Use your skills to power the great shift. At OX2, you work for a professional and ambitious company that is committed to accelerating access to renewable energy to speed up the transition to clean energy. We are multi-specialists to the core, offering a dynamic and inspiring workplace and enabling seamless, cross-functional collaboration to achieve optimal results. At OX2 we empower you to take action, giving you the freedom and accountability to make great things happen, to make a lasting impact.

Background

OX2 is a large pan-European developer of renewable energy systems within wind, PV and battery storage, with a core ambition to support a large-scale transition to renewable energy. Our project pipeline includes a substantial portfolio of AgriPV projects spread across several markets in various stages of development.

The generation of large volumes of cost-efficient renewable electricity is key in the transition from fossil fuels, with PV being a core technology in this context. However, as large area PV often calls for soil as well appreciated for agriculture the land conflict between renewable energy generation and food production is increasing.  In the ongoing development of our AgriPV projects the aim is to find an optimum balance between an efficient generation of electricity from the pv system, with a sustainable agriculture production. 

Understanding how much shading can be caused by the PV system to the ground is a key design feature for the PV system, and will define the possible installed capacity, the resulting cost and the possible yield. Hence the cross over modelling of PV system design // shading caused // crop impact is a crucial element of the work. 

Task

The task is part of a combined work to deliver a model that simulates the shade caused and the altered microclimate as seen by the crops as a result of the introduction of PV structures placed on the field. With the data produced by the model the response of the crops will be modelled separate.

The aim with the model is to produce results in line with what is needed and relevant to support OX2’s focus and ambitions in AgriPV. It will be important to plan the work and the coding to be able to successively adapt inputs and outputs to follow with increased learning and adjustments to business ambitions.

Given the high level of complexity the combined work is split in two sub packages, each representing a master level thesis; Thesis 1 – light distribution modelling, and sub package 2 – shade rate modelling. Each thesis is presented by a separate document, whereas the details to thesis 1 is the subject of this document.

Sub package 1 – Light distribution modelling

a) Development of model for simulation of crop relevant light distribution as influenced by the PV system design

• Main input: PV system design (pitch, height, tracking schemes, panel type, transparency etc), solar resource.
• Output: Radiation content yearly and maps (direct and photosynthetic spectra). The output provided will be used as input to the shade rate modelling in work package 2.

b) Possible extension: climatic parameters, e.g. temperature and/or light dependency with height, validation through benchmarking with commercial tools like PV Syst and SketchUp

 The thesis work includes the set-up of the model including coding, and the definition of input and output parameters, including format. We believe it would be appropriate to study already established, often more advanced, models as input to the development of this more simplified model. The model shall be set up in an environment available at OX2. Coding in Python is preferred, but Matlab would also be ok. 

The execution of the two thesis is expected to be made in connection with the two candidates collaborating, still with individual responsibilities as set out by the respective thesis description. Hence you will be working side-by-side with a student colleague on the related thesis, and as part of a wider OX2 international team, including highly skilled team members on all aspects.

 We expect you to be self driven, curious, structured, and with an open and collaborative mindset. Sharing insights and asking questions being a natural way of working for you. Fluency in English is key.

Each candidate should plan to sit in an OX2 office (which does not need to be the same), preferably Stockholm Sweden, some days per week, together with working from remote. Each sub package is expected to be full term (SE: 30 HP).

The position is open from now, and we would like get started as soon as possible.

Learn more about OX2: www.ox2.com