Alexander is a PhD student at the Chair for Energy Process Engineering and Conversion Technologies for Renewable Energy (EVUR) at Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin).
After graduating from TU Berlin (B.Sc. in Energy and Process Engineering and M.Sc. in Renewable Energy Systems), Alexander gained experience from projects on energy concepts and energy system optimization. As of January 2015, he is a researcher at Reiner Lemoine Institut (RLI) in the field of mobility with renewable energy, focusing on optimization of hybrid energy and mobility systems. He developed an evolutionary multi-objective optimization algorithm for RLI's simulation framework SMOOTH. Since March 2015 he is involved in the coordination of RLI's communications team. As an honorary member of Naturschutzzentrum Ökowerk Berlin e.V. Alexander assists at events on ecological sustainability.
To mitigate the global rise of fuel-related greenhouse gas emissions due to increased motorized mobility, alternative propulsion concepts and appropriate energy system infrastructure should be implemented. Meanwhile decision makers must consider competing drive and mobility concepts in a time of transformative changes, deep uncertainty and complex conflicts of interest. Even with commercial solutions available, the best approach for sustainable mobility and the appropriate renewable energy infrastructure of the future, are far from clear. For instance, charging infrastructure must meet short-term requirements which can vary greatly from long-term challenges (e.g. charging power, range and availability). To comprehend the interdependence between short-term operation strategies and long-term planning is more crucial for non-reversible decisions about long-lived infrastructure which have extensive ecological as well as economic ramifications. How do alternative modes of complex mobility systems operation influence its design and long-term development? Transformation research must aim at reducing problem complexity for decision makers by identifying the real trade-offs as well as reliable (robust) action alternatives and strategies for adaptation. Thus, time consuming and costly mistakes can be avoided.
This dissertation aims to analyze objective conflicts (e.g. technical, economic and ecological) as well as uncertainties (e.g. socio-economic) to develop robust paths of transformation for the mobility sector. Results will include useful integration of alternative mobility concepts and corresponding renewable energy infrastructure (e.g. charging and fueling stations for battery as well as hydrogen electric vehicles).
