Dr. Aleksander Grochowicz

Postdoctoral Researcher | Energy System Modeller | Mathematician

About

Aleksander Grochowicz

I'm a postdoctoral researcher at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), where I combine mathematics, energy systems modelling, and climate science to accelerate Europe's transition to net-zero. My focus: making energy systems resilient to distinct uncertainties—extreme weather, climate variability, and the complex interactions between research, policy, and diverse stakeholder interests.

I completed my PhD at the University of Oslo, working at the intersection of applied mathematics and energy modelling with the Risk and Stochastics section and the Energy Systems Modelling group. My work builds on open-source tools—primarily PyPSA frameworks like PyPSA-Eur (Europe's electricity and sector-coupled systems) and PyPSA-Longyearbyen (Svalbard's energy system).

Much of my research uses near-optimal methods (Modelling to Generate Alternatives, MGA) to explore trade-offs beyond cost minimisation. What if we designed systems that are slightly more expensive but far more resilient to weather extremes? Or more aligned with social acceptance and democratic participation? These questions matter because the energy transition isn't just about finding the cheapest solution—it's about finding solutions that work for people, places, and the planet.

This spring, I'm teaching "Integrated Energy Grids" at DTU—a course on modelling interconnected energy systems across sectors and regions.

I believe in open science, transparent methods, and research that genuinely improves lives—not just optimises spreadsheets. If you're interested in discussing energy system resilience, near-optimal planning, or working together on a thesis or project, feel free to get in touch.

Research Highlights

Preparing for the worst: Resilience metrics to guide necessary back-up investments during extreme weather

Aleksander Grochowicz, Hannah Bloomfield, Marta Victoria
arXiv:2508.05163, 2025
We assess resilient strategies in planning a decarbonised European power system in 2050, identifying a need for sufficient back-up power capacities as well as stress tests (decoupling long- and short-term stress) in energy system modelling. Classifies risk factors and system dynamics during system-defining events.
📄 Paper | 💻 Code

Using power system modelling outputs to identify weather-induced extreme events in highly renewable systems

Aleksander Grochowicz, Koen van Greevenbroek, Hannah Bloomfield
Environmental Research Letters, 2024
Interdisciplinary study overcoming usual divides between energy meteorology and energy modelling. Introduces the notion of system-defining events based on shadow prices to identifying extreme weather-induced stress to energy systems. Classifies "energy system stress" weather conditions for Europe.
📄 Paper | 💻 Code

Trading off regional and overall energy system design flexibility in the net-zero transition

Koen van Greevenbroek, Aleksander Grochowicz, Marianne Zeyringer, Fred Espen Benth
Nature Sustainability, 2025
We investigate near-optimal designs for a net-zero European energy system in 2050 that are robust to different uncertainties and risks, such as weather variability, land availability, and technological costs. We assess viable investment levels, including such that result in more maneuvering space for policymakers.
📄 Paper | 🔓 Open access | 💻 Code

Intersecting near-optimal spaces: European power systems with more resilience to weather variability

Aleksander Grochowicz, Koen van Greevenbroek, Fred Espen Benth, Marianne Zeyringer
Energy Economics, 2023
We showcase for the first time the large space of power system designs in Europe that are resilient to multiple decades of weather data (now common practice). We formalise projections of near-optimal feasible spaces (based on Modelling to Generate Alternatives) and introduce the methodology of intersecting near-optimal spaces allowing to find near-optimal solutions that remain feasible under different uncertainties.
📄 Paper | 💻 Code

Selected Publications

Near-optimal energy planning strategies with modeling to generate alternatives to flexibly explore practically desirable options
Francesco Lombardi, Koen van Greevenbroek, Aleksander Grochowicz, Michael Lau, Fabian Neumann, Neha Patankar, Oskar Vågerö
Joule, Vol. 9, Issue 11, 2025
Exploring near-optimal energy systems with stakeholders: a novel approach for participatory modelling
Oskar Vågerö, Koen van Greevenbroek, Aleksander Grochowicz, Maximilian Roithner
arXiv:2501.05280, 2025
Overcoming the disconnect between energy system and climate modeling
Michael Craig, Jan Wohland, Laurens Stoop, ..., Aleksander Grochowicz, ..., David Brayshaw
Joule, Vol. 6, Issue 7, 2022

View full publication list on Google Scholar →

Experience & Education

Positions

Postdoctoral Researcher
2024 – Present
Department of Wind and Energy Systems, Technical University of Denmark
EXTREMES project: Highly renewable energy systems under extreme weather events
Topics: Resilience, energy meteorology, social acceptance of net-zero transitions
PhD Research Fellow
2021 – 2024
Department of Mathematics, University of Oslo
SPATUS project: Spatio-temporal uncertainty in energy systems
Topics: Modelling to Generate Alternatives (MGA), weather and climate variability, mathematical modelling of renewables

Education

Ph.D. in Mathematics / Energy System Modelling
2024
University of Oslo
Thesis: Resilience and weather uncertainty in energy system models — Near-optimal spaces, weather variability and extremes
Supervisors: Fred Espen Benth and Marianne Zeyringer
M.Sc. in Mathematics
2020
University of Bonn

Teaching & Supervision

In spring 2026, I'm teaching the M.Sc. course "Integrated Energy Grids" at DTU (filling in for Marta Victoria, together with Parisa Rahdan). I've updated Marta's course website. Previous course materials from spring 2025 are also openly available on GitHub and this website.

I work on the DFF EXTREMES project, where I co-supervise Lukas Karkossa's PhD on modelling highly renewable energy systems under extreme weather events.

I've also supervised several M.Sc. theses and projects at DTU and UiO on topics related to energy system modelling, resilience, and optimisation. If you're interested in working together on a thesis or project, please reach out.

Contact

Office: DTU · Elektrovej, Building 325 · Room 155 · 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark