ENDORSEMENT

Title: Enhancing Renewable Energy Socio-technical Systems in Coastal Areas

Summary: Renewable energy (RE) is nowadays promoted by European policy as key for energy security and as one response to climate change. Adoption of the EU renewable energy targets, demands a multidisciplinary approach and a closer nexus between science and local realities. In addition, local particularities in coastal areas require differentiated ways of management.

This project will:

• assess the positioning of RE as a socio-technical system in 20 coastal European areas;
• identify specific design principles of RE-systems;
• design a satisficing RE system based on local situations;
• define future strategies for RE in coastal areas.

Methods to be used build from the construction of an inventory of coastal areas to a stakeholder mapping exercise, process design methods and system sensitivity analysis. Various dissemination methods and tools will be used to further communicate results to interested key-stakeholders and to facilitate interaction between social communities and Scholars. The innovative aspect of this research is that it uses a robust analytical frame coupled to design principles to define sustainable energy strategies thus providing new and industrially-relevant insights into future EU policy.

This research offers European added-value in both scientific literature and local / European policy fields and a suite of transferability components. The Marie-Curie Fellowship, once awarded, will be the most important asset in the qualifications portfolio of a very experienced RE Expert and goals are expected to be achieved since the whole task will be a) hosted by a University with an excellent reputation in linking technology to societal concerns, b) supervised by one of the most reputed energy professors in Europe (Dr. P. Herder), c) embraced by a multi-disciplinary and highly experienced research team (Energy & Industry Dpt of TU-Delft University).

For more information, please visit EurOcean Knowledge Gate.