Sonja Wogrin

Sonja Wogrin is a University Professor (Univ.-Prof.) at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), where she has been heading the Institute for Electricity Economics and Energy Innovation since August 2021. She holds a Dipl.-Ing. in Technical Mathematics from TU Graz (2008), a Master of Science in Computation for Design and Optimization from MIT (2008), and a doctorate in Electricity Systems from Universidad Pontificia Comillas (2013).

Her educational background includes:

• Doctorate in Electricity Systems, Universidad Pontificia de Comillas (June 2013)
• Dipl.-Ing. in Technical Mathematics, Graz University of Technology (October 2008)
• Master of Science in Computation for Design and Optimization, MIT (June 2008)

Professor Wogrin's research focuses on decision support systems in the energy sector, optimization methodologies, and particularly the problem of generation capacity expansion. Her work spans several key areas including bilevel programming, capacity expansion planning, energy storage systems, and time series aggregation for energy system optimization. She has made significant contributions to understanding how to integrate renewable energy sources into power systems while maintaining economic efficiency and grid stability. Her research often addresses the challenges of decarbonizing electricity systems through advanced mathematical modeling and optimization techniques.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on improving the computational efficiency of energy system models while maintaining accuracy, with particular attention to the integration of renewable energy sources, energy storage systems, and the development of resilient energy communities. She has pioneered work on time series aggregation methods that balance computational tractability with model accuracy, which is crucial for long-term energy planning under uncertainty.

Professor Wogrin has received several prestigious awards and fellowships including:

• 4th EASE Student Award for "Co-Optimisation of energy storage technologies in tactical and strategic planning models" (2019)
• Beca de movilidad para investigadores "NILS Ciencia y Sostenibilidad" (2015)
• Beca Erasmus "Personal Docente/Investigador" de formación (2016)
• Beca Iberdrola de ayuda a la investigación en energía y medio ambiente (2020)

She leads multiple significant research projects including EU - NetZero-Opt, RINGs, iKlimET, V2G-QUESTS, and CIDEAL, which focus on optimizing energy systems for net-zero emissions, resilient energy networks, climate and energy system modeling, vehicle-to-grid integration, and industrial decarbonization. Her work has substantial practical implications for energy policy and grid operations in Austria and beyond. Professor Wogrin collaborates extensively with industry partners including Austrian Power Grid AG, KELAG, and Netz Niederösterreich, ensuring her research addresses real-world energy challenges.

Professor Wogrin leads the research group at the Institute for Electricity Economics and Energy Innovation, which develops advanced optimization models for energy systems. Her team has created the LEGO (Low-carbon Expansion Generation Optimization) model, an open-source tool for energy system optimization that has gained international recognition. The group's work spans from fundamental optimization methods to practical applications in energy system planning and operation, with a strong emphasis on computational efficiency and model accuracy.