DPhil (PhD) in Zero Carbon Energy

The Zero Carbon Energy DPhil programme combines individual research projects with a multidisciplinary training programme led by the ZERO Institute, equipping students with the skills and expertise to lead in the energy transition in a supportive environment. 

Applications are now open for 2027-28 entry with a deadline of Wednesday 2nd December 2026. Find out more about the course on the Oxford University graduate admissions website.

Research Projects

Research projects should target areas with the potential for system-level impact in the scientific, engineering or societal aspects of zero-carbon energy. 

The themes of this course include: renewable and low-carbon energy generation, materials and processes for energy conversion, chemical, thermal, mechanical and electrical storage, energy distribution, infrastructure, digitalisation and security, energy use in buildings, transport, industry and the power sector, modelling and analysis of energy systems and transition scenarios and policy, governance, economics and social dimensions of energy transitions.

Example Supervisors & Topics

• Advanced thermal energy storage for heating and cooling applications
• Advanced building performance simulation, optimisation and AI-enabled control for net-zero buildings
• High-resolution urban climate observations using citizen weather stations and machine learning
• Ultra-low-cost cooling technologies for climate adaptation
• Heat risk and co-benefits of sustainable cooling interventions at multiple scales

Find more information on Prof Lizana’s research on this link.

• Batteries
• Electrocatalysis
• Thermocatalysis

Find more information on Prof Weatherup’s research on this link. 

• Energy demand
• Buildings, SMEs, households, behaviours and energy
• Energy policy and governance
• Energy sufficiency
• Climate education
• Climate leadership

Find more information on Dr Fawcett’s research on this link. 

• Energy storage
• Advanced materials
• Novel battery chemistries
• Materials discovery

Find more information on Dr House’s research on this link. 

• Mathematical optimization, especially large-scale mixed-integer optimization
• Decision-making under uncertainty, especially “beyond worst-case analysis”
• Operation of grid-scale batteries, especially degradation-aware optimization

Find more information on Dr Umenberger’s research on this link. 

• Electro-environment ceramics for energy conversion technologies
• Extreme environment ceramics for energy conversion technologies

Find more information on Prof Marquardt’s research on this link. 

• Energy transitions and climate policy governance with a particular focus on the Global South. 

Find more information on Prof Khosla’s research on this link. 

• Next generation battery chemistries, including Li-sulfur
• Digital twins for battery safety modelling

Find more information on Prof Shearing’s research on this link.