Research title
Long duration energy storage for deep decarbonization: the role of underground hydrogen storage in future energy systems.
Short abstract
Vicente’s research investigates how underground hydrogen storage can support the transition to low-carbon and highly renewable energy systems. His work combines techno-economic assessment, geological data, and energy system modelling to evaluate the role of long-duration hydrogen storage in improving system flexibility, reliability, and decarbonisation. While his current research focuses on Aotearoa New Zealand through the Pūhiko Nukutū project, he also develops open datasets and modelling approaches that can be applied internationally.
Supervisors
Dr Rebecca Peer (Primary Supervisor) and Dr Jannik Haas (Co-supervisor)
Research interests
Energy systems modelling; long-duration energy storage; underground hydrogen storage; hydrogen and Power-to-X systems; renewable energy integration; energy security and resilience; energy transition and decarbonisation.
Personal interests
Spending time with my family, travelling, and exploring new places.
Academic history
PhD in Renewable Energy Engineering (2025–present), University of Canterbury, New Zealand
MSc in Electrical Engineering (2024), University of Chile, Chile
Professional Degree in Electrical Engineering (2022), University of Chile, Chile
Publications
Sepúlveda Figueroa, V., & Palma-Behnke, R. (2024). “Power-to-X opportunities and challenges for the energy transition in Latin America.” 2024 IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting (PESGM). DOI: 10.1109/PESGM51994.2024.10688922.
Benavides, C., Gwinner, S., Ulloa, A., Barrales-Ruiz, J., Sepúlveda, V., & Díaz, M. (2024). “Bus Basis Model Applied to the Chilean Power System: A Detailed Look at Chilean Electric Demand.” Energies, 17(14), 3448. DOI: 10.3390/en17143448.
Sepúlveda Figueroa, V., & Benavides Farías, C. (2022). “Carbon Neutrality Scenario Projection Model under Uncertainty.” 2022 IEEE International Conference on Automation/XXV Congress of the Chilean Association of Automatic Control (ICA-ACCA). DOI: 10.1109/ICA-ACCA56767.2022.10005931.
