Francisca Jalil‑Vega is a Senior Research Fellow at the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources and an energy systems modeller with over a decade of experience in developing spatially resolved approaches to energy system analysis. Within the UKERC Responsive Research theme, her work focuses on analysing long-duration energy storage and strengthening connections between whole energy system modelling and high-resolution electricity system tools, particularly the highRES model. This work supports improved understanding of system flexibility, infrastructure investment, and the integration of variable renewable generation.
Her research centres on the development and application of multi-scale energy systems models spanning national and urban contexts. Using optimisation-based methods, she investigates trade-offs between energy supply, network infrastructure, and end-use technologies, enabling more integrated assessments of pathways to decarbonisation. A central element of her work is translating complex modelling results into policy-relevant insights that support decision-making across government and industry.
Francisca is also actively involved in hydrogen research through the HI‑ACT (Hydrogen Integration for Accelerated Energy Transitions) consortium, where she contributes to whole-systems analysis of hydrogen’s role in achieving net zero. This includes examining supply chains, system integration challenges, and the broader implications for energy security and sustainability.
Through her interdisciplinary work, she contributes to advancing practical, system-level solutions for resilient, low-carbon energy systems.