# Jairo Rúa > Jairo Rúa is an optimization engineer specializing in energy systems, mathematical optimization, control, numerical simulation, and scientific software. Canonical profile: https://jairorua.com/ ## Professional profile - Role: Optimization engineer for energy systems and scientific software - Location: Norway - Career interest: Switzerland - Summary: I am an engineer specializing in mathematical optimization, control, and numerical simulation for energy and industrial systems. I develop models, algorithms, and software for optimal design and operation under physical constraints and uncertainty. - Background: My experience includes convex, nonlinear, and stochastic optimization, energy-management solutions, dynamic simulation, production optimization, industrial data analysis, and control design and implementation. At ABB, I have led technical work involving the modeling, simulation, control design and optimization of industrial assets and energy systems. - Background: My academic work includes optimal scheduling under uncertainty, model predictive control, convex optimization, system identification, and numerical studies of power-generation systems. I am particularly interested in applying this background to energy asset optimization, quantitative energy analysis, decision-support software, and portfolio optimization. ## Areas of expertise - Numerical optimization - Convex optimization - Stochastic optimization under uncertainty - Energy-system design and operational optimization - Power-generation scheduling and flexibility - Energy-management optimization - Dynamic modeling and numerical simulation - Model predictive control - Scientific software development - Industrial data analysis and system identification ## Work experience ### Senior Technical Consultant, ABB (Aug 2025 – Present) - Lead the technical development and sales of digital solutions for process operations, control, production optimization, and energy-system performance. - Develop business opportunities and customer relationships in emerging energy sectors, with a focus on operational needs, technical feasibility, and value creation. - Translate customer requirements into technical concepts and project scopes for modeling, simulation, optimization, and decision-support solutions. - Lead technical projects involving the modeling, simulation, and optimization of renewable power, hydrogen, ammonia, and other new-energy systems. ### Section Manager, ABB (Nov 2022 – Aug 2025) - Managed a multidisciplinary team of 8–12 engineers. - Technical lead of optimization-based designs for integrated energy systems, considering technical performance and operational constraints. - Led modeling, simulation, and optimization projects for renewable power generation and hydrogen and ammonia production systems. - Project manager for deliveries related to industrial operations, control, energy management, and optimization. - Technical sales of control and energy management solutions, including initial customer communication, problem analysis, and solution definition. ### Project Engineer, ABB (Nov 2020 – Oct 2022) - Software development of optimization algorithms for virtual flow metering applications. - Development of energy-management optimization solutions and dynamic simulation models for industrial systems. - Analyzed industrial operating data and applied mathematical modeling and numerical simulation to engineering problems. - Designed, commissioned, and tuned industrial control structures and control solutions. ## Education ### Ph.D. in Control and Optimization of Energy Systems, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) · Imperial College London (ICL) (2017 – 2020) - Optimal control and automation of thermal power plants. - Stochastic optimization of energy systems under uncertainty. - Data-based modelling using system identification, statistics, and machine learning. ### M.Sc. in Dynamic Energy Systems, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) (2015 – 2017) - Studies in process control and optimization, numerical methods, dynamic-system modelling, and process engineering. ### B.Sc. in Energy Engineering, University of Vigo (UVigo) (2011 – 2015) ## Articles - [Understanding the European Electricity Market](https://jairorua.com/articles/european-electricity-market): An accessible guide to the European electricity market, from market participants and coupling to day-ahead trading, intraday trading, balancing, and zonal prices. Published 2026-08-30. ## Publications 1. [Optimal scheduling of flexible thermal power plants with lifetime enhancement under uncertainty](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2021.116794). J. Rúa, A. Verheyleweghen, J. Jäschke, L. O. Nord. Applied Thermal Engineering, 191, 116794. 2021. 2. [Model predictive control for combined cycles integrated with CO2 capture plants](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2020.107217). J. Rúa, M. Hillestad, L. O. Nord. Computers & Chemical Engineering, 146, 107217. 2021. 3. The role of natural gas in Europe towards 2050. A. Neumann et al.. Research report. 2021. 4. [Does CCS reduce power generation flexibility? A dynamic study of combined cycles with post-combustion CO2 capture](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2019.102984). J. Rúa, M. Bui, L. O. Nord, N. Mac Dowell. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 95, 102984. 2020. 5. [Optimal control of flexible natural gas combined cycles with stress monitoring: Linear vs nonlinear model predictive control](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.114820). J. Rúa, L. O. Nord. Applied Energy, 265, 114820. 2020. 6. [Optimal dynamic operation of natural gas combined cycles accounting for stresses in thick-walled components](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2020.114858). J. Rúa, R. Agromayor, M. Hillestad, L. O. Nord. Applied Thermal Engineering, 170, 114858. 2020. 7. Stress monitoring during optimal dynamic operation of a natural gas combined cycle: Linear vs nonlinear formulation. J. Rúa, L. O. Nord. 2019. 8. Exergy analysis for combined heat and power (CHP) plants. J. Rúa, L. O. Nord. 2018. 9. Dynamic modeling and simulation of an offshore combined heat and power (CHP) plant. J. Rúa, L. O. Nord, R. M. Montañés, L. Riboldi. Proceedings of the 58th Conference on Simulation and Modelling. 2017. 10. Simulation of starting and stopping vortices of an airfoil. R. Agromayor, J. Rúa, R. Kristoffersen. 2017. ## Authoritative profiles - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jairo-r%C3%BAa-pazos-36a3a1b3/) - [GitHub](https://github.com/jairorua) - [Google Scholar](https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=fkG46JUAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao)