DrSalvador Acha Izquierdo

Research expertise addresses smart energy management and decarbonisation of the built environment at different scales (e.g., buildings, districts, cities, etc.) with a focus on reducing demand through price signals, improved control strategies, and by using distributed energy resources. Projects have allowed me to identify key technical and non-technical challenges we face in the journey towards low carbon energy system implementation and diffusion.

My expertise focuses on socio-techno-economic and environmental analysis of low carbon engineering solutions to also address the interaction of such technologies as they interface with policy making and social acceptance. Unlocking climate change solution will require to conduct multi-disciplinary research beyond the core fields of engineering. This know-how is complimented with modelling frameworks of low carbon roadmaps depicting how investments can help long term strategies deliver mitigation targets.

Over the years I have conducted and overseen applied research and consultancy projects with industry on a wide range of problems.

I. Research methods applied to conduct the research topics mentioned above are:
- Optimisation methods for designing and operating distributed energy technologies.
- Big data driven models to characterise energy costs.
- Integrated optimal power flows of multiple energy streams (e.g., electricity, gas, heat, etc.).
- Artificial neural networks for energy benchmarking and forecasting.
- Back casting methods for low carbon roadmap strategies.
- Qualitative and quantitative assessments to understand impact of energy initiatives.
- Agent-based models to forecast energy demand profiles.
- Development of innovative energy indicators to evaluate energy services and/or systems.
- Control theory applied to optimal management of energy systems.
- Building performance modelling employing a wide range of approaches.
- Cloud-based solutions for smart operation of building services.
- Exploitation of open-source data (e.g., APIs) for optimal energy use.
- Evaluating new technologies and policies using PEST-SWOT techniques.


II. My expertise covers some of the following subjects:
- Modelling distributed energy technologies.
- Modelling regional costs of electricity for different consumer types to spot saving opportunities.
- Modelling energy benchmarking and analytics of buildings and sub-systems.
- Modelling fault diagnostics of energy systems (e.g., PV, CHPs, etc.)
- Reviewing and developing low carbon roadmap frameworks using science-based targets.
- Analysing and modelling heating and cooling services for optimal energy management.
- Understanding the trade-offs of low carbon fuels and technologies in their potential to decarbonise the energy use of power, heating, cooling, transport, etc.


III. Projects conducted with industry include :
- Climate change policy briefings and workshops to senior management
- Science based target models to decarbonise scope 1, 2, 3 emissions
- Robust carbon reporting frameworks on electricity, heating, cooling, fuels, and refrigerants
- Impact of low carbon fuels and new technologies on the built environment
- Integrated design and operation of integrated energy systems
- Cloud based solutions for HVAC, refrigeration, lighting, and on-site generation systems
- Novel key performance indicators of engineering services
- Proposing innovative refrigeration system and store design concepts
- Modelling and analysis of heat recovery of low-grade heat and thermal storage technologies
- Techno-economic models of low carbon investments aligned to Science Based Targets
- Modelling and analysis of regional UK electricity prices for dynamic energy management
- Technology reviews for sustainable transport fleets
- Modelling of rain water harvesting systems to improve water use efficiency
- Supply-chain optimisation in food retail operations