OcEn PhD Studentship: T04A42 - A Community-centred Approach to the Design and Operation of Community Benefit Schemes for Offshore Renewable Energy Development

Lead Supervisor: Professor Ian Bailey, University of Plymouth
Secondary Supervisor: Professor Melanie Austen, University of Plymouth
International Supervisors: Associate Professor Hilary Boudet, hilary.boudet@oregonstate.edu, Oregon State University; 

Associate Professor Shawn Hazboun, shawn.hazboun@oregonstate.edu, Oregon State University

Applications are invited for a 3.5-year PhD studentship. The studentship will start on 1 April 2025.

Project Summary:

Offshore renewable energy (ORE) projects are purported to offer multiple benefits to coastal communities but can also trigger local resistance based on concerns about their impacts on valued physical and cultural land/seascapes, existing industries, and the social fabric of communities. Community benefit schemes can help to compensate for adverse effects and contribute to local development (Cass et al., 2010) but are often still viewed warily by local stakeholders who mistrust developers’ motives and/or hold concerns about lack of inclusivity in fund decision-making and their capacity to meet the employment and infrastructure needs of affected communities (Kerr et al., 2017; Rudolph et al., 2018). As a consequence, community benefits have yet to fulfil their potential of engaging and empowering communities as critical partners in the expansion of ORE (Tyler et al., 2022). This project engages with these issues through an in-depth comparative analysis of existing community benefit schemes and of novel, community-centred approaches that better meet the needs of host communities while simultaneously easing community opposition to ORE development.

Offshore renewable energy (ORE) has the potential to make significant contributions to the decarbonisation of energy systems and the economic and social wellbeing of regions where ORE facilities are constructed. However, existing community benefit schemes have often been developer- rather than community-led and poorly oriented towards addressing structural challenges facing coastal communities.

This project will explore innovative approaches to designing and managing community benefits generated from ORE projects. The researcher will work within an international interdisciplinary team reviewing existing schemes and co-creating a community-centred scheme aimed at extending and deepening the social and environmental value gained from utilising ORE resources.

Eligibility

Applicants should have a first or upper second-class honours degree in an appropriate subject and either a relevant master's qualification or a wider range of experience in a relevant career path (which is equally as important).

The studentship is supported for 3 years and 6 months. All PhDs will be eligible for the full award – both the stipend to support living costs (£19,237 per academic year 2024/25 rate) and tuition fees at the research organisation's UK or international rate.

How to apply

The application process has two stages. In the first stage, applicants are asked to send a CV and a Statement of Intent (max. two pages) describing their background and commitment to the research topic to the OcEn lead Professor Lars Johanning at lars.johanning@plymouth.ac.uk.

The deadline for applications is 15 November 2024. 

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