PhD researcher - Business models to facilitate flexible energy communities

We are looking for

We are looking for an enthusiastic PhD researcher to conduct cutting-edge research on the development of business models to facilitate flexible energy communities to pave the way towards a more sustainable and inclusive energy transition.

This PhD position is part of the NWO KIC call on ‘Energy transition as a socio-technical challenge’ for the project ‘Flexible Energy Communities:  Coupling e-mobility and energy communities (FlexECs)’ containing several industrial and research partners across the Netherlands.

Energy Communities (ECs) organize collective and citizen-driven energy actions, and are increasingly gaining more attention to help pave the way for a clean energy transition, while moving citizens to the fore. https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/markets-and-consumers/energy-communities_en
However, there is a common assumption that ECs are bound to people living at relatively close proximity, mostly due to constraints of fixed energy grids, which strongly limits ECs and their success. To benefit from existing social communities for creating new energy sharing opportunities, like-minded citizens living further apart should also be able to participate in ECs.

FlexECs addresses this challenge by integrating ECs and electric mobility into “mobile ECs,” thereby boosting social innovation. This novel approach thus creates more flexibility in the future design of ECs to accelerate the energy transition. The project aims to (1) co-create  planning and evaluation tools for mobile ECs, taking into account heterogeneity in social, technical, legal, economic and spatial factors, and (2) introduce innovations via feasibility studies for implementation of mobile ECs involving researchers, public and private stakeholders.

The success of ECs largely depends on the business models adopted, but developing new models in light of changing roles and activities of energy actors is not straightforward. We seek a researcher motivated to tackle this challenge and provide solutions from economic, business, and social perspectives, as well as in combination with insights from spatial, technical, and legal perspectives.

In your position as a PhD researcher, you will:

• Critically assess and compare existing business model archetypes for ECs
• Identify and analyze possibilities for new types of business models to facilitate mobile ECs
• Co-develop sustainable and inclusive business models for mobile ECs with project partners
• Appraise feasibility of business models via case studies
• Analyze changes in energy markets, especially EV market developments, energy prices and new technologies
• Evaluate policies to address energy and transport poverty
• Actively engage in the interdisciplinary dialogue, communicating and integrating findings with other (PhD) researchers and stakeholders involved in the project. 

The candidate will be based at the Urban Economics Group of Wageningen University, the Netherlands, which has the mission of contributing to more resilient cities and regions in terms of social equality, economic advantages and environmental quality. The supervisors of the project will be Dr. Sol Maria Halleck Vega and Prof. Dr. Eveline van Leeuwen.  

We ask

We are looking for a PhD candidate who:

• has a master’s degree (or is near completion of a master program) in the field of (Urban/Spatial) Economics and/or Business, or another relevant field;
• preferably who has affinity with energy transition-related issues;
• likes to engage in interdisciplinary research, collaborating with scientists across disciplines and with societal actors;
• is able to perform tasks independently and in teams,  has good organization and writing skills, and is fluent in English.

We offer

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment . A few highlights from our  Collective Labour Agreement include:

• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

The gross salary for the first year is € 2.541,- per month rising to € 3.247,- in the fourth year in according to the 

Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU)

 (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours.

There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “ Best University  ” in the Netherlands for the 17th consecutive time.

More information

Do you want more information?
For more information about this position, please contact  Dr. Sol Maria Halleck Vega ([email protected] )

For more information about the procedure, please contact [email protected] .

Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including 15th of August, 2022. We hope to schedule the first job interviews on 25th of August 2022. 

Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. For more information please go to our inclusivity page . A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment .

We are

Wageningen University & Research
The mission of Wageningen University and Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With its roughly 30 branches, 7.200 employees and 13.200 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of Wageningen’s unique approach. WUR has been named Best Employer in the Education category for 2019-2020.

Read the 5 reasons  why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video  to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.