Luigi Teola
Luigi Teola is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Engineering.
My PhD research focuses on power and energy modelling and planning, specifically on integrating demand-side flexibility into power system expansion planning. I am currently investigating how to model and integrate emerging infrastructure, such as renewables and distributed energy resources, into future grid planning as part of the DEEPSyM project. DEEPSyM is a multi-year collaboration between the University and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It aligns well with my research, as the team aims to build tools for modelling emerging infrastructure, such as hydrogen hubs, and evaluate their impact on the broader energy system.
I started my PhD program in January 2025 and am currently in my second year.
As an academic from the University of the Philippines Diliman, I wanted to find an avenue to expand and deepen my knowledge of power systems and the emerging challenges for the future grid. Australia is a global leader in renewable energy and uniquely positioned at the forefront of engineering and policy research for the energy transition. The University of Sydney is one of the top universities in Australia and in the world, with a vibrant research environment led by well-established academics, so it was always at the top of my list when applying to study a PhD.
I saw firsthand how well [Professor Verbic] managed the conference and how passionate he was about emerging challenges in the field.
Luigi Teola
PhD candidate in the Faculty of Engineering
Gregor is one of the most active and well-established academics in the field of power engineering globally. After briefly corresponding via email, I finally met him in person when I presented at the 2024 Australasian Universities Power Engineering Conference (AUPEC), where he also served as the conference chair. I saw firsthand how well he managed the conference and how passionate he was about emerging challenges in the field. This further solidified my decision to pursue my PhD under his supervision.
Doing my PhD at the University of Sydney has been a fulfilling experience so far. Beyond the research, it’s really the people within the university that make it special: my friends and colleagues, the staff, and the rest of the community. The workload is well-balanced, giving me ample time to focus on my research while allowing me to experience the sights and sounds of Sydney and the rest of Australia.
For someone far from home, USYD has truly become a second home.
The most surprising realisation since start my PhD is that solving one challenge always reveals new ones to solve. Take Australia, for example. It has achieved a high level of renewable energy penetration that many other countries, such as the Philippines, are still striving to reach. One would think that having a lot of renewables in the system would solve all energy problems, but Australia is now navigating a new set of challenges around reliability, market economics, and energy policy.
This fuels my passion to continue my career in academia, solving current challenges while identifying the next set of problems to address.
After completing my degree, I plan to return home and continue my academic career at the University of the Philippines Diliman. I will take the knowledge, research experience, and insights gained during my time here in Australia and pass them on to the next generation of engineers and researchers back home.
It is my way of giving back and helping, in my own little way, to prepare my country for the engineering and policy challenges of its own energy transition.
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Energy Transition Decision Centre in Bradfield City
Professor Gregor Verbic is partnering with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at the Energy Transition Decision Centre in Western Sydney. The DEEPSyM project advances energy systems modelling and forecasting capabilities to build a strong and sustainable energy grid for Australian homes and industries.
Professor Gregor Verbic
Professor Gregor Verbic is a Professor in the Faculty of Engineering’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
My research is in power engineering, in particular, the grid and market integration of distributed energy resources connected behind the meter at consumer premises (think rooftop solar, battery storage, electric vehicles) and large-scale renewables like wind and solar.
Fifty years ago, energy grids were relatively one-directional. A central energy supplier, or network of coordinated power plants, were responsible for providing electricity to homes and businesses. Supply and demand could be predicted and controlled to a much greater degree. Nowadays, rooftop solar and home batteries mean that the traditional relationship between producer and consumer is very different.
Our grid also has to contend with energy coming from a much wider mix of sources, each influenced by a variety of external factors: wind and solar are obviously impacted strongly by the weather, while our coal-fired power stations are slow to respond to unpredicted spikes in demand and the legacy infrastructure can struggle during heatwaves.
Try new things even if they seem futile or impossible.
Professor Gregor Verbic
Faculty of Engineering, University of Sydney
I primarily work on methods and algorithms to manage this complex new network of energy producers and users to ensure the lights stay on. My research is motivated by the challenges facing the electric power industry and aims to facilitate the transition of the legacy fossil-fuel-powered electricity grid to a sustainable one powered predominantly by renewable energy.
I currently supervise six PhD candidates and have previously supervised 19 students' completion. I love teaching and mentoring, and I do it with passion. But I also like research and working with industry, so I ended up in academia.
On the one hand, teaching is a perfect avenue for translating research by disseminating knowledge to young engineers entering the workforce as advocates, thereby achieving meaningful societal impact. On the other hand, teaching is fundamental to preparing young engineers for the rapidly changing technology landscape, particularly in the electric power industry, which is undergoing its most fundamental transformation since its inception more than a hundred years ago.
Luigi was interested in system integration of renewable energy and energy modelling in general. He did some relevant work before starting his PhD, studying the energy transition in the Philippines. His analytical skills, practical experience and passion for research convinced me that he is the right candidate. Since joining the University last year, he has more than exceeded my expectations.
My advice to PhD candidates is that, first and foremost, you should enjoy what you do because that is probably the only time in your career when you can focus only on research. At the same time, get out of your comfort zone as much as you can because you only learn when pushed to the edge of your ability.
Try new things even if they seem futile or impossible.
Remember, there are no failures in research, only learning opportunities. And finally, don’t stress about things you cannot control; in the end, you'll forget the tiny details of what you did, but the sense of enjoyment that came with it will last forever.