Scope

 Technology and policy are important pieces when thinking of achieving the goals of the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Objectives to fight against the climate change, but for such commendable endeavour the citizen's behaviour is also critical and their efforts must be also considered. In fact, the energy sector accounts for almost three quarters of the global green house emissions and to achieve climate objectives it is not enough with increasing the share of renewable energy within the next nine years but, it is also requested that energy demand drops by around 20%.

In such scenario, the scope of the thesis work will be the exploration of a model to turn solar communities into citizen science hubs to produce first generations of Near-Zero Emission Citizens capable of acting as Energy Transition Ambassadors.  Such a model will be operationalized in a real environment focused on creating inclusive solar communities leaving no-one behind with high impact and wide potential for being replicated in other environments. I

In particular the work proposed will explore:

• The identificatoion of  the routes to effectively upgrade well established social communities (University campus, sporting clubs, medium enterprises, ...) into local energy communities.
• The creation of business models for such energy communities to crowfund renewable installations which main objetive would not be the profitability.
• Practical omplementation of such business models in 5 european locations
• Identification of energy behaviours of participants through a new labelling system that we will develop into the project.
• Proposition of actions to change such behaviours: co-creation of smart sensors,  fabrication of community infarestructures, gamification through termographic cameras, etc..

Requirements

 * Master in Science or Engineering or any related area with the scope of the thesis. Applicants with master studies in course can be considered if they expect to end the master in the academic course 20/21.

* Excellent marks and student career. Professional career will be an asset.

* Motivation for Climate Action, Photovoltaic Energy and citizens' engagement.

* High social skills and communication capacities since the project is developed together society and citizens.

We offer

*PhD Contract for three years, subject to a trial period of six months. 

*Competive salary

*Incorporation to the Solar Energy Institute, an interdisciplinar research center with a renowned career of more than 40 years. Our international activity will ensure the applicant to pay stays in other research centers and take part of other national and international projects to complete his/her training. 

*Support to apply for competitive grants leading to improve your CV.

* The research is funded by an European Project that will start by autumn, so the candidate will work in an international enviroment and in a hot research topic for the European Climate Policy. His/Her thesis will be international and could visit other international laboratories in the framework of the project.

*Reaserch topic with high potential for being transfered as a bussiness line in the incoming years.

Applications

* Send your resume, qualifications and motivation letter to anabelen.cristobal@upm.es before the 31st of July.