Applications Invited for EnerTracks Fellowship Programme 2020

About the Organization:

Agora Energiewende develops scientifically based and politically feasible approaches for ensuring the success of the Energiewende. They see ourselves as a think-tank and policy laboratory, centered around dialogue with energy policy stakeholders. Together with participants from public policy, civil society, business and academia, they develop a common understanding of the Energiewende, their challenges and courses of action.

EnerTracks Fellowship:

The EnerTracks training programme was developed by Agora Energiewende in cooperation with the Renewables Academy (RENAC) supported by the International Climate Change Initiative of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Nukleare Sicherheit). This multi-disciplinary programme aims to deepen and foster international expertise on how to tackle the energy transformation worldwide. EnerTracks offers practical lessons, online courses, academic training, and one-on-one coaching.

The fifth EnerTracks Fellowship will take place at Agora Energiewende in Berlin from May 4 to June 12, 2020 and is aimed at experts working in the energy sector for think tanks, non-governmental, non-profit and civil society organisations or in academia in low and middle income countries.

During their six-week stay in Berlin, the fellows will have the opportunity to dive deep into a wide range of energy system transformation topics and to discuss solutions with Agora Energiewende experts on concrete questions concerning their country’s energy transition. The objective is to strengthen their ability to solve complex and dynamic issues to accelerate the varying energy transitions in their respective countries.

Who can apply:

• Individuals with nationalities from eligible countries (List of Eligible Countries) currently employed and working in the power sector for think tanks, non-governmental and not-for-profit organisations, civil society organisations or in academics.

What to expect:

Each fellow participates in the training sessions that are prepared and held by Agora Energiewende energy experts in Berlin, Germany. These sessions cover a variety of topics such as energy markets, least-cost planning, and research methodologies, among others (see full course list here). Supplemental online and reading material as well as group discussions complement each of these sessions.

Furthermore, fellows also benefit from one-to-one mentoring from Agora Energiewende experts. With the support of their mentor(s), each fellow tackles one specific transformation topic of their choice. The topic should be relevant from the perspective of the fellow’s own organisation, with the intention of transferring the achievements into their domestic work.

• 40 hours of teaching sessions (see course list here: EnerTracks Fellowship Course List)
• 40 hours individual reading in preparation for each session
• 5 hours of one-on-one mentoring
• Access to the EnerTracks alumni network
• Financial support, including a travel grant, fully-covered accommodations, fully-covered transportation tickets, a daily stipend, and available office space

What they are looking for:

They are looking for dynamic, engaged and committed driven individuals who possess a high degree of intellectual curiosity with a sincere interest in tackling climate change issues and the transformation of the energy system in their home country.

Further selection criteria include:

• Be a national of one of the eligible countries (List of Eligible Countries)
• Be currently employed at a think tank, non-profit organisation, NGO, other civil society organisation, or in academia working in the power sector or other relevant field
• Have a minimum of five years professional experience in the power or climate sector at the time of application, including management experience
• Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited university, in economics, environmental science, engineering, political science, or similar (Master’s degree preferred)
• A strong understanding of power systems, energy economics, and climate and energy policy
• Familiarity with policy instruments and energy transition policy processes
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
• Ability to think conceptually and globally about a broad range of climate change and energy transformation issues
• Ability to be adaptable and resilient in an ambiguous and dynamic environment
• A high level of intellectual curiosity and humility

How to apply:

Note: Please have all information ready before starting the application form.

Please prepare in one single PDF document:

• Your CV/resume
• A letter of motivation (max. 500 words; around 4000 characters with spaces), describing:
• the specific research topic you would like to expand on with your Agora mentor AND how this topic relates directly to you work. If you are working on one of the highlighted topics mentioned in the section “Who we are looking for”, please specify.
• What are your current responsibilities in your organisation and how would this fellowship support your career objectives?

Please use the following naming convention for this document: lastname_firstname_fellowship_spring2020 (ex.: smith_joan_fellowship_spring2020). Documents should be submitted in English.

Application deadline is March 1, 2020.

For more information please check the Link