    Summary: Focused on the integration of thermal building systems’ flexibility into electric grid planning, this paper provides an optimization framework tested in Singapore’s distribution grid.

Conclusion

Thanh Huynh is a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award, with a compelling combination of academic excellence, professional innovation, and societal impact. His work addresses critical global challenges in energy systems and digitalization, making him a valuable contributor to both research and industry. While there is room for further outreach and diversification, his achievements to date position him as a deserving recipient of the award.

 

Shafiqur Rehman | Renewables | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Shafiqur Rehman, Renewables, Best Researcher Award

Doctorate at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia

Summary:

Dr. Shafiqur Rehman is an accomplished mechanical engineer and researcher specializing in renewable energy systems. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pretoria and has extensive experience in wind and solar energy resource assessment, hybrid power system design, and techno-economic feasibility studies. Since 2005, he has been serving as an Associate Professor at the Research Institute of KFUPM in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, where he has contributed significantly to the field of renewable energy through both his research and teaching. Dr. Rehman’s work has a strong focus on optimizing renewable energy systems to enhance their efficiency and integration into existing power grids, addressing critical challenges in sustainable energy development.

Professional Profile:

👩‍🎓Education:

Dr. Shafiqur Rehman received his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa, in 2012. He earned his M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in Thermal Sciences from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in 1985, achieving a GPA of 3.875 on a 4.0 scale. He completed his B.Sc. Engg. (Honors) in Mechanical Engineering from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh, U.P., India, in 1981, ranking second in his class with a GPA of 8.6 on a 10.0 scale. Additionally, Dr. Rehman holds a B.Sc. (Honors) degree in Physics from AMU, obtained in 1977 with first rank in merit and 70% marks. He also has a Pre-University School Certificate from AMU (1974) with 67% marks and a High School Certificate from the U.P. Board of High School and Intermediate Education, Allahabad, U.P., India (1973), where he achieved 68.8% marks.

Professional Experience:

Dr. Rehman is currently serving as a Research Engineer-II (Associate Professor) at the Research Institute, KFUPM, a position he has held since March 2005. Prior to this, he was a Research Engineer-III (Assistant Professor) at the same institute from April 1999 to March 2005. From September 1991 to March 1999, he worked as an Engineer-I, and from April 1986 to August 1991, as an Engineer-II at the Research Institute, KFUPM. His career at KFUPM began as a Research Assistant in the Mechanical Engineering Department from December 1982 to November 1985. Before joining KFUPM, Dr. Rehman worked as a Design Engineer at N. C. Gupta A/C. Consultants in New Delhi, India, from November 1981 to December 1982.

Research Interest:

Dr. Rehman’s research interests encompass various domains within renewable energy and mechanical engineering, including:

  • Wind Energy Resource Assessment, Potential Site Identification, Grid-Connected and Off-Grid Wind Farm Design and Optimization, Techno-Economic Feasibility, Wind-Diesel Hybrid Power System Design and Optimization
  • Solar Energy Resource Assessment, PV System Sizing, PV-Diesel Hybrid Power System Design, Techno-Economic Feasibility, Hybrid Power System Optimization, PV and Wind Water Pumping and Water Desalination
  • Wind-PV-Diesel Hybrid Power System Design and Optimization
  • Pumped Storage Plants for Improving Load Management
  • Geothermal Resource Assessment
  • Surface and Upper Air Meteorological Data Acquisition and Analysis

Publications Top Noted: 

Global review and synthesis of trends in observed terrestrial near-surface wind speeds: Implications for evaporation

  • TR McVicar, ML Roderick, RJ Donohue, LT Li, TG Van Niel, A Thomas, S Rehman, et al.
  • Journal of Hydrology, 416, 182-205, 2012. (Citations: 1193)

Pumped hydro energy storage system: A technological review

  • S Rehman, LM Al-Hadhrami, MM Alam.
  • Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 44, 586-598, 2015. (Citations: 1190)

Support vector machines for wind speed prediction

  • MA Mohandes, TO Halawani, S Rehman, AA Hussain.
  • Renewable Energy, 29(6), 939-947, 2004. (Citations: 917)

Performance evaluation of a PV (photovoltaic) module by back surface water cooling for hot climatic conditions

  • H Bahaidarah, A Subhan, P Gandhidasan, S Rehman.
  • Energy, 59, 445-453, 2013. (Citations: 625)

Estimation of global solar radiation using artificial neural networks

  • M Mohandes, S Rehman, TO Halawani.
  • Renewable Energy, 14(1-4), 179-184, 1998. (Citations: 464)