i) energy system modelling and optimisation;
ii) renewable energy integration;
iii) digitalisation, digital twin, and machine learning for energy system analytics;
iv) Local energy markets and peer-to-peer energy trading.

Dr Weiqi Hua is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering at the University of Birmingham (U.K.) since 2023. He took postdoctoral positions at the University of Oxford (U.K.) and Cardiff University (U.K.). He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Durham (U.K.) in 2020, co-funded by Hyundai Motor Company and Durham Research Doctoral Scholarship. He was the visiting researcher to the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE), Greece in 2019, and visiting researcher to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China in 2018 and 2019.

Dr Hua is the founder of Energy Digits. In 2023, Dr Hua earned a distinguished spot on the Forbes 100 Most Influential Chinese, an accolade that acknowledges his contributions to research and knowledge transfer in the fields of energy and low-carbon futures. He has edited the book ‘Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Smart Energy Systems’, and published a chapter ‘Microgrids and Local Energy Systems’. His research has contributed to the written evidence (DHH0053) of UK Parliament discussions on heat decarbonisation.

Dr Hua is an Editorial Board Member of Applied Energy, and Editorial Board Member of Oxford Open Energy. He served as the Lead Guest Editor for the Special Issue on the topic of Blockchain based local energy market in IET Smart Grid, Guest Editor for the Special Issue on the topic of digitalisation of energy systems in Oxford Open Energy, Guest Editor for the Special Issue on the topic of market design for low-carbon multi-energy system in Frontiers in Energy Research, and Guest Editor for the Special Issue on the topic of energy-water nexus in Water.

Dr Hua has been appointed as the regional chair for the 8th International Conference on Power and Renewable Energy, sessional chair for CEN2023 Applied Energy Symposium, 2023 International Conference on Resource Sustainability, IEEE SmartGridComm 2018, and IEEE International Smart Cities Conference 2017. He was a technical program committee (TPC) member for IEEE SmartGridComm 2020, IEEE International Smart Cities Conference 2021, and IEEE SmartGridComm 2023. 

Dr Hua has served as a member of the equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) Committee, the Athena Swan SAT working group, and Representor of the Publicity Committee at the University of Birmingham.

Dr Hua has undertaken research projects collaborating with academia and industries, including:

i) “Clean Heat Streets”, BEIS Heat Pump Ready.

ii) “Analytical Middleware for Informed Distribution Networks (AMIDiNe)”, EPSRC.

iii) “Maximising Flexibility through Multi-Scale Integration of Energy System (MISSION)”, EPSRC.

iv) “Integrated Heating and Cooling Networks with Heat-Sharing-Enabled Smart Prosumers”, EPSRC.

v) “Virtual Power Plant for Interoperable and Smart Islands (VPP4ISLANDS)”, European Commission - Horizon 2020.

vi) “Distributed Leger Technology-Enabled Distribution Network Operation (DeDSO)”, UK Network Innovation Allowance.

vii) “Solid Wall Insulation Innovation”, ERDF and Durham County Council.

viii) “Testing and Evaluating Sophisticated Information and Communication Technologies for Enabling a Smarter Grid (TESTBED)”, MSCA-RISE-2016.

PhD in Engineering, University of Durham, 2020.

MSc in New and Renewable Energy, University of Durham, 2017.