PhD Student Vacancy: Fairness of large-scale renewable energy projects: Windfarm developments in Scotland and beyond

Background. In the framework of the energy transition, Scotland and other regions of Europe and the wider world are seeing the development of large-scale energy projects (windfarms). While the benefits of these development are spread across the society, their costs—loss of agricultural land, biodiversity, modification of the landscape, etc.—are geographically concentrated. Affected communities are often rural and located in sparsely populated or peripheral areas, which often adds to economic and demographic decline, feeding phenomena such as “the revenge of the places that do not matter”. To ensure a just transition, it is key to understand how these communities perceive fairness; if current policies are fit for this purpose; and how the possible socio-economic impact generated by existing developments compares to the above perception.

Aims/Objectives. To answer the above questions, we adopt a comparative mixed-method approach. Besides Scotland, we propose to focus on two other rural regions of Europe—tentatively Sardinia (Italy) or Brandenburg (Eastern Germany)—or in the Global South—tentatively in Brazil—where the high density of renewable energy developments happens alongside peripherization and extractive practices. These regions are chosen to leverage existing contacts and research experience of the supervisors. The comparative lens is key to draw meaningful policy implications and thus recommendations for a fair energy transition.

Methods/approach. We propose to develop this research as three interrelated papers using a variety of methods: an analysis of the policy and stakeholder landscape; the measurement of citizens’ preferences and willingness-to-accept (WTA); and an assessment of the local impact of existing developments, to be compared with both citizens’ WTA and possible existing compensations. 1. Policy Landscapes and Compensation Structures: The first paper will involve an analysis of the current policy frameworks in the selected regions, focusing on potential incentive and compensation mechanisms (e.g., public subsidies for companies, reduction in energy bills, collective payments like the Scottish Community Development Fund). This will be achieved through a review of relevant policy documents and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, allowing use of qualitative skills. 2. Local Community Preferences and WTA: The second paper will assess locals’ preferences and willingness-to-accept compensation for potential loss of natural capital, or willingness-to-pay for perceived benefits. Choice experiment (DCE) surveys with representative regional samples—run in the UK in the past for offshore windfarms, but not in Scotland—will measure trade-offs between attributes of these developments (e.g., distance, size) and potential benefits, collective and private. Costs for a market research company are factored in. Survey data can be integrated with spatial data to link preferences and feature of respondents’ residence places. Alternative methods like contingent evaluation can be explored, and complemented with assessment of impacted landscape images using the eye-tracker recently acquired by SEGS (in Scotland). 3. Evaluation of Local Impacts of Windfarm Developments: The third paper will evaluate the local impacts of existing developments using quasi-experimental approaches, i.e., the synthetic control method or, alternatively, difference-in-differences and propensity score matching, depending on available data and the student’s interests. Data on existing wind farms, including their operational start date, will be compiled from open-source maps or secondary datasets. The analysis will measure the impact of the developments on socio-economic indicators in “treated” communities, derived from longitudinal datasets (e.g., employment, tourist numbers, votes for populist parties, etc.). This can be complemented, in collaboration with Hutton researchers from other departments, with actual or estimated ecological impacts.

This PhD project offers substantial training value, equipping the perspective student with a diverse set of skills highly relevant for research and policy analysis in environmental economics/rural development. The interdisciplinary nature of the project, combined with the expertise of the supervisory team and the resources available at Hutton, ensures a comprehensive learning experience.

The student will gain advanced quantitative skills in impact evaluation, benefiting from the supervisors’ expertise in econometric methods like synthetic control method, difference-in-differences, and propensity score matching. These techniques are cutting-edge approaches for assessing socio-economic impacts of interventions at the micro-macro level, being highly valued in both academic and policy-oriented research.

This 3.5yr PhD project is a competition jointly funded by The James Hutton Institute and the University of Greenwich. This opportunity is open to UK students and will provide funding to cover a stipend and UK level tuition. International students may apply, but must fund the difference in fee levels between UK level tuition and international tuition fees. Students must meet the eligibility criteria as outlined in the UKRI guidance on UK and international candidates. Applicants will have a first-class honours degree in a relevant subject or a 2.1 honours degree plus Masters (or equivalent).