Call for Climate Fellows

Power Plant and Electric Vehicle Data

As we expand the Subak Data Cooperative, we are looking to focus on increasing the content in some specific areas.  The first two focus areas are Power Plants and Electric Vehicles (EVs).  We have chosen these particularly important climate sectors as our initial areas of focus, for our targeted Fellowships, and will be expanding to other areas in the future.  We are funding four Fellows to work on projects in these areas.  

We have outlined the target topics for each below.  We are looking for submissions which focus on these areas to bring new data, linkages or analysis to the Data Cooperative.  Some projects are specific in scope, allowing someone to tackle the project without a deep knowledge of the issues or route to impact, while some are broad, requiring the applicant to build the scope of the project themselves.  For all projects in your application, please think about how this data will add to the body of open climate data, how it will have impact, or who the users would be; and how you will execute the project successfully. 

Applications are open until 22nd April 5pm BST and you can apply here.

Electric Vehicles

For EVs, we have a couple of specific topics generated by our experts in New AutoMotive which we know will have an impact.  These two projects would be suitable for anyone with broad data science skills, as Subak can help with the subject matter expertise: 

1) Dashboards for Local Authorities (in the UK or other)

Local Authorities have the ability to support the uptake of EVs but often lack information to take actions.  A dashboard for Local Authorities which synthesises key information would allow them to make informed decisions and benchmark their progress against their peers.  The following information can at a minimum be presented:

1. Number of charge points

2. Number of electric cars - mileage and fuel type breakdown 

3. Annual additions and retirements from the local fleet

2) Price and availability of EVs for sale

1. One of the impediments to growing EV leasing services is relatively poor quality data on the value of second hand EVs (the residual value).  This data project would be to collect data from car dealership websites to track how EV prices are changing over time, showing expected prices by age and model.  This could be used to demonstrate to investors the business case for EV leasing and could really put rockets onto these businesses.  

2. Initially this could be scraped data, but the project may also find that it is possible to form partnerships with some car dealership websites.  Subak has access to some specialist web scraping support which can be used to assist the successful Fellow.  

Furthermore, there are a number of general project areas which could be addressed. The applicant is invited to create their own scope for a project proposal on:

3) EV Manufacturer Collaboration

Working with an EV manufacturer to help address their future vision and needs or to open up data they have.

4) Policy & Incentives 

Data-driven evidence on what incentives are effective in increasing EV uptake in different countries.  This could be all about a data-set, or a mix of collecting some data as well as a write-up of the analysis. 

5) Scaling Vehicle-to-Grid Solutions

1. There is a commonly held view that using car batteries to help smooth the load on the grid by charging and discharging their batteries when they are connected, could be a valuable tool in the path to a zero-emissions grid.  However, more data to connect the EV owner and the electricity grid point of view could be identified and shared - for instance typical charging profile or grid pinch-points. 

Power Plants

We list below a number of reasonably broad areas where we are looking for projects which can contribute to climate action and the Subak Data Cooperative as part of that.  

1) Pipeline view of Power Plant projects

1. While there is relatively good data on existing power plants, it is very difficult to find data on new and planned power plants. Identifying / creating a dataset that gives a pipeline view of new plants would be helpful to guide campaigning and analysis efforts. However this data by nature is rapidly changing so methods to maintain and update it easily would be valuable.

2. Interconnectors play a fundamental role in an increasingly interconnected supergrid, ensuring security of supply across countries and environmental and infrastructure conditions. Understanding their historical development is important for correctly modelling historical power flows and carbon intensities. An open dataset supplying that would be valuable to power analysts.

2) Renewables potential, including planning considerations

One of the challenges as renewable penetration increases is to be able to identify suitable sites from both a wind or solar resource point of view, and from a planning consideration.  The project would be to quantify renewables potential by country and contrast with regulatory and planning barriers. Some interesting examples are: Ember’s report on Polish wind development, or the UK onshore wind moratorium, which is now changing.

3) Calculate Climate Risk of Financing Fossil Fuel Power Plants

1. Banks in most major jurisdictions of the world are required to assess the risk of their investments from climate change impacts and low carbon transition laws and policies.  The impact of this on funding of fossil fuel infrastructure has the potential to be huge, as there is much exposure to carbon prices in particular.  Any data to bring transparency to such analysis could be extremely powerful.  

4) Analyse Activist Investor Interventions

1. Activist and protest shareholders have brought resolutions on climate action and strategy to the boards of the largest fossil fuel companies (see article).  If they can win support of other shareholders, they have a chance of real impact and change of corporate direction. Diving into and preparing data on historical success or failures of such events and potential future angles for engagement could be impactful. 

5) Repowering Coal in China

1. Coal power generation produces some 30% of global emissions. One proposal to change this is 'repowering' coal plants, substituting the coal burner for another heat source. Nuclear Small Modular Reactors are a potential candidate. Repowering the 1000GW of coal plants in China would have a gigantic impact. Data supporting this idea is crucial. See this paper for more details.

6) Opportunities to scale up or stop closing nuclear

1. While not without controversy, nuclear is a low emission fuel.  The UK government has just stated it wants to increase the share of nuclear power from 16% to 25% which implies an increased rollout of new reactors. Understanding potential reactor types, sites and costs will be essential. New financing models (Regulated Asset Base) will be part of this to bring costs down. In some places worldwide, nuclear plants have been retired early which can have a climate cost if not substituted with clean power - strategies to support or reverse those decisions are also of interest.

7) Historic Interconnectors

1. Interconnectors play a fundamental role in an increasingly interconnected supergrid, ensuring security of supply across countries and environmental and infrastructure conditions. Understanding their historical development is important for correctly modelling historical power flows and carbon intensities. An open dataset supplying that information would be valuable to power analysts.

8) Co-locating storage with renewables

1. As energy storage has declined in price (particularly l-ion batteries), the rationale to co-locate with new renewables generation has improved, to create assets capable of some level of firm power which can replace fossil fuel generators. Benefits of these could be quantified with focus on cost reduction and range of storage and renewables technologies considered. Offshore wind and hydrogen electrolysers are also a potentially important topic.

9) Commercial PPAs and private financing

1. Large companies, particularly cloud and data centres have led the way in contracting Power Purchase Agreements directly with renewables projects. This has played a part in the overall cost-reduction story for renewables. Understanding this model, unearthing supporting data and considering its future could be an impactful way to i) open up the PPA market to a wider audience ii) replicate the models success in other jurisdictions.

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Please visit our Fellowship application page to apply, and do contact us with any questions. Applications will close 22nd April at 5pm BST.