Successful PhD defence by Jenny Gabriela Pena Balderrama
On the 18th December 2020, Jenny Gabriela Pena Balderrama from the division of Energy Systems KTH-dES, successfully defended her PhD thesis on the topic “Exploring low-carbon development pathways for Bolivia - A model-based analysis focused on the energy sector” under the supervision of Prof. Viktoria Martin, Prof. Mark Howells, Asst. Prof. Dilip Khatiwada and Dr. Francesco Gardumi.
Gabriela's PhD research work is related to energy demand forecasting, optimization and modelling techniques for power systems planning, geo-spatial electrification and inter-linkages between climate, land-use, water and energy systems (CLEWs). The PhD thesis opponent was Dr. Shonali Pachauri, Senior Research Scholar (IIASA) and Adjunct Professor (Yale University).
Her PhD thesis can be found in the diva portal and is based on the following publications:
- Incorporating high-resolution demand and techno-economic optimization to evaluate micro-grids into the Open Source Spatial Electrification Tool (OnSSET)
- A Sketch of Bolivia's Potential Low-Carbon Power System Configurations. The Case of Applying Carbon Taxation and Lowering Financing Costs
- Techno-economic demand projections and scenarios for the Bolivian energy system
- South America power integration, Bolivian electricity export potential and bargaining power: An OSeMOSYS SAMBA approach
- Integrated analysis of land-use, energy and water systems for ethanol production from sugarcane in Bolivia
After the defence, Gabriela's work was praised by the PhD committee and she was awarded a PhD degree.